Health insurance for freelancers and self employed in Germany
Since health insurance is mandatory in Germany, freelancers also have to take care of getting insured and choose a provider. As a freelancer you have a choice between private and statutory health insurance. With Advigon, you can enjoy benefits of private health insurance as a freelancer, completely tailored to your needs. We also offer special tariffs for medical insurance in Germany focused on the needs of expats or students.
Health insurance for freelancers – Overview
According to the regulation of the German healthcare system every person living in Germany must have health insurance. There are different kinds of insurance within the German healthcare system. For salaried employees, their employer pays half of the health insurance contribution. Self-employed persons must pay the full contribution for health insurance. Artists are an exception, as they are members of the Künstlersozialkasse, an institution which pays for half of their health insurance contributions.
Are there any special features that need to be considered for freelancers from the EU and non-EU countries?
People from a country outside the Schengen Area who would like to work as a freelancer in Germany need a Schengen visa and a residence permit. In the application for visa and residence permit, freelancers have to prove that they already have clients in Germany. They can document this by submitting letters from companies or individuals who plan to hire them as a freelancer. You can also submit invoices from any freelance job you have already completed.
Visas for freelancers are usually issued for three months. They can be converted to a residence permit (Aufenthaltserlaubnis) as long as your visa is valid. The institute where you apply for a residence permit is the foreigners' office (Ausländerbehörde).
For US citizens, the Schengen visa is not required. You can move to Germany and stay there for 90 days, but you also need a residence permit to stay in Germany for a longer period of time.
The residence permit for the purpose of self-employment is issued for a maximum of three years and can be extended. Freelancers can be granted a settlement permit after five years.
Citizens of an EU member state do not need a work permit. This also applies to citizens of the so-called EFTA states Liechtenstein, Iceland, Norway and Switzerland. They have the same status as German employees and are allowed to take up an activity in Germany according to the right of free movement.
Which one is the best health insurance for freelancers in Germany?
In Germany, you as a freelancer have the free choice between many health insurance providers. Therefore you can look for the provider that best suits your needs. Advigon Foreign guests offers a great policy for any freelancer or expat in Germany, EU & all Schengen states. Our insurance meets all requirements for a Schengen visa. The Insurance cover is available for up to five years.
If you are planning a visit to Germany, our health insurance offers up to five years of premium insurance cover – starting at 2.40 € per day. You can choose from two different packages.
Foreign guests Basic
Foreign guests Profi
Costs for out-patient treatment
Foreign guests Basic
Foreign guests Profi
Prescribed medications and surgical dressings
Foreign guests Basic
Foreign guests Profi
Costs for radiation therapy, light therapy, and other physical treatments
Foreign guests Basic
Foreign guests Profi
Prescribed therapeutic aids following an accident
Foreign guests Basic
500 € / year
Foreign guests Profi
Prescribed massages, medicinal compresses and inhalations
Foreign guests Basic
300 € / year
Foreign guests Profi
Prescribed aids (not accident-related)
Foreign guests Basic
not insured
Foreign guests Profi
500 € / year
Visual aids
Foreign guests Basic
not insured
Foreign guests Profi
200 € / year
Screening check-ups for early detection of cancers
Foreign guests Basic
not insured
Foreign guests Profi
300 € / year
Screening check-ups for children in accordance with the statutory programmes introduced in Germany
Foreign guests Basic
not insured
Foreign guests Profi
Costs for in-patient medical treatment under general care insurance
Foreign guests Basic
Foreign guests Profi
Operations
Foreign guests Basic
Foreign guests Profi
Ambulance transport to in-patient treatment
Foreign guests Basic
Foreign guests Profi
Dental treatment for pain relief
Foreign guests Basic
500 € / year
Foreign guests Profi
1.000 € / year
Dental check-ups
Foreign guests Basic
not insured
Foreign guests Profi
200 € / year
Up to 80 % of the cost for medically required dentures
Foreign guests Basic
not insured
Foreign guests Profi
1.250 € / year
Pregnancy treatment due to complaints
Foreign guests Basic
Foreign guests Profi
Pregnancy examinations and deliveries
Foreign guests Basic
not insured
Foreign guests Profi
Repatriation, if medically desirable
Foreign guests Basic
Foreign guests Profi
Repatriation of mortal remains to the home country or funeral in the Federal Republic of Germany
Foreign guests Basic
10.000 €
Foreign guests Profi
10.000 €
Follow-up liability until restoration of ability to travel for up to
Foreign guests Basic
3 months
Foreign guests Profi
3 months
Deductible per insured event
Foreign guests Basic
25 €
Foreign guests Profi
25 €
0 - 64 years
Foreign guests Basic
2,40 €
Foreign guests Profi
3,40 €
65 - 74 years
Foreign guests Basic
8,60 €
Foreign guests Profi
12, 70 €
How to get health insurance for self-employed in Germany
It's easy to take out health insurance with Advigon. It can all be done via the online booking form on our website:
- Fill in your details (name, birth date, purpose of your trip)
- Select your offer – you can choose between Basic and Profi: Then you will see how much you would have to pay. You can choose between one-time payment, monthly, quarterly, bianually and annually.
If you have questions, just call us on our service hotline: 040 - 5555 4020
You will find the answers to the most commonly asked questions about our health insurance for freelancers here.
Our daily premiums in the Basic tariff are 2,40 € for people up to 64 years and 8,60 € for people from 65 to 74 years.
In our Profi tariff the daily premiums for people up to 64 years are 3,40 € and for people from 65 to 74 years 12,70 €.
With Advigon foreign guests insurance you are flexible. If you plan to end your stay in Germany you can cancel the insurance prematurely. If you want to stay longer in Germany, you can also extend your contract with us until the 5 year limit is reached. It is also no problem if you visit your home country during your stay in Germany, for example if you want to see your family during the holidays. If your contract period with us is longer than 12 months, you are additionally covered for up to 6 weeks per insured year in your home country through your insurance with Advigon.
As a freelancer you have the right to take out private health insurance where the contributions are not based on your income, but on other factors such as age. In addition, you have certain advantages which vary between the different insurances.
The KSK is a government organization that supports freelance artists such as writers, visual artists, designers, musicians and performing artists. As members of the KSK, artists in Germany can benefit from the same services as employees: As a KSK-insured person, you only pay half of the healthcare insurance contributions.
To be accepted as a member of the KSK, artists must submit the following documents:
The registration documents of the Künstlersozialkasse
A proof of their health insurance and long-term care insurance
Evidence of your work as an artist such as contracts, issued and paid orders
Freelance artists in the KSK can choose for themselves whether they want to take out statutory or private health insurance.
In both our Basic and Profi tariff an amount of 25 € per insured event is deductible.
In Germany, self-employed persons, students and civil servants can switch to private health insurance at any time. However, employees only have the option to change from GKV to PKV if their salary is above the limit of 64,350 euros per year.
All other details about the Foreign guests travel health insurance can be seen in our price overview, the information sheet for insurance products, and the insurance terms and conditions for the Health Insurance for foreign guests.