Each Krankenkasse can demand a supplemental payment from their members to meet their costs and as the average declared percentage amount is approximately 1. You have three options for health insurance while living in Germany if you are required to show proof of health insurance: the government-regulated public health insurance scheme GKV , private health insurance from a German or international insurance company PKV or a combination of GKV and supplemental PKV.
You can opt for a full private health insurance plan if your income is above the threshold amount of 64, Euros gross salary in , if you are self-employed, not employed a mini job does not count or you are over 55 years of age and not employed. Finding the best service provider for public health insurance or finding the most suitable coverage from a private health insurer while still at a competitive rate is not always easy but is well worth the effort.
As people have different requirements or expectations from health insurance, it is important to understand the system in order to filter out the most suitable plan while living in Germany. It is important to mention that you cannot simply switch between the public health scheme and private health insurance at will as certain prerequisites exist. Independent advice from experienced insurance brokers who understand the pros and cons of both systems as well as considering your individual circumstances is strongly to be advised.
Health insurance is not a commodity to be bought at the cheapest price but rather is a vital financial support in times of illness or after an accident. Most German residents approx. If your gross salary is less than 64, Euros per year, or 5, Euros per month in then membership in the GKV is mandatory. The government health insurance scheme is administered by Krankenkassen and they charge the same basic rate of If you earn more than this income threshold which is set each year, you do not pay a higher insurance premium.
Assuming a maximum monthly health insurance premium of Euros as an employee earning at or above the income threshold you are therefore a voluntary member and your own contribution will be approximately Euros with your employer paying the other Euros.
The general minimum period of membership with any Krankenkasse is presently 12 months. As a voluntary member of the GKV you can opt out at any time with a 2 month cancellation notice if you prefer a private health plan and have been accepted by the insurance company of your choice. The medical benefits offered in the GKV include in-patient hospital care as a ward patient with the doctor on duty at your nearest hospital, out-patient care with registered doctors Kassenaerzte and basic dental care.
Your nonworking dependents living at your address in Germany are presently insured at no additional cost and simply need to be registered with the same Krankenkasse as yourself as the paying member. If you choose to join the German government system, you can register with any of the Krankenkassen which are non-profit associations administrating the government health scheme.
This does not mean that the benefits are very different, as all health insurance funds must adhere to the government regulations on the benefits they offer.
The premiums may also vary somewhat due to changing regulations and it would also be optimal to research which voluntary supplemental programs the Krankenkasse offers in order to be able to participate in, for instance, a no-claims bonus, free checkups or discounts on supplemental health plans.
Tip: Make sure you ask about the possibility of communicating in the English language to make your life easier, though only a limited number of Kassen actually offer this service and have English speaking staff. You and your dependents must also become members of the government long-term nursing care scheme Pflegepflichtversicherung. This covers a portion of the cost of meeting personal nursing needs, such as the feeding and bathing of those who become substantially disabled.
This cost is 3. Your employer contributes approximately Euros. Your dependent spouse and children residing in Germany are included in your membership at no additional cost if you register them.
If you would like additional insurance coverage to supplement the government system benefits, you can purchase a policy from any private health insurance company, German or international; for instance, if you would like access to and reimbursement of costs for a private doctor and a private room in hospital, homeopathy and other alternative treatment or higher dental reimbursements.
Emergency evacuation from places outside Germany, for instance from ski resorts, which are included with a private travel insurance policy should also be considered as these are not paid for by the state health insurance scheme and it would be very costly to have to pay for such benefits out of pocket.
Public health insurance funds sometimes offer supplemental insurance plans from a particular provider, offering a group rebate. Such tied plans are not always ideal as you would normally have a wider choice of benefits on the private health insurance market and you may be required to stick with your Krankenkasse longer than you would like to.
Private health insurance plans cover a wider choice of medical and dental treatment than the government system and generally provide broad geographical coverage. By having private health insurance you are considered a private patient and can expect a higher level of service from the medical profession.
Hospitals and doctors depend to a large extent on private patients to supplement their incomes and therefore welcome them. A private patient can also request and will often get, doctors who speak their native language. Per person cost of full medical insurance is based on the level of benefits chosen, as well as on entry age and any pre-existing medical conditions.
