Can I co-insure my partner or child in Austria?
Children yes and free — for a partner a surcharge usually applies. Children (own, adopted, step-, foster-children, grandchildren in the household) are co-insured free of charge from birth until completing the 18th year — never a surcharge. An extension is possible during education up to the 27th year. For a co-insured spouse or registered partner or household-running person the law requires a surcharge of 3.4% of the contribution base. An unmarried partner is only co-insurable as a household-running/child-raising person in the household (≥10 months). Condition: centre of life in Austria, not otherwise compulsorily insured. In short: children free, partners usually at 3.4%.
📋 The rules
- Children co-insured free until 18
- Extension in education up to 27
- Partner: 3.4% surcharge of the contribution base
- Unmarried partner only as a household-running person
- Condition: centre of life in Austria
🔓 Exceptions
- Surcharge waived when raising a child in the household
- Waived for care (care level 3) or low income
- No co-insurance for chamber professions (doctor, lawyer …)
⚠️ Penalties & fines
The surcharge is 3.4% of the insured person's contribution base. It's waived where the partner raises a child in the household (or raised one ≥4 years in the past), has care level 3, cares for someone with care level 3, receives sick/maternity/unemployment benefit, or is in social need (income not above the equalisation-supplement reference — 2026: €1,308.39 single, €2,064.12 couples). The health fund sends a questionnaire; not returning it means you pay the surcharge. Beware a myth: "co-insuring your spouse is always free" is false — for partners the 3.4% is the default; only children are always free. Tip: check whether a surcharge exemption applies and return the fund's questionnaire completed.
📎 Official sources
- ÖGK · co-insurance →
- oesterreich.gv.at · co-insurance →
- Ministry of Social Affairs · equalisation reference →
❓ Frequently asked
Can I co-insure my children free of charge?
Yes. Own children, adopted, step- and foster-children, and grandchildren in the household are co-insured free from birth until completing the 18th year. There's never a surcharge for children. With education or study, co-insurance extends to the 27th year.
Does co-insuring a partner cost anything?
Usually yes. For a co-insured spouse, registered partner or household-running person, the law requires a surcharge of 3.4 percent of the contribution base. The insured person pays it. It goes to the federal budget, not the health fund.
When is the surcharge waived?
The surcharge is waived where, among other things, the partner raises a child in the household or raised one for at least four years in the past, has care level 3 themselves or cares for someone with care level 3, receives sick, maternity or unemployment benefit, or is in social need.
Can I co-insure my unmarried partner?
An unmarried partner can only be co-insured as a household-running or child-raising person who has lived in the joint household for at least ten months and raises a child under 18 or runs the household unpaid, provided no able-to-work spouse of the insured lives there.
What must I do for co-insurance?
You register the person to be co-insured with the health fund. The fund sends a questionnaire to check whether a surcharge applies or an exemption is available. If you don't return the questionnaire, the 3.4 percent surcharge is imposed.
🔎 Common searches
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