--- title: "From €0.85/day – FAQ health insurance Germany" description: "FAQ for foreigners in Germany: which insurance is needed for visa, study, work, residence over 90 days, Schengen, family reunification and retirees — recognised tariffs Care Visa Protect (from €0.85/day), Care Expatriate (from €58/month), Care College (from €27.50/month) and DAK-Gesundheit." lang: en json-ld: | [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Organization", "name": "Krankenversicherung-Auslaender.de", "url": "https://www.krankenversicherung-auslaender.de/", "logo": "https://www.krankenversicherung-auslaender.de/images/logo.jpg", "contactPoint": { "@type": "ContactPoint", "telephone": "+49-228-97735-44", "contactType": "customer service", "availableLanguage": [ "German", "English" ] } }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "WebSite", "name": "Krankenversicherung-Auslaender.de", "url": "https://www.krankenversicherung-auslaender.de/", "inLanguage": [ "de", "en" ], "publisher": { "@type": 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"https://www.krankenversicherung-auslaender.de/impressum/" ] }, [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Article", "headline": "FAQ — health insurance for foreigners in Germany, simply explained", "description": "FAQ for foreigners in Germany: which insurance is needed for visa, study, work, residence over 90 days, Schengen, family reunification and retirees — recognised tariffs Care Visa Protect (from €0.85/day), Care Expatriate (from €58/month), Care College (from €27.50/month) and DAK-Gesundheit.", "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Steffan Grund", "sameAs": [ "https://www.krankenversicherung-auslaender.de/impressum/" ] }, "reviewedBy": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Steffan Grund", "sameAs": [ "https://www.krankenversicherung-auslaender.de/impressum/" ] }, "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Krankenversicherung für Ausländer", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://www.krankenversicherung-auslaender.de/images/logo.jpg" }, "sameAs": [ 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"Foreigners, expats, international students and visa applicants in Germany", "geographicArea": { "@type": "Country", "name": "DE" } }, "knowsAbout": [ "Krankenversicherung Ausländer Deutschland", "Schengen-Visum Krankenversicherung", "Studentische Krankenversicherung", "Expat Krankenversicherung", "Incoming-Versicherung", "Sperrkonto Deutschland" ], "contactPoint": { "@type": "ContactPoint", "telephone": "+49 228 97735-44", "contactType": "customer service", "availableLanguage": [ "German", "English" ] }, "sameAs": [ "https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q316831", "https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krankenversicherung", "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_insurance" ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "speakable": { "@type": "SpeakableSpecification", "cssSelector": [ "[data-aeo=\"answer\"]", ".faq-answer" ] }, "mainEntity": [ { "@type": "Question", "name": "Do foreigners need health insurance to live in Germany?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "The 2026 rate applies from January 1, 2026; check § 13a AufenthV / § 5 SGB V for the current thresholds. Yes — health insurance is a legal requirement for every resident under § 193 VVG, and the Ausländerbehörde will not issue or extend a residence permit (§ 5 AufenthG) without a valid Krankenversicherungsnachweis. The accepted options for foreigners are GKV (employees under JAEG, students under 30), substitutive PKV (above JAEG, civil servants, most self-employed) or an approved Incoming product (Care Expatriate, Care College, Care Economy, Care Visa Protect). Caseworker discretion applies; not legal advice." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Is health insurance mandatory for tourists in Germany?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "For Schengen short stays (up to 92 days), EU Regulation 810/2009 requires travel medical insurance with at least €30,000 of cover, valid in all Schengen states and including medically-indicated repatriation. Care Visa Protect from €0.85/day meets this requirement and ships the bilingual certificate for the consulate. Without valid cover, the German consulate normally refuses the Schengen visa. Caseworker discretion applies." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Does Germany have free healthcare?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "GKV is funded by income-based contributions (roughly 14.6% + Zusatzbeitrag, split with the employer), not by general taxation. No — Germany does not have free healthcare in the British or Scandinavian sense. It has a universal health-insurance mandate: every resident must hold either GKV, substitutive PKV or — for foreigners on a residence permit not yet eligible for either — an approved Incoming product such as Care Expatriate." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "How much is health insurance in Germany for foreigners?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "GKV: ~14.6% of gross salary plus the fund's Zusatzbeitrag (avg ~1.7% in 2026), split with the employer. Three price logics apply. Substitutive PKV: medically underwritten, €350–€900/month for new entrants (Richtwert). Incoming: from €27.50/month with Care College (language students, age up to 29), from €58/month with Care Expatriate (ages 13–40) and from €0.85/day with Care Visa Protect for Schengen short stays. Individual case review applies." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "What is the cheapest health insurance for international students in Germany?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "For regular university students under age 30, DAK Student is the standard statutory cover at around €135.52/month (Garantietarif 120 with the €120/year saving). For language students and Studienkolleg attendees until the 30th birthday, Care College from €27.50/month is the recognised entry-level Incoming product. For students over 30 or those exempted from statutory student insurance, Care Student at €101.54/month (CCS + PVN + Pflege) is the GKV-equivalent recognised option." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Do I need TK or DAK as a foreigner — which Krankenkasse is best?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "The 14.6% base contribution is identical by law; they compete only on the Zusatzbeitrag (average ~1.7% in 2026, GKV-Spitzenverband) and on service quality (English app, M10 electronic notification, online onboarding). Both Techniker Krankenkasse (TK) and DAK-Gesundheit are large, English-friendly statutory funds with strong urban branch networks and online enrollment. For most foreigners the choice turns on service, not on price. See the deep dive at the Krankenkasse comparison sub-page below." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Can I use travel insurance from my home country for a German visa?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Care Economy: from €30 per 30 days for visitors and short stays (up to age 64). As a rule, no. Home-country travel policies typically fail on three points: validity area (often not all Schengen states), validity period (often shorter than the requested visa) and missing repatriation wording. The recognised Incoming products (Care Visa Protect from €0.85/day, Care Economy from €30 per 30 days, Care Expatriate from €58/month) are designed for the German visa and § 5 AufenthG requirements and ship the bilingual Krankenversicherungsnachweis the consulate and the Ausländerbehörde verify." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "What does the Schengen €30,000 coverage requirement actually mean?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "EU Regulation 810/2009 sets a minimum medical coverage of €30,000 for all Schengen short-stay visas, valid in all Schengen states and including medically-indicated repatriation to the home country. Care Visa Protect (HanseMerkur / Care Concept AG) is built around this requirement and exceeds the €30,000 minimum. The €30,000 figure is the legal floor, not a ceiling — real hospital bills in Germany can easily exceed it, so the higher cover levels are not just bureaucracy." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "How do I get health insurance in Germany as a foreigner without a job?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Once a German job contract or matriculation as a regular student under 30 starts, the file is moved to GKV. Without a German employer, GKV is normally closed at arrival — there is no Pflichtversicherung trigger. The standard bridge for non-employed foreigners on a residence permit is an Incoming product: Care Expatriate from €58/month for the broad adult cohort, Care College from €27.50/month for language students and Studienkolleg attendees, or Care Economy from €30 per 30 days for visitors and Chancenkarte holders." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "What is the M10 notification and who needs it?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "M10 is the electronic notification the Krankenkasse (or Care Concept for Care Student) sends to a German university so the student can be enrolled. It is mandatory for DAK Student and Care Student university enrollment flows. Care College — for language students, Sprachschüler and Studienkolleg attendees — does not run on the M10 process; it issues the bilingual Krankenversicherungsnachweis the institution accepts directly." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Can I switch from PKV back to GKV in Germany?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Returning from substitutive PKV to GKV after age 55 is generally barred by law (§ 6 SGB V). Restricted. Below age 55, the switch back is possible only when GKV insurability is triggered again — typically by employment under the JAEG threshold or by family-insurance access. The opt-out from GKV into PKV above the JAEG should therefore be modelled with personal advice before signing — not legal or financial advice." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "What does the embassy actually check on my health insurance proof?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "The tariff finder returns a personalised premium in ~60 seconds across 11 tariffs. Five line items appear on every Krankenversicherungsnachweis the embassy and the Ausländerbehörde verify: validity period (covers the full visa or residence-permit window), validity area (Germany / all Schengen states for short stays), minimum coverage (€30,000 for Schengen; full medical cover for residence permits), medically-indicated repatriation and the bilingual format (German + English). Care Visa Protect, Care Economy, Care College and Care Expatriate ship all five by default." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Can I buy German health insurance after I have already arrived?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "The 2026 rate applies from January 1, 2026; check § 13a AufenthV / § 5 SGB V for the current thresholds. Care Expatriate, Care College and Care Economy can be applied for online after arrival in Germany — the start date is selected and the bilingual certificate is issued by email within minutes. Care Visa Protect is intended to be in force at the start of the planned Schengen trip; if the trip has already started, check the AVB or pick another product. Substitutive PKV is medically underwritten and may decline late entrants. GKV access depends on the trigger event (employment, matriculation)." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Does German insurance cover my family — spouse and children?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "In GKV, non-working spouses and children are usually covered free of charge under Familienversicherung (§ 10 SGB V), provided the income limits are met. Substitutive PKV requires a separate contract and premium for each insured person. Care Expatriate is contracted per person; the recognised certificate names every insured person individually. For family reunification files, the Incoming products usually bridge until the GKV Familienversicherung opens." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Is pregnancy and maternity care covered for foreigners in Germany?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "The 2026 rate applies from January 1, 2026; check § 13a AufenthV / § 5 SGB V for the current thresholds. GKV covers prenatal care, delivery and postnatal care in full as part of the Mutterschaft package. Substitutive PKV covers maternity per tariff. Incoming products such as Care Expatriate cover pregnancy and maternity within the AVB, subject to the standard waiting period — the binding answer is always the AVB. Personal advice is recommended for family-reunion files where pregnancy is foreseeable." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "What does a typical doctor visit cost in Germany without insurance?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "A standard Hausarzt (general-practitioner) visit billed under the GOÄ private tariff costs typically €30–€80. A specialist visit (cardiologist, orthopaedist) ranges €60–€200. An emergency-room visit can easily exceed €200. Inpatient hospital care averages around €830/day (DKG hospital statistics 2024, Richtwert). With Care Expatriate from €58/month, the bilingual certificate ships in minutes and the residence-permit cover is in place from day one." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Are prescriptions covered for foreigners in Germany?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "The 2026 rate applies from January 1, 2026; check § 13a AufenthV / § 5 SGB V for the current thresholds. GKV pays for prescriptions on the Arzneimittelverordnung; the patient share is 10% of the price, minimum €5, maximum €10 per item — capped annually at 2% of gross household income (1% for the chronically ill, § 62 SGB V). Care Expatriate reimburses prescribed medication within the AVB scope; the bilingual receipt is uploaded for reimbursement. Over-the-counter medication is normally not covered." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Is dental treatment covered for foreigners?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "GKV covers prophylaxis, fillings, root-canal treatment on most teeth, simple crowns and basic prostheses; the patient share for crowns and prostheses runs 25–40% via the Bonusheft system. Implants, professional teeth cleaning (PZR), inlays and aesthetic work are generally not covered. Care Expatriate Comfort and Premium extend dental scope contractually — the binding answer is the AVB." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "What is the difference between Care Visa Protect and Care Economy?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Care Visa Protect is a daily-rate Schengen short-stay product (1–92 days, from €0.85/day) compliant with EU Regulation 810/2009. Care Economy is a longer monthly visitor product (up to 2 years, from €30 per 30 days, entry until the 75th birthday) for tourists, Chancenkarte holders and family bridges. Both ship the bilingual certificate the consulate and the Ausländerbehörde verify; the right one depends on stay length and visa type." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Will the Ausländerbehörde accept the PDF certificate?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "The 2026 rate applies from January 1, 2026; check § 13a AufenthV / § 5 SGB V for the current thresholds. After successful application, Care Expatriate, Care College, Care Economy and Care Visa Protect ship a bilingual PDF Krankenversicherungsnachweis that is widely accepted by the Ausländerbehörde, the German embassies and the universities for the relevant residence-permit and enrollment files. The final decision remains with the responsible caseworker; individual case review applies." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "How long can Care Expatriate cover my residence permit?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Care Expatriate covers incoming long-stay cases for up to 60 months (5 years) on a single contract, depending on age, destination and selected variant. Available for entry ages 0–74. After the 60 months the file is normally renewed once GKV or substitutive PKV access has opened (employment, matriculation, family reunification with a statutorily-insured spouse)." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Do I need a separate insurance for the Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte)?