ÖGK insurance for self-payers: self-insurance cost, waiting period and private cover (2026)
Care Austria, 2026 prices. Unlimited Standard tariffs rise from 2028 per the policy terms and can be cancelled ordinarily only after 1 year, then only to 31 December with 1 month’s notice (AVB § 3). That matters if you only need a bridge over the ÖGK waiting period.
ÖGK insurance for people without job or pension cover (Selbstversicherung) costs €565.25 a month in 2026 and pays benefits only after a 6-month waiting period, unless recent statutory cover waives it (oegk.at). It needs residence in Austria and, for non-EU/EEA/Swiss applicants, a valid residence permit, so, in our reading, it cannot get a third-country national the first permit; Vienna requires a private bridge. Care Austria unlimited starts at €155/month under 50 (min. 1 year, AVB § 3; 2026).
Which situation are you in?
ÖGK self-insurance (Selbstversicherung with the ÖGK, in German also ÖGK Selbstversicherung) is the voluntary way into ÖGK health insurance, Austria’s public health insurance, for people who are not insured through a job or pension (oegk.at). Whether it is an option for you depends on four situations.
I work in Austria
If your job is subject to compulsory health insurance, you are insured through it and self-insurance is not for you; a marginal job paying no more than €551.10 a month (2026) gives accident insurance only, not health cover (how this plays out for au pairs is on au pair in Austria). For a permit, the BMI calls job insurance “in any case sufficient” (bmi.gv.at).
I am applying for my first permit
ÖGK self-insurance needs residence in Austria and, for non-EU/EEA/Swiss applicants, a valid residence permit, so a third-country national cannot use it to obtain the first permit. You need private all-risk cover instead, such as Care Austria unlimited from €155 a month under 50 (2026; minimum term 1 year, AVB § 3).
The permit rules are on insurance for a residence permit.
I live here with a permit, without a job
You can apply. It costs €565.25 a month (2026), and benefits start after 6 months unless waived (≥ 26 weeks of statutory cover in Austria, the EU/EEA or a treaty state whose agreement adds up insurance periods in the last 12 months or ≥ 6 weeks right before). Plan a private bridge for the waiting period. Care Austria must be taken out before travelling or within 1 year of entry (later only with proof of continuous prior cover, AVB § 2).
Use the calculator below.
I am a student
Students have their own ÖGK rate: €78.84 a month in 2026, once resident in Austria.
That rate has its own page, ÖGK student insurance, and the cover students need for the permit is on health insurance to study in Austria.
ÖGK self-insurance in 9 official facts
| Fact | What the source says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Contribution 2026 | €565.25 per month (“Der monatliche Beitrag beträgt im Jahr 2026 EUR 565,25”) | oegk.at; oesterreich.gv.at |
| Who can join | Not compulsorily insured anywhere; residence in Austria; non-EU/EEA/Swiss: valid residence permit | oegk.at |
| Waiting period | Benefits after 6 months | oegk.at |
| Waiver | ≥ 26 weeks of statutory cover (in Austria, the EU/EEA or a treaty state whose agreement adds up insurance periods) in the last 12 months, or ≥ 6 consecutive weeks immediately before | oegk.at |
| What you get | Benefits in kind (doctor, hospital, medicines); no cash benefits such as sick pay | oesterreich.gv.at |
| Start | The day after the application (directly after earlier cover if applied for within 6 weeks) | oesterreich.gv.at; oegk.at |
| Minimum term | 6 months; deregistration to the end of a month after that | oegk.at |
| Permit rule (federal) | Voluntary insurance counts only if benefits start immediately | bmi.gv.at |
| Vienna (MA 35) | “If you have a waiting period, you must bridge it with private insurance.” | wien.gv.at |
Who can take out ÖGK self-insurance in Austria?
Self-insurance in Austria (Selbstversicherung in der Krankenversicherung) is open to people whose residence is in Austria and who are not compulsorily insured in any statutory health insurance, whether in Austria, another EU/EEA state or a treaty state. Citizens of countries outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland must also show a valid residence permit (oegk.at). oesterreich.gv.at adds special rules for students and marginally employed people, and a 60-month block for anyone whose previous insurance as self-employed person (GSVG) or farmer (BSVG) has ended.
