When you moved to Germany, you may have chosen a short-term private health insurance plan for your initial stay. While these plans are suitable for temporary residents, upgrading to a long-term plan is essential if you plan to stay longer.
In this article, we’ll outline the differences between short-term and long-term private health insurance plans and explain why switching to a long-term plan might be a smart decision.
What are short-term health insurance plans?
Short-term health insurance plans cater to expats in Germany for a limited time, typically up to 5 years. While they provide essential healthcare coverage—often comparable to or even better than public insurance—they come with limitations, particularly regarding long-term benefits.
If you intend to stay longer, you must switch to a long-term plan before reaching the 5-year limit or upon obtaining permanent residency.
Why switch to a long-term plan?
Upgrading to a long-term health insurance plan has several key advantages:
Cashback system: Enjoy financial rewards for staying healthy, something not available in short-term plans.
Comprehensive coverage: Long-term plans offer a wider scope of coverage, including additional preventative care treatments.
Long-term stability: Secure ongoing coverage that fits all visa and residency types, ensuring continuity in your healthcare plan.
Old-age savings: Long-term plans help build reserves when you're younger to keep premiums stable as you age. Instead of increasing premiums drastically, a portion of your contributions goes into savings that will offset higher insurance costs later in life. The earlier you switch, the lower your premiums will stay.
How to switch?
Switching to a long-term health insurance plan is straightforward and can be done in just a few steps:
Select your long-term insurance plan - check out the plans after getting a cost estimate. You will also find an explanation of benefits and coverage options there.
Reach out to us and let us know you’d like to switch to a long-term plan.
(If applicable) Complete a health questionnaire: If you switch before your 5-year short-term plan period ends, you’ll need to fill out a health questionnaire as part of the transition. This is not required if make the switch one month before or after the 5-year mark.
Start your new plan: Once the paperwork is complete, your new long-term plan will start from the following month and you can begin enjoying the added benefits such as cashback, wider scope of coverage, and old-age savings.
Ready to make the switch? Get in touch with us!