Private Medical insurance in Germany

2POSTS

5 years ago

Hello

I am a South African applying for a family reunification visa and one of my visa requirements is proof of Medical insurance for 90 days.
I am looking for private medical insurance in Germany and would like to enquire if anyone either has any recommendations or any advice based on your own experience.
Many thanks

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TominStuttgart Germany Expert

2811POSTS

5 years ago

Oo add to Beppi's comment, one needs a high income level to even qualify to get private insurance. 90% of German residents have a public plan, For those who can even get a private plan, it can be cheaper at first if one is young and healthy. But it gets progressively more expensive and one is almost never allowed to switch later on. And non-working spouses and minor children are insured along with the main person for free, which is never the case for private insurance. And children not working but studying can stay free on the parents insurance until age 25.

But you should go through this site since the subject has been covered extensively already.

1 member reacted to this post

OceanH Member

2POSTS

5 years ago

Hi Beppi, thank you for your response.
My partner is an EU citizen and is eligible for public health insurance. As I am a foreign spouse, I am not. I will only be eligible to join the GVK once I am employed in Germany.
The visa requirement is proof of medical insurance for a minimum of 90 days, I may need to be on the insurance for a longer period until such time as I am employed.

beppi Germany/Singapore Expert

15661POSTS

5 years ago

I believe you got incorrect information - seemingly the one for a tourist or job seeker visa, not family reunion visa.
With family reunion visa (Visum zum Zwecke des Familiennachzugs) you can be covered in your spouse’s public health insurance free of charge from the first day and as long as you have no or very low own income.
To prove this, your spouse’s insurer issues a letter confirming that you will be covered from your arrival. Ask them!

TominStuttgart Germany Expert

2811POSTS

5 years ago

beppi wrote:
I believe you got incorrect information - seemingly the one for a tourist or job seeker visa, not family reunion visa.
With family reunion visa (Visum zum Zwecke des Familiennachzugs) you can be covered in your spouse’s public health insurance free of charge from the first day and as long as you have no or very low own income.
To prove this, your spouse’s insurer issues a letter confirming that you will be covered from your arrival. Ask them!

Beppi is correct. If one's spouse is on a public plan then the non-working spouse and minor kids are covered for free. Absolutely not true that it is limited to EU citizens! Register yourself upon arrival and even if the insurance paperwork takes a while to get completed, your coverage will be valid retroactively to the time when you arrived and registered.