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Frequently Asked Questions

Your Questions – Our Answers

FAQ

Here you will find answers to the most frequently asked questions and further information about the group contract.

Questions about insurance coverage

Yes. For GIZ employees and CIM employees, there is a special group health insurance policy for stays abroad with Hallesche Krankenversicherung AG. This policy provides comprehensive health insurance coverage tailored to stays abroad.

Comprehensive health insurance

Integrated CIM experts, national staff, international GIZ experts, and individuals who already have private health insurance can take out comprehensive private insurance at any time through the group policy.

GIZ employees working abroad can take out private full insurance if their gross income is above the applicable insurance threshold or if they are not subject to German social insurance contributions during their assignment abroad.

In case of doubt, it is advisable to clarify this with the responsible HR department at an early stage.

Supplementary health insurance

German statutory health insurance remains in place for employees working abroad who are subject to compulsory insurance.

As statutory health insurance funds often only provide limited benefits abroad, supplementary insurance can be taken out to cover the difference between the actual treatment costs incurred abroad and the benefits provided by the statutory health insurance fund in accordance with the tariff conditions.

Accompanying family members can also be covered by supplementary health insurance, provided they are included in the family insurance of the statutory health insurance fund.

The following persons are eligible for insurance:

  • GIZ employees working abroad, expatriates and international experts
  • Integrated experts (CIM)
  • National staff with a GIZ employment contract
  • Accompanying spouses, partners and children with recognized MAP status

 

If these conditions no longer apply (e.g. due to return, separation or change of status), the person must be removed from the group contract.

A valid SEPA direct debit mandate with a European IBAN is always required for admission.

Development workers and their dependents cannot be insured under the group contract. Please contact your HR representative for more information.

Insurance coverage generally begins on the day of actual departure to the country of assignment. This applies to both the main insured person and co-insured persons with MAP status.

If departure took place before the start of the foreign contract, insurance coverage can begin at the earliest when the contract begins.

No insurance card will be issued. When visiting a doctor or hospital, you will pay the costs yourself and receive an invoice, which you can then submit for reimbursement.

During temporary stays in Germany or in the home country, insurance coverage is provided for up to three months, provided that the return date has been firmly planned.

If the return date has not been firmly planned, insurance coverage ends on the date of entry.

Comprehensive insurance provides worldwide insurance coverage, including for vacations or business trips to third countries.

Medically necessary repatriation to the home country or to Germany is covered, provided that it is medically prescribed. Repatriation for purely organizational or comfort reasons is not covered.

Employees who are sent abroad and remain subject to German social security contributions require active long-term care insurance. Merely being eligible for such insurance is not sufficient in this case.

Employees who are not sent abroad and co-insured family members cannot take out long-term care insurance.

Both private medical treatment (by the chief physician) and accommodation in a single or double room are insured.

It is not necessary to report pregnancy in advance. A newborn must be registered for co-insurance no later than two months after birth.

For vision aids, eyeglass frames are reimbursed up to EUR 180. The cost of lenses is covered in accordance with a doctor’s prescription. A new claim can be made after two years.

Insurance benefits also include vaccinations. Expenses for flu vaccinations, vaccinations against tetanus, diphtheria, rabies, poliomyelitis (polio), and tick vaccinations are eligible for reimbursement.

Expenses for single and multiple vaccinations recommended by the Standing Committee on Vaccination at the Robert Koch Institute (STIKO) are also eligible for reimbursement; except for vaccinations recommended for travel abroad and vaccinations required for professional activities, which employers are obliged to offer in accordance with legal regulations.

Yes. In the event of prolonged incapacity to work, GIZ employees working abroad have the option of insuring themselves for daily sickness benefits (tariff EKT).

In the event of illness, GIZ will cease to pay your salary after six weeks. Daily sickness benefits insurance covers the difference in your income in the event of prolonged illness, starting from the seventh week of illness.

  • As a GIZ employee (AMA) with German statutory insurance, you can insure daily sickness benefits for a benefit period of 26 weeks. GIZ recommends a daily rate of EUR 125.
  • As a GIZ employee (AMA) without German statutory insurance, you can insure daily sickness benefits for a benefit period of 26 weeks. In this case, the daily rate is calculated based on the net basic remuneration (excluding supplements).
  • As an international specialist or national staff member, you can take out insurance for a benefit period of 26 weeks. In this case, the daily rate is calculated based on the net basic remuneration (excluding supplements).
  • As an integrated specialist (CIM), you can take out insurance for a benefit period of 26 weeks.

