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Health Insurance in Germany

admin — Sun, 26 Jul 2015 15:34:34 +0000

A topic that couldn’t be more scintillating right? Well, for those who plan to uproot to the “Motherland”, it unfortunately is a topic that may have you scratching your head! With any luck, this post will help shed some light on the subject.

If you are planning to work in Germany, Health Insurance is a requirement. So much so, they have a name for it… Krankenversicherungspflicht! Essentially it is your “obligation” to be insured when living/residing in Germany.

For those who may be travelling on a Youth Mobility Visa or have managed to procure an Artist Work Visa, the powers that be may have said “yes” to your traveller’s or Ex-Pat insurance when you applied. Sadly, this kind of insurance does not satisfy the mandatory requirement for Pflegepflichtversicherung – roughly translates to Long-Term Disability Insurance. The Ausländerbehörde likely turned a blind eye when you got your 1 year Visa because most visitors don’t end up staying more than 1 year and I suppose they can’t be bothered to enforce the requirement. But, if you are planning to stay, you will want to make sure you procure insurance with Pflegepflichtversicherung as it is mandated by law in Germany! And as an FYI… there is no equivalent in any other country, so you cannot argue that your “home country / ex-pat / traveller’s” insurance is sufficient. Although there may very well be a loophole in this system, which I discuss at the end of this post.

And into the nitty-gritty we go…

There are two types of organizations that offer Health Insurance in Germany: Die Geseztliche Krankenversicherung (GKV) and Die Private Krankenversicherung (PKV). The common misconception is that GKV is the Public Health System. This is not the case. GKV companies are in fact, not public at all. They are all companies who have chosen to follow government regulations to insure at least a minimum regulated level. PKV companies on the other hand, are companies that provide health insurance according to a contract they make directly with you, the customer.

If you scour the web and forums you will see endless people endorsing the GKV offerings (TK, AOK, Salus). I am however not convinced that this is the right decision for most. For starters, if you choose a GKV company as your provider, you will be locked into a contract with them for a minimum of 18 months. In addition, it maybe more difficult to book appointments with health practitioners because GKV companies require their practitioners to be pre-approved, and the practitioners themselves prefer PKV patients over GKV patients because of the payment system. In addition, GKV does not allow for a “second-opinion” when in comes to diagnoses (or so I have been told).

If you are PKV, you will most likely pay your practitioner directly and then will get an invoice that you will then submit to your provider for reimbursement, or the practitioner will bill the provider directly (no out of pocket expense for you depending on your coverage). PKV insurers are required to reimburse the practioner within 1 month. GKV providers on the other hand get billed directly by the practitioner and they have up to 6 months to pay… you do the math… would you rather have outstanding receivables for 6 months or get paid on the spot? No doubt practitioners like PKV covered patients better!

Some other things to consider… most PKV providers cover between 80 to 100% of treatments – submit your receipts and get reimbursed! GKV providers operate on a “Fach” system — Gebührenordnung für Ärzte (GOÄ) / Gebührenordnung für Zahnärzte (GOZ). What does that mean you ask? There is a “little black book”… of course there is, this is Germany!… that says what a treatment should cost. Most GKV covers up to 2,3 Fach, so that means, a treatment where 1 Fach = 100 Euro, if the practitioner says it is 2,3 Fach, you will be looking at 230 Euro for that procedure or service. Some complicated procedures may be deemed 5 Fach (500 Euro for our calculation purposes), and the GKV system, as a rule, will only reimburse up to 2,3. The excess is the responsibility of the patient to pay. If you are really interested in this system… go have a look at Medizinische Informatik for some more examples. It’s all “auf Deutsch” though!

So what can you expect to pay… well sadly it is not cheap! GKV bases the price on your income while PKV is generally based on your age. For a self-employed person you will probably be looking at 250 – 350 Euro a month. Don’t panic yet… anything you pay, if you are self-employed is a tax deduction. You can claim back 80% of your premiums. The crappy thing is, you need to put out the money up front and you then get it back when you file your taxes.