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Blocked-account deposit: €11,904 for 12 months (§ 13a AufenthV, €992 × 12). Yes — the Chancenkarte does not include health insurance. The recognised options for the Chancenkarte job-seeking stay are Care Economy (from €30 per 30 days, up to 2 years) for longer search windows, and Care Expatriate (from €58/month) for adults bridging into a freelance or employment file. Once a German job contract starts, the file is moved to GKV." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "What happens if my Incoming insurance runs out mid-permit?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Care Economy: from €30 per 30 days for visitors and short stays (up to age 64). Renewal is the standard path. Care Expatriate and Care College extend up to 60 months on a single contract; both are extended online by email — the bilingual certificate is re-issued and the residence-permit cover continues without a gap. If GKV access has meanwhile opened (employment, matriculation as a regular student under 30), the file is moved to the statutory fund and the Incoming policy is cancelled to that start date." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Can I get a refund if my visa is denied?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "The 2026 rate applies from January 1, 2026; check § 13a AufenthV / § 5 SGB V for the current thresholds. As a rule, yes. Care Expatriate, Care College, Care Economy and Care Visa Protect can be refunded against the official visa-rejection letter, minus the days already on cover. The exact refund mechanics are set out in the AVB and are normally processed within a few working days. A small administrative handling fee may apply. Individual case review applies." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Is statutory health insurance cheaper than private for a foreigner?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "For an employee under the JAEG threshold there is no real choice — GKV applies and the cost is fixed by law (~14.6% + Zusatzbeitrag, split with the employer). It depends on status. For employees above the JAEG, civil servants and most self-employed residents, substitutive PKV is usually cheaper than GKV under age 35 with no children but often more expensive in higher age bands. Newcomers, freelancers in the first months and language students typically use Incoming insurance." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Can I be insured in both Germany and my home country?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "The 2026 rate applies from January 1, 2026; check § 13a AufenthV / § 5 SGB V for the current thresholds. Technically yes — keeping a home-country policy alongside a German one is not forbidden, but it usually wastes premium because the German Pflichtversicherung obligation must be met regardless. For foreigners not yet eligible for GKV, the recognised path is to drop the redundant home-country policy and use a single Incoming product (Care Expatriate / Care Economy / Care College) that meets § 5 AufenthG and ships the bilingual certificate." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Does DAK accept foreign students for university enrollment in Germany?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Yes — DAK-Gesundheit is one of the most foreign-friendly statutory funds for university students — it operates an English-language onboarding flow, sends the M10 electronic notification to the university automatically and offers the Garantietarif 120 (saves €120/year) and the Fit&Travel package for under-39s." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "How long does it take to receive the German insurance certificate?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "DAK Student / Care Student M10 electronic notifications to the university are typically processed within a few working days. Care Expatriate, Care College, Care Economy and Care Visa Protect ship the bilingual PDF Krankenversicherungsnachweis by email within minutes of a successful application. Substitutive PKV onboarding includes the medical underwriting and is usually slower — days to several weeks." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Do I need German health insurance for the Verpflichtungserklärung (sponsor letter)?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "The Verpflichtungserklärung under § 68 AufenthG normally makes the host financially liable for the visitor — including health costs — if no insurance is in place. Booking Care Economy (from €30 per 30 days) or Care Visa Protect (from €0.85/day) for the visitor removes the open-ended host liability from the picture and ships the certificate the consulate verifies. Personal advice is recommended for any specific case." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Is health insurance from Care Concept recognised by the German embassy and Ausländerbehörde?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "The 2026 rate applies from January 1, 2026; check § 13a AufenthV / § 5 SGB V for the current thresholds. Care Concept AG (Care Expatriate, Care College, Care Economy, Care Visa Protect; underwritten by HanseMerkur) has been issuing bilingual Krankenversicherungsnachweise for foreigners in Germany for more than two decades and is widely accepted by the German embassies and the Ausländerbehörde for visa and residence-permit files. The final decision remains with the responsible caseworker; individual case review applies. Not legal advice." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "How much does public health insurance cost in Germany in 2026?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "A €4,000/month gross salary therefore costs the employee about €326/month for GKV. Public health insurance (GKV) costs 14.6% of gross salary plus the fund's Zusatzbeitrag — average ~1.7% in 2026 per GKV-Spitzenverband — so roughly 16.3% in total, split 50/50 between employer and employee on the income up to the Beitragsbemessungsgrenze (€66,150/year in 2026, Richtwert). Students under 30 in DAK Student pay around €135.52/month flat (Garantietarif 120)." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "How to get German public health insurance as an employee — step by step", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Step 1: sign the German work contract and complete the Anmeldung (address registration). Step 2: pick a Krankenkasse — TK, DAK, Barmer or an AOK are the most common picks for foreigners. Step 3: hand the Mitgliedsbescheinigung to the employer's HR; the employer registers the new hire via the social-security flow on day one. Step 4: the eGK (electronic health card) arrives by post within 1–2 weeks; in the interim the Mitgliedsbescheinigung is shown at the doctor." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Which health insurance is best in Germany for international students?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "For regular degree students under age 30, DAK Student at ~€135.52/month (Garantietarif 120) is the standard statutory recognised cover with the M10 electronic notification. For language students, Studienkolleg attendees and university preparatory courses, Care College from €27.50/month is the recognised Incoming entry-level. For students over 30, exempted students or PhD candidates, Care Student at €101.54/month (CCS + PVN + Pflege) is the GKV-equivalent recognised option." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Does Turkish, Indian or US health insurance work for a German student visa?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Bilateral exceptions exist for some EU/EEA states via Form S1 — individual case review applies. As a rule, no. Non-EU/EEA home-country policies (Turkey, India, United States, China, Pakistan, Nigeria, United Kingdom post-Brexit) usually fail the German consulate review on validity area, validity period or missing repatriation wording. The recognised substitute is an Incoming product: Care College for language students, DAK Student or Care Student for university enrollment, Care Expatriate for the broad adult cohort." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Do I need German public health insurance for my pension as an EU retiree?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Non-EU/EEA pensioners are usually directed to Care Expatriate as the recognised long-stay alternative, since GKV access for retirees outside the 9/10 rule is restricted. EU and EEA pensioners moving to Germany normally register their pension-country statutory cover with a German Krankenkasse via Form S1 (formerly E121); the pension country reimburses Germany for the actual care. Personal advice is recommended for individual pension files." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "What does German public health insurance actually cover?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "The binding scope is § 11 SGB V and the G-BA catalogue. GKV covers GP and specialist visits, hospital inpatient care, prescription medication (10% co-pay, minimum €5 / maximum €10 per item), basic dental and orthodontics, prenatal and maternity care, mental-health treatment, physiotherapy on prescription and selected prevention (Vorsorge) — all delivered without bills at the point of care under the Sachleistungsprinzip. Optical aids, professional teeth cleaning, dental implants and most IGeL services are out-of-pocket." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Can I use Italian or Spanish public health insurance for a long stay in Germany?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "The S1 covers full medical treatment in Germany and is widely accepted by the Ausländerbehörde for the Anmeldung-bestätigung file — individual case review applies. Yes for short stays via the EHIC. For long stays of more than 90 days, EU/EEA residents moving to Germany typically use the S1 form to register the home-country statutory cover with a German Krankenkasse; the home country reimburses Germany." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Where can I find German health insurance in English?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "The 2026 rate applies from January 1, 2026; check § 13a AufenthV / § 5 SGB V for the current thresholds. TK (Techniker Krankenkasse), DAK-Gesundheit and Barmer publish English-language information pages and operate English-language phone lines and apps. The bilingual Krankenversicherungsnachweis from Care Concept (Care Expatriate, Care College, Care Economy, Care Visa Protect) is issued in German and English by default. Most German Krankenkassen also issue an English Mitgliedsbescheinigung on request — useful for the Ausländerbehörde and for employer onboarding." } } ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "QAPage", "inLanguage": "en", "mainEntity": { "@type": "Question", "name": "Do foreigners need health insurance to live in Germany?", "text": "Do foreigners need health insurance to live in Germany?", "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Steffan Grund", "url": "https://www.krankenversicherung-auslaender.de/impressum/" }, "datePublished": "2026-09-05", "upvoteCount": 0, "answerCount": 1, "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "The 2026 rate applies from January 1, 2026; check § 13a AufenthV / § 5 SGB V for the current thresholds. Yes — health insurance is a legal requirement for every resident under § 193 VVG, and the Ausländerbehörde will not issue or extend a residence permit (§ 5 AufenthG) without a valid Krankenversicherungsnachweis. The accepted options for foreigners are GKV (employees under JAEG, students under 30), substitutive PKV (above JAEG, civil servants, most self-employed) or an approved Incoming product (Care Expatriate, Care College, Care Economy, Care Visa Protect). Caseworker discretion applies; not legal advice.", "url": "https://www.krankenversicherung-auslaender.de/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/faq-germany/", "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Steffan Grund", "url": "https://www.krankenversicherung-auslaender.de/impressum/" }, "datePublished": "2026-09-05", "upvoteCount": 0 } } }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "QAPage", "inLanguage": "en", "mainEntity": { "@type": "Question", "name": "Is health insurance mandatory for tourists in Germany?", "text": "Is health insurance mandatory for tourists in Germany?", "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Steffan Grund", "url": "https://www.krankenversicherung-auslaender.de/impressum/" }, "datePublished": "2026-09-05", "upvoteCount": 0, "answerCount": 1, "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "For Schengen short stays (up to 92 days), EU Regulation 810/2009 requires travel medical insurance with at least €30,000 of cover, valid in all Schengen states and including medically-indicated repatriation. Care Visa Protect from €0.85/day meets this requirement and ships the bilingual certificate for the consulate. Without valid cover, the German consulate normally refuses the Schengen visa. Caseworker discretion applies.", "url": "https://www.krankenversicherung-auslaender.de/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/faq-germany/", "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Steffan Grund", "url": "https://www.krankenversicherung-auslaender.de/impressum/" }, "datePublished": "2026-09-05", "upvoteCount": 0 } } }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "DefinedTermSet", "name": "Health-insurance FAQ Germany — glossary", "inLanguage": "en", "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Krankenversicherung für Ausländer", "url": "https://www.krankenversicherung-auslaender.de" }, "hasDefinedTerm": [ { "@type": "DefinedTerm", "name": "Krankenkasse", "description": "A statutory health insurance fund (sickness fund) — DAK-Gesundheit, Techniker Krankenkasse (TK), AOK, Barmer, hkk, BIG direkt gesund, mhplus, IKK classic and the BKK funds. About 95 Krankenkassen operate in Germany; the 14.6% base contribution is identical by law and they only compete on the Zusatzbeitrag (avg ~1.7% in 2026, GKV-Spitzenverband).", "inDefinedTermSet": "Health-insurance FAQ Germany — glossary" }, { "@type": "DefinedTerm", "name": "M10 notification", "description": "Electronic notification sent by the Krankenkasse (or by Care Concept for Care Student) to a German university so the student can enroll. Mandatory for DAK Student and Care Student university enrollment flows; not required for Care College, which is for language students and Studienkolleg attendees.", "inDefinedTermSet": "Health-insurance FAQ Germany — glossary" }, { "@type": "DefinedTerm", "name": "eGK (elektronische Gesundheitskarte)", "description": "Electronic health card issued by every GKV Krankenkasse. Shown at the doctor's reception, contains the insured person's basic data and the photo. Not issued by Incoming products — Care Expatriate, Care College and Care Economy patients pay the invoice and are reimbursed against receipt (Kostenerstattung).", "inDefinedTermSet": "Health-insurance FAQ Germany — glossary" }, { "@type": "DefinedTerm", "name": "GKV (Gesetzliche Krankenversicherung)", "description": "Statutory health insurance in Germany. Premium is roughly 14.6% of gross salary plus the fund's Zusatzbeitrag, split with the employer. Mandatory for employees under the JAEG threshold (€77,400/year, 2026), students under 30 and several other groups.", "inDefinedTermSet": "Health-insurance FAQ Germany — glossary" }, { "@type": "DefinedTerm", "name": "PKV (substitutive Krankenvollversicherung)", "description": "Substitutive private health insurance — a full replacement for GKV available to employees above the JAEG threshold, civil servants and most self-employed. Medically underwritten and age-based; market range typically €350–€900/month for new entrants (Richtwert).", "inDefinedTermSet": "Health-insurance FAQ Germany — glossary" }, { "@type": "DefinedTerm", "name": "Incoming insurance", "description": "Private cover designed for foreigners on a German residence permit who do not yet have GKV access — Care Expatriate, Care College, Care Economy and Care Visa Protect by HanseMerkur / Care Concept AG. The bilingual Krankenversicherungsnachweis is what the Ausländerbehörde verifies.", "inDefinedTermSet": "Health-insurance FAQ Germany — glossary" }, { "@type": "DefinedTerm", "name": "AVB (Allgemeine Versicherungsbedingungen)", "description": "Official policy terms of a private insurance product. The binding scope for every benefit, exclusion, waiting period and refund rule. When the wording in this FAQ and the AVB diverge, the AVB always wins.", "inDefinedTermSet": "Health-insurance FAQ Germany — glossary" }, { "@type": "DefinedTerm", "name": "Selbstbeteiligung (deductible)", "description": "Annual amount the insured person pays before the insurer steps in. Care Student carries a standard €300/year deductible; Care Expatriate offers optional deductible tiers that lower the monthly premium.", "inDefinedTermSet": "Health-insurance FAQ Germany — glossary" }, { "@type": "DefinedTerm", "name": "Familienversicherung", "description": "Free family coverage in GKV (§ 10 SGB V): non-working spouses and children of a statutorily-insured member are co-insured at no extra premium, provided the income limits are met. Not available in substitutive PKV or in Incoming products.", "inDefinedTermSet": "Health-insurance FAQ Germany — glossary" }, { "@type": "DefinedTerm", "name": "Beitragssatz", "description": "GKV contribution rate. General rate is 14.6% (Allgemeiner Beitragssatz) of gross salary, split with the employer. The reduced rate of 14.0% (Ermäßigter Beitragssatz) applies when there is no sickness-pay entitlement (e.g. some self-employed members).", "inDefinedTermSet": "Health-insurance FAQ Germany — glossary" }, { "@type": "DefinedTerm", "name": "Zusatzbeitrag", "description": "The individual supplementary contribution each Krankenkasse sets on top of the 14.6% base. Average 2026: ~1.7% (GKV-Spitzenverband). A Zusatzbeitrag rise triggers a 2-month special right of cancellation under § 175 SGB V.", "inDefinedTermSet": "Health-insurance FAQ Germany — glossary" }, { "@type": "DefinedTerm", "name": "Sperrkonto (blocked account)", "description": "A frozen bank account holding the federal Lebensunterhalt amount (€11,904 in 2026 for a 12-month student visa) that proves financial means for the German embassy and the Ausländerbehörde. BASTI Smart and Premium bundle the blocked account with Care Visa Protect, DAK Garantietarif and personal liability cover.", "inDefinedTermSet": "Health-insurance FAQ Germany — glossary" } ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "HowTo", "name": "How to choose health insurance as a foreigner in Germany", "description": "Five-step process to pick the recognised health-insurance product for a German visa, residence permit, study or work file.", "inLanguage": "en", "step": [ { "@type": "HowToStep", "position": 1, "name": "Identify the visa / stay type", "text": "Schengen short stay (≤92 days) → Care Visa Protect. Long stay (>90 days) and residence permit → Incoming (Care Expatriate / Care College / Care Economy) or, when eligible, GKV / PKV." