Who knows how much health insurance my husband and i will pay?

Hello sarahjackson and welcome to Expat.com!

A new discussion has been created on the Germany forum for better visibility.

I hope that other members will help you too.

Harmonie.

[Moderated: please register company in Germany Business Directory]

Hello Sarah!

If you´re both self-employed and coming to Germany, there are a number of issues to bear in mind!

There are two systems here ( remember, however , there is no equivalent of the NHS ): public insurance companies ( Kassen ) and private insurance companies.

Self-employed coming from the UK can apply as so-called voluntary members ( Freiwillige Mitglieder ) of the public system and - if you´re both working and neither spouse is earning under 375 euros a month - then each of you will need your own public health insurance. The premium depends on your gross income and is currently set at 14.9% with a minimum for freelancers/self-employers in most cases 218 euros a month but usually at least 320...and can be as high as 600 plus euros....
To get into the public system: prepare in advance. You would need to contact Newcastle for written proof that you´ve been in the UK National Insurance system for at least the past 12 months uninterrupted and for proof of income. Plus you need the EHIC card. This process can be very bureaucratic.

OR you could apply ( or one of you.. ) for private insurance, the price of which is not determined by income but by age, gender, the level of chosen insurance cover , the provider, healthy status or one or two ailments etc. Normally, you would need to have a medical check up for this.

Mostly, self-employed/freelancers take out private health insurance here to save money and/or get better cover but what is right for you depends on many factors, including your long term plans, state of health , potential earnings etc.

This is a very complex issue here and you should seek professional, independent advice and not rely on on-line applications or hearsay etc.

Just for your information: since January 2010 both the public and the private health insurance policies are highly tax deductible.