Health insurance for young founders

In short: A pupil or apprentice who runs a small business on the side usually stays covered by the parents’ family insurance as long as income stays low and it is a side activity.

In more detail: Family insurance in statutory health insurance applies to children up to 18 with no income limit, up to 23 without gainful work and up to 25 in training. The total income counts (limit about one seventh of the reference amount, 2025: 535 euros per month, for mini-jobs 556 euros). Apprentices with training pay are usually compulsorily insured themselves.

In detail

• Side activity: whoever is mainly a pupil or apprentice counts as self-employed on the side.
• Apprentice: training pay leads to own compulsory insurance, the business usually changes nothing.
• Self-employed as main occupation: then own insurance duty applies (voluntary statutory or private).
• Reporting: inform the health insurer about the business if it asks.
• Private insurers: other rules apply if the parents are privately insured.
• Advice: the health insurer and consumer advice centre answer individual cases.

See also: Child benefit and the child’s income, Side and main occupation