Information on health insurance

In Germany, it is mandatory to have health insurance. If you have health insurance in your country, you should check whether you and your family can transfer this insurance cover and whether this would be sufficient for Germany. If your cover is adequate, you will receive, upon application to your own country’s health insurer, a corresponding certificate of insurance (called form S1 in the EU) to confirm this.

In most cases, you will need to obtain health insurance in Germany. There are two types of health insurance depending on your status at the institute or your choice under certain circumstances: state and private health insurance.

State health insurance

If you are an employee of MPIPZ with a working contract and an annual salary below 52,000.00 €, you must have a state health insurance. Several companies offer different schemes. Although they do not differ much in basic benefits, the additional benefits, customer service practices and variety of optional rates can vary. Family members are co-insured without contributions under specific cases, for example, if they do not earn wages. The costs to your health insurance are shared in approximately equal amounts between you and your employer and your contribution is deducted directly from your gross salary. The Max Planck Society has agreements with various insurance companies, which offer adequate insurance coverage at a reasonable price. For more information, please contact the MPIPZ personnel department. They will help you find a suitable health insurance after your arrival.

The institute will pay the employer’s part of health care, and the employee’s part to be paid by the postdoc is deducted automatically from wages.

Private health insurance

If you hold a fellowship, you must contract and pay your own private insurance. If you are an employee and earn more than 52,000 €, you can choose between state or private health insurance. The personnel department will give you a leaflet on health, accident and third-party liability insurance. The rates of different schemes vary considerably depending on several features, mainly the scope of benefits, but also on age, and pre-existing clinical conditions can be accountable. You should be aware that with private health insurance you pay the invoices for medical treatment and medication yourself first and are then later reimbursed by your insurer. For more information about different schemes, please contact the MPIPZ personnel department.