Health insurance for expats in Germany: a quick guide

Moving or traveling to Germany, or planning on studying there? Learn more about what how the right health insurance can help you pursue your dreams in Deutschland.

Published: Thu 16 Jun 2016 09:16 CEST
Health insurance for expats in Germany: a quick guide
File photo: Pixabay

Are you a foreign student prepared to enrol in a German higher education institution? Or a foreign Ph.D. candidate fully dedicated in your thesis and dreaming of an academic career or a research job?

Maybe you’re headed to Germany to close an important business deal, or a foreign employee who will soon start a job with a company in Germany. Or perhaps you’re simply a passionate traveller longing to experience Germany first-hand.

Regardless of how long you want to stay in Germany, your purpose, occupation, or residence status – chances are you need to be covered by adequate health insurance, either statutory (public) or private, issued by a licensed provider in Germany.

When you, as an expat, enter Germany, the next step to legitimise your stay is getting the proper residence permit at your local foreigners' registration office (Ausländeramt). And in order to get that permit you’ll be asked to show proof of adequate health insurance coverage and a certificate of health known as “Gesundheitszeugnis für Aufenthaltserlaubnis”, issued by a doctor in Germany.

If you don’t provide the required documents, including proof of health insurance coverage, your permit will be denied. And that means your chance to work, study, or simply live legally in Germany will be dashed.

So now that you know the rules, where to start? Below is a quick guide that will walk you through what you need to know about health insurance in Germany.

Who needs Statutory (Public) and who needs a Private Health Insurance?

The majority of the resident population in Germany is required to hold statutory health insurance.

Exceptions from the statutory health insurance requirement include guest scientists, post-graduate students, scholarship holders (without an employment contract), college students, participants in language courses, students age 30 or above, and those who have been studying in Germany for more than 14 semesters.

If you fall into one of these categories, than MAWISTA Student could be the perfect private health insurance for you.

MAWISTA Student is tailored for students, guest scientists, interns, and accompanying family members. Click here for more information on MAWISTA Student.

In addition, people who are regularly self-employed and haven’t previously been enrolled in a statutory health insurance plan must also be covered by private health insurance.

Private health insurance providers, in addition to basic medical care, offer many services that statutory health insurance providers often lack. For example, private providers like MAWISTA can provide access to a wider range of medical treatments, as they can offer coverage or reimbursement of costs for private rooms, private doctors, surgeons, dental implants and other medical situations.

But I’m not a student. What kind of insurance do I need?

Maybe your days of studying are over and you’re working, thriving, and living the dream in Deutschland. There’s an option for you, too: MAWISTA Employee, which is designed for foreigners up to age 66 who are staying for a maximum of five years in Germany.

Are you a foreign employee, freelancer, or simply an expat? Click here for more information about MAWISTA Employee and see if it’s the right fit for you.

What kind of private health insurance do I need just to visit Germany?

If you are not from the EU, Austrialia, Israel, Japan, Canada, USA, Republic of South Korea, or New Zeland, you will need to get a proper visa before visiting Germany.

When applying to get a visitor visa, amongst other documents, you need to submit evidence of adequate health insurance for the period of your stay - typically up to 90 days. The German embassy or consulate in your country also requires your health insurance provides mininmum coverage of €30,000 for medical treatement.

If you need health insurance for the purpose of getting a tourist visa, MAWISTA Visum could be right for you. This insurance is designed for tourists and business travellers.
Click here for more information.

If you have any question or concern choosing the appropriate product, you can always contact MAWISTA team directly!
 

This article was sponsored by MAWISTA.

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