# Free public insurance if unemployed?



## noz03 (Oct 29, 2014)

Two questions.

I read that the public insurance is based on a % of your wages, but when we first arrive we will not yet have any employment, does that mean we have free public insurance? 

Also, is it mandatory to have German public health insurance or can we refuse to pay if we have private insurance from another country?


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

Your public insurance is paid for you when you are out of work and drawing German unemployment. If you're not eligible for unemployment benefits, then you're not covered until you find work and start paying in.

When you start working you enroll in the German health care system - unless you are at a salary level where you can opt for private insurance. But as far as I know, the health insurance must be paid through your employer.
Cheers,
Bev


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## noz03 (Oct 29, 2014)

Thanks a lot. How can I know if I am eligible or not?

I am British, my wife is a Turkish citizen but obviously married to a British citizen.


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

You're only eligible for German unemployment if you have worked in Germany for a certain period of time. If you're British and drawing British unemployment, you may be able to transfer you benefit over to Germany, but only for a period of 3 months. I'm not sure, but I suspect that you're under the same system as in the UK during that time, as you're more or less expected to return to the UK if you haven't found work within the 3 month time frame. (However, check with the unemployment agency in the UK for details on how that transfer of payments works.)
Cheers,
Bev


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## noz03 (Oct 29, 2014)

Hmm, well I have not lived in the UK for the last 10 years so I doubt they will pay my insurance. You said I can take private insurance without opting out of the public insurance... Is it possible to take that on a monthly basis just until I get steady employment there?


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## visanj (Jun 26, 2013)

I have a question though. If I come to Germany in EU Blue Card (the card is valid for 4 years) and if I lose my job say after 1 year, will I get unemployment benefits because I read somewhere that I will lose EU Blue Card if I lose my job and so I'm not sure whether I will get unemployment benefits or not

Could anyone please clarify on this?

Appreciate your inputs


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

It can depend on how and why you lose your job, but if you have enough credits in the unemployment Kasse, you will receive unemployment for some period of time (based on how long you worked and how much you paid into the Kasse during that time).
Cheers,
Bev


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## _shel (Mar 2, 2014)

If you lose your blue card and have no employer surely you will need to leave the country anyway.


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## beppi (Jun 10, 2013)

You can only get unemployment benefits while staying within Germany (and after minimum 12 months eligible work and contributions to the unemployment insurance scheme).


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## Nash000 (Apr 25, 2013)

noz03 said:


> Hmm, well I have not lived in the UK for the last 10 years so I doubt they will pay my insurance. You said I can take private insurance without opting out of the public insurance... Is it possible to take that on a monthly basis just until I get steady employment there?


Yes, I guess that would be the way to go. Pay private insurance (maybe stay on the one you currently have if they are ok with you living in Germany) and then as soon as you have a job switch to the German public insurance (which will then also cover your wife, afaik).


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