Last year i was given an opportunity to work on some design work and as much as i bitched and moaned that i didn't want to have anything to do with graphic design, i needed the money.
So to make the whole project legit, i decided to register a design company. I have an EU Dutch passport, why not? I had no Savings despite having worked for the past 4 years but what i wanted more than anything was to start a new life with J in 2008 [here]. And so the bills continued to accumulate.
MAY 2009
J thought it would be good that i apply at the Kuenstlersozialkasse (Artists’ Social Fund; KSK) which is restricted to only independent Artists & Designers that way i could get public health insurance and so i did [here].
"Being a member means that you stay in the state pension scheme and that the KSK pays half your pension contribution and half your health insurance contribution. Being insured in the state pension scheme means that you qualify for an invalidity pension if you can no longer work." [source]
Just so you know, it's compulsory for every person residing in Germany to be covered. It's illegal if you don't have health insurance. And so when i arrived in 2008 my sister helped me sign up with a Comprehensive package at AXA PPP in the UK.
JULY 2009
I had to send KSK a ridiculous amount of evidence to show that i was a "graphic designer". Copies of any invoices and signed contracts were also needed. Since we all know Germans love their paperwork, i gave them as much as i could.
We were told it would take several months to process and there's no guarantee that every person will get it. The only other way that one could get into the German health system is if a) you're German citizen or b) you get married to a German and be covered by their insurance.
Well neither of those options were applicable. And so i had no choice but try my luck.
And was told i had to contact a local health insurance company to say i was applying at KSK. And since J is with AOK, i decide to go with them too.
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2009
J calls the office just about every month to find how the progress was going and is simply told we just had to wait.
FEBRUARY 2010
J calls and the person on the phone tells us that my file has not been looked at. Basically, they forgot! The person apologies and says i must send any current invoices that i have for 2010 because it's the new year and they have to make their calculations based on how much i think i may earn for the year.
Lucky for me, i was offered a few logos and corporate identity manuals to work on. So i was able to send them some invoices and in turn pay for outstanding bills.
MARCH 2010
I receive a letter that says they've decided and that i've been accepted. Yay, finally!
And not only do i now have health insurance, long-term care insurance but i have a pension. So when i'm old and crusty, i'll have some money to blow. They've also back dated it to April 2009 and based on how much i earned, i now must pay them 1,619.88 Euros for the past 9 months!
One bloody thousand six hundred and nineteen Euros and eighty eight cents.
Which is totally unfair since i wasn't even sent a health insurance card to utilise the service. Why should i pay for a health cover that i didn't even use or even know about? I find out that half the amount also goes to my Pension.
But still, that's my money!
APRIL 2010
I then receive my local health insurance card with a fancy chip on it.
So J calls them and states my case and says, i've only just received my card and that there must have been a mistake. I was only just admitted into the KSK. And so they cover their arses by saying that my international health cover was not sufficient and that's why they're back dating it. Hello!? Where were you when i was on the operating table in January? They weren't there to pay for my bills. Thank gawd AXA PPP was, there'd be no way, i could have payed for the hospital bills.
And so on top of being totally irritated that i have to pay them money for a service i was not even entitled to until not even a month ago, i have to pay 206.64 Euros EVERY month for as long as i live. So after calculating, by the end of this year i should have to fork over 1,859.76 Euros PLUS the 1,619.88 Euros that i supposedly owe them!
That's nearly 3,500 Euros!
Gone. Just like that. It's insane.
I mean, that's a shit load of money. So i told J, i should make full use of my health cover and just camp out at the doctor's office, so at least i get part of my money's worth. Or just pack my things and move elsewhere.
"The average state health insurance contribution is €500 a month, which is split between employee and employer – while the self-employed pay everything themselves, unless they’re lucky enough to be in the Kuenstlersozialkasse for freelancers in creative professions. But both state and private health insurance companies have increased their premiums in recent months as rising unemployment has put more pressure on the welfare state." [source]
More proof that it's so bloody expensive to live in Europe.
My project is split into several jobs, so i'm being paid in installments and only when they are complete, i'll get the balance. And as soon as any money comes in, i have to transfer a partial chunk of it to pay for insurance that i never knew i had, not forgetting the 206.64 Euros/month.
So on top of having a bad case of laryngitis and yet another upcoming deadline, i am dangerously close to having a 2-digit bank balance.