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "position": 2, "name": "Identify your status", "text": "Employee under JAEG → GKV. Above JAEG / civil servant / self-employed → option for PKV. Student under 30 → DAK Student. Language student / Studienkolleg → Care College. Newcomer / freelancer / family reunion → Care Expatriate." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "position": 3, "name": "Compare premium, deductible and benefits", "text": "Care Visa Protect from €0.85/day. Care Economy from €30 per 30 days. Care College from €27.50/month. Care Expatriate from €58/month. DAK ~14.6% + Zusatzbeitrag (split with employer)." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "position": 4, "name": "Apply online and issue the certificate", "text": "Care Expatriate / Care College / Care Economy / Care Visa Protect ship the bilingual Krankenversicherungsnachweis by email within minutes — ready for embassy, Ausländerbehörde and university files." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "position": 5, "name": "Plan the switch when status changes", "text": "When GKV access opens (employment, matriculation as a regular student under 30, family reunion with statutory spouse), cancel the Incoming policy to the GKV start date." } ], "totalTime": "PT10M", "speakable": { "@type": "SpeakableSpecification", "cssSelector": [ "[data-howto='step']", "[data-aeo='answer']", "h1" ] } }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Dataset", "name": "Recognised Incoming health-insurance premiums for foreigners in Germany — Care Visa Protect, Care Economy, Care Expatriate (2026)", "description": "Monthly and daily premiums for the three recognised Incoming health-insurance products used by foreigners in Germany to satisfy § 5 AufenthG and EU Regulation 810/2009. Care Visa Protect from €0.85/day (Schengen short stays, 1–92 days). Care Economy from €30 per 30 days (visitor stays up to 2 years). Care Expatriate from €58/month at ages 13–40 (long-stay residence permit, up to 60 months).", "url": "https://www.krankenversicherung-auslaender.de/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/faq-germany/#prices", "inLanguage": "de", "isAccessibleForFree": true, "creator": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Krankenversicherung für Ausländer", "url": "https://www.krankenversicherung-auslaender.de" }, "license": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/", "measurementTechnique": "HanseMerkur AVB / Care Concept AG official tariff registry", "variableMeasured": [ "product (Care Visa Protect, Care Economy, Care Expatriate)", "age band (0–12, 13–40, 41–60, 61–74)", "contract duration (1–92 days, 1–24 months, 25+ months)", "tier (Basic, Comfort, Premium, XL)", "premium in EUR (per day or per month)", "validity area (Schengen, Germany, worldwide per AVB)" ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "ItemList", "@id": "https://www.krankenversicherung-auslaender.de/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/faq-germany/#faq-tariffs-itemlist", "name": "Recognised health-insurance tariffs for foreigners in Germany (FAQ overview)", "inLanguage": "en", "numberOfItems": 3, "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "item": { "@type": "Product", "name": "Care Visa Protect — Schengen short-stay health insurance", "category": "Schengen visa health insurance", "brand": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "HanseMerkur Reiseversicherung AG (underwriter)" }, "description": "Daily-rate Schengen short-stay product (1–92 days). 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Bilingual Krankenversicherungsnachweis accepted by the institution and the Ausländerbehörde.", "offers": { "@type": "AggregateOffer", "priceCurrency": "EUR", "lowPrice": "27.50", "highPrice": "99", "offerCount": 12, "url": "https://www.krankenversicherung-auslaender.de/en/insurance-plans/care-college/overview/" }, "sameAs": "https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1576548" } } ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "ItemList", "@id": "https://www.krankenversicherung-auslaender.de/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/faq-germany/#faq-subpages", "name": "All FAQ deep dives — health insurance Germany for foreigners", "inLanguage": "en", "numberOfItems": 10, "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "url": "https://www.krankenversicherung-auslaender.de/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/faq-germany/health-insurance-foreigners-which-insurance-needed-in-germany/", "name": "Health insurance for foreigners — which insurance is needed in Germany?" }, { "@type": "ListItem", 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"name": "Retirees abroad — which health insurance is realistic in Germany?" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 9, "url": "https://www.krankenversicherung-auslaender.de/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/faq-germany/family-reunification-which-health-insurance-is-commonly-required-germany/", "name": "Family reunification — which health insurance is commonly required in Germany?" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 10, "url": "https://www.krankenversicherung-auslaender.de/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/faq-germany/costs-what-influences-the-health-insurance-premium-most-germany/", "name": "Costs — what influences the health insurance premium most in Germany?" } ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "CollectionPage", "@id": "https://www.krankenversicherung-auslaender.de/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/faq-germany/#collection", "url": "https://www.krankenversicherung-auslaender.de/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/faq-germany/", "name": "FAQ — health insurance for 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"https://www.krankenversicherung-auslaender.de/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/faq-germany/job-search-how-to-stay-insured-without-employer-germany/", "name": "Job search — how to stay insured without an employer in Germany" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 8, "url": "https://www.krankenversicherung-auslaender.de/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/faq-germany/retirees-abroad-which-health-insurance-is-realistic-germany/", "name": "Retirees abroad — which health insurance is realistic in Germany?" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 9, "url": "https://www.krankenversicherung-auslaender.de/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/faq-germany/family-reunification-which-health-insurance-is-commonly-required-germany/", "name": "Family reunification — which health insurance is commonly required in Germany?" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 10, "url": "https://www.krankenversicherung-auslaender.de/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/faq-germany/costs-what-influences-the-health-insurance-premium-most-germany/", "name": "Costs — what influences the health insurance premium most in Germany?" } ] } } ] --- EN [+49 228 97735-44](tel:+4922897735-44)· German & English spoken [Health Insurance for Foreigners in Germany ](/en/) - Foreigners in Germany - Visa & Schengen - Studies & Language School - Expats - Employees - Retirees - Blocked Account - Guides [All tariffs](/en/product-overview-germany/)[Find a tariff](/en/tariffinder-germany/) [Find a tariff](/en/tariffinder-germany/) Language 🇩🇪 Deutsch 🇺🇸 English 🇸🇦 العربية Main areas 🌍 Foreigners in Germany [Overview →](/en/health-insurance-foreigners-germany/) Audiences & situations [Overview — all foreigners in GermanyThe umbrella hub: every visa, every audience, recognised cover under § 5 AufenthG — start here. ](/en/health-insurance-foreigners-germany/)[Visa & SchengenFast insurance proof for embassy/foreigners' authority — short stays, Schengen visa, family visit. ](/en/health-insurance-visa-foreigners-germany/)[Studies & Language SchoolAffordable long-term health insurance for international students, Studienkolleg, German courses, exchange students and PhD candidates. ](/en/health-insurance-foreign-students-germany/)[Expats (long-term)Affordable long-term health insurance for expats, international skilled workers, freelancers and their families. ](/en/expat-health-insurance-germany/)[Employees (job start)Foreign employees, skilled workers with work visa, seasonal workers and people in the recognition procedure. ](/en/health-insurance-foreign-employees-germany/)[Retirees / parent reunificationAffordable long-term health insurance for foreign retirees, seniors and their partners, family visits. ](/en/health-insurance-foreign-retirees-germany/) More topics [Blocked account & visaAccepted for visa, Opportunity Card and university enrolment. ](/en/blocked-account-visa-germany/)[AustriaAffordable long-term health insurance for Austria. ](/en/health-insurance-foreigners-austria/)[Au-pair health insuranceAffordable health insurance for au-pairs in Germany, Austria & Switzerland — from €21/month. ](/en/au-pair-health-insurance-germany/)[Guides & FAQThe most common mistakes — and how to avoid them in 2 minutes. ](/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/)[Costs & benefitsWhat does it really cost? Compare tariffs, prices and benefits. ](/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/costs-benefits-germany/) Get started [Find a tariff Find the right insurance. ](/en/tariffinder-germany/)[All tariffs Overview of all tariffs. ](/en/product-overview-germany/) ✈️ Visa & Schengen [Overview →](/en/health-insurance-visa-foreigners-germany/) Audiences & situations [Overview — visa & SchengenThe visa umbrella hub: Schengen, national D-visa, short stay and family reunification at a glance. ](/en/health-insurance-visa-foreigners-germany/)[Schengen visa (up to 90 days)Fast health insurance proof for the Schengen visa — meet embassy requirements and avoid common mistakes. ](/en/health-insurance-visa-foreigners-germany/schengen-visa-health-insurance-germany/)[Short stay without visaAffordable health insurance for tourist and visa-free stays — easy, flexible and quick to apply online. ](/en/health-insurance-visa-foreigners-germany/short-stay-health-insurance-germany/)[Visitors & parent visits (3 months to 5 years)Cover for visitors and parents — for stays from 3 months to 5 years, affordable and online. ](/en/health-insurance-visa-foreigners-germany/foreign-visitors-visa-health-insurance-germany/)[Family reunificationFamily reunification: the right insurance proof for partner & children — so the application doesn't fail on missing documents. ](/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/faq-germany/family-reunification-which-health-insurance-is-commonly-required-germany/) Info & requirements [Insurance proof for the visaWhich insurance proofs embassies and immigration offices actually require. ](/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/visa-residence-germany/insurance-proof-visa-germany/)[Schengen insurance requirementsMinimum coverage, repatriation and validity area — so your proof doesn't fail on formalities. ](/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/visa-residence-germany/requirements-schengen-health-insurance-germany/)[Documents & checklistWhich documents to prepare before the visa application — to avoid delays. ](/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/visa-residence-germany/documents-checklist-german-visa-health-insurance-germany/)[Avoid rejectionThe most common mistakes with visa, proof and insurance — and what embassies pay particular attention to. ](/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/visa-residence-germany/avoid-rejection-of-insurance-proof-for-german-visa-germany/) Get started [Find a tariff Find the right insurance. ](/en/tariffinder-germany/)[All tariffs Overview of all tariffs. ](/en/product-overview-germany/) 🎓 Studies & Language School [Overview →](/en/health-insurance-foreign-students-germany/) Audiences & situations [Overview — students & language schoolThe student umbrella hub: GKV, private student insurance, language course, Studienkolleg, exchange and PhD at a glance. ](/en/health-insurance-foreign-students-germany/)[International studentsAffordable health insurance for international students — with quick proof for enrolment, visa and study start. ](/en/health-insurance-foreign-students-germany/)[Language school & German courseThe right insurance proof for language school & German course — so visa, embassy appointment and course start don't fail. ](/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/health-insurance-students-germany/health-insurance-language-course-before-study-differences-typical-mistakes-germany/)[StudienkollegAffordable health insurance for Studienkolleg — with quick proof for embassy, immigration office and course start, plus online application. ](/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/health-insurance-students-germany/preparatory-college-health-insurance-proof-registration-residence-germany/)[Exchange students & PhD candidatesSuitable health insurance for foreign exchange students & PhD candidates — for studies, exchange programmes, research and PhDs, with online application incl. insurance proof. ](/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/health-insurance-students-germany/exchange-students-phd-students-health-insurance-germany/) Info & decisions [Statutory or private student insurance?Statutory health insurance or private student insurance? Find out what really fits your status and study path. ](/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/health-insurance-students-germany/statutory-or-private-student-health-insurance-germany/)[Student visa & proofWhich insurance proofs really count for visa, university enrolment and authorities. ](/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/health-insurance-students-germany/health-insurance-proof-enrollment-university-germany/)[GKV exemptionExemption from statutory insurance: what to know before deciding — so it doesn't become a problem later. ](/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/health-insurance-students-germany/exemption-from-statutory-health-insurance-students-key-points-germany/)[Blocked account & study