Among foreigners, it is relevant for permit holders who live in Austria without a job. Examples are retirees on a settlement permit (retire in Austria), people between jobs who are not otherwise insured, or family members who are not co-insured. If your spouse or parent works in Austria, check co-insurance first: Vienna’s MA 35 page says a person co-insured on someone’s statutory insurance needs no private insurance (see ÖGK co-insurance). Public health insurance in Austria through a job subject to compulsory insurance is automatic (a marginal job paying no more than €551.10 a month in 2026 gives accident insurance only); this page is only about the voluntary route. ÖGK stands for Österreichische Gesundheitskasse, the public health insurance fund; for ÖGK insurance in Vienna, the self-insurance phone line is +43 5 0766-112700.
What does ÖGK self-insurance cost in 2026?
ÖGK self-insurance costs €565.25 a month in 2026 at any age (oegk.at, oesterreich.gv.at): the law sets one contribution base for all self-insured people except students, with no age element (§ 76 (1) ASVG). That makes €3,391.50 for the 6-month minimum term and €6,783 a year. The contribution is due at the start of each month and must reach the ÖGK by the 15th. It can be reduced on application if your finances are tight. We found no formula or minimum for a reduced contribution on oegk.at or oesterreich.gv.at; treat lower figures online with caution and ask the ÖGK.
| ÖGK self-insurance cost | Amount (2026) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Per month | €565.25 | Any age; reduction possible on application |
| Minimum term (6 months) | €3,391.50 | Paid in full even though benefits start only after month 6 (unless waived) |
| Per year | €6,783 | 12 × €565.25 |
| Student self-insurance (comparison) | €78.84/month | Separate rate: oegk.at |
Be careful with figures from social media. One video creator quoted “about 68 euro” for ÖGK insurance, which matches neither official rate: €78.84 is the student rate and €565.25 the adult rate. For the overview of all routes, see health insurance in Austria for foreigners; for every health insurance cost in Austria side by side, see what health insurance costs in Austria.
How does the ÖGK self-insurance waiting period work?
ÖGK self-insurance pays benefits only after a waiting period (Wartezeit) of six months (oegk.at, checked October 2026). You pay €565.25 a month from the start but receive no benefits during those six months, unless the waiting period is waived because you had statutory insurance just before. The ÖGK waives it after at least 26 weeks of statutory cover (in Austria, the EU/EEA or a treaty state whose agreement adds up insurance periods) in the last 12 months, or at least 6 consecutive weeks immediately before; then benefits apply at once, also for co-insured dependants (oesterreich.gv.at).
| Your history | ÖGK waiting period | What you need for the gap |
|---|---|---|
| New to Austria, never statutorily insured | 6 months | Private cover for at least the 6 months (Vienna: “must” bridge privately) |
| Only private insurance before (e.g. Care Austria) | 6 months — private cover is not statutory insurance | Keep the private policy until ÖGK benefits start |
| Job with statutory health insurance (in Austria, the EU/EEA or a treaty state whose agreement adds up insurance periods) just ended after ≥ 26 weeks in the last 12 months | Waived | Apply within 6 weeks so cover starts right after the old one |
| Statutorily insured ≥ 6 weeks in a row right before, in Austria, the EU/EEA or a treaty state whose agreement adds up insurance periods | Waived | None, if there is no gap |
Example (our calculation): you apply on 14 March 2026, self-insurance starts on 15 March, and without a waiver benefits start about six months later, in mid-September 2026. Until then you pay about 6 × €565.25 = €3,391.50 (our estimate; ask the ÖGK how the first part-month is charged) and need private cover.
Because of the waiting period, ÖGK self-insurance helps with a permit only when the waiver applies. The BMI counts voluntary Austrian insurance only if benefits can be claimed immediately after it starts, and the City of Vienna writes on its MA 35 health-insurance page: “If you have a waiting period, you must bridge it with private insurance.”
Why can’t ÖGK self-insurance get you a first residence permit?
