How long does health insurance last after leaving a job?
Another two months — a safety net many people do not know about. An employee's health insurance stays valid for two months after the employment or service relationship ends. So you do not lose cover on your last working day, and you have time to find new work or arrange insurance another way. The other end matters too: when you start a new job, cover begins within up to 14 days — so there is a short window in which you are not yet insured if the old cover has already run out. And the type of contract counts: an employment contract gives you cover, but a contract under the law of obligations gives it only on certain conditions — worth checking with the Health Insurance Fund before you sign.
📋 The rules
- Cover lasts 2 months after the end
- A new job gives cover within 14 days
- You can check validity yourself
- An employment contract creates cover
- Service contracts have special conditions
🔓 Exceptions
- Under a contract for services, cover arises only on certain conditions
- Registering as unemployed also secures health insurance
- After leaving school, cover continues for a limited period
⚠️ Penalties & fines
Two months goes faster than you think. If you do not start new work and do not register as unemployed, the cover ends after two months — and then you pay the full price at the doctor, including specialist visits and tests. The simplest protection is to register as unemployed, because that secures health insurance even where no benefit is paid. The second trap is the contract type: a contract for services — an authorisation or contract for work — gives health insurance only on certain conditions, and people often discover this only when they fall ill. Check the validity of your cover in the Health Insurance Fund's self-service — it takes a minute and can save thousands.
📎 Official sources
❓ Frequently asked
How long does cover last after leaving?
Health insurance remains valid for two months after the employment or service relationship ends. That gives you time to find new work or arrange cover another way before protection lapses.
When does cover start in a new job?
Health insurance arises within up to 14 days of starting new work. A short gap can therefore open up in which the old cover has ended and the new one has not yet taken effect.
Does a service contract give cover?
Only on certain conditions. An authorisation or contract for work does not automatically create health insurance as an employment contract does, so check the conditions before signing.
How do I keep cover while unemployed?
Register as unemployed with the Unemployment Insurance Fund. That secures health insurance even where no monetary benefit is paid, and it is the simplest way not to lose protection.
How can I check my cover?
You can check the validity of your health insurance at any time in the Health Insurance Fund's self-service portal. It takes a minute and is worth doing before any doctor's visit or job change.
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