You can upgrade from Expat health insurance to Public health insurance (GKV) or Private health insurance (PKV) directly through your account, with no gap in coverage between the two policies. Sign in, open your Expat health insurance policy, choose to switch, and select public or private. If you choose public, you also pick a provider such as TK, AOK, BARMER, or DAK. Freelancers and artists use the same process to join Public health insurance through the KSK or through SMART.
How do I upgrade from expat health insurance to public or private health insurance in Germany?
You can upgrade from Expat health insurance to Public health insurance (GKV) or Private health insurance (PKV) through your account, which keeps coverage continuous with no gap between the two policies. To complete the upgrade:
Sign in to your account.
Open your existing Expat health insurance policy.
Choose the option to switch to Public health insurance or Private health insurance.
Select either Public health insurance or Private health insurance.
If you choose Public health insurance, select your preferred provider, such as TK, AOK, BARMER, or DAK.
Complete the sign-up questionnaire as instructed.
How do I join public health insurance through the KSK or as a freelancer in Germany?
Freelancers and artists use the same upgrade process to join Public health insurance (GKV) through the KSK (Künstlersozialkasse, the Artists' Social Insurance Fund) or through SMART, a cooperative that acts as an employer for freelancers who do not qualify for the KSK.
To join through the KSK, select BARMER as your Public health insurance provider, indicate in the sign-up questionnaire that you are employed with the employer listed as "KSK membership application," and set your employment start date 6 months in the future to allow for processing time.
If you are not eligible for the KSK, you can join Public health insurance through SMART. Contact SMART directly to confirm your eligibility, then complete the standard upgrade process through your account.