startHow blocked account, university enrolment and health insurance interact — so your study start isn't delayed. ](/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/health-insurance-students-germany/blocked-account-study-start-health-insurance-enrollment-germany/) Get started [Find a tariff Find the right insurance. ](/en/tariffinder-germany/)[All tariffs Overview of all tariffs. ](/en/product-overview-germany/) 🏠 Expats [Overview →](/en/expat-health-insurance-germany/) Audiences & situations [Overview — expats long-termAffordable & long-term: 6–60 months, family, freelancers, GKV vs private. ](/en/expat-health-insurance-germany/)[Long-term expats in Germany (6–60 months)Affordable long-term cover in Germany — with accepted proof. ](/en/expat-health-insurance-germany/long-term-health-insurance-foreigners-germany/)[Long-term expats in Austria (6–60 months)Affordable long-term cover in Austria — accepted by MA 35. ](/en/health-insurance-foreigners-austria/)[Expats with family (partner & children)Affordable long-term cover for partner & children — no surprises. ](/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/health-insurance-expats-germany/expat-with-family-joint-planning-partner-children-typical-questions-and-mistakes-germany/)[Freelancers & self-employed without an employerNo employer? Affordable long-term option — GKV or private, clarified fast. ](/en/expat-health-insurance-germany/health-insurance-foreign-self-employed-germany/)[Transition without a job (job search / change / termination)Job change or termination: affordable bridge — long-term cover continues. ](/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/health-insurance-expats-germany/expat-without-employer-during-job-search-how-to-stay-insured-germany/) Info & decisions [Which health insurance fits expats?Which health insurance fits as a long-term expat? Avoid mistakes — so registration works and you can see a doctor when needed. ](/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/health-insurance-expats-germany/)[GKV obligation or private solution? (quick check)Clear in 2 minutes: statutory obligation or private — so you don't commit to the wrong path. ](/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/health-insurance-expats-germany/private-vs-statutory-health-insurance-expats-which-factors-typically-matter-germany/)[Proofs for authorities (residence permit, registration, etc.)Get authority proofs right: avoid common mistakes, save time. ](/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/health-insurance-expats-germany/checklist-documents-immigration-office-expat-insurance-proof-deadlines-germany/)[Family & pregnancy: what to watch forAlready pregnant or planning? Common pitfalls in tariffs (waiting periods/benefits) — so there are no nasty surprises. ](/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/health-insurance-expats-germany/pregnancy-health-insurance-expats-proofs-costs-doctor-germany/) Get started [Find a tariff Find the right insurance. ](/en/tariffinder-germany/)[All tariffs Overview of all tariffs. ](/en/product-overview-germany/) Other groups 💼 Employees [Overview →](/en/health-insurance-foreign-employees-germany/) Audiences & situations [Overview — employees & job startThe employee umbrella hub: job start, Blue Card, job change, GKV obligation and employer proof. ](/en/health-insurance-foreign-employees-germany/)[Job start in GermanySo your job start works: the right health insurance + proof, fast and easy. ](/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/health-insurance-employees-germany/common-mistakes-when-starting-in-germany-registration-checklist-germany/)[Blue Card & skilled workersBlue Card & skilled workers: get insured properly, avoid mistakes — proof for employer and registration. ](/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/health-insurance-employees-germany/bluecard-skilled-workers-health-insurance-proof-employer-registration-germany/)[Job change / new positionJob change made easy: stay insured, avoid mistakes, done quickly. ](/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/health-insurance-employees-germany/job-change-health-insurance-what-happens-with-insurance-and-prove-germany/)[Part-time, mini-job & probationPart-time/mini-job/probation: find the right health insurance — without a wrong decision. ](/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/health-insurance-employees-germany/mini-job-midi-job-full-time-health-insurance-differences-germany/) Info & decisions [GKV registration step by stepGKV in 3 steps: error-free, step by step — so you finish quickly. ](/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/health-insurance-employees-germany/statutory-insurance-registration-step-by-step-employees-germany/)[What certificate does the employer need?Employer proof: which certificate is really required — explained quickly. ](/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/health-insurance-employees-germany/employer-asks-insurance-proof-what-must-one-submit-germany/)[GKV obligation: who must, who may choose?Who must join statutory insurance — and who may choose? Without mistakes. ](/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/health-insurance-employees-germany/statutory-insurance-requirement-who-must-who-may-foreigners-germany/)[Documents & checklist for the job startJob start checklist: documents, deadlines, next steps — so you don't forget anything. ](/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/health-insurance-employees-germany/common-mistakes-when-starting-in-germany-registration-checklist-germany/) [Find a tariff Find the right insurance. ](/en/tariffinder-germany/)[All tariffs Overview of all tariffs. ](/en/product-overview-germany/) 🧓 Retirees [Overview →](/en/health-insurance-foreign-retirees-germany/) Audiences & situations [Overview — retirees & parentsThe retiree umbrella hub: parent reunification, seniors 60+, short visits and pre-existing conditions at a glance. ](/en/health-insurance-foreign-retirees-germany/)[Parent reunification / bringing parents to Germany permanentlyBringing parents to Germany permanently: find the right health insurance — avoid common mistakes. ](/en/health-insurance-foreign-retirees-germany/parent-reunification-health-insurance-germany/)[Foreign retirees/parents 60+ in Germany (6 months to 5 years)For parents 60+: find the right long-term cover — so doctor, hospital and authority proofs don't become a problem. ](/en/health-insurance-foreign-retirees-germany/long-term-health-insurance-seniors-germany/)[Short stay / visiting children (up to 90 days)For parent visits up to 90 days: affordable health insurance for doctor & emergency — incl. proof, quick to apply online. ](/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/health-insurance-retirees-germany/short-visit-seniors-health-insurance-which-coverage-commonly-required-germany/)[Retirees with pre-existing conditions & medication (special cases)Pre-existing conditions or medication? We show what's possible — clearly explained, no false promises. ](/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/health-insurance-retirees-germany/health-insurance-pre-existing-conditions-what-is-commonly-checked-when-taking-out-germany/) Info & decisions [Which health insurance fits retirees? (quick overview)Find the right solution quickly for age, stay and proof — before you choose wrong. ](/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/health-insurance-retirees-germany/)[Statutory possible for retirees? Or rather private? (quick check)Statutory or private as a retiree? Clear in 2 minutes — so you don't decide wrongly. ](/en/health-insurance-foreign-retirees-germany/statutory-or-private-health-fund-foreign-retirees-germany/)[Proof for foreigners' authority & residence permit (checklist)Foreigners' authority: submit the proof correctly — avoid common mistakes, save time. ](/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/health-insurance-retirees-germany/immigration-office-insurance-proof-which-details-should-appear-germany/)[Costs in old age: contributions, deductibles, typical pitfallsWhat does it really cost in old age? Contributions, deductibles and typical cost traps — briefly explained. ](/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/health-insurance-retirees-germany/costs-in-age-premiums-deductible-cost-traps-germany/)[Acceptance, exclusions & waiting periods (age/pre-existing)Age/pre-existing conditions: what's possible, what's excluded, what waiting periods apply — briefly explained. ](/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/health-insurance-retirees-germany/health-insurance-pre-existing-conditions-what-is-commonly-checked-when-taking-out-germany/) [Find a tariff Find the right insurance. ](/en/tariffinder-germany/)[All tariffs Overview of all tariffs. ](/en/product-overview-germany/) 🏦 Blocked Account [Overview →](/en/blocked-account-visa-germany/) Audiences & situations [Overview — blocked accountThe blocked account umbrella hub: student visa, application, timing and Opportunity Card at a glance. ](/en/blocked-account-visa-germany/)[Blocked account for the student visa (national visa D)Combine blocked account + health insurance correctly — so the visa appointment doesn't fail. ](/en/blocked-account-visa-germany/blocked-account-student-visa-monthly-rate-logic-and-health-insurance-proof-germany/)[Blocked account + visa applicationWhich proofs belong together (blocked account, KV, documents) — avoid common mistakes. ](/en/blocked-account-visa-germany/blocked-account-and-health-insurance-for-visa-application-germany/)[Documents & checklist (blocked account)Which documents you really need — so nothing gets delayed. ](/en/blocked-account-visa-germany/blocked-account-documents-checklist-providers-mistakes-the-delay-germany/)[Timing: when to open, when to take out insurance?Order & timing: blocked account + KV in time before the visa appointment. ](/en/blocked-account-visa-germany/blocked-account-timing-opening-and-health-insurance-taking-out-before-visa-appointment-germany/)[Opportunity Card / stay without studiesWhen the blocked account is used for other purposes: what to watch for. ](/en/blocked-account-visa-germany/opportunity-card-residence-without-study-blocked-account-health-insurance-proofs-germany/) Info & decisions [Blocked account explained in 2 minutesWhat it is, what it's needed for, common misunderstandings. ](/en/blocked-account-visa-germany/)[Health insurance as proof for the visa (checklist)Which information must be on the proof — so the embassy/authority accepts it. ](/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/visa-residence-germany/documents-checklist-german-visa-health-insurance-germany/)[Avoid rejection (queries / proof errors)Top mistakes + quick fix — so you don't have to resubmit. ](/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/visa-residence-germany/avoid-rejection-of-insurance-proof-for-german-visa-germany/)[Which insurance fits at study start?How blocked account, university enrolment & health insurance interact. ](/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/health-insurance-students-germany/blocked-account-study-start-health-insurance-enrollment-germany/)[Blocked Account productIf you want to open the account directly: overview + application. ](/en/insurance-plans/blocked-account/overview/) [Find a tariff Find the right insurance. ](/en/tariffinder-germany/)[All tariffs Overview of all tariffs. ](/en/product-overview-germany/) 📚 Guides [Overview →](/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/) Audiences & situations [Overview — guides & FAQThe guides umbrella hub: all topics, FAQs and checklists on health insurance in Germany. ](/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/)[Visa & residenceAvoid common mistakes before applying. ](/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/visa-residence-germany/)[StudentsWhich insurance fits enrolment and visa. ](/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/health-insurance-students-germany/)[FAQShort answers to the most common questions. ](/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/faq-germany/)[Costs & benefitsWhat to look out for in affordable tariffs. ](/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/costs-benefits-germany/) More topics [ExpatsWhat matters during a longer stay. ](/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/health-insurance-expats-germany/)[EmployeesHow employees avoid expensive wrong decisions. ](/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/health-insurance-employees-germany/)[Language course / German courseWhich insurance is needed for language course and visa. ](/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/health-insurance-language-course-german-course-germany/)[RetireesWhat retirees should watch for when moving to Germany. ](/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/health-insurance-retirees-germany/)[StudienkollegSuitable cover for the time at Studienkolleg. ](/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/health-insurance-preparatory-college-germany/) [Find a tariff Find the right insurance. ](/en/tariffinder-germany/)[All tariffs Overview of all tariffs. ](/en/product-overview-germany/) [All tariffs](/en/product-overview-germany/)[Find a tariff](/en/tariffinder-germany/) 1 Step 1/3: Check plan (you are here) › 2 Step 2/3: Get PDF proof › 3 Step 3/3: Submit to authority [See plans →](#tarife) [Care Expatriate ab nur 58,00 € / Monat (13–40 J.) (bis 5 Jahre) ](/en/insurance-plans/care-expatriate/overview/) 1. [Home](/en/) 2. [Guide to health insurance in Germany](/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/) 3. FAQ Germany 📑 On this page (13) - [→ Do foreigners need German health insurance?](#do-i-need) - [→ FAQ index by life situation (10 deep dives)](#by-situation) - [→ Recommended tariffs by visa & status](#tarife) - [→ Tariff cheat-sheet — visa type → product](#cheat-sheet) - [→ How authorities accept your proof](#authorities) - [→ Prices — Care Visa Protect, Care Economy, Care Expatriate](#prices) - [→ The 4 most common FAQ-driven mistakes](#problems) - [→ Step-by-step: pick the right cover](#step-by-step) - [→ Glossary — 12 terms you will meet](#glossary) - [→ Krankenkasse, M10, eGK, Schengen — the long answers](#lsi) - [→ More questions English speakers ask](#lsi-long-tail) - [→ Questions foreigners ask before booking](#paa) - [→ 38 frequently asked questions](#faq) As a rule, the wrong answer to ‘which insurance do I need?’ does not cost money — it costs the visa appointment. Schengen, residence permit, study and work each use a different recognised product. Pick the right one before the embassy slot. Caseworker discretion applies. ![Foreigner in Germany reviewing the health-insurance FAQ for visa, study, work and residence-permit files](/assets/expat-health-insurance-germany-hero-BrUyIkfW.webp) The FAQ groups the ten most common foreigner questions — and links straight to the recognised tariff for each. # FAQ — health insurance for foreigners in Germany, simply explained 4.9/5 · 10,000+ policies since 2009 458 customer responses · [our own survey](/en/review-methodology/) · Ausländerbehörde-ready bilingual PDF By **Steffan Grund** · Reviewed September 5, 2026 · 10,000+ placements "Got the Care Visa Protect PDF in 4 minutes — consulate accepted the file on the same morning." — N. R. (Mumbai → Berlin), Schengen visitor Quotes from internal customer feedback, anonymised and shortened. Quotes from internal customer feedback, anonymized and shortened. Individual case review applies; not legal or insurance advice. Plan: identify the visa / stay type (Schengen, study, work, residence over 90 days, family reunion, retirement) → match it to the recognised tariff in the cheat-sheet below → ship the bilingual Krankenversicherungsnachweis to the embassy or the Ausländerbehörde. › **Used by foreigners arriving in Germany from** — show country list Pakistan (Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore), India (Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai), Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Türkiye, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Ethiopia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, China, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Ukraine, Russia, Kosovo, Serbia, Bosnia, North Macedonia and Albania. Used since 2009 by foreigners arriving in Germany — typically accepted by the Ausländerbehörde, the German embassies and the universities for the Krankenversicherungsnachweis. Individual case review applies. Accepted: § 5 AufenthG § 193 VVG EU Reg. 810/2009 Ausländerbehörde (typically) Bilingual PDF (German + English) No upfront medical exam (within policy terms) Cancellable against rejection letter Free re-issue for visa extensions [ Care Visa Protect, HanseMerkur AVB — meets EU Regulation 810/2009 Care Visa Protect from €0.85/day (Schengen, 1–92 days) ⟷ Residence permit delay Residence-permit appointments in Berlin, Munich and Hamburg typically run 4–10 weeks out ⟷ average DRG day-rate, DKG hospital statistics 2024 (Richtwert) German hospital day rate: ~€830/day (Indicative DKG hospital day-rate 2024 — varies by Bundesland and hospital) ](#tarife) No commitment · monthly cancellation · confirmation by email (typically immediate). Sources: § 5 AufenthG · § 193 VVG · § 175 SGB V · § 10 SGB V · EU Regulation 810/2009 · GKV-Spitzenverband · BMG · HanseMerkur AVB · Care Concept AG › **Frequently used by foreigners from** — show country list Pakistan (Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore), India (Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai), Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Türkiye, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Ethiopia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, China, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Ukraine, Russia, Kosovo, Serbia, Bosnia, North Macedonia and Albania. Used since 2009 by foreigners arriving in Germany — typically accepted by the Ausländerbehörde and the German embassies under § 5 AufenthG. Individual case review applies. General information based on the Aufenthaltsgesetz (AufenthG), the Sozialgesetzbuch V (SGB V), the Versicherungsvertragsgesetz (VVG) and our placements since 2009 — not legal, tax or insurance advice; individual embassy, Krankenkasse and Ausländerbehörde caseworkers may decide case-by-case. Indicative: a rejected insurance proof typically pushes the residence-permit appointment 4–10 weeks out and may force the applicant to leave Germany if the visa expires meanwhile. Care Visa Protect (from €0.85/day) and Care Expatriate (from €58/month at ages 13–40) ship the recognised bilingual certificate in minutes. Individual case review applies; not legal advice. **One FAQ, ten life situations, one recognised certificate.