ÖGK self-insurance cannot cover a first residence permit application. The ÖGK asks for residence in Austria and, for non-EU/EEA/Swiss applicants, a valid residence permit, so a third-country national cannot use it to obtain the first permit (oegk.at), and its 6-month waiting period must be bridged privately in Vienna (wien.gv.at). The authority, by contrast, asks for proof of health insurance already with the permit application. On top of that comes the 6-month waiting period, which the BMI rule and Vienna’s bridging requirement do not accept as cover. The ÖGK does not print this conclusion; it is our reading of the official texts. Still, no official page we read describes a way round it.
For a first application you therefore need private all-risk cover that pays in Austria from the day you arrive. Care Concept AG is on Vienna's MA 35 insurer list. Care Austria and Care Austria Education (the unlimited tariffs) need no extra declaration, while the 364-day tariffs do (checked 30 October 2026). The full rule is explained on health insurance for a residence permit, and MA 35’s checks on MA 35 Vienna in English. People planning to bring older parents or to retire should also read can I bring my parents to Austria? and the Austria retirement visa.
ÖGK self-insurance cost calculator: ÖGK vs private cover
Enter your year of birth and how long you need cover. The calculator uses the 2026 ÖGK contribution, the 6-month ÖGK minimum term and waiting period, and Care Austria’s 2026 registry prices with their 1-year minimum term (unlimited tariffs).
Age = current calendar year minus year of birth (policy terms). 2026 prices; unlimited Standard premiums rise from 2028 per the policy terms (€187 under 50). A higher age band from 1 January of the year you turn 50 or 65 is not included. Above the 65–74 band: ask Care Concept AG. A reduced ÖGK contribution cannot be calculated (we found no official formula). Information only — not an offer from the ÖGK.
ÖGK self-insurance vs Care Austria: how do they compare?
ÖGK self-insurance (€565.25 a month at any age, 2026) is statutory cover for people already living in Austria (non-EU/EEA/Swiss applicants: with a valid permit), while Care Austria (from €155 a month unlimited under 50) is private cover a foreigner can buy before the first permit. The table puts the same criteria side by side; the ÖGK column is information only.
| Criterion | ÖGK self-insurance | Care Austria (private) |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly price 2026 | €565.25, any age | Unlimited: €155 under 50, €222 at 50–64, €510 at 65–74; 364-day tariff (0–64, extra MA 35 declaration) €95 |
| Before the first permit | Not possible for a third-country national (needs residence in Austria and a valid residence permit) | Can be bought from abroad; cover starts on your chosen start date, never before entry (AVB § 6); must be taken out within 1 year of entry (later only with proof of continuous prior cover, AVB § 2) |
| Waiting period | 6 months unless waived | 31 days general, waived if bought before travelling or within 31 days of entry or seamlessly after comparable earlier cover, and for accidents after cover starts; 8 months for childbirth and dental prosthetics |
| Minimum term | 6 months | Unlimited tariffs: 1 year (AVB § 3) |
| Family | Spouse, registered partner, children can be co-insured (children free; for a spouse, a 3.4 % extra contribution on the insured person’s contribution base (§ 51d ASVG) unless exempt — ask the ÖGK for the binding amount; see ÖGK co-insurance) | Each person has a premium of their own |
| Price changes | Contribution shown for 2026 | Unlimited Standard rises on 1 January 2028 (to €187 under 50) |
| Ends | Moving abroad, compulsory insurance starting, 2 unpaid months | Leaving Austria for good; automatically when Daueraufenthalt EU is granted (MA 35 page); also another unlimited permit (AVB § 6); for the Daueraufenthalt EU application Vienna requires another insurance |
| Pre-existing conditions | Not addressed on the ÖGK self-insurance page | Special rules in the policy terms — ask Care Concept AG in writing before you apply |
For residents who qualify, ÖGK self-insurance is statutory cover with family co-insurance, and its price does not depend on age. It is €565.25 a month in 2026, or less if a reduction is granted. Private cover can be bought before the first permit and bridges the waiting period. The product and its limits are on Care Austria plans, prices and limits, and health care in Austria for foreigners shows how contract doctors, private doctors and co-payments fit together.