Yup, sucks to be me right now.
So to make the whole project legit, i decided to register a design company. I have an EU Dutch passport, why not? I had no Savings despite having worked for the past 4 years but what i wanted more than anything was to start a new life with J in 2008 [here]. And so the bills continued to accumulate.
MAY 2009
J thought it would be good that i apply at the Kuenstlersozialkasse (Artists’ Social Fund; KSK) which is restricted to only independent Artists & Designers that way i could get public health insurance and so i did [here].
"Being a member means that you stay in the state pension scheme and that the KSK pays half your pension contribution and half your health insurance contribution. Being insured in the state pension scheme means that you qualify for an invalidity pension if you can no longer work." [source]
Just so you know, it's compulsory for every person residing in Germany to be covered. It's illegal if you don't have health insurance. And so when i arrived in 2008 my sister helped me sign up with a Comprehensive package at AXA PPP in the UK.
JULY 2009
I had to send KSK a ridiculous amount of evidence to show that i was a "graphic designer". Copies of any invoices and signed contracts were also needed. Since we all know Germans love their paperwork, i gave them as much as i could.
We were told it would take several months to process and there's no guarantee that every person will get it. The only other way that one could get into the German health system is if a) you're German citizen or b) you get married to a German and be covered by their insurance.
Well neither of those options were applicable. And so i had no choice but try my luck.
And was told i had to contact a local health insurance company to say i was applying at KSK. And since J is with AOK, i decide to go with them too.
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2009
J calls the office just about every month to find how the progress was going and is simply told we just had to wait.
FEBRUARY 2010
J calls and the person on the phone tells us that my file has not been looked at. Basically, they forgot! The person apologies and says i must send any current invoices that i have for 2010 because it's the new year and they have to make their calculations based on how much i think i may earn for the year.
Lucky for me, i was offered a few logos and corporate identity manuals to work on. So i was able to send them some invoices and in turn pay for outstanding bills.
MARCH 2010
I receive a letter that says they've decided and that i've been accepted. Yay, finally!
And not only do i now have health insurance, long-term care insurance but i have a pension. So when i'm old and crusty, i'll have some money to blow. They've also back dated it to April 2009 and based on how much i earned, i now must pay them 1,619.88 Euros for the past 9 months!
One bloody thousand six hundred and nineteen Euros and eighty eight cents.
Which is totally unfair since i wasn't even sent a health insurance card to utilise the service. Why should i pay for a health cover that i didn't even use or even know about? I find out that half the amount also goes to my Pension.
But still, that's my money!
APRIL 2010
I then receive my local health insurance card with a fancy chip on it.
So J calls them and states my case and says, i've only just received my card and that there must have been a mistake. I was only just admitted into the KSK. And so they cover their arses by saying that my international health cover was not sufficient and that's why they're back dating it. Hello!? Where were you when i was on the operating table in January? They weren't there to pay for my bills. Thank gawd AXA PPP was, there'd be no way, i could have payed for the hospital bills.
And so on top of being totally irritated that i have to pay them money for a service i was not even entitled to until not even a month ago, i have to pay 206.64 Euros EVERY month for as long as i live. So after calculating, by the end of this year i should have to fork over 1,859.76 Euros PLUS the 1,619.88 Euros that i supposedly owe them!
That's nearly 3,500 Euros!
Gone. Just like that. It's insane.
I mean, that's a shit load of money. So i told J, i should make full use of my health cover and just camp out at the doctor's office, so at least i get part of my money's worth. Or just pack my things and move elsewhere.
"The average state health insurance contribution is €500 a month, which is split between employee and employer – while the self-employed pay everything themselves, unless they’re lucky enough to be in the Kuenstlersozialkasse for freelancers in creative professions. But both state and private health insurance companies have increased their premiums in recent months as rising unemployment has put more pressure on the welfare state." [source]
More proof that it's so bloody expensive to live in Europe.
My project is split into several jobs, so i'm being paid in installments and only when they are complete, i'll get the balance. And as soon as any money comes in, i have to transfer a partial chunk of it to pay for insurance that i never knew i had, not forgetting the 206.64 Euros/month.
So on top of having a bad case of laryngitis and yet another upcoming deadline, i am dangerously close to having a 2-digit bank balance.
Yup, sucks to be me right now.
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