Deductible in the Health Insurance: When It Really Pays Off in Germany

A €150–300/year deductible on Care Expatriate saves 10–20% on premiums — worth it if you rarely see a doctor. At €58/month base (age 18–29) the Basic deductible pays off after a single healthy year. Chronic-illness holders should choose the €0-deductible Comfort or XL tier.

Care Expatriate Basic: €150 per insurance year (outpatient only); Comfort and XL: €0. Care Economy Si and M: €50 per case; L and XL: €0. Hospital, emergency and repatriation are always at 100% cover — the deductible never applies there.

Statutory GKV (DAK Angestellte at 17.8% gross, split 50/50 up to the €77,400/year JVEG in 2026) has no deductible under § 61 SGB V. No. Only per-service co-payments apply: €10/day inpatient (max 28 days/year), €5–10 per prescription, capped at 2% of gross annual income (1% for chronic patients).

No — the deductible is fixed at signup for the full 60-month runtime. Foreigners planning a family or a long stay usually pick Comfort (€0 deductible) at onboarding. The premium jump from Basic to Comfort is typically €12–25/month.

No — § 5 AufenthG requires recognised Incoming cover and repatriation — the deductible itself is not checked. Care Expatriate PDF (Basic €150 or Comfort €0) is accepted from €58/month across all Ausländerbehörden.

A deductible (Selbstbeteiligung) is the amount you pay out-of-pocket before the insurer covers costs. For example, Care Expatriate (from 58 EUR/month) offers different deductible levels depending on the chosen plan variant.

It depends on your health and budget. A higher deductible lowers your monthly premium but increases out-of-pocket costs when you need care. Young, healthy individuals often benefit from higher deductibles. Care Economy (from 30 EUR/30 days) has zero deductible — ideal if you prefer predictable costs.

This depends on the insurer and tariff. Some plans allow a deductible change at the next renewal date, while others require a new health assessment. If you want to avoid deductible uncertainty, Care Economy (from 30 EUR/30 days) offers zero deductible from the start — no changes needed.