How do you apply, and how do you keep your ÖGK insurance active?
You apply for ÖGK self-insurance with the ÖGK, either online through Meine ÖGK (you need ID Austria) or by sending the downloadable form with photo ID, your registration certificate (Meldebestätigung) and your valid residence permit (oegk.at). Self-insurance starts the day after the application; benefits follow after the 6-month waiting period unless it is waived. Keeping your ÖGK insurance active depends on a few rules:
If the residence authority wants proof of your ÖGK cover, ask the ÖGK for a written confirmation, the ÖGK Versicherungsbestätigung (insurance confirmation), by phone in Vienna on +43 5 0766-112700 or through the contact options on oegk.at. We found no official page that describes the request procedure, so we do not list steps. The plastic e-card is a separate document.
Worked examples: when ÖGK pays off, and when it does not
The three people below are illustrative examples. All amounts in these examples are 2026 prices and contributions.
Elena, 58, settlement permit holder in Graz, never statutorily insured. She holds Care Austria Standard unlimited at €222 a month. Switching to ÖGK self-insurance would cost €565.25 a month with a 6-month waiting period, so she would keep her private policy for at least those 6 months. Care Austria can be cancelled ordinarily only to the end of a calendar year with one month’s notice (AVB § 3); whether it can end early when ÖGK benefits start is not stated (ask Care Concept), so the overlap may be longer than 6 months. In the first year, the switch costs her €6,783 for ÖGK plus €1,332 for 6 more months of private cover. Staying private costs €2,664 a year (rising to €268 a month from 2028). On price alone, ÖGK costs her more unless the ÖGK grants a reduced contribution; statutory cover may still matter to her for other reasons.
Rahul, 34, Red-White-Red Card holder in Vienna, job ended three weeks ago after two years. He had more than 26 weeks of statutory cover in the last 12 months and is not compulsorily insured in any other way (ask the ÖGK), so the waiting period is waived, and because he applies within 6 weeks the self-insurance starts directly after his job insurance ended. ÖGK costs him €565.25 a month from day one with no bridge needed. Care Austria Standard would cost €155 a month but with a 1-year minimum term, and after more than a year in Austria it is available only with proof of continuous prior cover (AVB § 2). That is a poor fit if he expects a new job subject to compulsory insurance within months, because such a job makes him compulsorily insured again.
Joseph, 45, first application from abroad. ÖGK is not available to him yet. Care Austria Standard unlimited costs €155 a month, €1,860 for the first year (minimum term 1 year, AVB § 3); the 364-day tariff costs €95 a month for up to 364 days but needs the extra MA 35 declaration in Vienna. Once he lives in Austria with his permit, ÖGK self-insurance becomes possible, with the 6-month waiting period.
Need cover before ÖGK is possible, or for the waiting period?
- Care Austria Standard unlimited: €155 under 50, €222 at 50–64, €510 at 65–74 (2026)
- Care Concept AG is on Vienna's MA 35 list: unlimited Care Austria tariffs need no extra declaration, 364-day ones do (checked 30 October 2026)
- Unlimited contracts used as a bridge can be cancelled ordinarily only after 1 year, then only to 31 December with 1 month’s notice (AVB § 3); the documents do not state whether one can end early when ÖGK cover starts, so ask Care Concept AG
- 364-day tariff, extra MA 35 declaration: €95 (ages 0–64, 2026)
Care Concept AG sells Care Austria, and the insurer is HanseMerkur Versicherungsgruppe (Advigon Versicherung AG). Before you apply, read the full plan and limits.
Go to Care Concept’s application
Referral link: we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you (how we are paid). We earn nothing from the ÖGK.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get ÖGK self-insurance before I have a residence permit?
