After losing a job in Germany, whether private health insurance can be kept or must be switched to public insurance depends on whether you are receiving Type I or Type II unemployment benefits and specific eligibility conditions.
How does losing my job affect my private health insurance in Germany?
Whether you switch to another insurance or stay with your private health insurance depends on the unemployment benefits you get.
Losing a job affects private health insurance coverage depending on the unemployment benefits you receive. Your coverage options differ based on whether you receive Type I or Type II unemployment benefits, or no benefits at all.
Who is eligible for Type II unemployment benefits and what happens to your insurance?
Who can get type II unemployment benefits?
Who can get type II unemployment benefits?
You're eligible after one year of unemployment (or two, if you're over 55).
You need to request them from the job agency.
You're under 55
If you are under 55, you will generally keep your private health insurance, as public health insurance is not available. The job agency may or may not pay parts of your private insurance premiums.
You're over 55
If you are over 55, you can switch to public health insurance if either of these applies:
you've had public health insurance for at least 1 day in the past 5 years.
you've been mandatorily insured for more than 2.5 years in the past 5 years
If you're over 55 but none of these apply, you'll stay on private health insurance.
Contact us to get a quote for more affordable insurance plans while job hunting.
Who is eligible for Type I unemployment benefits and what happens to your insurance?
Who can get type I unemployment benefits (Arbeitlosengeld I)?
Who can get type I unemployment benefits (Arbeitlosengeld I)?
You must be a citizen of the EU, EEA, or Switzerland, or hold a work permit.
You need to have been a member of the insurance for at least 12 out of the past 30 months. Freelancers have to register explicitly.
The job agency might impose further conditions.
Switch to public health insurance
The job agency will fully pay for your insurance. Here is how:
Apply for unemployment benefits, and ask the job agency to register you with public health insurance.
Cancel your private health insurance: select that you’re a mandatory member of public insurance, and upload the confirmation of coverage.
Within a three weeks, you'll get back any premiums you paid since your unemployment began.
You can consider pausing your plan instead of canceling if you hope to rejoin private health insurance in the future when you find a new job with a salary above the threshold again.
Stay on private health insurance
You must keep your private health insurance if you haven't had public health insurance in the past 5 years. The job agency will cover €210 per month. Simply follow the steps below within 3 months of receiving unemployment benefits:
Get exempt from public health insurance: Fill out and submit this form to [email protected]. Forward their response to your agent at the job agency.
Ask the job agency to pay for your insurance. We can provide the so-called "confirmation of the payment of contributions according to §174" if needed.
Contact us when the agency confirms your exemption and payment. The job agency will transfer up to €210 directly to your insurance provider. If your premium is higher than €210, the remaining amount will be debited from your bank account.
What should I do after finding a new job?
Our nifty recommendation tool will help you find the right health insurance!