It’s a new year, you check your payslip, and somehow your net salary is smaller—even though your tax class didn’t change and you didn’t suddenly start earning less. In this video, I break down the real culprit: health insurance in Germany has increased again. Yes, the German system is still one of the best out there, but it’s getting more and more expensive, and people are honestly already at their pressure points. I explain how statutory health insurance works: the base contribution is 14.6% of your gross income (shared between you and your employer), but the part that keeps changing is the “supplementary contribution” added on top. Using TK (Techniker Krankenkasse) as an example, the supplementary rate went from 2.45% in 2025 to 2.69% in 2026—bringing the total to 17.29%. That means you might think you’re paying 14.6%, but in reality you’re paying closer to 17%+. I also talk about why it’s rising: people living longer, higher healthcare costs (tech, staff, meds), and reduced government subsidies. And I share my own experience with the system—long waits for appointments, still paying out of pocket for certain things, and how pregnancy/postpartum and kids’ prescriptions opened my eyes. My goal isn’t to spread panic—just information—so you can plan long-term and not blame yourself when your net pay drops.