Government insurance premiums cover you and your non-working dependents, whereas the private medical insurance premium is generally paid for each person to be covered. You can reduce the monthly cost of your private health insurance by agreeing to a deductible also known as an excess or franchise. Even those that are registered, find that their health insurance plans do not meet the standards set in the new reforms.
The crux is that the German government insists that there are no set upper limits on reimbursement levels and there are no annual out-of-pocket deductibles higher than 5, Euros.
Other issues involve how the insurance premiums are calculated. The present situation is that very few of the major international expatriate health insurers can provide a German language certificate recognized by the immigration authorities in Germany.
Whether or not this will change depends on whether Germany fully recognizes European directives for cross-border selling of health insurance for non-Germans seeking a residence permit. Be careful to avoid limited-term policies with no requirement for medical underwriting. These policies very rarely offer a permanent extension and do not cover pre-existing conditions. If you decide to stay longer than the limited contractual term anywhere from one to five years and the health insurance contract expires, it could be both difficult and much more expensive to get new health coverage at that point.
In addition, even though you may have purchased such a plan from a German health insurance company before or upon your arrival in Germany, it may not be recognized by the visa authorities and you will be forced to purchase a permanent health insurance plan in order to be permitted to stay. Penalty fees may then apply. Health insurance is not a commodity to be bought at the cheapest price but rather it is a vital financial support in times of illness or after an accident. Private health insurance policies offer various benefits levels and the scope and quality of the policy wording terms and conditions are of utmost importance if you want to avoid any unpleasant surprises if you ever need to claim on your policy.
You may choose a private health insurance Private Krankenversicherung or PKV instead of the government health plan if your gross salary is higher than 64, Euros per year figures. If you contribute to statutory health insurance you are also entitled to maternity benefit , usually for six weeks before and after childbirth.
Long-term care insurance funds are usually operated as an arm of statutory health insurance funds; therefore if you are covered by GKV, you can also claim long-term care benefits in the event of sickness and old age. If both you and your child are insured under a statutory health insurance scheme, you are entitled to claim child sickness benefit Kinderkrankengeld if your child falls ill and you have to take time off work to care for them.
Home Expat info Health insurance. Expat Info. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn reddit What's up. Statutory health insurance in Germany Gesetzliche Krankenversicherung.
You are only able to choose which type of health insurance you would like if: You earn more than You are self-employed e. You are a civil servant. An overview of health insurance in Germany, including statutory and private health insurance, foreign health insurance and student health insurance. Information of different types of private insurance in Germany, with links to comparison sites and recommended, expat-friendly insurance providers.
Everyone studying in Germany needs health insurance. Find out if your foreign insurance is valid, and how to take out student health insurance in Germany. An overview of the German healthcare system, with information and links on health insurance, doctors and GPs, hospitals, dentists, pharmacies and medicine.
Public health insurance — how much does it cost? Public health insurance — what does it cover? Private health insurance in Germany — who can get it? Private health insurance — where to get it A complete list of all private health insurance providers is available on this German-language website. While the basic premium rate you are charged for public health insurance is the same Although pre-existing conditions are not an issue with public health insurance policies, your premiums may be higher if you have known conditions when you sign up for private coverage.
However, because private health insurance providers in Germany are legally obliged to accept anyone, you cannot be denied health insurance because of a pre-existing condition. German private health insurance adopts the same style of system that you find in any general insurance policy. Every month you will pay a monthly premium and choose a level of excess or deductible on top of that.
If you have public health insurance then you have to pay 10 percent of the cost of any prescription medicine, to a maximum of 10 euros and a minimum of 5 euros per prescription.
With private healthcare you will pay the full charge for your prescription up front, but the receipt can then be sent to your provider, who will cover the full cost. So if you opt to go private, check the policy details as you may need to organise separate provision for your dependents.
Supplementary private insurance If you have to have public health insurance in Germany but want further coverage options, you can opt to supplement it with private insurance, but not instead of it. Health insurance in Germany — when should I get it? Don't miss out on any new jobs.
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