** Whether the question is about a Schengen tourist visa, a study permit, a work contract, a residence over 90 days, family reunification or a retiree stay — the answer always returns to the same five line items the German authorities verify: validity period, validity area, minimum coverage, medically- indicated repatriation and the bilingual format. The recognised price floors per situation are [Care Visa Protect from €0.85/day](/en/insurance-plans/care-visa-protect/overview/) for Schengen short stays, [Care College from €27.50/month](/en/insurance-plans/care-college/overview/) for language and Studienkolleg students, and [Care Expatriate from €58/month](/en/insurance-plans/care-expatriate/overview/) for the broad adult cohort. Once GKV access opens (employment, matriculation), the file usually moves to [DAK-Gesundheit](/en/insurance-plans/dak-gesundheit-angestellte/overview/) or another sickness fund. Editor's note: this FAQ aggregates the ten most common foreigner questions we receive every week at the broker desk in Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Frankfurt, Cologne, Hannover, Stuttgart, Düsseldorf and Leipzig. Each question links to the full deep-dive answer further down the page. Last reviewed by Steffan Grund on September 5, 2026. Trusted Providers Care Concept · HanseMerkur · DAK-Gesundheit · BASTI Proof for Your Situation Visa, enrollment, residence, employer or blocked-account documents Online Process Apply online and receive the available confirmation after successful completion ## Do foreigners need German health insurance? **Quick answer:** Yes. Valid health-insurance cover is mandatory for every resident under § 193 VVG and a residence-permit precondition under § 5 AufenthG. For Schengen short stays it is a Schengen visa precondition under EU Regulation 810/2009. The recognised options are statutory GKV (employees and students under 30), substitutive PKV (above the JAEG threshold of €77,400/year, civil servants, most self-employed) or an approved Incoming product (Care Expatriate, Care College, Care Economy, Care Visa Protect). Caseworker discretion applies. The legal mandate has three layers. Under [§ 193 VVG](https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/vvg_2008/__193.html) every German resident must hold valid health insurance. Under [§ 5 AufenthG](https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/aufenthg_2004/__5.html) the Ausländerbehörde verifies the Krankenversicherungsnachweis before issuing or extending an Aufenthaltstitel. Under EU Regulation 810/2009 the Schengen short-stay visa requires €30,000 of medical cover, repatriation and validity across all Schengen states. The same recognised certificate format — bilingual (German + English) PDF, naming every insured person, listing validity period, validity area and the medically-indicated repatriation line — is used across all three product families. What changes is the price logic and the benefits scope. ![Steffan Grund](/assets/steffan-grund-B5K5tUm9.jpg)Written by **Steffan Grund** Reviewed: **August 27, 2026** Sources§ 5 AufenthG · § 193 VVG · § 175 SGB V · § 10 SGB V · EU Regulation 810/2009 · GKV-Spitzenverband · BMG · HanseMerkur AVB · Care Concept AG 4.9/5 458 customer responses · [our own survey](/en/review-methodology/) Over 10,000 policies issued · Since 2009 ## Need an Ausländerbehörde-ready certificate today? [Care Expatriate (up to 5 years) from €58/month (up to 5 years) ](/en/insurance-plans/care-expatriate/overview/)[Care Visa Protect (Schengen) from €0.85/day (up to 92 days) ](/en/insurance-plans/care-visa-protect/overview/) [🔍 Plan Finder](/en/tariffinder-germany/)[📋 All Plans](/en/product-overview-germany/) 🏛️ Authority-approved 📄 Instant proof 🔒 DAK / HanseMerkur 🏷️ Transparent pricing 4.9/5 · Over 10,000 policies placed since 2009 from 458 customer responses · [our own survey](/en/review-methodology/), not independently verified · [How this rating works](/en/review-methodology/) Key facts at a glance Reviewed August 27, 2026 - **Schengen minimum coverage:** €30,000 medical cover, all Schengen states, medically-indicated repatriation — EU Regulation 810/2009. (Source: EUR-Lex). - **JAEG threshold 2026:** €77,400/year (€6,450/month) — annual income above which an employee may opt out of GKV into substitutive PKV. (Source: GKV-Spitzenverband / SGB V). - **Care Visa Protect from €0.85/day:** Schengen short stays (1–92 days), bilingual certificate accepted by German consulates. (Source: HanseMerkur AVB / Care Concept AG). - **Care Expatriate from €58/month:** Ages 13–40, Basic tier; broader recognised Incoming product under § 5 AufenthG. (Source: HanseMerkur AVB / Care Concept AG). ## 📌 TL;DR — at a glance - **Schengen short stay (≤92 days):** Care Visa Protect from €0.85/day — EU Reg. 810/2009 compliant. - **Long stay (>90 days) + residence permit:** Care Expatriate from €58/month (ages 13–40) or Care College from €27.50/month (language students). - **University study under 30:** DAK Student from €135.52/month (incl. Garantietarif 120 saving). M10 electronic notification to the university. - **Work contract under JAEG:** DAK-Gesundheit statutory employee cover (~14.6% + Zusatzbeitrag, split with employer). - **What the embassy verifies:** Validity period, validity area, ≥€30,000 cover, medically-indicated repatriation, bilingual PDF. ## FAQ index by life situation — 10 deep dives **Quick answer:** Ten foreigner life situations cover almost every health- insurance question we receive in Germany. Each card links to the full deep-dive answer, with the recognised tariff and the §-paragraph the Ausländerbehörde verifies. [ ### Health insurance for foreigners — which insurance is needed in Germany? The overview answer: GKV vs PKV vs Incoming, recognised tariffs for each visa type and the bilingual Krankenversicherungsnachweis the Ausländerbehörde verifies. ](/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/faq-germany/health-insurance-foreigners-which-insurance-needed-in-germany/)[ ### Health insurance proof — what authorities accept in Germany Which documents the embassy, the Ausländerbehörde and the universities actually check on the Krankenversicherungsnachweis, and how to attach them. ](/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/faq-germany/health-insurance-proof-what-authorities-accept-germany/)[ ### Schengen visa — is any travel insurance enough for Germany? The €30,000 minimum cover, all Schengen states, medically-indicated repatriation and EU Regulation 810/2009 — what works and what fails. ](/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/faq-germany/schengen-visa-any-travel-insurance-enough-germany/)[ ### Residence over 90 days — which insurance is typically required in Germany? Once a stay crosses 92 days, § 5 AufenthG applies and the Incoming products (Care Expatriate, Care College) replace the Schengen travel policy. ](/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/faq-germany/residence-over-90-days-which-insurance-is-typically-required-germany/)[ ### Study — which health insurance is needed for enrollment in Germany? DAK Student under 30, Care Student for 30+ or exempt, Care College for language and Studienkolleg — what the M10 electronic notification handles. ](/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/faq-germany/study-which-health-insurance-needed-for-enrollment-germany/)[ ### Work in Germany — what does the employer require as insurance proof? The §-paragraphs (§ 5 SGB V, § 6 SGB V), the JAEG threshold and what foreign employees actually attach for the contract and the Lohnabrechnung. ](/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/faq-germany/work-germany-what-employer-requires-as-insurance-proof-germany/)[ ### Job search — how to stay insured without an employer in Germany Between jobs, on the Opportunity Card or in the first months as a freelancer: bridging cover with Care Economy or Care Expatriate before GKV access opens. ](/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/faq-germany/job-search-how-to-stay-insured-without-employer-germany/)[ ### Retirees abroad — which health insurance is realistic in Germany? Senior bands on Care Expatriate up to age 74, Form S1 for EU pensioners, family reunification with statutory spouses — what is realistic and what is not. ](/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/faq-germany/retirees-abroad-which-health-insurance-is-realistic-germany/)[ ### Family reunification — which health insurance is commonly required in Germany? Spouse, child and parent reunification files: when the GKV Familienversicherung applies and when Care Expatriate or Care Economy bridges the gap. ](/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/faq-germany/family-reunification-which-health-insurance-is-commonly-required-germany/)[ ### Costs — what influences the health insurance premium most in Germany? Age band, tier, deductible, contract length and product family: the five levers that decide what foreigners pay each month — with anchor prices. ](/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/faq-germany/costs-what-influences-the-health-insurance-premium-most-germany/) ## Recommended health insurance by visa & status Three recognised Incoming products cover almost every foreigner FAQ — Care Visa Protect as the Schengen short-stay anchor, Care Expatriate as the long-stay broad adult anchor, Care College as the language-student price floor. All ship the bilingual Krankenversicherungsnachweis the Ausländerbehörde verifies. 🌍 Long-stay anchor · up to 5 years ### Care Expatriate from only €58.00 / month (coverage up to 5 years) For foreign nationals with longer stays: expats, self-employed professionals, freelancers, employees on assignment without German statutory insurance, retirees & seniors up to age 74 - Proof of insurance for visas & immigration authorities quickly available (PDF) - Coverage up to 5 years – less renewal stress - Doctor, hospital, prescription medication & dental treatment coverage - For longer stays in Germany, Austria, the EU/Schengen Area, Liechtenstein or Switzerland - Suitable for expats, self-employed professionals, freelancers, employees on assignment without German statutory insurance, retirees & seniors - More planning security for residence permits, projects or jobs - 24/7 assistance + digital insurance card - Age-based rates: from €58/month ages 13–40 · from €68 ages 41–60 · from €246 ages 61–74 - Coverage term: 3 months to 5 years · entry age 0–74 - Reputable insurance carrier Why Care Expatriate? For foreign nationals with longer stays who need solid health insurance and proof of coverage for authorities — suitable for expats, freelancers, self-employed professionals, employees on assignment without German statutory insurance, retirees & seniors up to age 74. Why a 5-year coverage term? More planning security: less renewal stress and a lower risk of a coverage gap if your stay lasts longer. - 🏛️ HanseMerkur Insurance Group Hamburg – Advigon Insurance AG - 📄 Instant proof of insurance for visas & immigration authorities (PDF) - 🔒 Doctor, clinic, dental treatment & repatriation coverage - 🏷️ From €58 / month · coverage up to 5 years [Care Expatriate – Quick Overview](/en/insurance-plans/care-expatriate/plan-details/) [Apply online now](/en/insurance-plans/care-expatriate/apply/) → Complete the application, receive your instant PDF, submit your proof ✈️ Schengen · 1–92 days ### Care Visa Protect from only €0.85 / day (1–92 days possible) For Schengen visas, tourists, family visits & business travel - Proof of insurance for visas & immigration authorities quickly available (PDF) - Meets Schengen visa insurance requirements - Affordable coverage from €0.85/day (minimum premium applies) - Doctor, hospital, prescription medication & dental emergency coverage - For Germany, Austria, the EU/Schengen Area, Liechtenstein or Switzerland - Ideal for short stays, family visits, tourists & business travelers - Multiple-visa option: several trips up to a total of 92 days/year - Must be purchased before entry - Age-based rates: from €0.85/day up to age 64 · from €2.60/day for ages 65–74 - Coverage term: 1–92 days · entry age 0–74 Why Care Visa Protect? For foreign visitors with a Schengen visa who need fast, affordable proof of insurance for an embassy, visa office or immigration authority — suitable for tourists, family visits and short business trips. Why a 92-day coverage term? Ideal for typical short stays and Schengen trips: enough coverage for a visit, vacation or business trip — without buying long-term insurance. - 🏛️ HanseMerkur Travel Insurance AG, Hamburg - 📄 Instant proof of insurance for visas & immigration authorities (PDF) - 🔒 Doctor, clinic, dental emergency & repatriation coverage - 🏷️ From €0.85 / day · coverage up to 92 days [Care Visa Protect – Quick Overview](/en/insurance-plans/care-visa-protect/plan-details/) [Apply online now](/en/insurance-plans/care-visa-protect/apply/) → Complete the application, receive your instant PDF, submit your proof Language student or Studienkolleg attendee? [Care College from €27.50/month](/en/insurance-plans/care-college/overview/) is the recognised entry-level Incoming product. Visitor or Chancenkarte holder? [Care Economy from €30 per 30 days](/en/insurance-plans/care-economy/overview/) covers up to 2 years. ## Tariff cheat-sheet — visa type, status, recognised product **Quick answer:** Map the visa / stay type and your status to the recognised product and entry price. The certificate format is identical across the Incoming products — what changes is the monthly premium and the benefits scope. Visa / stay / status Recommended tariff From Schengen short stay (≤ 92 days) [Care Visa Protect](/en/insurance-plans/care-visa-protect/overview/) from €0.85/day Long-stay adult / freelancer / family reunion (ages 13–40) [Care Expatriate](/en/insurance-plans/care-expatriate/overview/) from €58/month (up to 5 years) Language student / Sprachkurs / Studienkolleg (up to 29) [Care College](/en/insurance-plans/care-college/overview/) from €27.50/month (up to 5 years) University student under 30 [DAK Student (statutory)](/en/insurance-plans/dak-gesundheit/overview/) from €135.52/mo Student 30+ or GKV-exempt [Care Student](/en/insurance-plans/care-student/overview/) from €101.54/month (up to 5 years) Visitor / Chancenkarte / family bridge (0–74) [Care Economy](/en/insurance-plans/care-economy/overview/) from €30 / 30 days (up to 2 years) Employee under JAEG (€77,400/year) [DAK-Gesundheit (statutory)](/en/insurance-plans/dak-gesundheit-angestellte/overview/) ~14.6% + Zusatzbeitrag Retiree / senior long stay (ages 61–74) [Care