German statutory long-term care insurance (soziale Pflegeversicherung) is a partial cover: it adds fixed amounts but never pays everything.

Care grades 1 to 5

You need care if your independence is impaired for at least six months (§ 14 SGB XI). The Medical Service assesses six modules (§ 15 SGB XI): mobility (10 %), cognitive abilities or behavioural problems (15 %), self-care (40 %), managing illness and therapy (20 %), daily life and social contacts (15 %). The score gives grade 1 from 12.5 points, 2 from 27, 3 from 47.5, 4 from 70, 5 from 90. The fund must decide within 25 working days (§ 18 SGB XI).

2026 benefits at home

Last raised on 1 January 2025, unchanged in 2026:

Monthly Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5
Care allowance (Pflegegeld) – 347 € 599 € 800 € 990 €
Care services (Pflegesachleistung) – 796 € 1,497 € 1,859 € 2,299 €
Relief amount (Entlastungsbetrag) 131 € 131 € 131 € 131 € 131 €

Plus 3,539 € a year for respite and short-term care (from grade 2), up to 42 € a month for consumable aids and up to 4,180 € per measure for home adaptations.

In a nursing home

The fund pays 805 € (grade 2), 1,319 € (3), 1,855 € (4) or 2,096 € (5) a month towards care costs (§ 43 SGB XI), plus surcharges on the care-related co-payment of 15 % in year one, 30 %, 50 % and 75 % from year four (§ 43c SGB XI). Even so, residents paid on average 3,364 € a month in the first year as of 1 July 2026 (vdek): 1,775 € care co-payment, 1,068 € board and lodging, 521 € investment costs – 256 € more than a year earlier. Children contribute only above 100,000 € total annual income (§ 94 SGB XII).

What it costs

The contribution rate has been 3.6 % since 1 January 2025, split between employer and employee. Childless members from 23 pay 0.6 points extra alone, i.e. 4.2 % (§ 55 SGB XI). Outlook 2027 – status: draft bill, not adopted: the cabinet approved the Care Reorganisation Act on 30 September 2026 with a childless surcharge of 0.9 points from 2027, a care contribution ceiling 300 € a month higher, and from 2028 0.52 points for co-insured partners.

Three types of supplementary cover

Type Pays Typical
Daily care allowance (Pflegetagegeld) fixed daily amount per grade, no receipts most common; full benefit often only from grade 4 or 5
Care cost insurance (Pflegekostenversicherung) reimburses documented residual costs cheaper, receipts required
Care pension (Pflegerentenversicherung) monthly pension, usually guaranteed premium most expensive, about two to three times (consumer advice centres)

The state-subsidised Pflege-Bahr (§§ 126, 127 SGB XI) adds 5 € a month – 60 € a year – to a daily allowance policy with at least 10 € a month own contribution: no health check, but a waiting period of up to five years and usually low benefits (minimum 600 € a month at grade 5). Which type suits you depends on age, health, budget and family – contracts run for life.

How to proceed

  1. In a care case: apply first – benefits start from the month of application.
  2. Use all benefits; the fund’s care advisers help free of charge (§ 7a SGB XI).
  3. Calculate your own gap against the co-payment in your state.
  4. Consider supplementary cover only after disability, liability and retirement provision.

More: private clients.

General information, not legal, tax or investment advice. Sources: German Social Code Book XI (§§ 7a, 14, 15, 18, 36, 37, 43, 43c, 45b, 55, 126, 127 SGB XI), § 94 SGB XII, Federal Ministry of Health, vdek (press release of 14 July 2026), Federal Cabinet (draft Care Reorganisation Act, 30 September 2026), consumer advice centres – as of October 2026. 2027 values are draft status. Want to put a figure on your own gap? Get in touch.