Statutory health insurance (GKV) is mandatory for most employees and offers comprehensive protection in case of illness. You pay 7.3% of your gross salary plus the fund-specific additional contribution (on average 1.7%), so around 8% in total, or €320 on a €4,000 gross salary.
The big advantage of statutory health insurance: your family members are covered for free as long as they have no income of their own. Your spouse and all children are protected without you paying a single cent more. Under private health insurance, each person would need to be insured individually – for a family, that can quickly add up to €500-800 per month.
Savings tip: health insurance funds differ in their additional contribution by up to 2 percentage points! On a €4,000 gross salary, that can make up to €80 per month, or €960 per year. Switching funds is possible at any time with two weeks' notice to the end of the month. But don't just compare the contribution rate – also look at extra benefits like bonus programs (up to €200/year), preventive care and alternative medicine.