Health insurance as an escort

In the escort service, as in any other profession, you are not immune to illness. Especially as your body is exposed to additional stress. Accordingly, you should be insured so that you can deal with emergencies and preventive measures in a relaxed manner. In addition, it is worthwhile to be covered for days of absence. 

Health insurance is compulsory in Germany. This does not mean that a lack of insurance cover will be prosecuted. Nevertheless, the costs for health care in our country are so high that you will hardly want to bear them alone. Especially since you should treat yourself to a regular check-up if you have frequent sexual contact.

If you work, you have either statutory or private health insurance. If you are employed, your employer pays a portion of the insurance costs, while self-employed people pay the costs themselves.

A recognised profession with the usual rights and duties

Escort services fall under the Prostitution Protection Act (ProstSchG). This means that there is an entitlement to social insurance or an obligation to take out insurance and participate in the social system. Under German law, any form of sex work is fundamentally considered a profession, just like any other.

Whether you take out private or statutory insurance depends on your personal situation. Let's assume that you are self-employed as an escort. Self-employed people have a free choice between the insurance systems. 

A good criteria for deciding is the volume and distribution of your working hours. Depending on whether you work as a full-time or part-time escort and how high your income is, a different insurance system will be recommended for you.

If you are covered by statutory health insurance (GKV), you currently pay 14.6% of your income each month, assuming a minimum income worth € 1038.33 for the self-employed. (This means that the minimum contribution is about € 145.37).

The health insurance funds can also charge additional contributions. These amount to 0.3 - 1.7%. In addition, you are always also insured for nursing care. Accordingly, a further 2.8% is deducted from your income (at least €31.60). Insured persons with children pay only 2.55%.

For the self-employed, the advantage of this insurance system is obvious. If your income fluctuates, your contributions are adjusted accordingly. For example, in a good year you can regularly earn € 5,000 and then pay € 730 per month for health insurance. If you have less time for your job the next year and only earn around € 2,500 per month, you only pay € 365 for the insurance.

The insurance process is very simple. All you have to do is fill out an online form and enclose your income tax statement from the previous year. If you do not have this, it is sufficient to estimate your expected income.

Private health insurance premiums are not based on your salary. They are based primarily on your age and any pre-existing conditions.

As a result, premiums increase with age. However, they will not increase due to a change in income. This is the advantage for high earners, to which you can quickly belong as an escort lady.

It is often pointed out that some insurance companies are sceptical about any form of sex work. This means that insurance companies may reject your application with knowledge of your activity for fear of health risks.

Caution: Despite mutual freedom of contract, private health insurance companies may be obliged under certain conditions to include you at least in the basic tariff.

If, for example, someone aged 28 works full-time as an escort lady, one can assume an amount of € 500 per month as the contribution to private health insurance. (Lesser amounts may apply under certain circumstances).

In addition, an excess can be negotiated. A contractually agreed excess of € 800 per year means that all health costs incurred during the year are covered up to this amount. What you pay over and above this amount can be reimbursed to you.

To do this, you submit the paid bills after the end of the year.

If you have paid € 3,000, you would get a refund of € 2,200 for an excess of € 800.

Contributions to private health insurance change over time. The escort lady probably pays about € 600 per month at the age of 38.

That sounds a lot. However, if you consider that you would pay the maximum rate of € 750 per month if you were well paid within the statutory health insurance, the value is put into perspective.

If you work as a part-time escort, there are further hurdles to overcome. First of all, you will already be legally insured through your main employer or, as a self-employed person, you will pay a certain amount.

Unfortunately, this does not take you out of the equation. Let's say you earn € 3,500 gross per month in your main job. Then your insurance contributions are about € 500. If you earn an additional € 2,500 from occasional escort dates, these must also be declared to the GKV. Another   € 365 are due (14.6 %). You come to a total of € 865. The maximum rate is € 750. You will have to pay this in the end.

The 28-year-old escort lady in the example above should therefore pay close attention. If she has the opportunity to take out private insurance, she could be in a much better position with similar conditions to those she had with private health insurance with a contribution of € 500 per month and also benefit from much better health care.

For salaried employees, such a change is possible from a monthly income of about € 5,300.

As long as you only use the escort service very rarely, the decision has to be made very individually. However, as soon as you have a higher income and you are sure that you want to stay in this profession, it is definitely advisable to change to private health insurance.

Is it enough if I have European health insurance in another European country?

No, European health insurance is not a long-term solution, as it does not guarantee you sufficient insurance cover.

A good health insurance helps you to protect yourself and your body and to be able to be there for you in the best possible way in case of an emergency. In a profession that is so strongly based on physical functioning as the escort service, an optimal state of health is indispensable. So don't neglect these topics too much. For information, you can also take a look at the official flyer on health insurance in sex work (related professions).