Long-Term Care Insurance
Mandatory Insurance with Exceptions
In long-term care insurance, the principle “long-term care insurance follows health insurance” applies. Anyone insured under a statutory health insurance plan is automatically enrolled in the social long-term care insurance system. This is handled by the long-term care fund of the health insurance provider with which the person is insured.
Even those who are voluntarily insured through a statutory health insurance plan are subject to mandatory coverage under the social long-term care insurance system. However, they may apply for an exemption within the first three months of the mandatory coverage period if they can prove that they have taken out private long-term care insurance.
Those with private health insurance are required to have private long-term care insurance. Anyone who is no longer subject to the mandatory coverage requirement—for example, because they have moved abroad—can, upon application, voluntarily enroll in the social long-term care insurance program of a statutory health insurance provider.
Premiums scaled according to the number of children
As with health insurance, employers and employees each pay half of the long-term care insurance premium. However, this applies only to the base contribution rate, which applies to parents with one child. This base contribution rate is 3.6 percent of gross wages, meaning employees and employers each pay 1.8 percent. For employees with multiple children, there are time-limited reductions from the basic contribution rate starting with the second child, scaled according to the number of children. There are no further reductions starting with the sixth child.
Further Information
You can find more information on statutory long-term care insurance here: