cookie-law-info domain was triggered too early. This is usually an indicator for some code in the plugin or theme running too early. Translations should be loaded at the init action or later. Please see Debugging in WordPress for more information. (This message was added in version 6.7.0.) in /home/livewo9/public_html/wp-includes/functions.php on line 6114[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.4.9″ custom_margin=”|10vw||10vw|false|true” custom_margin_tablet=”|40px||40px” custom_margin_phone=”|20px||20px” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” z_index_tablet=”500″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.4.9″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text – Section 1″ _builder_version=”3.27.4″ z_index_tablet=”500″]<\/p>\n
There’s a lot to think about as a freelancer. It might not be top of your list of priorities, but very soon after moving you’ll have to deal with the issue of health insurance in Germany<\/strong>. <\/span><\/p>\n One of the most frequently asked questions is whether public or private health insurance is better for freelancers. <\/span><\/p>\n Unfortunately there\u2019s no simple answer (the same goes for regular employees<\/a> too, by the way!) and it is highly dependent upon your personal circumstances.<\/span><\/p>\n We are simplifying things here but this is a VERY general rule:<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.25″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/liveworkgermany.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/health-insurance-freelancers.jpg” align=”center” align_tablet=”center” align_phone=”” align_last_edited=”on|desktop” _builder_version=”4.4.9″ width=”55%” width_tablet=”80%” width_phone=”90%” width_last_edited=”on|phone” module_alignment=”center” z_index_tablet=”500″ border_radii=”on|10px|10px|10px|10px” border_width_all=”1px”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.4.9″ background_color=”#2e2e2e” width=”70%”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.27.4″ text_font=”||||||||” text_text_color=”#ffffff” custom_padding=”|25px||25px”]<\/p>\n If you\u2019re young, don\u2019t have kids, are in good health and don\u2019t plan to stay in Germany until you grow older, then you\u2019re probably better off with private health insurance.<\/strong><\/p>\n If you\u2019re over 40, have dependent children or a non-working spouse and your move is permanent, then you\u2019re probably better off opting for public health insurance.<\/strong><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.25″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” locked=”off”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text – Section 1″ _builder_version=”4.4.9″ z_index_tablet=”500″]<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n You may even be forced to take public insurance in cases where you have pre-existing conditions which require ongoing medical care. Private insurers regrettably often won\u2019t offer you coverage in this case.<\/span> The most convincing argument in favour of taking out private health insurance in Germany is the freedom it offers you to select specific individual services and so adjust the costs to meet your own needs.<\/span><\/p>\n If you’re interested in private insurance and don’t have time to read the whole article, then check out\u00a0ottonova<\/a>‘s website which has a lot of content and information in English about what they offer and the levels of coverage.<\/p>\n First of all though, let’s look at the public system before we explore this option in more detail.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.25″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text – Section 2″ _builder_version=”4.8.2″ hover_enabled=”0″ z_index_tablet=”500″ sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Freelancers are legally obliged to take out health insurance. <\/span><\/p>\n Unlike an employee with a normal job, however,\u00a0freelancers are free to choose whether to take out statutory (public) or private health insurance<\/strong> when they start their business, regardless of their income. <\/span><\/p>\n But, where an employee in most cases can rely on their employer contributing 50% of their health insurance premiums, freelancers and the self-employed don\u2019t enjoy this luxury (with the one exception listed below for artists). <\/span><\/p>\n This can mean that policies for health insurance in Germany can seem very expensive <\/strong>for the solopreneur.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n Artists can benefit <\/strong>from the artists\u2019 social security fund (K\u00fcnstlersozialkasse)<\/em>.<\/strong> They\u00a0have unique considerations in terms of health insurance. <\/span> [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.25″ background_color=”#2e2e2e” width=”70%” locked=”off”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.27.4″ text_font=”||||||||” text_text_color=”#ffffff” custom_padding=”|25px||25px”]<\/p>\n Artists’ Social Security Fund (K\u00fcnstlersozialkasse)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n The annual minimum income for freelancers starts at EUR 3,900 per annum. But there are exceptions for new entrants to a profession.<\/strong><\/p>\n The freelancer is not allowed to work in any other form of paid employment.<\/strong><\/p>\n The freelancer is only allowed to employ a maximum of one employee.<\/strong><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.25″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” locked=”off”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text – Section 2″ _builder_version=”4.8.2″ hover_enabled=”0″ z_index_tablet=”500″ sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n All of the other types of freelancers are on their own when it comes to choosing their health insurance policy. As both public health insurance and private health insurance in Germany have their own pros and cons<\/a><\/strong>, freelancers should be familiar with both types of health insurance and check which sort of insurance is the best fit for their own situation.<\/p>\n In addition to the various costs and benefits when choosing between public or private health insurance, freelancers must also take personal factors into account (e.g. insuring their family, their age and general health condition).<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.25″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” width=”75%”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/liveworkgermany.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/freelancer-health-ins-3.jpg” align=”center” align_tablet=”center” align_phone=”” align_last_edited=”on|desktop” _builder_version=”4.4.9″ width=”60%” z_index_tablet=”500″ box_shadow_style=”preset2″ box_shadow_horizontal=”12px” box_shadow_vertical=”12px” box_shadow_blur=”10px” box_shadow_spread=”2px” box_shadow_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0.51)”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.25″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text – Section 3″ _builder_version=”4.8.2″ hover_enabled=”0″ z_index_tablet=”500″ sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n <\/p>\n For freelancers who are considering going down the route of public health insurance, the <\/span>income threshold<\/span> is relevant for the <\/span>size of the contribution<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n While private health insurance may be advantageous for freelancers most of the time,\u00a0<\/span>switching from\u00a0private to public health insurance in Germany In particular, older freelancers and freelancers with families should check critically whether switching into a private health insurance scheme really makes sense.<\/span><\/p>\n If you prefer to opt for the public system, there are many different public health insurers (or Gesetzliche Krankenkassen<\/i> in German) to choose from. If you\u2019re wondering who to go with, the most popular public insurance companies are Barmer, AOK and\u00a0Techniker Krankenkasse (TK).<\/p>\n Also, if you’re planning to make your move to Germany a forever move, it may be worth considering joining the public system despite the initial higher cost.<\/span><\/p>\n Why? Because as you get older, your premiums are likely to rise and your ability to switch policies or add additional cover, due to your higher risk status, is likely to be tricky.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.25″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text – Section 4″ _builder_version=”4.4.9″ z_index_tablet=”500″]<\/p>\n <\/p>\n In general, your contribution to public health insurance in Germany is based on your income. This also applies to anyone who takes out public insurance, not just freelancers.<\/span><\/p>\n The contribution to statutory health coverage is determined on the basis of the actual income earned<\/strong> by the freelancer. However, there is a minimum contribution<\/strong> that has to be paid, even if you earn little or nothing at all<\/strong>.<\/p>\n This is why the public insurance option is often somewhat unfavourable (and expensive) to the self-employed.<\/p>\n Since 2015, a uniform required minimum income is applied when calculating the contribution of people who are self-employed with no income derived from regular employment. This minimum income is \u20ac945 per month.<\/p>\n If any freelancer\u2019s income is lower than this threshold, they are still treated as if they were earning \u20ac945. So they still have to pay \u20ac132.30 a month.<\/p>\n If their income is above \u20ac945 per month, all of their income is subject to contributions. This only stops when something called\u00a0the upper income threshold<\/strong> for public health contributions is reached.<\/p>\n This limit is currently set at an income of \u20ac49,500 per annum or \u20ac4,125 per month. Beyond this ceiling, the monthly contribution remains the same regardless of income.<\/p>\n With freelancers and the self-employed, the German government takes the default view that they have a monthly income above the threshold of \u20ac4,125.<\/p>\n This means that freelancers usually have to pay the maximum rate of a whopping \u20ac602.25 per month<\/strong>,\u00a0plus any additional extra contributions if coverage for statutory sickness benefit has also been selected.<\/p>\n If your actual gross monthly income is under \u20ac4,125, you can apply to have your contribution to statutory health insurance reduced.<\/p>\n The lowest possible contribution<\/strong> to statutory health insurance in Germany for freelancers with an income between \u20ac945 and \u20ac4,125 per month is a – not exactly dirt cheap –\u00a0\u20ac297.25 per month<\/strong>, plus any additional contributions.<\/p>\n This is calculated on a minimum assessment base of \u20ac2,126.25 income per month.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.25″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” width=”75%”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/liveworkgermany.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/freelancer-health-ins-2.jpg” align=”center” align_tablet=”center” align_phone=”” align_last_edited=”on|desktop” _builder_version=”4.4.9″ width=”60%” z_index_tablet=”500″ box_shadow_style=”preset2″ box_shadow_horizontal=”12px” box_shadow_vertical=”12px” box_shadow_blur=”10px” box_shadow_spread=”2px” box_shadow_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0.49)”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.25″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text – Section 5″ _builder_version=”3.27.4″ z_index_tablet=”500″]<\/p>\n If all of this sounds like a very expensive monthly outgoing when you’ve just set up your solopreneur business, then perhaps private health insurance may seem a better option for you.<\/p>\n If as a freelancer you want to join a private health insurance scheme, various factors are taken into account first: <\/span><\/p>\n German law stipulates that the most basic coverage on a private health insurance policy must be comparable to the statutory public health insurance in terms of type, scope and amount. <\/span><\/p>\n As far as the cost is concerned, this is capped at the maximum rate payable for public health insurance. This means that as soon as changes are made to the statutory health insurance, these also affect the basic tariff for private health insurance.<\/span>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.25″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text – Section 5″ _builder_version=”4.4.9″ z_index_tablet=”500″ content__hover_enabled=”off|desktop”]<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
<\/span><\/p>\nHealth insurance in Germany: Coverage is compulsory<\/b><\/h3>\n
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<\/span>The special thing about the artists\u2019 social security fund is that it allows freelancers to only pay half of their social security contributions. The other half is paid by the Federal Government. Artists (and journalists, randomly, are also eligible) must meet the following prerequisites to be eligible for the artists\u2019 social security fund:<\/span><\/p>\nPublic health insurance for freelancers<\/b><\/h3>\n
tends to be ruled out by the law, except for in some special cases.<\/span><\/p>\nContributions to public health insurance for freelancers<\/b><\/h3>\n
Private health insurance for freelancers<\/b><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
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\n<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\nHow to get quotes and get insured<\/span><\/h3>\n