 

In this case, the daily rate is calculated based on your net basic remuneration (including supplements). Information on how to calculate your net basic remuneration can be found in the relevant information sheet.

You can apply for daily sickness benefits (EKT) using the registration form for international health insurance. If you take out insurance at the same time as registering, no health check is required.

Please note, however, that a health check must be carried out if you apply for or increase your daily sickness allowance (EKT) at a later date.

If the change of country occurs immediately after a previous assignment:

Please send us the “Status Inquiry” form signed by GIZ, as we will need to check your social security status in this case. Changes in your social security status may lead to changes in your insurance contract (long-term care insurance/adjustment of daily sickness allowance).

If the change of country does not take place immediately after a previous assignment:

Please send us the “Status Inquiry” form signed by GIZ, as we will need to check your social security status in this case. Changes in your social security status may lead to changes in your insurance contract (long-term care insurance/adjustment of daily sickness allowance). If there is a gap between your foreign contracts, you must deregister from the group contract.

The following applies to re-registration: Insurance coverage generally begins on the day of actual departure to the country of assignment. This applies to both the main insured person and co-insured persons with MAP status. If you have already left before the start of the foreign contract, insurance coverage can begin at the earliest when the contract starts.

In any case, you must notify us of the change of country by email to giz@dr-walter.com and provide the address in the new country of assignment. If you do not yet know your residential address at this point, the address of the local GIZ office is sufficient.

In all cases, contract extensions must be notified by email to giz@dr-walter.com.

Please send the “Status Inquiry” form signed by GIZ, as we will need to check your social security status in this case.

Changes in your social security status may lead to changes in your insurance contract (long-term care insurance/adjustment of daily sickness allowance).

Questions about claims

You are free to choose any doctor or hospital worldwide. In emergencies and during inpatient stays, Hallesche’s medical emergency hotline is available around the clock to provide advice. Regardless of whether you require outpatient, inpatient, or dental treatment, you are free to choose your doctor and hospital. Recommendations for doctors and/or hospitals, as well as assistance in emergency situations, can be obtained by calling the international emergency number. Here you can also obtain information on medically necessary repatriation.

24-hour emergency number: +49 (0)711 6603 3930

Invoices can be submitted by mail, email, or via the Hallesche app. Please submit invoices exclusively to Hallesche Krankenversicherung.

In the event of hospitalization, please inform Hallesche Krankenversicherung using the emergency number: +49 (0)711 6603 3930. They will send the hospital a declaration of cost coverage.

In other cases, e.g., outpatient or dental treatment, you will receive an invoice. Please transfer the invoice amount. Please note that reimbursement is only possible if the invoice includes a diagnosis in addition to the treatment period. Please note your insurance number and bank details before submitting the invoice.

For data protection reasons, we ask that you do not send any invoices to DR-WALTER.

Please always send the ORIGINAL invoices by mail to:

HALLESCHE

Krankenversicherung AG

Abteilung Gruppenversicherung

Postfach 10 60 17

70049 Stuttgart

or use Hallesche’s billing app:

https://www.hallesche.de/service/ihre-rechnungen/hallesche4u

Alternatively, you can also submit your invoices and prescriptions by email to service@hallesche.de. Please include your insurance number and the keyword “invoice submission” in the subject line.

  • Please scan your invoices and receipts individually (one receipt per page) and ensure that the pages are in the correct order for multi-page receipts. Sort the invoices by insured person and make sure that nothing is stuck to the invoices.
  • We recommend a resolution of at least 200 dpi to ensure good scan quality and legibility. Please only use pdf, jpg, and png formats. The total size of the email must not exceed 30 MB.
  • Note: Please do not send links to cloud documents or password-protected attachments!

 

If you have any questions about the technical use of the app, Hallesche will be happy to assist you by email at kundensupport@hallesche.de.

Forms and information can be found on the GIZ insurance portal: www.giz-vp.de

All information on submitting invoices can also be found at the following link from Hallesche health insurance:

https://www.hallesche.de/service/ihre-rechnungen/rechnungen-einreichen

If it becomes apparent that you will be unable to work for more than 6 weeks, you must inform Hallesche Krankenversicherung. You can also use the Hallesche app for this:

https://www.hallesche.de/service/ihre-rechnungen/hallesche4u

This information must be provided before the end of the sixth week of illness. The daily sickness allowance will then be paid, provided you have taken out daily sickness allowance insurance (EKT).

