Everyone is exposed to disease, so health insurance is important and necessary. But there are other insurances that asylum seekers in Germany should take into account. Here we give an overview of some of the insurances that exist and their importance for refugees.
There are many different insurances in Germany, but the most important ones for everyone who wants to live here are: First and foremost is health insurance, which is mandatory and required by law and refugees are not exempt from it. Second: Liability insurance for damages incurred by third parties, known in German as (Private Haftpflichtversicherung), which covers materially or partially the damages resulting from any small or major accidents that may occur, such as dropping the smartphone of your co-worker or breaking valuable goods in the supermarket.
Private or personal liability insurance covers damages that occur inside and outside the insured’s home, in addition to covering any losses resulting from damage to property, and it also covers personal injuries that the insured may cause to others.
In the case of claims for damages and losses, the insurance company not only examines and pays the damage, but also protects the customer from unjustified claims. In the event of a lawsuit, the insurance company pays for the legal costs.
Private Liability Insurance – Important Tips:
Fees: Insurance fees vary between €40 and €90 per year, however comparing the benefits with the prices offered is essential and worthwhile.
Payment: The method of payment affects the overall price. This means that monthly or quarterly payments instead of annual incurring additional fees often from three to ten percent, which is called the additional cost of the payment.
Claims: The right to claim compensation includes damages that occur after the conclusion of the insurance contract. As for those before that, they are not covered by insurance, and the damages must be reported as soon as they occur.
Termination of the contract: In the event that the insurance company increases the insurance fees, you have the right to immediately terminate the contract and search for a company whose fees are lower.
Volunteering: If you work or volunteer regularly somewhere, for little or no pay, you should inquire if your private liability insurance covers any damage you may cause. If you get hurt, insurance provides accident coverage.
Things covered by private liability insurance:
repair costs when something is broken, the value of damage when something breaks and cannot be repaired, plus doctor costs and hospital bills when someone gets hurt or hurts others. As well as the children’s insurance, through the parents’ special liability insurance, because the parents are responsible for damages caused by children under the age of seven years.
The insurance also covers damage caused by small pets, such as a cat or bird, which must also be covered. In the event that pets such as cats or others are owned, they can be added to insurance. The insurance also covers any damage to the rented apartment including loss of keys.
Damage not covered by insurance:
damage caused by a deliberate act and damage to moving or rented objects, but some insurances cover this damage as well. Also, the insurance does not cover damage that occurs during work and damage to the insured person and his family members who live with him in the same house.
Things to note when entering into an insurance contract
Private liability insurance is available to both individuals and families.
Seek advice: When it comes to tariffs and fees, the devil is in the details, as the saying goes, and although most services are similar at first glance, the small print texts may be different.
The amount of insurance offered to compensate for the damages should be at least ten million euros. It is the maximum amount of money that the insurance company will pay to compensate for the damage and its complications. The insurance must be valid in all countries of the world and not limited to Germany or Europe.
Some insurance companies offer special offers and cheap rates for single people (without family) and for retirees.
Health Insurance – Important Tips
Health insurance helps you and your family when you are sick. Health insurance companies pay for medical treatments and the provision of health care, such as hospital stays, dental care, vaccinations, medical examinations and convalescence measures, as well as delivery costs.
Health care, for asylum seekers and those whose deportation has been suspended (Duldung) and those who have resided in Germany for less than 15 months, as well as for persons who must leave the country; Under the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act, health care for them is limited to emergency cases only, acute illnesses or emergency cases.
While some German states make you apply for a voucher from the Social Welfare Office before seeing a doctor, other states issue so-called health cards to refugees that enable them to directly access medical care without having to go to the Social Welfare Office and get a voucher.
According to the Asylum Information Database (AIDA), emergency care for asylum seekers is limited to “medical or dental treatment that is necessary and must be provided”. This includes “medicines, dressings, and other things necessary for the recovery, curing, or alleviation of disease, or necessary services to be provided for treatment.”
