You can cancel your expat health insurance at anytime on a monthly basis, with coverage remaining active until the end of the month you cancel in. If you change your mind shortly after purchasing, a right of withdrawal period applies, giving you 14 days from purchase (or until the policy start date, if that's further out) to cancel and receive a full refund, provided no claims were made. If you don't cancel within that window, a minimum of 1 month on the policy applies.
What is the expat health insurance cancellation and billing policy?
You can cancel your expat health insurance on a monthly basis, with no long-term contract.
Premiums are charged on the 1st of each month, so as long as you cancel before the end of the current month, you won't be billed again from the following month. Your coverage stays active until the end of the month you cancel in.
Because you're legally required to maintain continuous health coverage while living in Germany, only cancel your expat health policy once you have another plan in place or are leaving Germany.
What is the right of withdrawal period for expat health insurance?
The right of withdrawal period depends on when your policy starts relative to your purchase date:
If your policy starts within 14 days of purchase, you have 14 days from the purchase date to cancel and receive a full refund, as long as no claims were made during that period. For example, if you purchase on May 1 and the policy starts on May 7, you can cancel any time before May 15.
If your policy starts more than 14 days after purchase, you can cancel any time before the policy start date and receive a full refund. For example, if you purchase on May 1 and the policy starts on August 1, you can cancel any time up to and including July 31.
When canceling within the withdrawal period because you changed your mind, you must select the option indicating you want a full refund, otherwise, the cancellation is treated as a standard one-month coverage cancellation.
Is there a minimum payment required if I cancel after my policy has started?
Yes. If you cancel after your policy has started, your expat health insurance policy has a one-month (30 days) minimum, and so a minimum payment equal to one month's premium applies. To avoid any charge, you must cancel before your policy's start date.
What are valid reasons for canceling my expat health insurance?
You can cancel your expat health insurance for several reasons:
You have another health insurance plan in Germany: public health insurance (GKV), private health insurance (PKV), long-term expat health insurance, or another expat health policy. Select "I have another health insurance" when submitting your cancellation request.
You have left Germany: if you've relocated or are leaving permanently, select "I left Germany." If you're leaving temporarily and plan to return, you can also cancel and purchase a new policy when you come back.
You were added as a dependent on a family member's plan: select "I have another health insurance."
You never arrived in Germany or your visa was rejected: you must notify us before your policy begins; otherwise, a minimum charge of one month applies.
The policyholder has died: you can cancel the policy due to the death of the policyholder. You can contact our support team for more assistance or additional resources.
If none of these fit your situation, you can contact our support team for more assistance or additional resources.
What happens if I'm switching to public or private health insurance?
If you signed up for public health insurance (GKV) or private health insurance (PKV) with us, we handle the cancellation of your expat health policy for you, and you may be eligible for a partial refund on your expat health charges for that month. In most cases, this is processed automatically. If you switched externally and need an official expat health cancellation document for your new public or private insurer, you can contact our support team for more assistance or additional resources, since that document is created on request.