Also, premiums are dependent upon and when you enter the system. A 30 year old entering the system can expect to pay significantly less than a 45 year old, and the premiums, as I am told, are not supposed to increase if you hit a new age bracket. So, if you enter at 30, expect your premiums to remain relatively the same for the rest of your life, but do allow for inflation!

As it relates to dental coverage… as a rule, most PKV cover dental procedures… GKV do not! Also, most GKV providers do not cover ambulatory expenses (i.e. AOK does not at all and TK will only in some cases).

There are a million more details I could talk about here, but I think that this covers the basics and primarily the differences between GKV and PKV which was always the big mystery for me! There are organizations out there who can help you make an informed decision when it comes to what will suit your personal circumstances the best. A lot of this information I have collected from attending seminars etc. on this subject. If you need a suggestion on someone to talk to, please feel free to drop me an email and I will gladly point you in the right direction.

Lastly… if you are interested in the different PKV and GKV providers, you can get more information and comparisons here (Krankenkassen). Again… “auf Deutsch” but you have some keywords to help you navigate through the murk!

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Now for that that “loophole” I mentioned…

Please don’t take this as gospel, but this may be of use. Remember that post where I talked about getting your Artist Visa? The first step was related to registering your residence when you arrive in Germany (Anmeldung). Well, if you are maintaining a residence outside of Germany (i.e. you have an apartment in the USA or Canada where you continue to pay rent or a mortgage), you may want to consider registering your German address as a “Zweitewohnsitz” (Secondary Residence), and your Home Country address remains your “Hauptwohnsitz” (Primary Residence). This is not confirmed, but you could potentially argue with the German Health Insurance Police (don’t know what else to call them), that you have sufficient “Disability” coverage in your Home Country, and as such should not be obligated to have, or pay for Pflegeflichtversicherung. I’d also love to know if this works for anyone… I have yet to try it, but it is is locked and loaded in my arsenal!

The German Artist Visa Demystified

admin — Tue, 07 Jul 2015 11:25:39 +0000

So you are looking to make the move to Germany and you want to be able to work while you are there. While the process may seem daunting, it really isn’t that difficult but you do need to get your “ducks in a row”! And it goes without saying, that having a Work Visa in place, may make you more attractive to employers.

Now just to clarify, when foreigners speak about an Artist Visa, they are actually referring to what is called a Self-Employment Visa (Aufenthaltserlaubnis für Freiberufler und Selbständige) and the application process can be done once you are already in Germany. This particular Visa extends to artists, freelancers, architects, and language teachers.

Before I go into too much detail, if you are under 30 (or 35 for Canadians) you may want to consider a Working Holiday Visa (Youth Mobility Visa). The nice part about this Visa is that it does not limit you to the type of work you can do. Citizens of Australia, Brazil, Chile, Hong Kong, Israel, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, New Zealand and Taiwan aged between 18 and 30 may apply for a 1-year German working holiday visa in the Federal Republic of Germany and Citizens of Canada between 18 and 35 years of age may apply as well. There is no limit on the duration of employment, during the stay of up to 12 months however evidence of sufficient funds for the first three months is required (i.e. 250 euro per month).[1] For more information you can inquire at your the German Consulate in your home country.

Step 1 – Announcement / Registration (Anmeldung)

The bit about the “announcement” can a bit misleading because the real announcement is a copy of your lease or letter from the person that you are subletting from. You then need to make an appointment with the Bürgeramt (sometimes called Bezirkamt) in your area for the actual Anmeldung. In Berlin it can sometimes take up to 6 weeks to get an appointment (which you can apply for online) or you can take your chances and go get in line BEFORE the office opens to get a last minute appointment if someone has cancelled. You take a copy of your rental agreement/lease (or letter) along with your completed Anmeldung Form, and your Passport to your appointment. There should not be any cost for this… just a little patience is required. Something you may also want to consider when registering is whether Germany is your “Hauptwohnsitz” or “Zweitewohnsitz” (Primary vs. Secondary residence)… go have a read through this post to see why it may be of interest to you.

