Find a Partner Health Fund
How do I get a health insurance fund as a partner for workplace health promotion (WHP)?
Note: under German law. Health insurance funds often sign formal partner contracts only with larger companies — rejections for small businesses are normal. But Section 20b SGB V requires the statutory funds to provide workplace health promotion services, even without a partner contract. This gives the company no legal entitlement: the fund decides project by project. Once you have a documented WHP process under the GKV Prevention Guide, you qualify for a conversation with your fund on equal footing. EasyWHP guides you through this process.
Partner Health Fund vs. Section 20b SGB V: What's the Difference?
| Feature | Formal Partner GKV | Section 20b SGB V (funding without entitlement) |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum size | Often only larger companies | None — every employer can ask |
| Formal contract | Yes | No |
| Dedicated GKV contact | Yes | No — enquire directly with the fund |
| Financial support | Yes | Possible, as a project — no entitlement |
| Prerequisite | Negotiation + contract signing | Documented WHP process (basis for the conversation) |
Why Do Health Funds Decline Small Businesses as WHP Partners?
Formal WHP cooperations (partner contracts) are resource-intensive for health funds: they send consultants, support surveys, coordinate measures, and pay subsidies. That effort is easier to justify for large companies with many GKV-insured employees.
The result: smaller businesses are often turned down for formal partner contracts or receive no reply at all. That is frustrating — but not a real obstacle, because the partner contract is not the only form of support from a fund.
What does Section 20b SGB V regulate for companies?
Under German law, Section 20b SGB V requires statutory health insurance funds to provide workplace health promotion services — regardless of company size. This gives the individual company no legal entitlement: the fund decides project by project. The basis for the conversation is not a partner contract but a structured WHP process under the GKV Prevention Guide.
This means: if you document needs assessment, action planning and impact evaluation in a structured way — for example with EasyWHP — you can discuss funding with the fund on equal footing even as a company with 15 employees.
- Needs assessment (employee survey on strains and resources)
- Prioritizing focus areas (physical activity, nutrition, stress management, addiction)
- Measure planning and implementation
- Impact evaluation and documentation
What do the WHP coordination offices offer small businesses?
Every German state has a WHP coordination office run by the health funds — a neutral, free initial consultation service that also supports small businesses and connects them with the right health fund. A partner contract or a minimum size is not required.
The coordination offices help structure the initial needs assessment and place the funding application with the appropriate health insurance fund.
How can you get support from your fund without a partner contract?
The path to support from your fund runs through a documented WHP process — not through a partner contract:
- 1. Assess your WHP maturity level (about 7 min., free) — shows your current status
- 2. Conduct an employee survey (needs assessment, e.g. with EasyWHP)
- 3. Contact the WHP coordination office in your state
- 4. Select ZPP-certified courses — the fund can reimburse its insured members for the course fee in full or in part under Section 20 SGB V
- 5. Document the WHP process, e.g. in EasyWHP → the basis for a conversation about funding under Section 20b SGB V
Related measures & topics
Key takeaways
- Formal partner fund: often only for larger companies — rejections are normal, not a mistake.
- Section 20b SGB V: the funds must provide workplace health promotion services — but companies have no entitlement. A documented WHP process is your basis for a conversation on equal footing.
- WHP coordination offices (in every German state) help SMBs free of charge with initial consultation and applications.
- EasyWHP guides you through the documented WHP process — the basis for a conversation about funding under Section 20b SGB V, with no minimum size.
Frequently asked questions
No health fund will take me on as a WHP partner — what am I doing wrong?+
Probably nothing. Health insurance funds often sign formal partner contracts only with larger companies. That is not an obstacle, though: under Section 20b SGB V (German law) the funds must provide workplace health promotion services. Your company has no legal entitlement, but a structured, documented WHP process qualifies you for a conversation with your fund on equal footing. Also contact the WHP coordination office in your federal state.
Is my company too small for a partner health fund?+
For a formal partner contract: possibly yes — many funds sign such contracts mainly with larger companies. For funding under Section 20b SGB V: no — any employer with at least one employee can ask. There is no entitlement; the basis for the conversation is a documented WHP process. EasyWHP guides you through this process.
What's the difference between a partner health fund and Section 20b SGB V?+
A partner health insurance fund is a voluntary cooperation agreement in which the fund actively advises and supports you. Section 20b SGB V is a statutory mandate for the funds, not an entitlement for the employer: any employer can ask for project funding — without a contract, without a minimum size; the basis is a documented WHP process. Whether and how much funding is granted is up to the fund.
Which health funds support WHP at small companies?+
TK, BKK federations, and regional AOK funds often have their own WHP programs that also cover smaller businesses. The fastest path: contact the WHP coordination office in your state — they connect you free of charge with the right GKV contact.
Do I need to be insured with a specific health fund to get funding?+
No. Section 20b SGB V applies to all statutory health insurance funds. Your employees are insured with different funds — each of them can fund a project, but there is no entitlement. Whether a fund does so also depends on how many of your employees it insures. The basis is a documented WHP process, not a specific contract with a fund.
Document your WHP process — prepare the conversation with your fund
EasyWHP guides you through the structured WHP process under the GKV Prevention Guide — the basis for a conversation with your fund about funding under Section 20b SGB V, without a formal partner contract and without a minimum size. There is no entitlement to funding.
Sources
- Section 20b SGB V — Workplace Health Promotion ↗
- WHP Coordination Offices (GKV-Spitzenverband) ↗
- GKV Prevention Guide ↗
Last updated: 2026-06-19. Not legal or tax advice — have your specific case reviewed by a professional.