Your expat health insurance must be active on your arrival date if you're moving to Germany for the first time, or start the day after your old policy ends if you're switching, so you avoid a coverage gap. You can choose any future start date from tomorrow onward, up to 12 months ahead, but coverage can't be backdated. Your insurance certificate (Anlage 6) is issued immediately after sign-up, and although your documents reference "stays longer than one year" and a 5-year validity, your policy renews monthly and you can cancel any time after the one-month minimum.
When does my expat health insurance need to start?
The right start date depends on your situation:
If you're moving to Germany for the first time and haven't arrived yet, your coverage must start on your arrival date. Sign up before your visa or residence appointment — or before you enter Germany if you arrive without a visa — so you can show the insurance certificate that proves you'll be covered from your arrival date. The authorities don't require coverage to begin on the day of the appointment itself, only proof that you'll be covered on arrival. Starting coverage on your arrival date also means you avoid a waiting period.
If you're switching from another insurance provider and you're eligible for expat health, your new policy should start the day after your previous policy expires, so there's no gap in coverage.
If you're already in Germany without any insurance, sign up as soon as possible, because health insurance is compulsory for everyone living in Germany.
Can I choose my own start date for expat health insurance?
You can set your policy to start as early as the next day, but same-day coverage isn't available. Your insurance certificate is issued immediately after you sign up, so you can schedule your policy up to 12 months in advance or just a few days before your visa appointment. We always recommend planning your move early.
Can I backdate my expat health insurance?
No, we can't backdate expat health insurance. If you've already been living in Germany without coverage, the earliest start date available to you is tomorrow, and we strongly recommend choosing it to keep your coverage gap as small as possible. Proof of continuous health insurance is a common requirement for visa renewals and residence permit extensions in Germany, and a gap in coverage can cause complications with the German authorities when you apply.
What date should I enter as my arrival date when I sign up for expat health insurance?
Enter the date you first actually arrived in Germany, regardless of when your current or previous policy started or ended. The arrival date field isn't about your insurance history; we use it to assess your eligibility and determine which policy rules apply to you. If you arrived on a different date than your policy start date, always enter your true arrival date.
What do my expat health insurance documents include?
Your Anlage 6 (insurance certificate) is issued immediately after you sign up. This is the main document you show at your visa or residence appointment, along with your Expat Certificate of Authority.
Start date: the Anlage 6 lists your chosen start date as a calendar date and confirms that your insurance contract has existed without interruption since then.
End date: instead of a fixed end date, the Anlage 6 states "For stays longer than one year," which meets the requirements of German visa authorities.
Your Expat Certificate of Authority shows an expiration date set 5 years after your arrival in Germany, because expat health insurance can be used for up to 5 years. This is a document formality, not a contract commitment.
Am I locked into a yearly or 5-year contract with expat health insurance?
No. Your policy renews on a monthly basis, and you're free to cancel at any time after the one-month minimum from within your account. The "For stays longer than one year" wording on your Anlage 6 and the 5-year expiration date on your Expat Certificate of Authority are required for visa compliance only; they don't bind you to a fixed contract term. If you switch to public health insurance (GKV) or leave Germany, you can cancel your coverage and will stop being charged from the following month.