Private insurance in Germany only applies to those self-employed or, optionally, those employed who are above a considerable yearly salary threshold. Otherwise,

Private insurance in Germany only applies to those self-employed or, optionally, those employed who are above a considerable yearly salary threshold. Otherwise, it's public, and the cost depends on your salary. If you're employed, your company pays for half the insurance cost, be it private or public. This means that it's expensive for self-employed people.