Salary and Compulsory Cover
For an employee, staying in PKV depends on your regular salary remaining above the income threshold. If your pay drops below it, for example after moving to part-time work or a lower-paid role, you can become compulsorily insured in the statutory system again, because the threshold is what keeps an employee free to hold private cover.
The Important Exceptions
- Age 55 and over: once you are 55 and meet the conditions, returning to GKV is generally barred, which also protects your PKV from a forced return on an income drop.
- Exemption (Befreiung): in some situations an exemption from compulsory insurance can be sought, which lets you stay in PKV.
- Self-employment: if the income change comes with a move to self-employment, the free-choice rule applies instead.
- Temporary dips: how a short-term reduction is treated depends on whether the lower income is regular and lasting.
The age-55 line is decisive: before 55, a lasting drop below the threshold can pull an employee back into GKV. From 55, that door is generally closed both ways, which protects your private cover.
What to Check
If your income is set to fall below the threshold, work out in advance whether you will remain eligible for PKV, whether an exemption applies, and how your age affects it. The consequences are significant, since a forced return to GKV means giving up your tariff and the reserves built into it. Get the position confirmed before the pay change takes effect, not after.
Frequently Asked Questions
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