Overview

• Supplementary health insurance contributions have risen to 2.9% above the 14.6% base rate, with projections of further increases by 0.2 percentage points annually over the next two years.
• Care insurance rates reached record levels in 2025, driven by demographic pressures and wage increases for care workers, with additional hikes expected.
• The Union-SPD coalition's commitment to maintaining a 48% pension level is projected to significantly raise social insurance costs, adding billions to the fiscal burden.
• Economists warn that social insurance contributions could consume nearly 49% of income within a decade, up from the current 42%, exacerbating economic stagnation.
• High social contributions are dampening private consumption and economic recovery, with experts criticizing the coalition's lack of structural reforms to curb rising costs.