When you start working for a German company, you automatically start paying into unemployment insurance. If you were paying into it for at least 12 months prior to losing your job, you will receive support from the Federal Employment Agency (Agentur für Arbeit). That benefit is called Arbeitslosengeld 1. You can receive that benefit for up to a year (while being unemployed), and the exact monthly amount you receive can vary between 60-67% of your last year's average salary.

Apart from that, the Federal Employment Agency also pays the public health and long-term care insurance contributions for recipients of unemployment benefits. People who receive ALG1 are mandatory insured in public health insurance.

In order to start receiving the Arbeitslosengeld 1, you need to inform the Federal Employment Agency about your job loss. It is usually around 3 months before your last day of work, since that is when you usually get the notice from your employer. If you do not notify them, you can face a so-called Sperrzeit. That means that for the initial period of your unemployment, usually 1-3 months, you will not be able to receive the Arbeitslosengeld 1. However, the Federal Employment Agency will pay for your health and long-term insurance even for the period of the Sperrzeit.

Since you were already insured on public health through your work, you do not need to do much. As soon as you stop working (or before), simply share the name of your insurer to the Federal Employment Agency, and inform your insurer about the change in your work situation. They will coordinate the rest.

Bürgergeld is provided for people who are still capable to work full or part-time, but cannot find work momentarily, but are actively searching for work. If you qualify for Bürgergeld, your health and long-term insurance contributions will usually be paid by the Federal Employment Agency, depending on your exact situation.

Sozialhilfe is provided by the Sozialamt. It is there for people who are not capable to work, either temporary or permanently. The Sozialamt pays for the full social contributions, including health, long-term, and pension insurance. You can apply for social assistance in person at the social welfare office in your place of residence.

To those who are not eligible to receive any state benefits, general eligibility rules for public health insurance will be applied. Since you were already in the system (insured through your employer), you can remain in the system as a so-called voluntary member.

However, you will be solely responsible of your contribution, which will be around 20% of your entire worldwide income (capital investments and money from renting property included).

If your monthly income is under €1180, you will be paying a fixed contribution of around €220. Keep in mind that you need to inform your insurance provider about your job loss and about your intention to stay on public health insurance. That has to be done by the last day of your job, otherwise you risk losing eligibility for public health insurance.