Questions about premiums

The premium is based on age, tariff, and insured person. Detailed information is available on the GIZ insurance portal.

Premiums are paid by SEPA direct debit from a European bank account.

A current mailing address and a valid IBAN are required. The address does not necessarily have to be in Germany. For health insurance, a direct debit authorization from a German/European bank account is required (SEPA direct debit mandate plus IBAN account).

Please also provide an email address!

Your employer subsidizes the contribution to full-cost insurance. The subsidy is based on the maximum employer subsidy in statutory health insurance. Usually you will receive up to 50% of the health insurance contribution from GIZ. However, this does not apply to national staff.

Will I receive an employer certificate in accordance with § 257 SGB V?

In this context, Hallesche issues an employer certificate in accordance with § 257 SGB V. This is sent directly to GIZ when the policy documents are dispatched.

For more information, please contact the HR Services department.

Questions about the end of contract and continued insurance coverage

The insurance coverage ends upon

  • termination of the GIZ international contract,
  • final return to Germany/home country (from the date of entry)
  • or return to Germany/home country without a fixed date of re-departure

Please remember to deregister from the insurance after your return.

You can use the deregistration form available on the GIZ insurance portal for this purpose.

No, it is not possible to remain insured under the group contract during a sabbatical.

If you are staying in the country of assignment during this time, you can remain insured under the group contract. If your stay in Germany/your home country exceeds three months, you must return to your health insurance provider upon entry.

No, it is not possible to remain insured under the group contract during unpaid leave.

Due to the termination of the insurance contract via GIZ, you have the option of taking advantage of continued insurance and continuing your health insurance at comparable rates (domestic rates, foreign rates, supplementary health insurance for those with statutory insurance).

A period of two months applies to continued insurance from the date of return from abroad or termination of group contract eligibility.

A health check is required in order to prepare a continuation insurance offer if no health check was carried out when you registered for the GIZ international group contract.

You can find detailed information on your right to continuation insurance in the download area or contact us at giz@dr-walter.com.

Questions about deferred insurance

With deferred insurance, your previous insurance relationship is suspended. You will not receive any benefits from the contract you have taken out. In return, you secure the right to convert the deferred insurance back into an active contract at a later date.

If you are voluntarily insured by law, you should apply for expectancy insurance with your existing statutory health insurance fund. This will ensure that you can continue to be insured with your previous health insurance fund after your return, so that you have seamless insurance coverage after your stay abroad.

This also applies if you have statutory insurance and are not subject to social security obligation during your stay abroad.

Please contact your statutory health insurance provider in good time and ask them to confirm the contribution for the deferred insurance in writing.

Please note that DR-WALTER is not permitted to set up deferred insurance for you.

Note: Please note that if you do not have expectancy coverage, you may not be able to return to statutory health insurance when you return to Germany. In addition, any gaps in insurance coverage (e.g., in long-term care insurance) may lead to disadvantages.

To avoid any disadvantages later on when you return, we recommend you putting your private health insurance contract on expectancy. This will secure the contractual rights you have acquired to date.

Small expectancy insurance

In this case, no new health questions will be asked when you return to Germany and reactivate your private insurance coverage.

The insurance premium will be recalculated based on your age upon return.

Big expectancy insurance

In addition to the benefits of limited expectancy insurance, full expectancy insurance secures both the retirement provisions you have already acquired and the continuation of your retirement provisions.

With extended expectancy insurance, you not only avoid having to undergo a new risk assessment but also secure your original entry age.

During the deferral period, your entitlement to benefits is suspended. For this reason, you also pay a reduced premium. Please contact the health insurance company with which you have your contract to find out how much this is.

Service and contact details

All documents, applications, and further information can be found on the GIZ insurance portal: www.giz-vp.de

Yes. You can complete a digital application for health insurance for travel abroad on the GIZ-Versicherungsportal portal. You will find the relevant registration link for your employee group on the portal. Please note that a status query signed by GIZ is required to complete the application. This can also be downloaded from the portal. Once your application has been successfully completed, you will receive confirmation of coverage. The policy documents will then be sent by Hallesche and may take up to 6 weeks to arrive. The employer’s certificate will be sent directly to GIZ at the same time.