Health insurance in Germany is characterized as a dual system consisting of statutory health insurance (Gesetzliche Krankenversicherung GKV) and private health insurance (Krankenversicherung). Legal health insurance is available to everyone, while private health insurance requires special conditions to obtain it. –Wikipedia–
Living in Germany requires a person to be covered by health insurance, even for short periods of stay, and is a prerequisite for obtaining a residence permit. Also, Private health insurance is characterized by the provision of more comprehensive services and the consideration of individual needs, such as the provision of extended dental treatment and other advantages compared to, for example, public insurance.
What kind of insurance do refugees need in Germany?
Everyone is exposed to illness, so health insurance is important and necessary. But there are other insurances that asylum seekers in Germany should consider. Here we give an overview of some of the existing insurances and their importance for refugees.
There are many different insurances in Germany, but the most important insurances for anyone who wants to live here are the following:
- first of all, health insurance, which is compulsory and required by law, and refugees are not exempted from it.
- Second: Liability insurance for compensation of damages to third parties, known in German as (Private Haftpflichtversicherung), which materially or partially covers damages resulting from any small or large accident that may occur, such as dropping your colleague’s smartphone or breaking valuable goods at the supermarket.
1. Special Liability Insurance
- Rates: The rate of insurance varies between 40 and 90 euros per year, however comparing the benefits with the proposed rates is necessary and interesting.
- Payment: The method of payment affects the overall price. This means that monthly or quarterly payments instead of incurring an additional annual fee often from three to ten percent, which is called the additional cost of payment.
- Claims: The right to claim compensation includes damage that occurred after the conclusion of the insurance contract, as for those prior to this, they are not covered by insurance and the damage must be reported as soon as it occurs.
- Cancellation of the contract: In case the insurance company increases the insurance fees, you have the right to cancel the contract immediately and look for a company with lower fees.
- Volunteering: If you regularly work or volunteer somewhere for little or no pay, you should find out if your private liability insurance covers any damage you may cause. If you are injured, the insurance covers accidents.
Things covered by liability insurance:
- Repair costs when something is broken, the value of the damage when something breaks and cannot be repaired, plus doctor’s fees and hospital bills when someone injures themselves or others. As well as children’s insurance, through the parents’ special liability insurance, because parents are responsible for damage caused by children under seven years.
- The insurance also covers damage caused by small pets, such as a cat or a bird, which must also be covered. In the event that pets such as cats or other animals are owned, they can be added to the insurance. The insurance also covers any damage to the rented apartment, including loss of keys.
Damages that is not covered by liability insurance:
Damage caused by intentional action and damage to moving or rented items, but some insurance covers these damages as well. In addition, the insurance does not cover damage that occurs during work and damage to the insured and his or her family members who live with him or her in the same house.
2. Health Insurance
Health insurance helps you and your family when you are ill. The health insurance funds cover medical treatment and health care services such as hospital stays, dental care, vaccinations, medical examinations, and convalescence measures as well as delivery costs.
Health care for asylum seekers and those whose deportation has been suspended (Duldung) and those who have been residing in Germany for less than 15 months, as well as for people who have to leave the country; Under the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act, health care for them is limited to emergency cases, acute illnesses or emergencies.
While some German states require you to apply for a voucher from the Social Welfare Office before seeing a doctor, other states issue “health cards” to refugees that allow them to access medical care directly without having to go to the Social Welfare Office and obtain a voucher.
According to the Asylum Information Database (AIDA), emergency care for asylum seekers is limited to “medical or dental treatment that is necessary and must be provided.” This includes “medications, dressings, and other things necessary for recovery, healing, or relief of illness, or services necessary to be provided for treatment.”
If you have been living in Germany for more than 15 months and your asylum application is still being processed, you are entitled to the same legal health care as German citizens, with the exception of nursing care insurance (“Pflegeversicherung”). Generally, the asylum seeker is free to choose the health insurance company he/she wants to deal with.
What about private health insurance pregnancy?
Pregnant and newly born refugee and immigrant women are also entitled to “medical and nursing assistance and support,” including the service provided to provide midwifery care, as well as access to necessary vaccinations and “necessary preventive medical examinations.
Do you know about the Health insurance card?
Those who have public health insurance receive an electronic card certifying their membership; the card includes their photo, name, date of birth, address of the insured person, policy number, and insurance status. In some German cities, this card is issued to refugees upon their arrival in Germany.
Health insurance cards are valid in the 28 EU countries as well as in Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland. If you are ill in one of these countries, your card gives you access to medical treatment there.
Disclaimer: All this information comes from official government websites and reliable sources such as Wikipedia, Euronews, DW and European Consumer Centre Germany