Question 1

Am I eligible for private health insurance in Germany?

Accepted Answer

If your annual salary is at least €64,350 as an employee of a company, then yes. You’re eligible for private health insurance.
You’re also eligible if you earn more than €30,000 per year as a self-employed person, a freelancer, retired, or live off investments. These employment types are all under “voluntarily insured” (German: freiwillig versichert) and can choose between public and private.

Question 2

Can people who are self-employed or freelancers get private health insurance in Germany?

Accepted Answer

Yes, both freelancers and self-employed people can get private insurance. The minimum annual income requirement to sign-up for private insurance with Feather is €30,000 per year.
Private insurance is a particularly good option if you're an expat freelancer who just moved to Germany from a non-EU country because public insurers are not required to cover you.

Question 3

What's the difference between private contributions and public contributions in Germany?

Accepted Answer

Public health insurance costs about 15.6% of your income, which becomes 7.8% when your employer pays for half. If you're a freelancer, you'll have to pay the full amount yourself. 
On top of that, care insurance is legally required for around 1,525% of your income.
For people who are employed by a company, the maximum contribution is €400 per month. In addition to this you’ll have to pay 3,05-3,4% for long-term care insurance (employer also pays half). Including care insurance the max. contribution is around €460 per month.  For freelancers, this jumps to around €900 per month.
The minimum contribution is €180 per month for employees and €200 per month for freelancers.
Your exact contribution will depend on your category as an employee, a freelancer, if you’re unemployed, or a student of a certain age group.
Private health insurance is not tied to your income as a percentage-based contribution to a compulsory insurance system. It's dependent on your individual profile, and it's best to get a detailed quote.

Question 4

How do I pay for medical care if I have private health insurance?

Accepted Answer

The doctor will give you an invoice that needs to be paid within 14-30 days depending on who you’ve gone to. During that time, you can submit the invoice via your Feather account, and we’ll reimburse you for the treatment cost.
If you go to the hospital, these costs will be covered directly without the need for an invoice (there are, however, some exceptions for additional services like a private room which you’ll need to submit on your Feather account as an invoice).
When paying for medication at a pharmacy, the process is the same. Just submit the invoice to your Feather account, and we’ll reimburse you. 
For more expensive medical aids like a wheelchair, hearing aids, or similar medical devices, we can help you find the best product without the need to pay upfront.

Question 5

What happens if I leave Germany?

Accepted Answer

If you’re planning to leave Germany, then you’ll have to formally cancel your private insurance plan. To do this, you can just give us your Abmeldung or deregistration along with confirmation that you’re leaving permanently. This could be in the form of a new employment contract or proof of residency in your new location.
It may be possible to take your insurance to another country, but this is evaluated on a case-by-case basis and could mean a price increase.

Question 6

How can I cancel my current public health insurance policy and switch to private?

Accepted Answer

Our team at Feather can help anyone change their expat or public insurance to private health insurance.
If you recently became self-employed after being employed by a company, you can switch immediately without canceling.
As an employee, you may have a cancelation period of up to three months when switching from public to private insurance. In this case, you can still apply for private health insurance today and select your private health insurance start date in the future so that you have uninterrupted coverage.

Question 7

Can I switch back to public health insurance?

Accepted Answer

Yes, it's possible to switch back to public health insurance after having private insurance, but it can be challenging, particularly if you don't become a salaried employee.
If you're in one of the voluntarily insured categories like freelancers or are self-employed, public insurance companies will not be forced to accept you. If you do become an employee, your annual salary must be less than €64,350. When you're older than 55, it's practically impossible to switch back to public insurance.

Question 8

How do I add my dependents?

Accepted Answer

Your private insurance plan does not automatically cover your dependents in the same way they would be under public insurance. Each person in your household must also be insured at an additional cost to receive benefits. When you apply for private insurance with Feather, we will make sure your whole family is covered.

Question 9

How does aging affect the pricing of my private insurance?

Accepted Answer

It does not. Your contribution will not change due to aging. The only time public or private insurance costs change is due to an overall increase in healthcare costs. Historically, the costs have increased 2% per year.

Question 10

What if I become unemployed?

Accepted Answer

Usually, you have to switch back to public insurance. If you have been with private insurance for 5 years prior to your unemployment, we can check individually whether you are eligible to stay on your private plan.

Question 11

Why can’t I be covered under private health insurance?

Accepted Answer

In Germany, insurers are allowed to decide who they want to take on, so they can discriminate based on medical history.
While a single diagnosis might not lead to a rejection, a combination of diagnoses often does. You can get in touch with us to check. In some cases, insurers are willing to work with individuals who have a long medical history.

Question 12

Do I need to do a medical check-up to sign up?

Accepted Answer

It depends on your situation. If you have had insurance for 12 prior to signing up, then no.
Otherwise, a general medical and dental check-up is necessary. Also, a medical check-up will be required for certain health conditions, but we will let you know and help find a doctor/dentist.

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Private health insurance in Germany

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