Health insurance abroad

General information

Insurance

Brochures

Addresses/Links

General information

Why is there a need for international arrangements?

With which states have they been concluded?

To whom do they apply?

Why is there a need for international arrangements?

An increasing number of international links are coming about, especially as a result of the increasing globalisation and higher number of company mergers that span national borders. It is not only Europe, but also whole continents that are growing together as working environments. Many people are now working or have worked in several countries, or would like to retire abroad. They all have an interest in their social security protection being safeguarded over national borders. Furthermore, it must be ensured that disadvantages incurred through working in various states that have different social security systems are reduced to a minimum. In this context, a large number of difficult questions need to be clarified in all branches of social security, and in particular in statutory health insurance, such as:

"Which state is responsible for implementing health insurance? How are benefit claims and co-payments arranged there?

Where should health insurance premiums be paid if employment is in one state, but the person concerned lives in another state?

Are insurance periods effected abroad credited on return to Germany (e.g. for voluntary health insurance)?"

To this end, European law contains regulations coordinating the various national social security systems, so-called social security scheme Regulations (Regulation No [EEC] 1408/71 and Regulation No [EEC] 574/72). Additionally, the Federal Republic of Germany has concluded bilateral social security agreements with a number of countries containing similar provisions.

With which states have they been concluded?

European Community law

Bilateral social security agreements

Multilateral social security agreements

European Community law

In the field of social security the Federal Republic of Germany is linked with the following states of the European Union (EU) by virtue of Regulation No (EEC) 1408/71:

Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and the UK.

The social security scheme Regulations are also applicable to the following countries via the European Economic Area (EEA):

Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland.

Within the European Union, the Regulations are directly applicable law and on principle take precedence over German law.

Bilateral social security agreements

exist with

Multilateral social security agreements

Rhine Boatmen Agreement

Contracting states:

Belgium, Federal Republic of Germany, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Switzerland

European Interim Agreement on Social Security Schemes relating to Old Age, Invalidity and Survivors

To whom do they apply?

The law of the European Union and many social security agreements apply only to nationals of the EEA and of the contracting states to the agreements respectively. If you have another nationality, the following information will not necessarily apply to you. In such a case, you should contact your health insurance fund for details.

Insurance

General information

Obligatory insurance in case of employment abroad

Obligatory insurance for persons from abroad

Tips for foreign employers in Germany

General information

On principle, obligatory insurance is in line with the law of the state in which employment is pursued or self-employed work carried out. This applies irrespective of nationality. Even if employees or self-employed persons live in a different state or company headquarters are there, they are subject to the legal provisions of the state in which employment is pursued or self-employed work is carried out.

If employment is pursued or self-employed work is carried out in Germany, German law applies. Whether insurance in German statutory health insurance is obligatory in individual cases is a decision to be taken by the competent health insurance fund.

Obligatory insurance in case of employment abroad

If an employee is seconded to a different EEA or contracting state, it is possible for insurance to still be obligatory in the seconding state. 'Secondment' exists if the employee goes abroad for work purposes on instructions from his/her employer. Secondment must be time-limited in advance, inter alia because of the particularity of employment, or by contract. If a German employee meets the preconditions for secondment, he/she continues to be subject to the German legal provisions concerning obligatory insurance during his/her employment abroad.

The competent health insurance fund of the employee decides on the secondment preconditions as the collecting office of the total social security amount.

The duration of further subjection to the German legal provisions relating to social security is regulated differently in the EEA and the sphere of application of the agreements. It may not be longer than twelve months within the EEA.

If employment abroad is unexpectedly pursued beyond the permissible secondment period, it is possible to apply to extend the abovementioned duration.

If it is ascertained in advance that secondment goes beyond the permissible period, or if it is not a matter of secondment, it is possible to agree that the German legal provisions exceptionally nevertheless apply. Please file appropriate applications with the

Deutsche Verbindungsstelle
Krankenversicherung - Ausland
Postfach 20 04 64
53134 Bonn

You will find additional information including application forms for the individual EEA or contracting states on the following pages.

Obligatory insurance for persons from abroad

If employment is pursued in Germany, on principle the German legal provisions relating to obligatory social security cover apply. For employees from abroad, there is however no obligatory insurance during employment if these individuals are seconded to the Federal Republic of Germany in the framework of a foreign employment contract and secondment is time-limited in advance as a result of the nature of the employment, or by contract. The same applies to self-employed work.

Tips for foreign employers in Germany

What do foreign employers have to do who employ staff who are subject to German legal provisions on obligatory insurance?

Foreign employers have the same duties as domestic employers. On commencing employment, employers must register their employees with the competent health insurance fund. The application forms can be obtained from the statutory health insurance funds. The funds can also provide information material regarding the reporting procedure.

On opening a contributions account, the employer receives a company number from the competent Employment Office. Using the company number and the insurance number, a contributions account is then opened into which the social security contributions are to be paid on a monthly basis.

It is possible to agree within the EEA on the employee taking on the employer's duty to pay the contributions. This is conditional on the employer not having a branch office on the territory of the Member State in which the employee is employed.

Conclusion of such an agreement is to be notified to the competent health insurance fund.

Brochures

You will find further information on German social security in connection with employment in Germany on the following pages.

Addresses/Links

You will find addresses, links and further information on social security systems and the benefits paid in other countries on the pages of the European Commission in German, English and French under the heading "Comparative Tables". Link to these pages