Contributions are based on income-eg income from work, pensions, supply income, rented property, interest on investments and bank accounts and alimony payments.

As from January 2019 ,  and due to a recent change in the law to help low earning self-employed/freelancers keep or take out public health insurance,  the old assumption that assumes self-employed and freelancers earn at least € 2,283.75 per month is being drastically modified. !

The new rule assumes your income from self-employment (plus any income worldwide from other sources ) can be as low as 1.142 Euros! But you have to prove it—otherwise you can be charged much more!!

What does this mean?

Till now, the minimum contribution for freelancers has been c.420 Euros a month BUT from January 2019: 190.01 euros  only (if you are 23 years old or older and have no child ) or 187.42 Euros, including compulsory  long term nursing care  if you are under 23  or are over 23 but have a child!

In effect, this reduces contributions to the same level as for non-working/unemployed or for those “ living off savings. “

• Is your income actually lower than this? If so, a public health insurer will want proof ( for example, statement from a tax advisor or from the tax authorities in your home country).
• The public health insurer will then check whether payments can be based on an income of € 1,038.33 Euros  per month, the so called minimum income limit (Mindesteinnahmegrenze ) under German law.
• Are you setting up a small business with help from the State (Existenzgründer/in)? Then payments are based on your “real“ income-at least € 1,038.33 per month!

Important to know:

Payment into the public system can go up or down!

• Higher contributions will ensue if your income in the past was high even if current income is low.
• Lower contributions will ensue if your income in the past was low even if current income is high.

Tip:

Always update your public health insurer with your current tax assessment to avoid extra back payments. . If your income has fallen, your contribution will also fall in the month your tax assessment has been received by the insurer.

OTHER DETAILS 2019 FOR THOSE EARNING MORE THAN THE “ Fictitious “ Minimum :

Monthly health insurance payment for freelancers and self-employed