# Moving to Baden-Württemberg



## jimjam (Jun 9, 2016)

First time poster here - please be gentle!!

My partner and I will be moving to Baden-Württemberg in a couple of weeks as I've been offered a job there. We will be relocating from Ireland, where we are both privately insured. This insurance has been paid until the end of the year and is valid for international travel. I will be eligible for private health insurance in Germany. My partner will not be working and will spend the first few months learning German. We are getting married in September of this year, and I understand that I can add him to my health insurance once we are officially married. Is this only true for the public system? We are a young healthy same-sex couple (so won't be having any kids) - is private the way to go? As I said, my partner will have private health insurance from Ireland which is valid internationally, is it possible for him to live in Germany with me as a tourist until we are married so that he can go on my policy?!

Any help would be appreciated!!!


----------



## *Sunshine* (Mar 13, 2016)

Non-working spouses are only insured without additional costs in the public system. 

Whether you'd be better off in public or private system depends on your personal situation as well as your health. I would strongly recommend consulting an independent insurance broker (not a tied Agent!) for advice.


----------



## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

The system has changed since I lived there, but one thing I suspect may still be in place: When you start work, you can choose your health coverage - among a number of Kassen for the public and usually at least a couple different options for the private. But, once you go private, you can't go back.

What I did was to go public. Every year you get a chance to switch if you want - so give the public Kassen a try first and if you don't like the coverage, you can always switch to a different one or to the private system in a year or two or three. You don't have that option with the private coverage.
Cheers,
Bev


----------



## jimjam (Jun 9, 2016)

Bevdeforges said:


> The system has changed since I lived there, but one thing I suspect may still be in place: When you start work, you can choose your health coverage - among a number of Kassen for the public and usually at least a couple different options for the private. But, once you go private, you can't go back.
> 
> What I did was to go public. Every year you get a chance to switch if you want - so give the public Kassen a try first and if you don't like the coverage, you can always switch to a different one or to the private system in a year or two or three. You don't have that option with the private coverage.
> Cheers,
> Bev


Hi Bev, I've just checked with my relocation assistant in Germany and you're right - this is still the case. Once I go private that's it! I have asthma and my partner has had back surgery recently so they've strongly advised me to go public.So that was that...or so I thought! Apparently there are many Public Health insurance providers...I don't have a clue which one to go with!! They suggested I look at TK. They also suggest that I get private dental insurance....does anyone have any recommendations?!!


----------



## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

You have a choice of public insurers - just realize that not all doctors take all the public insurers. Easiest way to pick one is to roam around town a bit and see which insurers are listed on the doctors' signs outside their offices. Whichever ones appear more frequently are the ones you want to consider to start with. (Just remember, you can always switch next year if you want to.) Or ask the HR people which are the most popular. The specifics of the individual public insurers are pretty similar.
Cheers,
Bev


----------



## ALKB (Jan 20, 2012)

Bevdeforges said:


> You have a choice of public insurers - just realize that not all doctors take all the public insurers. Easiest way to pick one is to roam around town a bit and see which insurers are listed on the doctors' signs outside their offices. Whichever ones appear more frequently are the ones you want to consider to start with. (Just remember, you can always switch next year if you want to.) Or ask the HR people which are the most popular. The specifics of the individual public insurers are pretty similar.
> Cheers,
> Bev


Wow. Is that a Baden-Württemberg thing? I am a bit shocked. I have literally never ever seen any health insurance providers listed on doctors' doors.

In Berlin, a doctor either takes statutory insurance patients (most do) and they accept all statutory insurances or they have a big sign that proclaims that they do private insurance only (very few).

By the way, TK is a very good insurer, about half of my extended family is with them.


----------



## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

The doctors in Pforzheim all seemed to include the Kasse on their plaques in front of their offices. I don't recall if they did in Freiburg, but I wasn't there long enough to have to get into the health system on a practical basis. (IIRC I just stayed with the same Kasse I'd had in Pforzheim.)
Cheers,
Bev


----------

