A Guaranteed Right to Insure Your Child
One of the most valuable protections in German private health insurance (private Krankenversicherung, PKV) is Kindernachversicherung — the right to add a newborn to a parent's policy without any health assessment (Gesundheitspruefung). This means even a child born with a medical condition can be insured at standard terms, with no exclusions and no risk surcharge, provided you meet the conditions.
Why it matters: normally PKV acceptance depends on health. Kindernachversicherung removes that hurdle for newborns entirely — but only if you apply within the legal deadline and meet the prior-insurance condition.
The Conditions
To use Kindernachversicherung, the following generally must be true:
- A parent has been insured in PKV with the same insurer for at least three months before the birth
- You apply within two months of the birth, backdated to the date of birth
- The child's cover is no more comprehensive than the insured parent's — you cannot give the baby a richer tariff than the parent holds
Meet these and the insurer must accept the child at normal rates regardless of health. Miss the two-month window and the child becomes a normal applicant, subject to a full health assessment — which is exactly what you want to avoid.
What Does Children's PKV Cost?
Children are insured on their own dedicated child tariffs, which are considerably cheaper than adult cover because children's claims are, on average, low and no ageing reserve is built during childhood. A comprehensive child tariff often costs a modest monthly amount. Note that, unlike statutory insurance (GKV), PKV has no free family insurance (Familienversicherung) — each child is insured and priced individually.
PKV vs GKV for Children
This is the key family trade-off. In GKV, children can be covered for free under a parent's Familienversicherung if income conditions are met. In PKV, every child carries a separate premium. For families with one PKV parent and a non-working spouse, the maths can favour GKV; for dual high-earners already committed to PKV, insuring children privately buys them the same fast access and broad benefits the parents enjoy.
| Aspect | PKV child cover | GKV family insurance |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Separate premium per child | Free if conditions met |
| Health check for newborn | None (Kindernachversicherung) | None |
| Benefits | Broad, tariff-based | Standardised |
Act Before the Deadline
The single most important takeaway: notify your insurer of the birth and apply for Kindernachversicherung within two months. Prepare the paperwork before the due date so a newborn arrival — and the busy weeks that follow — never costs your child their guaranteed, health-check-free entry into private cover.
Frequently Asked Questions
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