Apprentices

Anyone who is insured by a health insurance fund pays a certain percentage of their gross salary each month for health and long-term care insurance. As of 01. Januar 2025, it is composed of the general contribution rate of 14,6 percent and the fund-specific additional contribution rate of 3,99 percent.

You and your training company share both, so each pays 50 percent of it.

In addition to health insurance, long-term care insurance is also compulsory. The contribution to long-term care insurance is currently 3.4 percent.

If you have more than 1 child under 25, the contribution is reduced by 0.25 percent per child (maximum 5).

If you are 23 or older and have no children, you pay a contribution surcharge of 0.6 percent for long-term care insurance, i.e. a total of 4.0 percent.

In Germany, all employees, including trainees, are subject to compulsory social insurance if they exceed certain income limits. This includes statutory health insurance, long-term care insurance, pension insurance, unemployment insurance and statutory accident insurance.

For trainees, the obligation begins on the first day of training. A confirmation of membership from the health insurance fund must be submitted to the employer no later than 14 days after the start of training. If no health insurance fund is actively selected, the employer decides on the health insurance affiliation.

If you are training at school without a salary, you can remain in the non-contributory family insurance scheme under certain conditions. For trainees who earn less than 325 euros gross per month, the training company covers the entire cost of social insurance, including health and long-term care insurance.