You will be issued an official stamped “Anmeldung”. You should take a copy of this and carry it with you at all times along with your Passport. If you are ever “controlled” you will be asked for these documents to prove your legal existence in Germany.

Step 2 – Self-Employment Visa Application

As soon as you have your appointment for your Anmeldung go ahead and make your appointment with the Ausländerbehörde (Foreigner’s Office) for your Self-Employment Visa Application (Aufenthaltserlaubnis für Freiberufler und Selbständige – Erteilung). The appointment can be made online. For example in Berlin you can start the process here (http://service.berlin.de/dienstleistung/305249/) Go to the bottom of the page and click on “Termin Buchen”. It can take up to 6 weeks to get an appointment so don’t drag your heels on this, especially if you entered the country on a 3 month Tourist Visa.

Once you have the appointment you will want to start gathering the information and papers you need to support your application. I would recommend being organized and taking 2 copies of everything with you. Do not staple anything together (they actually state this in the application information). The less work they have to do the better the odds are you will be approved on your first visit.

If approved, you will be given your passport back with a piece of paper telling you how much to pay. This fee can range anywhere from 50 Euro to 100 Euro depending on how many years you are granted. You need to take that paper to the cashier, or automated machine. Bring CASH or you will end up using one of the bank machines there that will likely gouge you in fees!

The Checklist – You will need to bring the following documentation with you.

Valid Passport (gültiger Pass)
Biometric Photo (1 aktuelles biometrisches Foto) – You can get these taken at the booth at the office prior to your appointment (cost is usually 7 or 8 Euros – bring change for the machine)
Completed Application Form (Formular Antrag auf Erteilung eines Aufenthaltstitels) – You can download this in advance of your appointment and bring it filled out!
Financial Plan (Finanzierungsplan) – This is essentially proof that you can support yourself. Bring recent bank statements showing you have enough funds available. The threshold is around 600 Euro per month or 13K per year.
Resume / CV (Lebenslauf /Curriculum vitae)
Copy of your University Diploma and any References you have. Letters from others who are interested in collaborating with you are also useful, along with any audition invitations you may already have. The more you have the better.
Health Insurance (Krankenversicherung) – You will have to have at least 1 year of health insurance. I would recommend paying for a minimum of 2 years as you will be more likely to be issued a 2 year Visa saving you a trip back to the office for an extension. Most non-EU visitors opt for Travel Insurance (must be purchased before you depart your home country in most cases). It should be noted though that people have been turned away with Travel Insurance. The better option may be to get some kind of Ex-Pat insurance such as the package offered by Care Concepts (http://www.care-concept.de/expatriates_eng.php?navilang=eng). You can cancel this insurance after one year, should you decide to stay in the country. And if that is the case… you will need to get on the German Health Care System. For more information on this subject, refer to our post on the Germany Health Care System.
Copy of your Announcement / Rental Agreement (Mietvertrag oder Nachweis über Wohneigentum). This is the stamped for you received from the Bürgeramt (See Step 1)

Lastly… if you do not speak German, take someone with you who does!

If you are not successful the first time you can try again. They may ask you for additional information and give you an appointment in a few weeks.

Should you have any other questions about the process feel free to contact us!

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[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Working_holiday_visa#Germany

Used Scores (Musikantiquariate)

admin — Tue, 15 Oct 2013 10:10:15 +0000

Below is a list of shops/stores in Germany that carry used scores and old/antique music related publications. Often you can find some great deals in these places.

Berlin

Musikantiquariat Dr. Werner Greve
Landshuter Str. 26, 10779 Berlin
http://www.wernergreve.de
PROGR: Alte u. seltene Musikdrucke, musikwiss. Literatur, Autographen.

