Techniker Krankenkasse: additional rate and cost in euros
TK charges an additional rate of 2.69 %, 0.21 points below the official average; on €3,800 gross you pay €397 a month.
Checked by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · How we calculate
Your contribution at Techniker Krankenkasse (TK), 2026
€397
a month · additional rate 2.69 %
| Contributory income | €3,800 |
|---|---|
| Health insurance (14.6 % + 2.69 %), your share | €329 |
| of which Techniker Krankenkasse (TK) additional rate | €51 |
| Long-term care | €68 |
| You pay a month | €397 |
| Employer adds | €397 |
| A year (your share) | €4,763 |
Cheapest fund open in North Rhine-Westphalia: BKK firmus (2.18 %). You would pay €116 less a year. Rank 6 of 53.
Chosen today: new fund from 1 January 2027, provided you have been a member for at least twelve months.
Step-by-step calculation
- Income €3,800 → contributory €3,800 (ceiling 2026: €5,813 a month).
- Health: 14.6 % general or reduced rate plus 2.69 % Techniker Krankenkasse (TK) additional rate, split half and half with the employer.
- Care: 3.6 %.
Estimate under Books V and XI of the Social Code. Your fund’s or employer’s calculation is binding. How we calculate
All 53 funds you can join in North Rhine-Westphalia, in euros
| # | Fund | Add. rate | You pay/month | vs today/year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BKK firmus · regional | 2.18 % | €387 | −€116 |
| 2 | BKK Public · regional | 2.50 % | €393 | −€43 |
| 2 | TUI BKK | 2.50 % | €393 | −€43 |
| 4 | hkk | 2.59 % | €395 | −€23 |
| 5 | Audi BKK | 2.60 % | €395 | −€21 |
| 6 | Techniker Krankenkasse (TK) | 2.69 % | €397 | ±0 |
| 7 | WMF BKK | 2.85 % | €400 | +€36 |
| 8 | HEK | 2.89 % | €401 | +€46 |
Minus = you pay less a year than at Techniker Krankenkasse (TK). Company funds open only to their own staff are left out.
Techniker Krankenkasse (TK) charges an additional contribution (Zusatzbeitrag) of 2.69 %, according to the list kept by the GKV-Spitzenverband, the umbrella body of Germany’s statutory health funds. Added to the general rate of 14.6 %, that is 17.29 % of gross pay up to the contribution ceiling, shared between employee and employer. On €3,800 gross a month with one child, your share of health and long-term care insurance together is €397; your employer adds almost as much. Among the 71 funds open to anyone in at least one state, TK ranks 8. Compared with the official average additional rate of 2.9 % you save €48 a year at that pay; the cheapest open fund, BKK firmus at 2.18 %, would cost another €116 a year less. TK is a substitute fund (Ersatzkasse) and can be chosen in all 16 states.
TK among the big substitute funds
Of the six big substitute funds, only hkk is cheaper than TK. Substitute funds have always been open nationwide, so unlike an AOK or a regional company fund you can join TK wherever you live or work. The table uses €3,800 gross and one child, your share of health and care insurance.
| Fund | Additional rate | You pay a month | vs TK a year |
|---|---|---|---|
| hkk | 2.59 % | €395 | −€23 |
| Techniker Krankenkasse (TK) | 2.69 % | €397 | · |
| HEK | 2.89 % | €401 | +€46 |
| DAK-Gesundheit | 3.20 % | €407 | +€116 |
| BARMER | 3.29 % | €408 | +€137 |
| KKH | 3.78 % | €418 | +€249 |
What you pay at TK a month
| Situation | Base | Your share a month |
|---|---|---|
| Employee | €2,500 | €261 |
| Employee | €3,800 | €397 |
| Employee at the ceiling | €5,812.50 | €607 |
| Pensioner | €1,600 | €196 |
| Self-employed, no sick pay | €3,000 | €609 |
| Student | €855 | €141 |
The additional rate is only a small part of the total at TK: on €3,800 gross it accounts for €51 of your share, the rest being the general rate every fund charges plus care insurance. That is why TK and the most expensive nationwide fund are only €388 a year apart at this pay. High earners feel the gap more, because the additional rate grows with pay up to the ceiling.
Moving to TK or away from it
You join TK with a membership application to TK; it notifies your current fund. Membership starts on the first day of the month after next, provided you have been a member for twelve months or your fund raises its rate (work out the dates). If you are with TK and want a cheaper fund, the calculator above ranks every fund open in your state; the full list of additional rates also covers regional funds. Switching is free and treatment continues. If TK raises its rate in January, the special termination right applies even within the twelve-month lock-in.