Health Insurance

Basically every employment in Germany leads to the compulsory insurance in the branches of the German social security system and with it there also comes  health insurance. The employer must announce the employees by a statutory health insurance. You are entitled to all the benefits by the legislator prescribed and by the statute to agreed achievements as for example medical treatment, sickness benefit, stationary treatment etc.

In Germany there are some insurances you are obliged to have to be socially secured. Next to health insurance you have got to have the following insurances:

• Unemployment insurance
• Nursing care insurance
• Pension insurance
• Casuality insurance

These insurances are mostly financed by payments of the collective body of the insured, namely half of it is paid by all the employees (which have deductions to their gross wages) and the other half by the employers. Just a small part is paid by taxes. The insurance companies are mostly self-governed, except for the health insurance industry that has a unique position. Here there is a restricted competition.

At the moment there are 108 different health insurance companies in Germany (GKV Spitzenverband, 2019). The best way to find a fitting company is to inform yourself which companies offer their services at the place you live. The companies mainly differ in how much you have to pay for premiums and the range of benefits you get. It is on you to compare the services of the different companies and find the offer that fits your needs the best.