If you have lived in Germany for more than 15 months and your asylum application is still being processed, you are entitled to the same legal health care available to German citizens, except for long-term care insurance (“Pflegeversicherung”). Usually, the asylum seeker is free to choose the health insurance company he wishes to deal with.
Pregnant and newly born refugee and immigrant women are also entitled to “medical and nursing assistance and support”, including the service provided to provide midwives for care, as well as access to necessary vaccinations and “necessary preventive medical examinations.”
Compulsory
State health insurance is mandatory up to a certain level of income and is most common in Germany, but if you earn more than that, you can choose between this type of insurance and private health insurance, and get different benefits.
Sick pay: If you cannot work for a long time due to illness, and therefore you do not receive a salary from your work because of that, you can receive a salary during the sickness period.
It is important to know that not everything is fully covered, including eyeglasses, medication and transportation costs to and from your healthcare provider. But there are exceptions for children. Special items such as eyeglasses or artificial teeth can take a long time to be approved by the insurance company
Prescription: Your health insurance covers most of the cost of prescription medication, but you have to pay ten percent of the price for each prescription (but not more than €10) and it’s free for those under 18.
Confidentiality: Doctors are not allowed to pass on information about you to others, whether authorities, employers or family members without your consent. Sometimes this also applies to information about your children’s health.
What is a health insurance card?
Those who have government health insurance receive an electronic card documenting their membership; The card includes his photo, name, date of birth, address of the insured person, policy number and insurance status. In some German cities, this card is issued to refugees upon their arrival on German soil.
It is noteworthy that health insurance cards are valid in all 28 countries of the European Union, as well as in Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland; If you are sick in one of these countries, your card gives you access to medical treatment there.
Things to remember about health insurance
Always save all health-related payment receipts because the insurance company may reimburse you.
If you have private health insurance, you must first pay for the doctor’s visits and medications yourself, and then send the original copy of the bill to the private health insurance company, which will then pay the bill for you.
If your spouse is not working, they may be covered under your statutory health insurance policy at no extra charge, the same goes for your children.
In the event of accidents or emergencies, or if you fall ill outside the consultation hours, you can contact the emergency physician service. Dial 112 to call the emergency service or request an ambulance.
If you do not speak German well and would like to see a doctor who speaks your language, the Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians can help find local addresses and phone numbers on their website.
What other insurances should be taken into consideration?
Home contents insurance (“Hausratversicherung”) The insurance company compensates you for damage to your home property through fire, theft, vandalism, explosion, storm or water leakage.
Accident insurance (“Unfallversicherung”) helps you and your family deal with health and financial problems such as an accident at work or an occupational disease. “Accidents at work” also include road accidents to and from work or school.
Long-Term Care Insurance: Helps you if you cannot take care of yourself in old age, or because of a severe illness. In addition, this insurance provides financial support and advice to those who take care of and look after their relatives.
Occupational disability insurance: This insurance becomes effective in the event that you are unable to continue practicing your profession.
Unemployment insurance: If you lose your job and have had statutory insurance for at least twelve months, you can apply for unemployment benefits, and you will receive unemployment benefit for a maximum of twelve months.
Life Insurance: Life insurance pays the specified beneficiary a sum of money upon the death of the insured person, and the amount of compensation is determined according to the premium agreed upon between the company and the insurance owner.
Car insurance: It is mandatory by law when registering the car with the Traffic Department, and it is forbidden to drive the car on public roads if it is not registered and insured. This insurance covers damages to other vehicles when they cause an accident. There are types of this insurance: compulsory and covers only third party damages, half comprehensive insurance that insures third party damages and part of your damages such as breaking or theft of car windshields, and comprehensive insurance that covers your and third party damages completely.
Additional tips
You can find insurance listings in German, English, Arabic, Russian and Farsi on the website of the Consumer Protection Center in Germany. There is a health guide for asylum seekers by the German Ministry of Health with information on hospitals, vaccinations and pregnancy. Even more so, check your insurance policies when your circumstances change, such as changing your place of residence, getting married or having children. The website of the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) also provides general information about doctor visits and healthcare in Germany.
