Planning on giving up my flat/life here in Germany and traveling around Europe to see what is out there.
If I keep my German private health insurance it'll cost me around 4.5k for a year (plus an excess of 1000€ for any treatment).
I should return to the UK, register at my sisters and then pay another year's NI contribution. That way I would have over ten years contributions and would secure my state pension.
But here is my question.....
Are there any firms offering health insurance covering Europe for those that are away from the UK long term?
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I should return to the UK, register at my sisters and then pay another year’s NI contribution. That way I would have over ten years contributions and would secure my state pension.
Surely this is a no-brainer?
There probably is, but they're not going to be cheap for you are they? Because you're planning on abandoning the German system, so where is your home system, to be relocated to eventually?
Example - I live Norway, pay into the system, and can travel Europe for long periods on an EHIC. So requirements for insurance are limited.
Are you talking about health insurance rather than accident/travel insurance?
Why do you need anything more than EHIC?
Surely this is a no-brainer?
Exactly.
planning on abandoning the German system, so where is your home system, to be relocated to eventually?
Eventually, I'm unsure, but I feel I need a break from the Vaterland, or rather the rat race in general.
I'm able to go back to the UK (or anywhere in the EU) and could, if possible take out an extra insurance that covers me for Europe.
My current insurance covers me for the EU, but it's bloody expensive and I have a hefty excess assuming I need to use it.
Are you talking about health insurance rather than accident/travel insurance?
Yeah, either or. I'm not one to go to the doctors for something trivial, anyways. Just need to know that if I stack it I'm not going to be looking at 10s of thousands.
As I understand it EHIC only gives you the minimum cover in the country treating you, so you may still want insurance for treatment not covered by the local scheme - possibly I'm wrong.
I was thinking that some you Brits might know what the deal is or whether something was available.
MoreCashThanDash that's correct minimum cover, If your travelling would you not just get Travel Insurance?
No, brits living in Britain will have the NHS + travel insurance. Brits living in other countries will have other countries health setup + EHIC + travel insurance.
So to replace either with a single health/accident insurance will be blinking expensive... you are basically going totally private a la bad US healthcare deal.( Average cost healthcare in the US for a 40 year old is circa 500USD per month) And that's before you add riding into the picture.
So, yes, what you want is going to be expensive, but luckily you have access to the German system where you get this at a discounted rate.
Average cost healthcare in the US for a 40 year old is circa 500USD per month
Not far off what I'm paying here...
I'm privately insured because I'm self employed. Getting into the public system is hard unless I take on a job an as employee and stay there for a year.
Germany has a two tier system. Employees pay essentially 15% of their wage on health care.
If you're self employed you have the option of the public system, which also costs around the same % or you can go private, pay the same amount each month, but it gets more expensive the older you get.
Once you're over 50 the premiums increase. My FinL pays just shy of 850€ a month. Work colleague is 57 and pays 675€ a month with an excess of 800€/year.
Thing is, I want to pay my NI contributions for a year, but that means registering in the UK and deregistering from the Vaterland.
The question is, would health insurance for int. travel cost more or less than what I am currently legally tied into paying?
"where is your home system, to be relocated to eventually?" This is a pertinent question, because when you aren't resident in the UK you would be charged for using the NHS. You will probably be better off financially moving back to the UK in terms of residency and buying travel insurance for a year from a UK residence. But I guess only if you are severing all ties with Germany and are willing to relinquish residency rights you might have acquired through the Withdrawal Agreement (after 5 years out of the country). Most UK (non-dual citizens) would only travel to Europe for less than 6 months, due to the visa issues, so backpacking travel insurance covers that.
You will probably be better off financially moving back to the UK in terms of residency and buying travel insurance for a year from a UK residence
That's kinda my plan.
only if you are severing all ties with Germany and are willing to relinquish residency rights you might have acquired through the Withdrawal Agreement
I'm German.... Well, half. Got citizenship a few months back and kept my British citizenship. Coming and going to the continent isn't a problem, nor is settling anywhere in the EU.
I plan to make the most of this "new" freedom.
GF and I will be visiting my family and planning to spending some time in the UK.
