You can cancel your expat health insurance at any time through your account, with no long-term contract. To avoid being billed for an extra month, cancel before the 1st of the following month; a one-month minimum applies to every policy. Coverage runs to the end of the month you cancel in and does not renew. If you're staying in Germany, you must have new health coverage in place before your expat health policy ends.
How do I cancel my expat health insurance?
You can cancel your expat health insurance at anytime, but keep in mind that you'll need to cancel before the 1st of the following month to avoid being billed and covered for that additional month. In addition, a one-month minimum applies for all policies.
You can cancel your expat health insurance policy easily by:
Logging in to your Feather account using the email address you used to sign up for your policy. You'll receive a one-time password by email to complete the login.
Selecting your expat health insurance policy in your account.
Clicking on the cancel button.
You can cancel at any time. The timing of your cancellation determines when your coverage ends and whether you're billed for an additional period.
How does canceling affect my next bill?
All policies have a 30-day minimum. What happens next depends on when your policy started and when you cancel:
If you pay monthly and your policy has been active for more than 30 days, cancel before the 1st of the next month to avoid being billed for it. If you cancel on or after the 1st, your policy has already renewed, and you'll be billed and covered for that full month. Your coverage ends at the end of the month in which you cancel.
If you pay monthly and your policy has been active for less than 30 days, cancel before the 30-day mark to avoid being billed for an additional month. If your policy started partway through a month, you'll still be billed on the 1st of the following calendar month, since the 30-day minimum applies to all policies.
If your expat health insurance price is about to increase because you’re turning 65, you can choose one of 2 end dates when you cancel:
The last day of the month in which you cancel. Your expat health insurance ends at the end of that month, following the standard cancellation timing.
The day before your 65th birthday, as long as that date hasn’t passed yet. In that case, if you schedule the cancelation before your 65th birthday month, you’re billed for each full month as usual until then, and your bill on the 1st of the month you turn 65 is prorated to cover only the days up until the day before your 65th birthday. If you schedule the cancelation during the month in which you turn 65, you receive a prorated refund for the rest of that month.
What happens to my coverage if I leave Germany partway through a month?
Your policy does not end early. Coverage runs in full calendar months, so if you leave on, for example, the 15th of the month, your policy will have already renewed on the 1st, and you'll be billed for that full month.
The upside is that you're not locked into a long-term yearly contract, since you can cancel on a monthly basis with no penalties. Just keep in mind that you need to have a health insurance at all times while residing in Germany.
What are my health insurance options if I'm staying in Germany after canceling?
If you're staying in Germany after canceling your expat health insurance, you're legally required to have new health coverage in place before your existing policy ends. Your main options are public health insurance (GKV) or private health insurance (PKV). If you're not eligible for public health insurance, long-term expat health insurance is an alternative. You can use our recommendation tool to find the option that best fits your situation.