Expatriate (senior band)](/en/insurance-plans/care-expatriate/overview/) from €246/mo Not sure which fits? [Try the 30-second tariff finder](/en/tariffinder-germany/). ## How German authorities accept your health-insurance proof **Quick answer:** Four authorities verify the Krankenversicherungsnachweis: the German embassy / consulate (visa file), the Ausländerbehörde (residence-permit file), the university or language school (enrollment) and the employer (HR / payroll). Each looks at the same five line items in a slightly different order. German embassy / consulate (visa file) Verifies validity period, validity area (Schengen for short stays, Germany for long stays), minimum coverage (€30,000 Schengen / full medical long-stay) and medically-indicated repatriation. Bilingual PDF expected. Ausländerbehörde (residence permit) Verifies § 5 AufenthG cover for the full residence-permit window — typically the German residence-permit Krankenversicherungsnachweis from Care Expatriate, Care College, GKV Mitgliedsbescheinigung or substitutive PKV. University / language school University enrollment runs on the M10 electronic notification (DAK Student / Care Student). Language schools and Studienkollege accept the Care College bilingual certificate directly. Employer (HR / payroll) The Mitgliedsbescheinigung from the chosen Krankenkasse is forwarded to HR for the Lohnabrechnung. Above the JAEG, the substitutive PKV Bescheinigung over Versicherung replaces it. ## Prices — Care Visa Protect, Care Economy, Care Expatriate by age band & duration **Quick answer:** Three recognised Incoming products cover the broad FAQ price spectrum: Care Visa Protect from €0.85/day for Schengen short stays, Care Economy from €30 per 30 days for visitor stays up to 2 years, and Care Expatriate from €58/month at ages 13–40 for long-stay residence-permit files. ### Care Visa Protect — Schengen short-stay (1–92 days) Care Visa Protect Daily premium Multiple Visa (annual contract) up to age 64 €0.85/day €110/year 65 – 74 years €2.60/day €215/year Prices per person. Minimum premium €8.50 per trip. Maximum benefit €50,000 (well above the Schengen minimum of €30,000). Deductible €0. Must be purchased before travel. As of 2026. [Care Visa Protect — Overview](/en/insurance-plans/care-visa-protect/overview/) [Apply now](/en/insurance-plans/care-visa-protect/overview/) ### Care Economy — visitor stays up to 2 years Care Economy Duration Bestseller up to 64 up to 64 Bestseller 65+ 65+ no deductible with deductible no deductible with deductible up to 90 days €1.18/day €1.00/day €3.48/day €2.95/day 91–180 days €1.59/day €1.35/day €4.37/day €3.70/day 181–365 days €2.30/day €1.95/day €5.84/day €4.95/day 366–730 days €2.83/day €2.40/day €9.32/day €7.90/day All prices per day/person in euros. Minimum premium €10 per person and term. Deductible is the share you pay yourself. Entry age 0–74. As of 2026. [Care Economy — Overview](/en/insurance-plans/care-economy/overview/) [Apply now](/en/insurance-plans/care-economy/overview/) ### Care Expatriate — long-stay residence permit, up to 5 years Care Expatriate worldwide without USA, Canada and Mexico Basic Bestseller Comfort Premium Deductible / yr 150,– Deductible / yr 150,– Deductible / yr 500,– Deductible / yr 0,– Deductible / yr 500,– Deductible / yr 1.000,– Entry age: 0–12 (€ / month) 64,– 104,– 81,– 191,– 149,– 117,– Entry age: 13–40 (€ / month) 58,– 84,– 63,– 181,– 141,– 109,– Entry age: 41–60 (€ / month) 68,– 103,– 77,– 256,– 201,– 156,– Entry age: 61–74 (€ / month) 246,– 322,– 248,– 432,– 336,– 263,– All prices per month/person in euros. Deductible applies per insurance year. As of 2026. [Care Expatriate — Overview](/en/insurance-plans/care-expatriate/overview/) [Apply now](/en/insurance-plans/care-expatriate/overview/) ## The 4 most common FAQ-driven mistakes — and how each one is solved **Quick answer:** Four mistakes repeat in nearly every foreigner file: a Schengen travel policy stretched past day 92, a home-country travel policy used in place of an Incoming product, the wrong product family for the visa type and a late M10 notification that delays university enrollment. Schengen policy stretched past day 92 Care Visa Protect is a 1–92-day Schengen product. Once the stay crosses 92 days, § 5 AufenthG applies and a long-stay Incoming product replaces the Schengen policy. [Care Expatriate covers long stays →](/en/insurance-plans/care-expatriate/overview/) Home-country travel policy in place of Incoming Wrong validity area, wrong duration, missing repatriation. Embassy rejects the file; appointment slot is lost. [Care Visa Protect clears EU Reg. 810/2009 →](/en/insurance-plans/care-visa-protect/overview/) Wrong product family for the visa type Care College booked for a university enrollment that actually needs DAK Student or Care Student with M10. [DAK Student with M10 →](/en/insurance-plans/dak-gesundheit/overview/) M10 sent late — enrollment delayed The M10 electronic notification typically reaches the university within 3 working days. Filing late pushes enrollment by a full semester. [Care Student M10 process →](/en/insurance-plans/care-student/overview/) ## Reality check: what one wrong FAQ answer actually costs ## One wrong insurance choice can cost you money, time and your application deadline A medical incident can become expensive fast — but the wrong certificate can also delay your visa, enrollment, residence permit or work start. 🏥 €500–€1,500 Emergency doctor visit One urgent doctor or emergency-room visit can already create a painful bill — before tests, medication or follow-up treatment are added. 🏨 €2,000–€10,000+ Hospital treatment If observation, surgery, overnight stay or specialist treatment is needed, costs can quickly move from hundreds to thousands of euros. 🧳 Up to 5 years Short visitor cover may be too weak For long stays, freelance work or residence documents, short visitor insurance may be too short or not the right proof. - Wrong or incomplete proof can delay your visa, enrollment or authority process. - Cheap home-country policies may miss the exact coverage, dates or repatriation wording required. - The cheapest policy can become expensive if it is the wrong proof for your situation. Before you apply, check: coverage amount, validity dates, destination area and repatriation cover. ## Timing — why the booking date matters as much as the tariff ## Why act before your residence documents are due Long-stay proof can become urgent during visa, residence permit, project or relocation steps. Short visitor cover may not be enough. 🧳 Long stay, different proof Care Expatriate can fit longer incoming stays up to 5 years, depending on age and selected plan. 📄 Residence documents need clarity Your proof should match destination, coverage period and long-stay purpose. ⚡ Do not wait for renewal stress Preparing longer coverage early can reduce repeated extension pressure. ✅ Private or statutory? Freelancers, self-employed people and employees on assignment without German statutory insurance may need a different route than employees. ## What foreigners say about the FAQ-driven recommended tariffs in Germany 4.9/5 458 customer responses · [our own survey](/en/review-methodology/) “ 5/5 > “My biggest worry was that the embassy wouldn't accept the insurance. > The proof was accepted immediately — no questions asked. > That saved me a lot of stress.” ![Georges from Cameroon](/assets/georges-kamerun-C6GQZGzu.jpg) Georges Cameroon “ 5/5 > “I needed proof of insurance urgently for my visa appointment. > The confirmation arrived within minutes by email. > Everything worked first time at the embassy.” ![Olga from Russia](/assets/olga-russland--B_6p7O-.jpg) Olga Russia “ 5/5 > “Found the best solution and best service for health insurance for foreign visitors and guests in Germany. > Fast, simple and affordable. > Highly recommended!” ![Michael from Germany](/assets/michael-deutschland-CFcwSzJg.jpg) Michael Germany “ 5/5 > “The online sign-up was done in just a few minutes. > When I actually had to see a doctor, the billing went smoothly. > I was really covered — not just on paper.” ![Yunhee from Australia](/assets/yunhee-australien-CaHyNO5z.jpg) Yunhee Australia ### Now choose your plan 4.9/5 458 customer responses · [our own survey](/en/review-methodology/) ## Step-by-step: pick the right health insurance for your German file ## Long-term stay covered in 3 steps Care Expatriate can cover longer incoming stays up to 5 years, depending on age and selected plan. 1. 1 🎯 Choose your plan Care Expatriate for expats, freelancers, self-employed people, employees on assignment without German statutory insurance, or seniors up to entry age 74. 2. 2 📝 Complete the application Enter passport, destination, stay details and requested coverage period online. Additional questions may apply depending on the plan. 3. 3 ✅ Submit your proof Receive PDF confirmation after successful application and submit it to the embassy, consulate or immigration authority if requested. **Quick answer:** Five steps cover almost every foreigner FAQ — from identifying the visa / stay type to issuing the bilingual Krankenversicherungsnachweis the embassy and the Ausländerbehörde verify. 1. **Identify the visa / stay type.** Schengen short stay (≤92 days) → Care Visa Protect. Long stay (>90 days) → Incoming or, when eligible, GKV / PKV. 2. **Identify your status.** Employee under JAEG → GKV (DAK). Student under 30 → DAK Student. Language student → Care College. Newcomer / freelancer / family reunion → Care Expatriate. 3. **Compare on three line items.** Monthly premium, annual deductible, benefits scope. Cheapest line is rarely the cheapest year-end total. 4. **Apply online and issue the bilingual certificate.** 5 minutes — name, date of birth, planned entry date, requested duration. No upfront medical exam within policy terms. 5. **Switch when status changes.** Once GKV access opens (employment, matriculation under 30, family reunion), cancel the Incoming policy to the GKV start date. ## Glossary — 12 terms you will meet in the FAQ **Quick answer:** Twelve terms appear in almost every Krankenkasse letter, embassy email and Care Expatriate quote. Mastering them shortens the FAQ from days to an afternoon. Krankenkasse A statutory health insurance fund (sickness fund) — DAK-Gesundheit, Techniker Krankenkasse (TK), AOK, Barmer, hkk, BIG direkt gesund, mhplus, IKK classic and the BKK funds. About 95 Krankenkassen operate in Germany; the 14.6% base contribution is identical by law and they only compete on the Zusatzbeitrag (avg ~1.7% in 2026, GKV-Spitzenverband). M10 notification Electronic notification sent by the Krankenkasse (or by Care Concept for Care Student) to a German university so the student can enroll. Mandatory for DAK Student and Care Student university enrollment flows; not required for Care College, which is for language students and Studienkolleg attendees. eGK (elektronische Gesundheitskarte) Electronic health card issued by every GKV Krankenkasse. Shown at the doctor's reception, contains the insured person's basic data and the photo. Not issued by Incoming products — Care Expatriate, Care College and Care Economy patients pay the invoice and are reimbursed against receipt (Kostenerstattung). GKV (Gesetzliche Krankenversicherung) Statutory health insurance in Germany. Premium is roughly 14.6% of gross salary plus the fund's Zusatzbeitrag, split with the employer. Mandatory for employees under the JAEG threshold (€77,400/year, 2026), students under 30 and several other groups. PKV (substitutive Krankenvollversicherung) Substitutive private health insurance — a full replacement for GKV available to employees above the JAEG threshold, civil servants and most self-employed. Medically underwritten and age-based; market range typically €350–€900/month for new entrants (Richtwert). Incoming insurance Private cover designed for foreigners on a German residence permit who do not yet have GKV access — Care Expatriate, Care College, Care Economy and Care Visa Protect by HanseMerkur / Care Concept AG. The bilingual Krankenversicherungsnachweis is what the Ausländerbehörde verifies. AVB (Allgemeine Versicherungsbedingungen) Official policy terms of a private insurance product. The binding scope for every benefit, exclusion, waiting period and refund rule. When the wording in this FAQ and the AVB diverge, the AVB always wins. Selbstbeteiligung (deductible) Annual amount the insured person pays before the insurer steps in. Care Student carries a standard €300/year deductible; Care Expatriate offers optional deductible tiers that lower the monthly premium. Familienversicherung Free family coverage in GKV (§ 10 SGB V): non-working spouses and children of a statutorily-insured member are co-insured at no extra premium, provided the income limits are met. Not available in substitutive PKV or in Incoming products. Beitragssatz GKV contribution rate. General rate is 14.6% (Allgemeiner Beitragssatz) of gross salary, split with the employer. The reduced rate of 14.0% (Ermäßigter Beitragssatz) applies when there is no sickness-pay entitlement (e.g. some self-employed members). Zusatzbeitrag The individual supplementary contribution each Krankenkasse sets on top of the 14.6% base. Average 2026: ~1.7% (GKV-Spitzenverband). A Zusatzbeitrag rise triggers a 2-month special right of cancellation under § 175 SGB V. Sperrkonto (blocked account) A frozen bank account holding the federal Lebensunterhalt amount (€11,904 in 2026 for a 12-month student visa) that proves financial means for the German embassy and the Ausländerbehörde. BASTI Smart and Premium bundle the blocked account with Care Visa Protect, DAK Garantietarif and personal liability cover. ## Krankenkasse, M10, eGK, Schengen — the long answers foreigners ask **Quick answer:** Four topics — the Krankenkasse choice, the M10 electronic student notification, the eGK electronic health card and the Schengen €30,000 rule — drive most of the German FAQ traffic. Each one has a one-sentence answer and a longer answer; both sit below. ### Which Krankenkasse to pick — TK, DAK, Barmer, AOK? About 95 Krankenkassen currently operate in Germany. The largest by membership are Techniker Krankenkasse (TK), DAK-Gesundheit, Barmer and the regional AOKs. The 14.6% base contribution is identical by law — funds compete only on the Zusatzbeitrag (average ~1.7% in 2026, GKV-Spitzenverband) and on service quality (English app, M10 electronic notification, online onboarding, branch coverage). For most foreigners the choice turns on service, not on price. See the dedicated [**Krankenkasse comparison sub-page**](/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/costs-benefits-germany/krankenkasse-comparison-tk-vs-dak-vs-barmer-vs-aok-germany/) for a side-by-side breakdown of the four largest funds. ### M10 — the electronic enrollment notification for students M10 is the electronic notification the Krankenkasse (or Care Concept for Care Student) sends to a German university so the student can be enrolled. It is required for university enrollment flows under DAK Student and Care Student. Care College does not use M10 — it is for language students, Sprachschüler and Studienkolleg attendees and ships the bilingual Krankenversicherungsnachweis the institution accepts directly. M10 typically reaches the university within 3 working days of successful application. ### eGK — the electronic health card Every GKV Krankenkasse issues an elektronische Gesundheitskarte (eGK) carrying the insured person's basic data and photo. The eGK is shown at the doctor's reception; the practice bills the fund directly. Substitutive PKV and Incoming products do not issue an eGK — the patient pays the invoice and is reimbursed against receipt (Kostenerstattung), typically within a few working days. ### Schengen €30,000 — what EU Regulation 810/2009 actually requires For Schengen short-stay visas, EU Regulation 810/2009 (the Visa Code) requires travel medical insurance with at least €30,000 of medical cover, valid in all Schengen states and including medically-indicated repatriation to the home country. Care Visa Protect is built around this requirement and exceeds the €30,000 minimum. The €30,000 figure is the legal floor, not a ceiling — real German hospital bills can easily exceed it, so the higher cover levels are not just bureaucracy. See the dedicated [**Schengen visa health-insurance mini-hub**](/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/costs-benefits-germany/schengen-visa-health-insurance-germany/) for the full breakdown. ### Family reunification and the Familienversicherung Under § 10 SGB V, the GKV Familienversicherung covers non-working spouses and children of a statutorily-insured member at no extra premium, provided