Health insurance is compulsory in Germany for all residents. Please find out how it works and how to choose the health insurance that suits your needs.
Should you get public or private insurance? What if you are a freelance or a student? Please find out how to take care of it as well as possible.
Germany is well known for its potent health insurance system and high rate of insured residents. Health insurance is compulsory for all residents, including self-employed people and students, and you cannot get a residence permit without it. This is one of the first things you should consider when arriving, so here are the basics of health insurance in Germany and how to be insured.
Public health insurance in Germany
There are two types of insurance. The first is the German government's public health insurance, or Gesetzliche Krankenkasse, which accounts for the vast majority of insured residents. If your gross income is less than € 62,550 per year or € 5,212.50 per month, it is compulsory to be insured under a public health insurance scheme, and you must therefore choose an insurer. The three most common insurers are TK (Techniker Krankenkasse), AOK and Barmer GEK. The benefits are almost the same, but TK has better English service, which is often recommended for ex-pats. Your insurer will issue an intelligent insurance card (Gesundheitskarte), like a credit card, which you will need to present during every visit to a doctor.
Each insurer covers a basic set of medical care and services, including general practitioner visits, exemptions, hospital treatment, vaccines, preventive care, prescriptions, dental examinations, detection and diagnosis, and much more. A general rule defines that medically necessary care is complimentary, while additional care incurs costs. For example, you can see the dentist for free, but scaling can cost you money. This is becoming more common as the government tries to support an extensive care network while reducing costs.
The price of a public health care plan is based on your gross income, and the cost is then divided equally between you and your employer, which is roughly 8%. Also, if the state system ensures you, your family is insured. Your spouse or civil partner, as well as your children (up to a certain age), are covered by your plan. It's the most straightforward solution that works great for most people, especially those who work for an employer who takes care of all the paperwork.
Private health insurance
The second type is private health insurance, or Private Krankenversicherung, which is only an option of your main form of insurance if your gross income is above the previously mentioned threshold of € 62,550 per year € 5,212.50 per month. This is also the case for freelancers, self-employed workers, and those who work part-time earning less than € 450. Please note that you need to opt-out of your public insurance plan and switch to a private plane, and it may not be easy to reverse in the future. Private insurance is often more expensive and does not cover your whole family. The price of your plan is not based on your income but instead on your risk profile. For example, older people generally pay higher prices than younger people.
The advantage is that you get more extensive coverage that exclusively includes private or semi-private clinics, subsidized alternative treatments, glasses, and contact lenses, and much more, depending on the insurer. Doctors and hospitals welcome additional income from private insurance patients, and you can often have a doctor who speaks your language. You can also get a particular plan that better suits your needs and budget on a broader range of insurers than in the public sector. However, it is essential to keep in mind that many of these contracts are usually in German, and often you will need to submit forms for reimbursement after treatment, so you will have to advance the costs.
Complimentary private insurance
The final type of insurance occupies the space in between. If you have a public health insurance plan, you can get an additional private plan, or Krankenzusatzversicherung, covering hospital, outpatient, and dental care. For example, your public plan may not cover dental treatment beyond medical examinations, so that you may want supplemental insurance for expensive dental treatment. For example, during hospitalization, you are covered, but you prefer a private room instead of a shared room. Look for additional coverage for health, travel, accident, disability, and more from the multitude of private health insurance providers in Germany.
How to get your insurance as a salaried worker
As mentioned earlier, this is the easiest way to get insurance. Suppose you earn less than € 62,550 per year or € 5,212.50 per month. In that case, you will automatically be enrolled in a public health scheme so that your employer completes all the formalities necessary for you with your cooperation and choice of insurer. What will automatically deduct your payments from your monthly salary? If you earn more than € 62,550 per year, you can decide whether you want to switch to a private insurer.
How to get insurance as a self-employed person
If you are freelance or self-employed, it is your responsibility to perform the following steps:
- Decide if you want to enrol in a public or private insurance plan
- Choose an insurer and find the correct application form on their website
- Provide your personal information like your name, address, and nationality
- Provide information about your activity, such as your job title and the start date of your contract
- Indicate previous insurance information, whether or not you were insured in Germany before
- Send the completed form to the address provided, which is usually written on the form
- Submit a recent photo (passport standard) for your insurance card
- Set up a direct debit to automate the payment
3. If you choose private insurance, you should also choose your particular plan. These plans vary in cost and coverage. It is generally recommended that you choose a private plan if you are young, in good health, and may not permanently live in Germany.
How to get health insurance as a student
The process as a student is similar to that of freelance or self-employed person, except that you will need to submit the application form for students. Student rates are considerably lower, so check with your university's office for international students first, then do the following:
- Decide if you want to enrol in a public or private insurance plan
- Choose an insurer and find the proper application form on their site
- Provide basic personal information like your name, address, and nationality
- Provide academic enrollment information such as the name of your university, speciality, and date of graduation
- Provide information about your job, regardless of income, during your studies
- Provide previous insurance information, whether or not you have been insured in Germany before
- Send the completed form to the appropriate address, which is usually listed on the form
- Submit a photo for your insurance card
- Set up a direct debit
There are clear advantages to both public and private health insurance. Whatever your decision, you can easily take care of your payments by opening a free online bank account in Germany with N26.
To learn more about this and find other helpful information, see our other articles dedicated to expatriates.
Moving to Germany means facing a lot of bureaucratic paperwork, but opening a bank account shouldn't be that complicated. With N26, you can open a German bank account in minutes, directly from your smartphone. All you need is a German address - no Anmeldung needed. You will get a German IBAN, handy for paying all your bills (telephone, internet, electricity, for example…). With N26, there are no hidden costs, and Customer Service, like the N26 application, speaks French. So all you have to do is move into your new home! N26 welcomes you to Germany.
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