Your health is the most important thing in your life. It's also the solid foundation of a successful career. But... life is unpredictable. That’s why health insurance is mandatory in Germany. There's no way around it, doctor’s orders. And the market is big.
As a freelancer, you have a range of options to choose from. Here's our guide through the Wirrwarr (that's chaos) of German health insurance.
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The first and most popular form of health insurance is statutory, or public, health insurance – in German, Gesetzliche Krankenversicherung (GKV). Most Germans (approx. 73 million people) use GKV.
As of 2021, becoming a member of a GKV provider is mandatory if you're an employee earning less than €64,350 a year (or €5,362 a month).
However, as a freelancer or sole trader, you can choose whether you join a public or a private insurance company.
Health insurance under GKV covers a standard set of benefits, with some companies offering additional plans, e.g. a Zahnzusatzversicherung for dental work, or plans covering homoeopathy, naturopathy and massage therapy. Mmmmm, yes please.
The GKV Beitrag – or membership fee/premium, in English – amounts to 14.6% of your income. In 2021, the minimum monthly income taken into account for calculating your Beitrag is €1,038 per month. (This is an improvement: until 2019, the self-employed paid contributions based on projected monthly earnings of €2,284.)
This means that if your income is lower than €1,038 per month, you still have to pay 14.6% of that €1,038. So, for example, if you earn €900 per month, your contributions will be calculated as if you earned €1,038 a month. Not ideal.
On the other hand, the maximum income is €5,68. If you earn more than €4,688 per month, you do not pay a higher insurance premium. If your income is between €1,038–€4,688, your Beitrag will be calculated accordingly.
Of the 108 GKV providers – or in German, Krankenkassen, literally ‘sickness funds’ – some have millions of members and others have only a few thousand. Despite this, their service remains fairly consistent across the board, as every GKV provider must meet the government’s minimum regulations for healthcare provision. So, how do you choose?
On top of the 14.6% of €1,038 per month, some GKV providers charge an ‘additional contribution rate’ (Zusatzbeitrag), which can change year to year depending on healthcare expenditure.
The additional contribution rate varies between providers and is payable based on a percentage of your income. Due to increasing expenses, the average additional contribution rate in 2021 will increase to 1.3%.
It can also come with added benefits, such as:
Additional contribution rates are one factor to consider when choosing a German health insurance provider.
Another factor to consider is English language support. The three most common GKV providers are:
All three providers offer services in English, including English websites and English-specific phone support lines.
Tip – Krankenkasse comparison siteIf you have a German-speaking friend, you can also run through this German-language Krankenkasse comparison website together. It’ll help you dive deeper into different GKV plans. |
As a freelancer or sole trader, you have the right to use private health insurance – Private Krankenversicherung (PKV) – at any time. When it comes to PKV, you have an advantage over employees, as you don’t need to earn a certain amount to be eligible.
PKV (private) can be less expensive than GKV (public). This depends on many factors, including your ‘risk profile’ – if you’re young and in good health, your costs will be lower than if you’re older with a chronic disease. You can keep costs low by adapting your plan to your needs. But as life unfolds, unexpected things can happen.
In case of an accident or a complicated illness, things can get expensive if treatment is too specific and not covered by your plan. This is where co-payments, also known as deductibles or excess (in German, Selbstbeteiligung) come in.
Private health insurance works like this: each month you pay a monthly premium (Beitrag) and choose a level of excess. An excess of €200 means that if anything goes wrong, you pay €200 before your policy kicks in. It’s a trade-off. You can choose a private plan with less co-payment, but then your Beitrag will be higher.
Tip – Ask an insurance expert (it's free)Ask a private insurance provider about co-payments directly. While you’re at it, ask about other discounts, too! If you have the savings, it might be possible to save money by paying for a year’s insurance upfront. |
PKV comes with perks, too. You can expect easier access to specialists as well as better treatment in hospitals. More expensive plans guarantee the chief physician taking care of you personally. But it all comes at a cost. It’s important to do your research, otherwise you can end up overpaying. You can, however, get yourself an inexpensive plan in the beginning and later adapt it.
Just be careful: once you’ve joined a PKV, changing back to GKV is very difficult. You could be stuck with a relatively high Beitrag even if your income declines.
Finding the right private insurance plan is a personal choice – in case you haven’t noticed, this is true for all things healthcare-related. However, Ottonova is the only private health insurance provider in Germany to offer an expat-specific plan – at discounted rates. They also offer 24/7 English support, and satisfy the requirements for getting a visa.
