The most important facts summarized
- All persons living in Germany – including the self-employed and international students – must have health insurance
- There are two different types of health insurance (public and private). Which one is right for you depends on your income
- You are free to choose which provider you want. The providers differ only slightly in terms of amount of payment and additional benefits
- Providers with a good overall package of service, voluntary additional benefits and low costs can be found below
How to get health insurance in Germany
All persons living in Germany – including self-employed persons and international students – must have public health insurance.
You must also have health insurance in order to obtain your residence permit. Health insurance covers the costs of illness, hospitalization, medical expenses and visits to the doctor.
Therefore, taking out health insurance is one of the first things you should take care of when you move to Germany!
Here are the basics of what healthcare looks like in Germany and how you can insure yourself.
First, a quick overview of the health insurance system in Germany!
There are two types of health insurance in Germany
- Public health insurance
- Private health insurance
Which insurance should you choose? Public or private? Here you’ll find everything you need to know to make your decision.
Public health insurance:
If you earn less than €62,550 per year or €5,212.50 per month as an employee, you are obliged to take out public health insurance.
When choosing a provider, you have a free choice between several providers: TK (Techniker Krankenkasse), AOK and Barmer GEK are the first choice for most people. All of these insurers cover the basic services, from routine check-ups to hospital stays and prescriptions. As a rule of thumb, medically necessary treatment is free, while additional services require a co-payment. A visit to the dentist, for example, is free, but a dental cleaning can cost money.
The price of state healthcare is based on your gross income and is split between you and your employer, which is around 8%. Your family may also be insured.
Private health insurance:
Private health insurance (PKV) is an option if you earn more than €69,300 per year or €5,775 per month. This also applies to freelancers and the self-employed, who can choose between statutory and private health insurance.
However, private insurance is often more expensive and does not cover the whole family. The cost of your insurance does not depend on your income, but on your risk profile. For example, older people generally pay higher premiums than younger people.
Despite the higher costs, private insurance offers comprehensive cover, including private clinics and subsidies for treatments such as glasses. In addition, waiting times are usually shorter and you can often request a doctor who speaks your language.
Supplementary health insurance:
This type of insurance closes the gap between the public and private healthcare systems. In principle, if you have public health insurance, you can take out additional private cover (supplementary health insurance) for certain services such as inpatient, outpatient and dental treatment.
Our recommendations:
To get access to one of the above insurances, you can use this link*. Our partner Feather Insurance specializes in helping expats navigate the bureaucracy of health insurance in Germany. Then follow the link of your chosen provider where you will be asked to complete the application form.
General requirements/documents:
Completed online membership application form:
- Personal information: Name, address (If you do not yet have a German address, you may not be able to fill it in immediately, but you must provide it to the insurer as soon as you know it), nationality, date of birth, passport or identity card number
- Details of employment (if applicable): Job title, date of commencement of employment, gross income (for private insurance)
- Details of previous insurance (if applicable): Details of previous insurance cover in Germany or elsewhere, insurance provider information
- Academic enrollment information (for students): Name of university or educational institution, field of study or major, expected graduation date
- Passport photo: Current passport photo for the insurance card
Bank details: Details to set up direct debit for invoicing
You should receive a reply with the next steps within a few days. Finally, your insurer will issue a health card, which you will need to present every time you visit the doctor.
The most important questions
What does public health insurance cost?
The general health insurance contribution is 14.6 percent of gross income. There is also an additional contribution, which varies from insurer to insurer.
Which health insurance company is the best?
Our recommendations, which you can find above in this page, offer a good overall package of service, voluntary additional benefits and lower costs.
Can I change my health insurance company again?
You can change health insurance company at any time. All you need to do is register with the new health insurance company. However, a notice period of two months applies. If your health insurance company increases the supplementary contribution, you have a special right of termination.
