Expat health insurance (sometimes called “incoming insurance”) is a great solution for all self-employed or freelancers who plan to stay for a few years or permanently in Germany.
File and manage claims online: just take a photo and submit it to your Feather account.
Whether you're planning to stay for a few years and need a basic coverage, or long term and need a comprehensive coverage. We have got you covered.
Obtain your first visa or residence permit alongside a good, affordable coverage. Some visa exclusions apply.
Your confirmation and visa documents are provided as soon as signup is confirmed. The documents show that our policy meets the visa requirements.
Our expat health plans include €30,000 coverage for repatriation-related costs, pandemic coverage, and outpatient and inpatient services.
If you’re moving to Germany for the first time, expat health insurance is the perfect choice for you.
Freelancers and self-employed who would like a cost effective insurance or are not eligible for public or private insurance.
Anyone applying for a visa or residence permit. This policy covers almost all first time visas. The more comprehensive plans cover visa and work permit renewals too.
Enrolled in a coding program or language school? This policy covers you for the duration of your studies.
Highly trained professionals who are neither university students nor employees.
Earning less than €520 a month? If you’re in Germany for a summer internship, our expat policy has you covered.
You have a free choice of doctors, dentists, and hospitals recognized and accredited in Germany or your country of destination.
Simply remember that hospitals must be under permanent medical management and have sufficient diagnostic and therapeutic facilities.
If you get a job, you can request to upgrade directly to your Feather account, and we will assist you with the transition.
In most cases, we can even refund any overlap to ensure you are not double charged at any time.
“Dajana was patient, detailed and answered my questions clearly and concisely.”
AB
“I felt secure about my choices and how the process would unfold afterward.”
Marcelo
“Maia was very helpful providing me with info about the right health insurance for my visa.”
Jessica
“They ease your anxiety thanks to incredibly polite and fast customer support.”
Franka
“They helped advising me on my specific situation and made the procedure smooth.”
Lucía
“As a foreigner & freelancer, I felt relief to be insured by them without bureaucracy.”
Luiz
Yes, if you’ve recently relocated to Germany and are looking for your first health insurance plan, you're eligible for expat health insurance.
Yes, if you are not working or working as a self-employed person.
Yes, if you want to get insured quickly to get your visa or residence permit because it's affordable health insurance coverage that you can sign up for entirely in English.
Expat health insurance is an excellent option if you're a freelancer or self-employed. Expat insurance provides emergency and accidental coverage in addition to any illness you might have.
If you’ve been insured in the EU or the UK within the last three months, you have to get on public insurance after moving to Germany. You should check out our recommendation tool to go through the other options before signing up for expat insurance.
Freelancers and those who are self-employed are considered to be "voluntarily insured,” or freiwillig versichert, which means public health insurance companies are not obligated to insure them.
Yes, this policy meets the legal requirements for getting your first visa or residence permit in Germany and qualifies as your proof of health insurance.
However, if you need to renew your visa or residence permit, you have to sign up to one of the long term plans.
Immediately. Your policy documents will be waiting for you in your Feather account after you finish signing up.
You can use these documents as proof of health insurance for your visa or residence permit application.
The newcomer expat health insurance plans have a maximum term limit of five years, while the extended expat health insurance plans have have no limit. The five-year term starts on the first day you arrive in Germany.
For example, if you moved to Germany on the 1st of January 2020 but signed up for Expat Insurance on the 2nd of June 2021, you can only remain on the policy until the 1st of January 2025 with the newcomer plans.
If you purchase a policy and the policy becomes active within 14 days of purchase, then you have 14 days to cancel your policy from the date of purchase and receive a full refund (as long as no claims were made during this period).
However, if you purchase a policy with a start date in the future (over 14 days), then you have any time before the policy becomes active to cancel it and receive a full refund.
After this period, you can still cancel anytime! Whenever you cancel, you will then no longer be charged during the next monthly billing cycle.
For more information about how to cancel, please check out our handy FAQ.
Yes, a standard 31-day waiting period applies before you can use the insurance. However, sometimes, a waiting period can be waived. You can learn more about it and when it can be waived, you can find it in our FAQ.
Yes, you'll have to pay upfront. We suggest paying the doctor or clinic as soon as possible to avoid any late fees. Following that, submit photos of all invoices, receipts, and documents related to the incident in your Feather account to get reimbursed. The reimbursement will be made to you, not to the doctor
Yes, dependents can be added to your plan. Please note that each dependent will have to have their own policy purchased, but we can add them all under one account for ease of access.
To add a dependent, simply:
1. Sign up for expat insurance for yourself first (or for the person you want to be the main policyholder)
2. Once you sign up, log into your Feather account and click on your expat policy.
3. Click 'add dependents', then add the dependent with whichever policy you wish. You don't have to purchase the same policy for each person.
Yes! If you upgrade from newcomer to extended expat insurance, then your policies will be linked and medical events that occurred in your newcomer policy will be included for coverage in your extended policy.
A switch from extended to newcomer expat is also still possible; however, please note if you switch from extended to newcomer expat health, the policies will not be linked.
Yes, you can always start with a basic or premium plan then upgrade when you need a visa or work permit renewal or reach the 5-year limit.
However, keep in mind that the medical conditions that you acquire while your on the basic or premium plan will not be covered under the extended basic or premium plan as they will be considered new pre-existing conditions.
See our FAQ page for more answers.
We can show you the pros and cons based on your lifestyle.
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