the income limits are met. For incoming family-reunion files where the host is not yet on GKV, the standard bridge is Care Economy or Care Expatriate until the GKV trigger event opens (typically the work contract or matriculation of the reunifying spouse). Personal advice is recommended for individual case planning. ### EHIC, S1 form and EU pensioners in Germany EU and EEA citizens with a public health-insurance card (European Health Insurance Card, EHIC) are covered for medically-necessary treatment during short stays in Germany. EU pensioners moving to Germany can typically use the Form S1 (formerly E121) to register their pension-country statutory cover with a German Krankenkasse. For foreigners outside the EU/EEA, Care Expatriate is the standard recognised long-stay alternative. ## More questions English speakers ask about the German healthcare system **Quick answer:** The questions below answer the long-tail phrases foreigners inside and outside Germany type into Google and AI engines — from "does Germany have free healthcare" to "best public health insurance Germany" — in plain English, with the German source terms in brackets so the answer also ranks for the German query. ### How does the German healthcare system actually work? Germany operates a dual-pillar universal-coverage model (Bismarck system): statutory health insurance (gesetzliche Krankenversicherung, GKV) covers roughly 88% of residents, substitutive private health insurance (private Krankenversicherung, PKV) covers the rest, and approved Incoming products bridge foreigners until either pillar opens. There is no "free German healthcare" in the British NHS or Scandinavian sense — every resident pays into the system, but treatment is delivered without bills at the point of care for GKV members (Sachleistungsprinzip) and on a reimbursement basis (Kostenerstattung) for PKV and Incoming patients. Doctors bill under the EBM tariff for GKV and the GOÄ tariff for private and Incoming cover. ### Does Germany have universal healthcare or free healthcare? Universal coverage: yes — every resident must hold either GKV, substitutive PKV or, for foreigners not yet eligible for either, an approved Incoming product such as Care Expatriate. Free at the point of use: only partially — GKV patients show the elektronische Gesundheitskarte (eGK) and the practice bills the fund directly, but everyone pays into the system (~14.6% + Zusatzbeitrag on gross salary in GKV, an underwritten premium in PKV, a flat monthly tariff in Incoming). Out-of-pocket items include €5–€10 prescription co-pays, dental crowns above the basic standard and selected IGeL services. ### Best public health insurance in Germany — how to choose There is no single "best Krankenkasse"; there is the one that fits the file. The 14.6% base contribution is identical by law, so the differences are the Zusatzbeitrag (each fund sets its own, average ~1.7% in 2026 per GKV-Spitzenverband), the bonus programmes, the strength of the English app, the speed of the M10 electronic notification and the depth of the branch network. Techniker Krankenkasse (TK), DAK-Gesundheit, Barmer and the regional AOKs are the four most common picks for foreigners — the dedicated [**Krankenkasse comparison sub-page**](/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/costs-benefits-germany/krankenkasse-comparison-tk-vs-dak-vs-barmer-vs-aok-germany/) puts them side by side. ### How to apply for German health insurance as a foreigner For employees, the employer normally registers the new hire with the chosen Krankenkasse on day one — bring a German tax ID, passport, residence permit and address registration (Anmeldebestätigung). For regular students under 30, apply directly with DAK or another fund and the M10 electronic notification flows to the university. For foreigners without a German employer or matriculation, the faster path is online application for Care Expatriate (long-stay residence permit), Care College (language students), Care Economy (visitors, Chancenkarte) or Care Visa Protect (Schengen short stay): the bilingual Krankenversicherungsnachweis arrives by email within minutes. ### Krankenkasse in English — what foreigners need to know "Krankenkasse" translates as statutory health insurance fund. The four largest are Techniker Krankenkasse (TK), DAK-Gesundheit, Barmer and the regional AOK family — all offer English-language onboarding, English mobile apps and written confirmation of cover in English on request. The German letters the funds send (Mitgliedsbescheinigung, Beitragsbescheid, Sozialversicherungsausweis) are accepted by the Ausländerbehörde and most employers in their German original; foreigners do not need certified translations. ### Hospitalisation in Germany — what it actually costs without insurance Inpatient hospital care averages around €830/day in 2024 (DKG hospital statistics, Richtwert), so a one-week stay for an uninsured foreigner can easily clear €5,800 before surgery, imaging or intensive care are added. An emergency appendectomy with two nights inpatient typically lands €4,000–€7,000; a complicated delivery or an ICU week can cross €20,000. Set against ~€58/month for Care Expatriate or €0.85/day for Care Visa Protect, the price gap between "no cover" and "compliant cover" is one or two restaurant bills per month. ### EHIC, foreign cards and Italian or Turkish statutory cover in Germany A European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) issued by another EU/EEA member state covers medically-necessary treatment during a short stay in Germany — useful for tourists and short business trips, not a substitute for a residence permit. For long-stay residents from EU/EEA states, the S1 form can register the home-country statutory cover with a German Krankenkasse. For students from Turkey, the bilateral AT/TR social-security agreement issues a separate entitlement document, but most universities still prefer DAK or Care Student for the M10 electronic notification — individual case review applies. Cover from a non-EU/EEA home country (United States, India, China, Pakistan, Nigeria, United Kingdom post-Brexit) is generally not accepted for German visa or residence-permit files; the recognised substitute is an Incoming product. ### Freelancers, self-employed and the Künstlersozialkasse (KSK) Self-employed foreigners are normally not in GKV Pflichtversicherung — they choose between voluntary GKV (freiwillig gesetzlich), substitutive PKV and, for the first months in Germany, Care Expatriate. Creative freelancers (writers, journalists, designers, musicians) may qualify for the Künstlersozialkasse (KSK), which pays roughly half the GKV/PKV premium on the artist's behalf. Personal advice is recommended before choosing the long-term track — switching back from PKV to GKV after age 55 is generally barred by § 6 SGB V. ### Private health insurance Germany — when does it make sense? Substitutive PKV is the long-term private alternative to GKV. It is open to employees above the JAEG threshold (€77,400/year gross in 2026), civil servants (Beamte) and most self-employed residents — but the application is medically underwritten, premiums rise with age, and family members need separate contracts. PKV often beats GKV under age 35 with no children and loses the comparison above 50 with dependants. Newcomers, freelancers in the first months and language students normally use an Incoming product (Care Expatriate, Care College, Care Economy, Care Visa Protect) until the GKV or PKV trigger event opens. ## Two deep dives — pick the Krankenkasse or the Schengen product **Quick answer:** Two dedicated sub-pages drill one level deeper than this FAQ overview: a side-by-side comparison of the four largest German Krankenkassen and a Schengen-visa mini-hub for short stays of up to 92 days. [ ### Krankenkasse comparison — TK vs DAK vs Barmer vs AOK Zusatzbeitrag, English support, app maturity and the M10 electronic notification — the four largest German statutory funds side by side for foreigners. ](/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/costs-benefits-germany/krankenkasse-comparison-tk-vs-dak-vs-barmer-vs-aok-germany/)[ ### Schengen visa health insurance Germany — mini-hub €30,000 minimum cover, all Schengen states, medically-indicated repatriation and EU Regulation 810/2009 — Care Visa Protect from €0.85/day. ](/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/costs-benefits-germany/schengen-visa-health-insurance-germany/) ## Country-specific FAQs — answers for your passport **Quick answer:** Visa rules, embassy practices and accepted insurers vary by nationality. Five dedicated pages cover the most-asked questions for Indian, Turkish, American, Nigerian and Brazilian citizens — with country-specific cost ranges and recognised tariffs. [ ### For Indian citizens Schengen, study & Blue Card from New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Kolkata. ](/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/faq-germany/for-indian-citizens/)[ ### For Turkish citizens Family reunification, study, Schengen — Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Antalya. ](/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/faq-germany/for-turkish-citizens/)[ ### For US citizens Visa-free 90 days, EU Blue Card, freelance visa, retirement. ](/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/faq-germany/for-american-citizens/)[ ### For Nigerian citizens Schengen, study, Chancenkarte (Opportunity Card) — Lagos & Abuja. ](/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/faq-germany/for-nigerian-citizens/)[ ### For Brazilian citizens Visa-free 90 days, freelance visa, artist visa, family reunification. ](/en/guide-health-insurance-germany/faq-germany/for-brazilian-citizens/) ## Questions foreigners ask before booking **Quick answer:** Six questions cover almost every booking-stage doubt — what is recognised, what is rejected, what the embassy actually verifies and how the certificate is refunded if the visa is denied. - **What is the cheapest recognised health insurance for foreigners?** For Schengen short stays: [Care Visa Protect](/en/insurance-plans/care-visa-protect/overview/) from €0.85/day. For language students and Studienkolleg: Care College from €27.50/month. For the broad adult cohort: Care Expatriate from €58/month. - **Will my certificate be accepted by the German embassy?** The bilingual Krankenversicherungsnachweis from Care Visa Protect, Care Economy, Care College and Care Expatriate is widely accepted by German consulates worldwide. Final decision sits with the responsible caseworker. - **How long does it take to get the certificate?** Care Visa Protect / Care Economy / Care College / Care Expatriate ship the bilingual PDF within minutes after a successful online application. - **Can I extend the cover for a visa renewal?** Yes. Care Expatriate and Care College extend up to 60 months on a single contract. The bilingual certificate is re-issued at no extra fee. - **Can I get a refund if my visa is denied?** As a rule, yes — Care Expatriate, Care College, Care Economy and Care Visa Protect refund against the official rejection letter, minus the days already on cover. - **Does any policy cover pre-existing conditions?** Acute and unforeseen treatment is covered within the AVB. Chronic and pre-existing conditions are subject to AVB exclusions and waiting periods. The binding scope is always the AVB. ## 38 frequently asked questions — health insurance for foreigners in Germany ## Frequently Asked Questions Do foreigners need health insurance to live in Germany? The 2026 rate applies from January 1, 2026; check § 13a AufenthV / § 5 SGB V for the current thresholds. Yes — health insurance is a legal requirement for every resident under § 193 VVG, and the Ausländerbehörde will not issue or extend a residence permit (§ 5 AufenthG) without a valid Krankenversicherungsnachweis. The accepted options for foreigners are GKV (employees under JAEG, students under 30), substitutive PKV (above JAEG, civil servants, most self-employed) or an approved Incoming product (Care Expatriate, Care College, Care Economy, Care Visa Protect). Caseworker discretion applies; not legal advice. Is health insurance mandatory for tourists in Germany? For Schengen short stays (up to 92 days), EU Regulation 810/2009 requires travel medical insurance with at least €30,000 of cover, valid in all Schengen states and including medically-indicated repatriation. Care Visa Protect from €0.85/day meets this requirement and ships the bilingual certificate for the consulate. Without valid cover, the German consulate normally refuses the Schengen visa. Caseworker discretion applies. Does Germany have free healthcare? GKV is funded by income-based contributions (roughly 14.6% + Zusatzbeitrag, split with the employer), not by general taxation. No — Germany does not have free healthcare in the British or Scandinavian sense. It has a universal health-insurance mandate: every resident must hold either GKV, substitutive PKV or — for foreigners on a residence permit not yet eligible for either — an approved Incoming product such as Care Expatriate. How much is health insurance in Germany for foreigners? GKV: ~14.6% of gross salary plus the fund's Zusatzbeitrag (avg ~1.7% in 2026), split with the employer. Three price logics apply. Substitutive PKV: medically underwritten, €350–€900/month for new entrants (Richtwert). Incoming: from €27.50/month with Care College (language students, age up to 29), from €58/month with Care Expatriate (ages 13–40) and from €0.85/day with Care Visa Protect for Schengen short stays. Individual case review applies. What is the cheapest health insurance for international students in Germany? For regular university students under age 30, DAK Student is the standard statutory cover at around €135.52/month (Garantietarif 120 with the €120/year saving). For language students and Studienkolleg attendees until the 30th birthday, Care College from €27.50/month is the recognised entry-level Incoming product. For students over 30 or those exempted from statutory student insurance, Care Student at €101.54/month (CCS + PVN + Pflege) is the GKV-equivalent recognised option. Do I need TK or DAK as a foreigner — which Krankenkasse is best? The 14.6% base contribution is identical by law; they compete only on the Zusatzbeitrag (average ~1.7% in 2026, GKV-Spitzenverband) and on service quality (English app, M10 electronic notification, online onboarding). Both Techniker Krankenkasse (TK) and DAK-Gesundheit are large, English-friendly statutory funds with strong urban branch networks and online enrollment. For most foreigners the choice turns on service, not on price. See the deep dive at the Krankenkasse comparison sub-page below. Can I use travel insurance from my home country for a German visa? Care Economy: from €30 per 30 days for visitors and short stays (up to age 64). As a rule, no. Home-country travel policies typically fail on three points: validity area (often not all Schengen states), validity period (often shorter than the requested visa) and missing repatriation wording. The recognised Incoming products (Care Visa Protect from €0.85/day, Care Economy from €30 per 30 days, Care Expatriate from €58/month) are designed for the German visa and § 5 AufenthG requirements and ship the bilingual Krankenversicherungsnachweis the consulate and the Ausländerbehörde verify. What does the Schengen €30,000 coverage requirement actually mean? EU Regulation 810/2009 sets a minimum medical coverage of €30,000 for all Schengen short-stay visas, valid in all Schengen states and including medically-indicated repatriation to the home country. Care Visa Protect (HanseMerkur / Care Concept AG) is built around this requirement and exceeds the €30,000 minimum. The €30,000 figure is the legal floor, not a ceiling — real hospital bills in Germany can easily exceed it, so the higher cover levels are not just bureaucracy. How do I get health insurance in Germany as a foreigner without a job? Once a German job contract or matriculation as a regular student under 30 starts, the file is moved to GKV. Without a German employer, GKV is normally closed at arrival — there is no Pflichtversicherung trigger. The standard bridge for non-employed foreigners on a residence permit is an Incoming product: Care Expatriate from €58/month for the broad adult cohort, Care College from €27.50/month for language students and Studienkolleg attendees, or Care Economy from €30 per 30 days for visitors and Chancenkarte holders. What is the M10 notification and who needs it? M10 is the electronic notification the Krankenkasse (or Care Concept for Care Student) sends to a German university so the student can be enrolled. It is