Long-term care insurance protects you in case you need care in old age or due to illness. As an employee with children, you pay 1.7% of your gross salary; childless employees from age 23 pay a surcharge and end up at 2.3%. On a €4,000 gross salary, that's €68 (with children) or €92 (without children) per month.
Since 2023, parents benefit from reductions: for each child under 25 from the second child onward, your contribution drops by 0.25 percentage points. With three children under 25, you pay only 1.45% instead of 1.7%. On a €4,000 gross salary, that saves you €10 a month, or €120 a year.
Reality check on long-term care insurance: it only covers part of the costs! A nursing home place often costs €3,500-5,000 per month; long-term care insurance covers between €770 and €2,005 depending on the care level. The gap of often more than €2,000 per month you have to bear yourself – or take out private supplementary long-term care insurance. The earlier you take one out, the cheaper the contributions.