Freelancers and self-employed individuals in Germany may be eligible for expat health insurance depending on their income, visa status, and prior insurance history. Short-term expat health insurance is the recommended option for most first-time visa applicants earning under €36,000 gross per year. Long-term expat health insurance is the recommended option for visa renewals and residence permit extensions when public or private health insurance is not accessible. Freelancers earning over €36,000 gross per year may also qualify for private health insurance.
Are freelancers and self-employed individuals eligible for expat health insurance in Germany?
Freelancers and self-employed individuals are eligible for expat health insurance in Germany. The most suitable plan depends on your income, visa status, and prior insurance history.
You can use our recommendation tool to identify the right option for your situation.
Which health insurance plan is recommended for freelancers earning under €36,000 per year?
Freelancers earning under €36,000 gross per year are generally not eligible for public or private health insurance. Short-term expat health insurance is the recommended option for first-time visa applications, as it meets the legal minimum requirements and is the most affordable solution.
If you need to renew your visa or extend your residence permit, long-term expat health insurance is the recommended option. It meets more comprehensive than regular expat insurance and is generally accepted by the authorities as an alternative to statutory insurance in that case.
Which health insurance plan is recommended for freelancers earning over €36,000 per year?
Freelancers earning over €36,000 gross per year (up to age 50) or €51,000 per year (starting from age 51) are typically not eligible for public health insurance but have the following options:
Private health insurance: The recommended option for those who qualify. Eligibility is based on income, age, and health.
Short-term expat health insurance: Generally accepted for first-time visa applications. It meets the legal minimum requirements and is the most affordable short-term solution.
Long-term expat health insurance: The recommended option for visa renewals and residence permit extensions when private health insurance is not an option. It is generally accepted by the authorities as an alternative to statutory insurance in that case.
How does visa status affect which expat health insurance plan a freelancer should choose?
Visa status is one of the most important factors in choosing between short-term and long-term expat health insurance:
First-time visa applicants are recommended to use short-term expat health insurance, which meets the legal minimum requirements under § 193 Abs. 3 VVG and is accepted for most initial applications.
Visa renewal and residence permit extension applicants should use long-term expat health insurance, which meets the § 152 Basistarif standard and is generally accepted by the authorities when public or private health insurance is not accessible. Short-term expat health insurance is generally not accepted for visa renewals.
How does visa application status affect insurance eligibility for freelancers?
First-time visa applicants are recommended to use short-term expat health insurance, although they are also eligible for long-term expat health insurance. Public and private health insurance are generally not available.
Visa renewal and residence permit extension applicants are recommended to use private health insurance (if eligible based on income), otherwise, long-term expat health insurance. This is because short-term expat health insurance is generally not accepted for visa renewals or residence extensions.
Are artists treated differently in terms of health insurance eligibility?
Artists are eligible for short-term and long-term expat health insurance, as well as public insurance via the Künstlersozialkasse (KSK) and private health insurance (if they meet the income thresholds).
Public health insurance through the KSK is the recommended option for artists who qualify.
How does prior health insurance in the EU or UK affect expat health insurance eligibility?
Freelancers or self-employed individuals who held health insurance in the EU, EEA, Switzerland, or the UK within the last 3 months are eligible for short-term and long-term expat health insurance, as well as public health insurance.
Those earning over €36,000 gross per year may also qualify for private health insurance.
Public health insurance is the recommended option where accessible.
✅ = Eligible
🌟 = Eligible & Recommended
| ||||
Earning under 36k euros gross per year | 🌟 | ✅ | x | x |
Earning over 36k euros gross per year | ✅ | ✅ | x | 🌟 |
Artist | ✅ | ✅ | 🌟 | ✅ |
First time visa applicant | 🌟 | ✅ | x | x |
Visa renewal applicant | x | 🌟 | x | 🌟 |
Previous health insurance in the EU/UK within the last 3 months | ✅ | ✅ | 🌟 | ✅ (if you earn over 36k) |