No, non-EU/EEA/Swiss applicants cannot get ÖGK self-insurance before they hold a valid residence permit. The ÖGK lists three conditions: you are not compulsorily insured anywhere, your residence is in Austria, and — if you are not an EU/EEA/Swiss citizen — you hold a valid residence permit (oegk.at). Benefits also start only after a 6-month waiting period unless you had statutory cover (in Austria, the EU/EEA or a treaty state whose agreement adds up insurance periods) for at least 26 weeks in the last 12 months or at least 6 weeks in a row right before, and the BMI accepts voluntary insurance for a permit only if benefits start immediately. Our reading: ÖGK self-insurance cannot get you a first permit. Vienna says a waiting period “must” be bridged privately; Care Austria Standard unlimited costs €155 a month under 50 (2026; minimum term 1 year, AVB § 3).
Why do I get no ÖGK benefits for the first six months of self-insurance?
ÖGK self-insurance pays no benefits for the first six months because the law sets a waiting period: “You receive benefits after a waiting period of six months” (ÖGK). It is waived if you had statutory health insurance (in Austria, the EU/EEA or a treaty state whose agreement adds up insurance periods) for at least 26 weeks in the last 12 months or for at least 6 weeks in a row immediately before; then benefits in kind apply at once, also for dependants (oesterreich.gv.at). During the waiting period you still pay €565.25 a month (2026). The ÖGK pays benefits in kind only (doctor, hospital, medicines), no cash benefits such as sick pay.
Can the ÖGK self-insurance contribution be reduced?
Yes, the ÖGK self-insurance contribution can be reduced on application if your financial situation is tight. You apply to the ÖGK with current proof of income (payslip, pension decision or tax assessment). If you ask together with the application, the reduction applies from the first contribution; later requests count from the following month. It must be renewed every two years, and there is none if social assistance or a welfare fund pays the contributions. We found no formula or minimum for a reduced contribution on oegk.at or oesterreich.gv.at; treat lower figures online with caution and ask the ÖGK, which decides.
Which documents do I need to apply for ÖGK self-insurance?
The ÖGK asks for the completed and signed application form, photo ID, your registration certificate (Meldebestätigung) and, for non-EU/EEA/Swiss citizens, a valid residence permit; sometimes also certificates of earlier insurance or a divorce judgment. You apply online through Meine ÖGK (needs ID Austria) or send the form you download from oegk.at. Contact: Vienna +43 5 0766-112700, or the contact options on oegk.at.
Can family members be co-insured on ÖGK self-insurance?
On ÖGK self-insurance, spouses, registered partners and children can be co-insured; cohabiting partners and household managers cannot (ÖGK). We found no cost for co-insuring a family member on the ÖGK self-insurance page, so ask the ÖGK. How co-insurance works in general is explained on ÖGK co-insurance.
When am I not compulsorily insured in Austria?
You are not compulsorily insured in Austria when no job, pension or other insurance-triggering status makes you compulsorily insured in a statutory health insurance — in Austria, the EU/EEA or a treaty state. Only then can you self-insure (ÖGK). Which countries have a social security agreement with Austria is listed on Austria social security agreements by country. If you are employed in Austria in a job subject to compulsory health insurance, you are compulsorily insured (a marginal job paying no more than €551.10 a month (2026) gives accident insurance only, not health cover), and the Interior Ministry calls that “in any case sufficient” for a residence permit (bmi.gv.at). Ask the ÖGK about your case.
Official sources
- ÖGK: self-insurance in health insurance, with the 2026 contribution, waiting period, documents and FAQ
- oesterreich.gv.at: self-insurance in health insurance, last updated 31 March 2026
- ÖGK: student self-insurance, with the 2026 student rate
- Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI): residence and health insurance, on voluntary insurance and permits
- City of Vienna (MA 35): health insurance for residence permits, with the bridging rule, checked 30 October 2026
- Care Austria policy terms (AVB) and tariff page, both insurer documents, read 30 October 2026
Our editorial standards, about this site and contact pages explain how we work. This page is general information, not legal or insurance advice; the ÖGK decides on self-insurance and the authority on your permit. Referral links may earn us a commission from Care Concept AG at no extra cost to you (affiliate disclosure).
Bridge the gap ÖGK leaves
For a first permit or the 6-month ÖGK waiting period you need private all-risk cover. Check Care Austria’s prices and limits first.
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age 0–49: €155/month in 2026 · unlimited, min. 1 year (AVB § 3)
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