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Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays

As the holiday season approaches, we want to thank you for being a part of the GermanPedia community. Whether you're celebrating your first Christmas in Germany or a seasoned expat, this is a special time to pause, reflect, and create wonderful memories with loved ones.

We hope your holidays are filled with joy, warmth, and good cheer! 🌟 May the New Year bring you exciting opportunities, happiness, and success.

By the way, visit your favorite Christmas markets this weekend before they close for another year. :)

A Story of Strength, Sacrifice, and the Importance of Planning Ahead

Today, I want to share a story that touched me deeply—a story from one of our subscribers. It's a story of loss, resilience, and the invaluable lessons that can emerge from the most difficult times.

One year ago, tragedy struck a young family. The wife of one of our subscribers—a loving mother to their 5-year-old child—passed away in a sudden and devastating accident.

In an instant, their world was turned upside down.

The pain of their loss was overwhelming. Grief took center stage, and everything else seemed secondary.

But as the days turned to weeks, practical realities began to surface.

How would they manage without her and her income? Who will read stories to their child, bake his favorite banana bread, and more? How would the father juggle his demanding job while being the sole caregiver for their child?

The father stepped down from his position and reduced his working hours to care for their child.

In those moments, one decision made years ago became their saving grace: they took term life insurance for her.

The financial cushion provided by the insurance allowed them to make life a little more manageable during an otherwise unbearable time.

The father couldn't imagine how their lives would have turned out without the insurance money. At the worst, he would have been forced to sell their house.

When he shared his story with us, he said:

His message to you? Don’t wait.

Life is unpredictable. While nothing can replace a loved one, having a safety net can make an unimaginable situation just a little easier to bear.

At GermanPedia, we understand how hard it can be to plan for something we hope never happens. But stories like this remind us why it's so important.

If you've been putting off securing term life insurance, let this be your sign to act. Protect what matters most.

Which term life insurance is recommended by the experts?

​Term life insurance from Allianz* is rated the best by all the rating agencies and experts. You can read more in our guide on term life insurance.

TK and HKK more than doubled their additional contributions

We know that public health insurance will get expensive in 2025. However, we never expected that the insurers like TK and HKK would more than double their additional contribution rate.

Here is the new additional contribution rate.

• TK: 2.45% from 2025. It was 1.2% in 2024
• HKK: 2.19% from 2025. It was 0.98% in 2024

TK and HKK are still the cheap insurance providers. Here is what's happening with other insurers.

• AOK Bayern: 2.69%
• BKK Diakonie: 3.8%
• IKK classic: 3.4%

Some insurers like Barmer have yet to announce the increase in the additional contribution in 2025. However, Barmer's additional contribution is already 2.19% and will only go higher.

The average additional contribution for 2025 was expected to be 2.5%. However, the average can go higher based on the increase in the additional contributions by the health insurers.

What does this mean for you?

Switch your public health insurer

If you are insured with a public insurer other than TK and HKK, it's time to make the switch. Basic medical coverage is required by law, which is the same with every public insurer. So, paying more for the same coverage doesn't make sense.

The process to make the switch is simple and straightforward.

• ​Register with TK online.
• TK will take care of canceling your old public health insurance.
• Inform your employer about the change.

Switch to private health insurance

The increase in public health insurance premiums affects high earners the most. Thus, it's worthwhile for high-earners (earning above 73,800€ per annum) to consider moving to private health insurance for three reasons.

• Reduce the monthly premiums,
• enjoy better medical coverage, and
• have faster appointments.

We recommend getting private health insurance via an insurance broker. They are experts and can help you find the best plan for your needs. You can book a free call with an expert we recommend here.

Insurance brokers are liable for their advice. This means that if the insurance plan they recommended doesn’t fulfill your wishes, they are liable to pay the damages.

Community Shoutouts!

• Thanks for voting on whether you are overpaying the rent. Every one of the 47 people who voted is overpaying the rent. 54% are overpaying by 20%, 41% by 30%, and 5% by 50%. I would love to hear from you if the authorities can reduce your rent and get back the overpaid rent. By the way, I am overpaying by 20% and have applied for further investigation.

Whether it's a must-visit place, a life hack, or an inspiring story, we’d love to hear from you.

Your feedback matters

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New on GermanPedia

SEPA Direct Debit You use SEPA direct debit in your daily life. However, do you know what it is exactly? What are its advantages and features that you can use as a customer? If not, read our guide to learn. SEPA Direct Debit

Launched "Term Life Insurance Calculator" Choosing the right amount of coverage for your term life insurance is crucial to protect the financial health of your loved ones. Our Term Life Insurance Calculator helps you determine that sum. The calculator ensures you’re neither underinsured nor overpaying for the term life insurance coverage. Term life insurance calculator

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