mandatory for DAK Student and Care Student university enrollment flows. Care College — for language students, Sprachschüler and Studienkolleg attendees — does not run on the M10 process; it issues the bilingual Krankenversicherungsnachweis the institution accepts directly. Can I switch from PKV back to GKV in Germany? Returning from substitutive PKV to GKV after age 55 is generally barred by law (§ 6 SGB V). Restricted. Below age 55, the switch back is possible only when GKV insurability is triggered again — typically by employment under the JAEG threshold or by family-insurance access. The opt-out from GKV into PKV above the JAEG should therefore be modelled with personal advice before signing — not legal or financial advice. What does the embassy actually check on my health insurance proof? The tariff finder returns a personalised premium in ~60 seconds across 11 tariffs. Five line items appear on every Krankenversicherungsnachweis the embassy and the Ausländerbehörde verify: validity period (covers the full visa or residence-permit window), validity area (Germany / all Schengen states for short stays), minimum coverage (€30,000 for Schengen; full medical cover for residence permits), medically-indicated repatriation and the bilingual format (German + English). Care Visa Protect, Care Economy, Care College and Care Expatriate ship all five by default. Can I buy German health insurance after I have already arrived? The 2026 rate applies from January 1, 2026; check § 13a AufenthV / § 5 SGB V for the current thresholds. Care Expatriate, Care College and Care Economy can be applied for online after arrival in Germany — the start date is selected and the bilingual certificate is issued by email within minutes. Care Visa Protect is intended to be in force at the start of the planned Schengen trip; if the trip has already started, check the AVB or pick another product. Substitutive PKV is medically underwritten and may decline late entrants. GKV access depends on the trigger event (employment, matriculation). Does German insurance cover my family — spouse and children? In GKV, non-working spouses and children are usually covered free of charge under Familienversicherung (§ 10 SGB V), provided the income limits are met. Substitutive PKV requires a separate contract and premium for each insured person. Care Expatriate is contracted per person; the recognised certificate names every insured person individually. For family reunification files, the Incoming products usually bridge until the GKV Familienversicherung opens. Is pregnancy and maternity care covered for foreigners in Germany? The 2026 rate applies from January 1, 2026; check § 13a AufenthV / § 5 SGB V for the current thresholds. GKV covers prenatal care, delivery and postnatal care in full as part of the Mutterschaft package. Substitutive PKV covers maternity per tariff. Incoming products such as Care Expatriate cover pregnancy and maternity within the AVB, subject to the standard waiting period — the binding answer is always the AVB. Personal advice is recommended for family-reunion files where pregnancy is foreseeable. What does a typical doctor visit cost in Germany without insurance? A standard Hausarzt (general-practitioner) visit billed under the GOÄ private tariff costs typically €30–€80. A specialist visit (cardiologist, orthopaedist) ranges €60–€200. An emergency-room visit can easily exceed €200. Inpatient hospital care averages around €830/day (DKG hospital statistics 2024, Richtwert). With Care Expatriate from €58/month, the bilingual certificate ships in minutes and the residence-permit cover is in place from day one. Are prescriptions covered for foreigners in Germany? The 2026 rate applies from January 1, 2026; check § 13a AufenthV / § 5 SGB V for the current thresholds. GKV pays for prescriptions on the Arzneimittelverordnung; the patient share is 10% of the price, minimum €5, maximum €10 per item — capped annually at 2% of gross household income (1% for the chronically ill, § 62 SGB V). Care Expatriate reimburses prescribed medication within the AVB scope; the bilingual receipt is uploaded for reimbursement. Over-the-counter medication is normally not covered. Is dental treatment covered for foreigners? GKV covers prophylaxis, fillings, root-canal treatment on most teeth, simple crowns and basic prostheses; the patient share for crowns and prostheses runs 25–40% via the Bonusheft system. Implants, professional teeth cleaning (PZR), inlays and aesthetic work are generally not covered. Care Expatriate Comfort and Premium extend dental scope contractually — the binding answer is the AVB. What is the difference between Care Visa Protect and Care Economy? Care Visa Protect is a daily-rate Schengen short-stay product (1–92 days, from €0.85/day) compliant with EU Regulation 810/2009. Care Economy is a longer monthly visitor product (up to 2 years, from €30 per 30 days, entry until the 75th birthday) for tourists, Chancenkarte holders and family bridges. Both ship the bilingual certificate the consulate and the Ausländerbehörde verify; the right one depends on stay length and visa type. Will the Ausländerbehörde accept the PDF certificate? The 2026 rate applies from January 1, 2026; check § 13a AufenthV / § 5 SGB V for the current thresholds. After successful application, Care Expatriate, Care College, Care Economy and Care Visa Protect ship a bilingual PDF Krankenversicherungsnachweis that is widely accepted by the Ausländerbehörde, the German embassies and the universities for the relevant residence-permit and enrollment files. The final decision remains with the responsible caseworker; individual case review applies. How long can Care Expatriate cover my residence permit? Care Expatriate covers incoming long-stay cases for up to 60 months (5 years) on a single contract, depending on age, destination and selected variant. Available for entry ages 0–74. After the 60 months the file is normally renewed once GKV or substitutive PKV access has opened (employment, matriculation, family reunification with a statutorily-insured spouse). Do I need a separate insurance for the Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte)? Blocked-account deposit: €11,904 for 12 months (§ 13a AufenthV, €992 × 12). Yes — the Chancenkarte does not include health insurance. The recognised options for the Chancenkarte job-seeking stay are Care Economy (from €30 per 30 days, up to 2 years) for longer search windows, and Care Expatriate (from €58/month) for adults bridging into a freelance or employment file. Once a German job contract starts, the file is moved to GKV. What happens if my Incoming insurance runs out mid-permit? Care Economy: from €30 per 30 days for visitors and short stays (up to age 64). Renewal is the standard path. Care Expatriate and Care College extend up to 60 months on a single contract; both are extended online by email — the bilingual certificate is re-issued and the residence-permit cover continues without a gap. If GKV access has meanwhile opened (employment, matriculation as a regular student under 30), the file is moved to the statutory fund and the Incoming policy is cancelled to that start date. Can I get a refund if my visa is denied? The 2026 rate applies from January 1, 2026; check § 13a AufenthV / § 5 SGB V for the current thresholds. As a rule, yes. Care Expatriate, Care College, Care Economy and Care Visa Protect can be refunded against the official visa-rejection letter, minus the days already on cover. The exact refund mechanics are set out in the AVB and are normally processed within a few working days. A small administrative handling fee may apply. Individual case review applies. Is statutory health insurance cheaper than private for a foreigner? For an employee under the JAEG threshold there is no real choice — GKV applies and the cost is fixed by law (~14.6% + Zusatzbeitrag, split with the employer). It depends on status. For employees above the JAEG, civil servants and most self-employed residents, substitutive PKV is usually cheaper than GKV under age 35 with no children but often more expensive in higher age bands. Newcomers, freelancers in the first months and language students typically use Incoming insurance. Can I be insured in both Germany and my home country? The 2026 rate applies from January 1, 2026; check § 13a AufenthV / § 5 SGB V for the current thresholds. Technically yes — keeping a home-country policy alongside a German one is not forbidden, but it usually wastes premium because the German Pflichtversicherung obligation must be met regardless. For foreigners not yet eligible for GKV, the recognised path is to drop the redundant home-country policy and use a single Incoming product (Care Expatriate / Care Economy / Care College) that meets § 5 AufenthG and ships the bilingual certificate. Does DAK accept foreign students for university enrollment in Germany? Yes — DAK-Gesundheit is one of the most foreign-friendly statutory funds for university students — it operates an English-language onboarding flow, sends the M10 electronic notification to the university automatically and offers the Garantietarif 120 (saves €120/year) and the Fit&Travel package for under-39s. How long does it take to receive the German insurance certificate? DAK Student / Care Student M10 electronic notifications to the university are typically processed within a few working days. Care Expatriate, Care College, Care Economy and Care Visa Protect ship the bilingual PDF Krankenversicherungsnachweis by email within minutes of a successful application. Substitutive PKV onboarding includes the medical underwriting and is usually slower — days to several weeks. Do I need German health insurance for the Verpflichtungserklärung (sponsor letter)? The Verpflichtungserklärung under § 68 AufenthG normally makes the host financially liable for the visitor — including health costs — if no insurance is in place. Booking Care Economy (from €30 per 30 days) or Care Visa Protect (from €0.85/day) for the visitor removes the open-ended host liability from the picture and ships the certificate the consulate verifies. Personal advice is recommended for any specific case. Is health insurance from Care Concept recognised by the German embassy and Ausländerbehörde? The 2026 rate applies from January 1, 2026; check § 13a AufenthV / § 5 SGB V for the current thresholds. Care Concept AG (Care Expatriate, Care College, Care Economy, Care Visa Protect; underwritten by HanseMerkur) has been issuing bilingual Krankenversicherungsnachweise for foreigners in Germany for more than two decades and is widely accepted by the German embassies and the Ausländerbehörde for visa and residence-permit files. The final decision remains with the responsible caseworker; individual case review applies. Not legal advice. How much does public health insurance cost in Germany in 2026? A €4,000/month gross salary therefore costs the employee about €326/month for GKV. Public health insurance (GKV) costs 14.6% of gross salary plus the fund's Zusatzbeitrag — average ~1.7% in 2026 per GKV-Spitzenverband — so roughly 16.3% in total, split 50/50 between employer and employee on the income up to the Beitragsbemessungsgrenze (€66,150/year in 2026, Richtwert). Students under 30 in DAK Student pay around €135.52/month flat (Garantietarif 120). How to get German public health insurance as an employee — step by step Step 1: sign the German work contract and complete the Anmeldung (address registration). Step 2: pick a Krankenkasse — TK, DAK, Barmer or an AOK are the most common picks for foreigners. Step 3: hand the Mitgliedsbescheinigung to the employer's HR; the employer registers the new hire via the social-security flow on day one. Step 4: the eGK (electronic health card) arrives by post within 1–2 weeks; in the interim the Mitgliedsbescheinigung is shown at the doctor. Which health insurance is best in Germany for international students? For regular degree students under age 30, DAK Student at ~€135.52/month (Garantietarif 120) is the standard statutory recognised cover with the M10 electronic notification. For language students, Studienkolleg attendees and university preparatory courses, Care College from €27.50/month is the recognised Incoming entry-level. For students over 30, exempted students or PhD candidates, Care Student at €101.54/month (CCS + PVN + Pflege) is the GKV-equivalent recognised option. Does Turkish, Indian or US health insurance work for a German student visa? Bilateral exceptions exist for some EU/EEA states via Form S1 — individual case review applies. As a rule, no. Non-EU/EEA home-country policies (Turkey, India, United States, China, Pakistan, Nigeria, United Kingdom post-Brexit) usually fail the German consulate review on validity area, validity period or missing repatriation wording. The recognised substitute is an Incoming product: Care College for language students, DAK Student or Care Student for university enrollment, Care Expatriate for the broad adult cohort. Do I need German public health insurance for my pension as an EU retiree? Non-EU/EEA pensioners are usually directed to Care Expatriate as the recognised long-stay alternative, since GKV access for retirees outside the 9/10 rule is restricted. EU and EEA pensioners moving to Germany normally register their pension-country statutory cover with a German Krankenkasse via Form S1 (formerly E121); the pension country reimburses Germany for the actual care. Personal advice is recommended for individual pension files. What does German public health insurance actually cover? The binding scope is § 11 SGB V and the G-BA catalogue. GKV covers GP and specialist visits, hospital inpatient care, prescription medication (10% co-pay, minimum €5 / maximum €10 per item), basic dental and orthodontics, prenatal and maternity care, mental-health treatment, physiotherapy on prescription and selected prevention (Vorsorge) — all delivered without bills at the point of care under the Sachleistungsprinzip. Optical aids, professional teeth cleaning, dental implants and most IGeL services are out-of-pocket. Can I use Italian or Spanish public health insurance for a long stay in Germany? The S1 covers full medical treatment in Germany and is widely accepted by the Ausländerbehörde for the Anmeldung-bestätigung file — individual case review applies. Yes for short stays via the EHIC. For long stays of more than 90 days, EU/EEA residents moving to Germany typically use the S1 form to register the home-country statutory cover with a German Krankenkasse; the home country reimburses Germany. Where can I find German health insurance in English? The 2026 rate applies from January 1, 2026; check § 13a AufenthV / § 5 SGB V for the current thresholds. TK (Techniker Krankenkasse), DAK-Gesundheit and Barmer publish English-language information pages and operate English-language phone lines and apps. The bilingual Krankenversicherungsnachweis from Care Concept (Care Expatriate, Care College, Care Economy, Care Visa Protect) is issued in German and English by default. Most German Krankenkassen also issue an English Mitgliedsbescheinigung on request — useful for the Ausländerbehörde and for employer onboarding. ![Steffan Grund](/assets/steffan-grund-B5K5tUm9.jpg)Written by **Steffan Grund** Reviewed: **August 27, 2026** Sources§ 5 AufenthG · § 193 VVG · § 175 SGB V · § 10 SGB V · EU Regulation 810/2009 · GKV-Spitzenverband · BMG · HanseMerkur AVB · Care Concept AG 4.9/5 458 customer responses · [our own survey](/en/review-methodology/) Over 10,000 policies issued · Since 2009 ## Got your answer? Lock in the recognised bilingual certificate. [Care Expatriate (up to 5 years) from €58/month (up to 5 years) ](/en/insurance-plans/care-expatriate/overview/)[Care Visa Protect (Schengen) from €0.85/day (up to 92 days) ](/en/insurance-plans/care-visa-protect/overview/) [🔍 Plan Finder](/en/tariffinder-germany/)[📋 All Plans](/en/product-overview-germany/) 🏛️ Authority-approved 📄 Instant proof 🔒 DAK / HanseMerkur 🏷️ Transparent pricing Editorial guidance only. Embassy and immigration-office requirements can vary by consulate, city and individual file; final acceptance always rests with the responsible authority. [Imprint (German)](/impressum/)[Privacy (German)](/datenschutz/)[Contact (German)](/kontakt/) Copyright © 2026 Health insurance for foreigners, foreign guests and visitors in Germany and the EU. All rights reserved. All information without guarantee, errors excepted. Note: The content of this site is for general information and orientation purposes only. It does not constitute legal or insurance advice. For binding information, please contact the responsible Ausländerbehörde (foreigners' authority) or a lawyer. Last updated: August 27, 2026.