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Health Insurance
(Gesetzliche Krankenversicherung)
What is the Health Insurance?
To prevent an illness from becoming a financial risk, the statutory health insurance funds
cover members and their families in the event of illness. Anyone working in the Federal
Republic of Germany is usually compulsorily insured, i.e. automatically covered by statutory
health insurance.
Who is insured?
All employees (excluded mini-job workers) are compulsorily insured under statutory health
insurance if their gross salary does not exceed a defined upper limit (2015: 54.900 € per
year).
Benefits
Benefits available in the event of illness include:
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medical and dental treatment,
hospital treatment,
home nursing care (if this helps avoid or shorten a stay in hospital),
orthodontic treatment up to the age of 18, and
preventive measures and rehabilitation.
Financing
Statutory health insurance is financed through the contribution of employers and the insured.
The contribution amount depends both on an employee's assessable income up to a defined
contribution assessment limit, which is adjusted each year (2015: 49,500 € per year) and on
the contribution rate. Different from unemployment or pension insurance, there can’t only be
a uniform, legally stipulated contribution rate but also a supplementary contribution rate.
The generally applicable contribution rate for statutory health insurance is 14, 6 percent. The
employer pays a half of the insurance contribution (7, 3 %) and the employee pays the other
half (7, 3 %). Depending on the financial situation of each sickness fund, employees must
pay a supplementary contribution to the sickness fund.
Spouses, partners and children can benefit from a family insurance, if they live in Germany
and their income doesn’t exceed a defined upper limit. The family insurance is exempt from
charges.
The Hamburg Welcome Center does not recommend any particular private or commerc ial offer. While every care is taken to
ensure the correctness of all information provided, the Hamburg Welcome Center cannot assume any liability for the
information being exhaustive, accurate and up -to-date. The providers are exclusively responsible for all content
Alter W all 11  D - 20457 Hamburg   +49 40 428 54-5001
www.welcome.hamburg.de  [email protected]
HWC 2015
Students (till the end of 14th semester, longest till the 30. birthday) benefit from a special
student-rate: 61.01 € per month + a supplemental premium charged by insurance provider
(about 0 – 6 € extra)
Exemption from compulsory
Under specific conditions, one is free from the insurance obligation, when the person is selfemployed or an employee with a yearly gross salary of more than 54.900 €. In this case, it is
advisable to take out a private health insurance or voluntary in a statutory health insurance.
The contribution depends on different facts like the age at entry, possible previous diseases
or service packages.
Please note: Private health insurance doesn’t offer a family insurance. Spouses, partners
and children have to take out a health insurance by themselves.
For more information:
http://www.deutsche-sozialversicherung.de/en/health/index.html
The Hamburg Welcome Center does not recommend any part icular private or commercial offer and cannot assume liability for
the information being exhaustive, accurate and up -to-date. The providers are responsible for all content exclusively.
Alter W all 11  D - 20457 Hamburg   +49 40 428 54-5001
www.welcome-center.hamburg.de  [email protected]
HW C 2015