If you’re moving out of Germany permanently, you may want to cancel your health insurance.
But Germany has strict rules around when and how you can do this.
Health insurance is mandatory, so unless you’re leaving the country for good, you can’t cancel — you can only switch insurance companies instead.
You also can’t just stop paying. You’ll keep getting billed until your cancellation is officially approved.
Here’s a guide to help you understand what’s required and how to cancel, depending on the type of insurance you have.
When can you cancel health insurance in Germany?
In Germany, your health insurance doesn’t automatically end when you leave your job, finish school, or stop working.
It stays active, and you’ll continue to be billed, unless you properly cancel.
For public and private health insurance, you must prove you’re leaving Germany permanently. That means providing your Abmeldung, the official de-registration document, from your local citizen’s office (Bürgeramt).
Note: Your employer can’t cancel your insurance for you. Only you can submit the cancellation, and it must include official proof.
With expat or short term health insurance, you can cancel at anytime (if you chose a policy with flexible cancellation like Feather’s), as long as you show proof that you are either leaving the country or changing to another insurance provider.
How to cancel expat insurance (short-term health insurance)
Canceling expat insurance is usually simpler than canceling public or private insurance in Germany. In most cases, you don’t need to deregister your address (Abmeldung) to cancel.
However, you should keep in mind that living in Germany without health insurance is usually illegal. If you’re canceling your expat policy, be sure to switch to a new plan.
You can use our recommendation tool to find the right health insurance for your situation.
With that out of the way, here are the steps to cancel your expat insurance:
If you’re a Feather customer
Canceling your policy with Feather is quick and easy. Just follow these steps:
- Log in to your account
- Select your expat policy
- Click Cancel
That’s it! You’ll receive a confirmation email once your cancellation is processed.
Important: You must cancel before the end of your current billing month. If you cancel after that, you’ll still be charged for the full month.
If you’re not with Feather
Other short-term insurance providers may have different cancellation rules. In general, most:
- Require cancellation in writing or by email
- Lock you into a fixed contract term (often 12 months)
Always check your specific policy or contact your provider to understand their cancellation terms.
How to de-register your address (Abmeldung)
You need to de-register from your German address before you cancel your public or private health insurance.
Here’s how:
- Visit or contact your local Bürgeramt (citizen’s office) and request an Abmeldung (deregistration) form.
- Some offices may allow this via mail, but many require you to do it in person.
- You may need to show proof that you’ve moved to another country (e.g., a lease, utility bill, or flight tickets).
- Once issued, send your Abmeldung to your health insurance provider as proof of your move.
Without this document, your insurance provider is legally obligated to keep your coverage active and charge you.
How to cancel public health insurance
If you’re leaving Germany permanently, you must cancel your public health insurance properly—just stopping payments is not enough. The best way to cancel is by email, as it’s faster and gives you a written record.
Step-by-step cancellation process
- Fill out a cancellation letter: You can use this cancellation letter template. Replace the highlighted yellow sections with your information.
- Download it as a PDF: Once filled out, download the document and send it as a PDF via email to your public insurance provider.
- Include proof of departure: Along with your cancellation, attach:
- Your Abmeldung (the official de-registration form from your local Bürgeramt)
- One additional proof that you’re moving abroad, such as:
- A flight ticket to your new country
- A rental agreement in your name abroad
- A work contract in your new country
- A flight ticket to your new country
- Your Abmeldung (the official de-registration form from your local Bürgeramt)
Make sure your documents clearly show that you are leaving Germany for good.
How to pause public health insurance
If you’re leaving Germany temporarily—especially for work, study, or extended travel outside the EU—you may not want to cancel your insurance entirely.
Instead, you can apply for an Anwartschaft (a holding or standby policy), which “freezes” your public insurance and lets you resume it later without losing important benefits.
Without an Anwartschaft, you may:
- Become ineligible for public insurance if laws change
- Miss out on long-term care benefits
- Be excluded from pensioner health insurance if you don’t meet the minimum coverage period
An Anwartschaft helps you avoid these problems by keeping your place in the system.
Note: While on an Anwartschaft, you are not covered for medical care in Germany or abroad. You’ll need separate health insurance during this time.
You can request an Anwartschaft if you are:
- Working for an international organization
- A development worker or soldier
- Voluntarily insured and going abroad for work
- A family member accompanying someone abroad for work
- Staying abroad for private reasons for more than 3 months
You won’t be able to request an Anwartschaft if you are:
- Moving within the EU or EEA
- An employee sent abroad temporarily by your German employer
- Someone with dependents still living in Germany
How much does an Anwartschaft cost?
Costs vary by provider. For example, with TK (Techniker Krankenkasse):
- Health insurance: €51.98/month
- Long-term care insurance:
- €11.19/month without children
- €10.03/month with children
- €11.19/month without children
Contact your current provider for more details regarding whether or not you should consider an Anwartschaft.
How to cancel private health insurance
If you’re permanently leaving Germany, you must officially cancel your private health insurance. Just like with public, you won’t be able to just stop paying to end your coverage.
If you’re relocating abroad, this typically overrides your minimum contract period (for example, Feather has a 2-year minimum term).
But to cancel successfully, you must submit your cancellation within three months of your official de-registration (Abmeldung).
At Feather, you can receive a refund for any overpaid premiums within that 3-month window. Other private insurers may also offer reimbursements, but their timelines can vary.
Always confirm the specific process with your current insurance company.
With that said, here are the exact steps to take to cancel with Feather:
- Log in to your Feather account
- Upload your documents:
- Your Abmeldung from the Bürgeramt
- One of the following:
- A plane ticket to your new country
- A signed rental agreement abroad
- A work contract in your new place of residence
- A plane ticket to your new country
- Your Abmeldung from the Bürgeramt
No need to write an email or letter—everything can be handled directly through the Feather app.
Once submitted, Feather will take care of the rest. If anything is missing, we’ll reach out to request it.
If you are insured with another company, the process will likely look similar (though we recommend you confirm that with their support team), but you’ll have to reach out to your insurer via email with the mentioned documents.
Keeping your German private insurance while living abroad
In some cases, it may be possible to continue using your German private health insurance even after moving—especially if you’re self-employed or a freelancer moving to another EU country.
This can provide excellent value and consistent coverage, depending on the cost of local health insurance.
However, staying insured under a German plan depends on the rules of your destination country and your employment status. Employees are usually required to join the local health system, while freelancers often have more flexibility.
Feather can help assess your options if you’re unsure.
We’re happy to discuss your situation and provide guidance based on where you’re headed and what you need.