Robert Hartwig
Berliner Buch- & Musikantiquariat
Pestalozzistr. 23, 10625 Berlin
http://www.antiquariat-hartwig.de
PROGR: Musikbücher, Noten, Musikerdarstellungen etc., Schallplatten (Klassik, Jazz u.a.), CDs, Schellackplatten, Autogramme u. Autographen, insbesondere v. Musikern; Fotos.

Musikantiquariat Gabriele Kaiser-Schumann
Morgensternstr. 8, 12207 Berlin
http://www.antiquariat-kaiser-schumann.de
PROGR: Musikbücher, Noten, Theater.

Musik-Noten-Antiquariat Molnar
Leibnizstr. 25, 10625 Berlin
http://www.leibniz25.de

vek-antiquariat im Internet / Verlag Ernst Kuhn
http://www.vek.de
PROGR: Bücher, Noten, Partituren.

Bernried

Musikantiquariat Marion Neugebauer
Am Weidenbach 16, 82347 Bernried
http://www.musikantiquariat-neugebauer.de
PROGR: Autographen, Musikmanuskripte, Erst- und Frühdrucke, Musiklit., Graphik und Fotografien.

Frankfurt/Main

Antiquariat Eisenbletter/Naumann
Berger Str. 168, 60385 Frankfurt/Main
PROGR: Jazz, deutsche Literatur in Erstausgaben, Sepulkralkultur.

Freiburg

Das Freiburger Musikantiquariat / Tschäppät’s Notenladen
Schwarzwaldstr. 7, 79117 Freiburg
http://www.noten-in-freiburg.de
PROGR: Noten, Musiklit.

Kranenburg

Musikantiquariat Paul van Kuik
Nissingstr. 11, 47559 Kranenburg
http://www.paulvankuik.nl
PROGR: Noten, Musikmanuskripte, Autographen, Musiklit., Musikgrafik.

Laaber

Kronos-Buchversand GmbH
Regensburger Str. 19, 93164 Laaber
http://www.kronos-buch.de
PROGR: Musikschrifttum u. Noten (Restauflagen, Remittenden, Sonderausgaben, u.a.).

München

Musikantiquariat Dr. Michael Raab
Radspielerstr. 17, 81927 München
http://www.dreiraaben.de
PROGR: Noten, Musikbücher, Autographen.

Oberried

Musikantiquariat zum großen C. Hinner Bauch
Silberbergstr. 7, 79254 Oberried
PROGR: Musikschrifttum u. Noten.

Stegen

Antiquariat Filius
Am Sommerberg 8, 79252 Stegen
http://www.antiquariat-filius.de
PROGR: Musikbücher, Programmhefte, Fotos, Autographen, Schallplatten, Festspielführer, Almanache, Festschriften.

Stuttgart

Musikantiquariat Dr. Ulrich Drüner
Ameisenbergstr. 65, 70188 Stuttgart
http://www.musik-druener.de
PROGR: Musikautographen, Musikdrucke des 16.-19. Jh., Musikliteratur.

Musikantiquariat Dr. Bernhard A. Kohl GmbH
Mozartstr. 17, 70180 Stuttgart
http://www.musikantiquariat-kohl.de
PROGR: Autographen, Noten, Bücher, Schallplatten, CDs, Graphik.

J. Voerster / Antiquariat für Musik und deutsche Literatur
Relenbergstr. 20, 70174 Stuttgart
http://www.antiquariat-voerster.de
PROGR: Erstausgaben, Dokumentarwerke u. Autographen aus den Bereichen Musik, Theater u. Literatur.

Tutzing

Musikantiquariat und Verlag Prof. Dr. Hans Schneider OHG
Mozartstr. 6, 82327 Tutzing
http://www.schneider-musikantiquar.de
PROGR: Musikliteratur, Musikdrucke, Autographen.

Wiesbaden

Musik-Antiquariat Heiner Rekeszus
Herrngartenstr. 7, 65185 Wiesbaden
Mus-Antik-Rekeszus@t-online.de
PROGR: Musikliteratur des 18.-20. Jh., Musikalische Erst- u. Früh-Drucke, Autographen, Graphik, Fotografie mit Bezug zur Musik.

