Insurances
Social Insurance
Germany operates a comprehensive compulsory social insurance system comprising health insurance, long term care insurance, pension schemes, unemployment insurance, and accident insurance.
This social insurance is compulsory for every employee. Which regulations particularly apply to you depends on the length and reason of your stay in Germany as well as your home country. If you hold a scholarship, only health insurance is compulsory for you. Special regulations also apply to EU citizens and citizens of Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland.
Health Insurance
Health insurance is compulsory for all employees in Germany. You will therefore have to prove sufficient health insurance for yourself and your family for the length of your stay in Germany. You can inquire of your home health insurance whether it also covers your stay in Germany. If not, you might be able to extend it so that it covers at least the first weeks of your stay in Germany. You must have sufficient health insurance beginning with your first day in Germany. You should therefore take out sufficient health insurance in time. This is especially important if you need a visa and/or a permit of stay.
You have sufficient health insurance if it meets the requirements for a Germany statutory health insurance, i.e.:
- no exclusion of benefits on a larger scale
- own contribution (cost sharing) not higher than € 300 per year
- no limit to costs covered in case of illness
- no expiring date or expiring condition as of a certain age
- amount covered for repatriation at least € 30,000
Stay in Germany with Working Contract
If you conclude a working contract with Justus Liebig University Giessen for the length of your stay in Germany, a German statutory health insurance is compulsory for you. If you earn more than (for the time being) € 50.850 you are free to choose between a German statutory or a private health insurance.
The uniform contribution rate for a German statutory health insurance is (for the time being) 15.5 % of your gross wages. Half of the sum is covered by the employer. The basic services of health insurance companies are predefined, differences can occur in case of additional services like covering the costs for certain vaccinations, preventive medical checkups, etc. Once you have chosen a health insurance company and taken out your health insurance you have to inform your employer (Justus Liebig University) about this. JLU/your employer will then take the necessary steps to officially register you.
- German statutory health insurance companies with agencies in Giessen:
AOK Giessen
Gartenstraße 10
35390 Giessen
Tel.: 0800 0 00 02 55
www.aok.de
Barmer
Westanlage 7
35390 Giessen
Tel.: 0800 333 10 10
www.barmer.de
DAK-Gesundheit
Südanlage 30
35390 Giessen
Tel.: 0641 9 79 04 80
www.dak.de
IKK Südwest
Lahnstrasse 3 c
35398 Giessen
Tel.: 0641/26 55-9300
www.ikk-suedwest.de
Die Techniker (TK)
Geschäftsstelle Giessen
Liebigstraße 14
35390 Giessen
Tel.: 0800- 285 85 85
www.tk.de
Should you have any questions regarding health insurance in Germany we are happy to be of assistance!
Tariffs and services of private health insurance companies can vary.
Special Regulations for EU citizens
EU citizens holding a statutory or private health insurance in their home country can ask their insurance company for the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) covering the costs for medical treatment in Germany for short stays. For longer periods of stay you can request the necessary forms (E 106, E 109, S1) from your health insurance company. Should you hold a working contract with JLU Giessen subject to German statutory health insurance, you should take out a German statutory health insurance, however.
Stay in Germany as a scholarship holder or self-paying visiting scholar
As a scholarship holder or a self-paying visiting scholar you can only get a private health insurance. Your scholarship donor might be able to give you recommendations, further information can also be found on https://www.daad.de/en/study-research-teach-abroad/scholarships-funding/daad-insurance/destination-abroad/
or
http://www.pkv.de/verband/mitglieder/
Long Term Care Insurance
Long term care insurance covers costs in case of necessary long term care. It is automatically connected to the health insurance. Scholarhip holders are ususally exempted from long term care insurance.
Pension Schemes
Pension schemes are also part of the compulsory social insurances. They not only serve as old-age pension insurances, they also cover costs for sustaining your ability to work (i.e., rehabilitation measures). It is also automatically taken out with your health insurance and is reported to the responsable pension insurance authority. The fees are automatically deduced from your gross salary, the employer covers half of the costs. Scholarship holders are ususally exempted from pensions schemes.
EU member states or convention partner states (as of 2011: Australia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Chile, China ("Entsendeabkommen"), India ("Entsendeabkommen"), Israel, Japan, Canada and Quebec, Republic of Korea, Kosovo, Croatia, Morocco, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Tunisia, Turkey, USA) have to take into account the period you paid for a German pension scheme.
If you return to a country that has not signed a social security treaty with Germany, you can ask for a refund of your pension scheme payments in Germany. You can apply for a refund of pension scheme payments from "Deutsche Rentenversicherung" after two years latency.
Further information can be found on the web pages of Deutsche Rentenversicherung or on https://www.deutsche-rentenversicherung.de/DRV/EN/Home/home_node.html and http://www.findyourpension.eu/.
We are also happy to answer your questions regarding pension schemes.
Unemployment Insurance
The unemployment insurance offers protection against unemployment under certain conditions. Fees are automatically deduced from your gross wages after taking out health insurance and the automatic report to the German Labour Authority (Bundesagentur für Arbeit). As with other social insurance fees the employer covers half of the costs. Scholarship holders are ususally exempt from unemployment insurance.
Statutory (Occupational) Accident Insurance
The statutory occupational accident insurance covers costs in case of work accidents. The employer is solely responsible for this insurance. You do not have to pay any fees.
As the statutory accident insurance only covers work accidents and not accidents happening in private life, it might make sense to take out a private accident insurance. Scholarhip holders only profit from the statutory accident insurance if they are matriculated.
Further (Optional) Insurances
It might make sense to take out further optional insurances such as a personal accident insurance (the statutory occupational accident insurance only covers work accidents) or a private liability insurance.
You should especially think about taking out a private liability insurance as you can always be held responsible without limits for damages you or your dependants inflict on a third person. A private liability insurance covers this risk.
Private Liability Insurance
A private liability insurance covers the costs for damages you or your dependants inflict on a third person through neglicence. As in many other countries, you will be hold responsible for such damages without limits in Germany. A private liability insurance covers (within the limits agreed upon) physical injuries as well as material damages and property loss. It might also be good to know for your landlord that unintended damages can easily be paid for.
As a private liability insurance is not expensive we can highly recommend it (especially for longer periods of stay).
Even if it should only be possible to take out a private liability insurance for a whole year (and not just for a couple of months), you can limit the contract period to one year and still pay not too much.
Personal Accident Insurance
A personal accident insurance covers injuries resulting from non-occupational accidents (the statutory occupational accident insurance covers work accidents). It can cover loss of wages, necessary flat conversions, household help, child care, etc.
Car Liability Insurance
In case you buy a car in Germany or bring along your own car it is good to know that it is compulsory for car owners in Germany to take out a car liability insurance. You cannot register your car in Germany without one.
Please consult the web pages of the Bund der Versicherten for further insurances.