Tip – Start by comparing these companiesWhen choosing your plan, a good place to start would be to compare Ottonova (private) against the top 3 public insurance providers, TK, AOK and Barmer GEK. |
There’s a third option that lies somewhere between GKV and PKV. That’s Krankenzusatzversicherung – or supplementary health insurance. This covers the costs that GKV either doesn’t cover or only partially subsidises. For example, GVK might cover inpatient treatment, but it won’t get you a private hospital room. Supplementary insurance plans can be tailored to your individual needs.
Tip – Think twice before going this routeWe’re including it here for completeness, but as a freelancer this option doesn’t make much sense. Why pay both GKV and supplementary insurance when you could just go private? |
As an expat, you have an alternative to the German health insurance system. You can buy expat/international health insurance outside of Germany – maybe even from your home country.
Compared to German plans, expat plans are usually inexpensive. But they can also be risky. When purchasing a plan like this, make sure your insurance company is BaFin approved. Only BaFin-approved companies can provide their services in Germany.
Tip – Read the fine printLook closely at what your expat health insurance actually covers. Some international plans cover only a fraction of what GKV must offer as a minimum. If you’re not careful, your inexpensive health insurance plan could end up costing you much more than the GKV or PKV in the long run. |
GKV is a good option for those who earn closer to €1,038, the minimum monthly income. If you’re earning much more, PKV becomes an attractive, affordable alternative.
But we can’t tell you what to choose. Only you know what’s best for your needs. Here’s a comparison table to help you get started.
Remember, not having health insurance isn’t an option in Germany.
GKV |
PKV |
Expat |
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Cost |
- Starts ~ €188 /m | - Starts ~ €165/m - Additional co-payments vary by plan |
- Starts ~ €120 /m |
Coverage |
- Hospital treatment - Visits to GPs and doctors - Rehabilitation, such as home care or physiotherapy - Health checks from the age of 35 - Cancer screening - Medicines, dressings, therapies and aids such as hearing aids or wheelchairs - Dental check-ups - Dentures and crowns - Orthodontic treatment up to age 18 |
- Varies by plan, but expect preferential treatment at hospital and doctors’ offices - Can get expensive if unexpected things happen |
- Varies by plan - Can get expensive if unexpected things happen |
Dependents |
- Covers you and non-working family members |
- Covers only you |
- Covers only you |
Whatever you choose, don’t forget to eat lots of fruit (but not too much) – and stay healthy!
German term |
English translation |
Angehörige |
Dependents |
Antragsfrist |
Deadline for application |
Beitrag |
Premium |
Beitragsrückerstattung |
Reimbursement of premiums |
Bezugsberechtigter |
Beneficiary |
Betriebskrankenkasse (BKK) |
Company health insurance fund |
Freibeträge |
Exemptions |
Freiwillige Versicherung |
Voluntary insurance |
Gesetzliche Krankenkasse |
Statutory health insurance fund |
Gruppenversicherung |
Group insurance |
Haftpflichtversicherung |
Liability insurance |
Karenzzeit |
Waiting period |
Krankenhausbehandlungen |
Hospital care |
Krankenschein |
Physician's sick notice |
Krankentagegeld |
Daily sick pay |
Krankenversicherung |
Health insurance |
Künstlersozialkasse |
Artists’ health insurance scheme |
Lebensversicherung |
Life insurance |
Leistung |
Benefit |
Pflegeversicherung |
Compulsory care insurance |
Pflichtmitglied |
Compulsory member |
Prämie |
Premium |
Reiseversicherungen |
Travel insurance |
Rückversicherung |
Reinsurance |
Selbstbeteiligung |
Deductible (or co-payment/excess) |
Unfallversicherung |
Accident insurance |
Versicherungsmakler |
Insurance broker (represents the client) |
Versicherungsvertreter |
Insurance agent (represents the insurance company) |
Vollversicherung |
Comprehensive insurance |
Zahnzusatzversicherung |
Supplementary dental insurance |
Zusatzbeitrag |
Additional contribution |
Want to learn more about freelancing as an expat in Germany?We hope this article helps simplify one aspect of your work life – health insurance in Germany! If you want to explore more expat questions, check out:
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Further reading – Top health insurance articles for expats in GermanyWant to learn more about German health insurance? Who doesn't! Here are our favourite articles covering the topic in depth – because when it comes to your health, it never hurts to get a second opinion. |