Wiesenfelden

Musikantiquariat Katzbichler
Zirnberg 5, 94344 Wiesenfelden
http://www.katzbichler.de
PROGR: Musikautographen, alte Musikdrucke, Musikliteratur u. Noten.

Winnenden

Antiquariat Büchel-Baur
Robert-Koch-Weg 9, 71364 Winnenden
http://www.buechel-baur.de
PROGR: Musikdrucke, Musiklit.

Houses / Festivals (Austria)

admin — Sat, 21 Sep 2013 22:02:03 +0000

Opera Houses / Theaters

Festivals

Bregenz Festival (Bregenz)
Brucknerfest Linz (Linz)
Carinthischer Sommer (Ossiach-Villach)
Feldkirch Festival (Feldkirch)
Festival Retz (Retz)
Festwochen der Alten Musik (Innsbruck)
Hans Gabor Belvedere Singing Competition (Wien)
Haydn Festival (Eisenstadt)
Jennersdorf Festivalsommer (Jennersdorf)
Mozart in Reinsberg (Reinsberg)
Mozarteum Salzburg (Salzburg)
Musik Theater Schönbrunn (Wien)
Oper Klosterneuburg (Klosterneuburg)
Operetten Festspiele (Bad Ischl)
Opern Air Gars (Gars am Kamp)
Opernfestspiele St.Margarethen (St Margarethen)
Osterfestspiele (Salzburg)
OsterKlang (Wien)
Pfingsten Barock (Salzburg)
Richard Wagner Festival Wels (Wels)
Salzburger Festspiele (Salzburg)
Schlossfestspiele Langenlois (Langenlois)
Seefestspiele Moerbisch (Moerbisch)
Steirischer Herbst (Graz)
Styriarte (Graz)
Tiroler Festspiele Erl (Erl)
Wiener Festwochen (Wien)

Finding a Flat in Germany

admin — Mon, 16 Sep 2013 18:11:53 +0000

Finding temporary accommodations in Germany is never an easy task. Usually the best bet is asking around to people you already know who may have connections or friends who have an extra room to let. If you are only staying a few months you should be looking for temporary subleases (Zwischenmietes).

You may want to consider booking something through AirBNB or a hostel for the first few weeks, so you have a roof over your head if you haven’t managed to secure something before arriving.

If you are planning to take a language course while you are there (i.e. Goethe Institut, Herder Institut, etc.) you can usually find a host family through such organizations. You pay a bit of a premium, but it will likely save you time and money in the long run.

The DAAD has published a small article on “Finding a Flat” (in English) which may help you understand some of your options as well as this blogger who has posted “Survival Guides: How to Find a WG-Zimmer” which also gives some MUST-READ tips.

Also useful is this “German Apartment Glossary” to help you understand the terminology when hunting for an apartment or WG.

Below are a few links that may be useful in your search.

FAQ – Auditions in Germany

admin — Sat, 14 Sep 2013 05:57:57 +0000

Considering testing out the german speaking market? Below are a number of Frequently Asked Questions and answers that will help you decide if the timing is right for you.

Q. DO I NEED TO SPEAK GERMAN?
A. The simple answer is YES. You should have at least a basic grasp of the language before you even consider auditioning for agents and houses. If you are a beginner, we highly recommend investing in a trip to Germany to study the language for a couple of months before embarking on an audition tour.

Q. WHEN IS AUDITION SEASON?
A. The typical audition seasons are Fall (mid-September to mid-December) and Winter/Spring (mid-January to April), so sending out your materials in advance of these dates is important and can end up saving you a lot of money if you don’t garner any interest.

Q. DO I NEED TO LIVE IN GERMANY?
A. If you are already an EU citizen living in Europe it is enough to provide your contact information for your home and travel in for auditions. If you are from North America, Australia, New Zealand, South America (etc.) you should consider a longer stay (2 to 3 months at minimum). When you send out your materials you will need to provide your “local” address and telephone number so you are reachable, along with the approximate dates of your stay, so you can be invited to auditions during the time you are actually in the country.

Q. ARE THERE AUDITION FEES?
A. Yes, most private agents are charging audition fees to cover their expenses and the accompanist. Typical fees seem to run anywhere from 25 to 65 Euro and we’ve seen some as high as 100 Euro. There is a lot of debate as to whether agents who charge such fees are actually working for the artists or living off the money they make from holding auditions. You will have to use your own judgement but our rule of thumb is… if they want more than 40 Euro, it is probably not legit.

Q. GUEST OR FEST?
A. A Guest Contract (Gastvertrag) is a contract for a single role in one production whereas a Fest Contract (Festvertrag) is where you are employed directly by a theater, typically for 1 or 2 seasons. In a “Festvertrag” you will be engaged in your “Fach” (if you don’t know what that is, see the next question) and you will be expected to sing several roles throughout the season. Fest singers are full time employees and are paid a monthly fee. They are expected to reside in the city where they are working.

Q. WHAT IS MY FACH?
A. The Germans, in all their wisdom, have created a system of categorizing Voice Types. For each Voice Type (Fach) there is a list of roles that one is expected to be able to perform if hired under a Festvertrag. For example there are several different categories of soprano: Soubrette, Lyrischer Koloratursopran (Kolouratursoubrette), Lyrischer Sopran, Dramatischer Koloratursopran, Jugendlich-dramatischer Sopran, Dramatischer Sopran, Charaktersopran. Each has their own list of corresponding roles. These lists can be found in the “HANDBUCH DER OPER” often referred to as Kloiber (ISBN 978-3-423-34132-5) and retails for approximately 20 Euro. We will provide detailed information on the Fach system to our clients.

Q. CAN I SEND MY MATERIALS VIA EMAIL?
A. Yes, absolutely you can, to both houses and agents. In fact, sending your materials (cover letter, resume, bio, photo and repertoire list) in advance of your arrival in Europe is a good idea. If you have sound or video clips you can include, even better! This will allow you to ascertain if there is interest from houses and agents in your particular Fach and potentially save you a lot of money. We have an up-to-date and extensive database of houses and agents. If you’d like us to do the work for you, contact us today! There are a few agents who will only accept packages via snail-mail. We keep track of this too!

Q. DO MY MATERIALS NEED TO BE IN GERMAN?
A. Yes, you will need your materials translated into German. We offer translation services and can also provide you with a personalized cover letter.

Q. CAN I MAKE A LIVING?
A. You are not going to get rich as a Fest singer. Beginner contracts start around 2000 Euro per month, sometimes less depending on the size of the house. Chorus members often make more than Fest singers. After taxes and deductions (health insurance etc.) you can expect to take home a little more than half of your gross income. Most singers make ends meet by having supplementary work (i.e. teaching, guesting at other houses).

Q. ARE THERE ANY SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS FOR AUDITIONS?
A. You should always have your 5 to 8 arias ready for auditions. In Germany, you definitely need at least one German piece (opera or operetta), and if your spoken German is not up to snuff, we recommend finding a dialogue that you can coach to perfection (without accent or dialect). And, unless you are a dramatic Fach, you must have Mozart on your repertoire list!

Q. I’M GOING TO BE A DRAMATIC VOICE ONE DAY… WHAT SHOULD I SING FOR MY AUDITION?
A. How your voice, may or may not develop is of no consequence here. There is a tendency for North Americans to sing a Fach higher than what they would in Europe. You need to sing well and sing what you can get hired for today. Be realistic about your Fach and your capabilities!

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opera-preneur »

Health Insurance in Germany

The German Artist Visa Demystified

Used Scores (Musikantiquariate)

Houses / Festivals (Austria)

Opera Houses / Theaters

Festivals

Finding a Flat in Germany

FAQ – Auditions in Germany

Opera Houses (Germany)

1. Staatstheater

2. Stadttheater

3. Landesbuhnen/Landestheater

4. Privat finanzierte Musiktheater