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    Health Insurance for Foreigners in Germany
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    Care Expatriate — per family member, § 21 AufenthGfrom €58/month (up to 5 years)
    Family ≠ one contract — DAK-Familienversicherung is free only for employees under the JAEG; self-employed and § 21 AufenthG families typically need one Care Expatriate policy per person

    Expat with family in Germany — joint health insurance planning for partner and children

    4.9/5· 10,000+ policies since 2009458 customer responses · our own survey
    Expat family in Germany — joint health insurance planning for partner and children: DAK-Familienversicherung when the main earner is an employee under the JAEG, Care Expatriate from €58/month per person when self-employed or on § 21 AufenthG, and Care Economy from €30/30 days as the short bridge during the visa and Anmeldung phase
    Spouse
    DAK free / Expat €58
    Children
    Free to 23 / 25 edu
    Bridge phase
    Economy €30/30d

    Three rules that decide how the spouse and children of an expat are typically insured in Germany:

    1. 1Employee under the JAEG → DAK-Familienversicherung is free: Spouse co-insured for free if their own income is ≤ €556/month (2026 mini-job limit); children free up to age 23 (or 25 if in education) — § 10 SGB V.
    2. 2Self-employed, § 21 AufenthG or private-opt → one contract per person: Statutory family co-insurance is not available. The recognised long-term lane is Care Expatriate from €58/month (up to 5 years) per family member — accepted by the Ausländerbehörde, up to 5 years, certificate in German + English.
    3. 3Visa / Anmeldung phase → short bridge for the whole family: Care Economy from €30 / 30 days (up to 2 years) (ages 0–74) is the recognised Schengen-conform short cover, bookable from a foreign address and cancellable the day the long-term lane starts.

    Family arriving with you in the next weeks? 30-second family lane finder →

    Inside: the one income limit (€556/mo) that decides whether the spouse is free in DAK · why each family member typically needs an own Care Expatriate policy under § 21 AufenthG · the typical mistake (one travel certificate for the whole family) that pauses most permits

    Sources: § 10 SGB V (DAK-Familienversicherung — free co-insurance) · § 5 / § 21 AufenthG (residence permit & cover precondition) · § 8 SGB IV / § 18 SGB IV (mini-job limit €556/mo, 2026) · JAEG €77,400/yr (BMAS 2026) · HanseMerkur Care Expatriate / Care Economy AVB · Statistisches Bundesamt DRG 2024

    Long-Stay Coverage

    Care Expatriate by HanseMerkur Versicherungsgruppe / Advigon

    Residence Documents

    Proof for visa or immigration authority documents

    Fast Confirmation

    PDF confirmation available after successful application

    4.9/5458 customer responses · our own survey

    Over 10,000 policies issued · Since 2009

    Family in Germany? DAK-Familienversicherung is free for employee families under the JAEG; self-employed and § 21 AufenthG families typically take Care Expatriate per person — bookable from a foreign address.

    🏛️ 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, not independently verified · How this rating works

    3 family scenarios that decide the lane for partner and children — and what each typically requires

    Quick answer: "Which insurance covers my partner and children when I move to Germany as an expat?" — three scenarios cover almost every family case. The split follows the main earner's status: employee under the JAEG → free DAK family insurance; self-employed or § 21 AufenthG → one Care Expatriate policy per person; pre-job phase → Care Economy as the short bridge.

    1

    Main earner is an employee under the JAEG (€77,400/yr, 2026)

    Typical rule: Spouse income ≤ €556/mo · children up to 23 (25 in education)

    If the expat works as an employee with gross income below the JAEG, statutory DAK-Gesundheit is mandatory (~17.8% of gross, half paid by the employer). The non-working spouse and children are typically covered for free via DAK-Familienversicherung (§ 10 SGB V), provided the spouse's own income stays under the €556/month mini-job limit (2026). Children are co-insured free up to age 23 — or up to age 25 if in school or studies.

    DAK family insurance — see lane logic →

    2

    Main earner is self-employed, on § 21 AufenthG, or above JAEG and chose private

    Typical rule: Own contract per family member · § 5 / § 21 AufenthG accepted

    If the main earner is self-employed (§ 21 AufenthG), a freelancer, or an employee above the JAEG who opted for a private incoming product, statutory family co-insurance is not available. Each family member needs an own contract. Care Expatriate (HanseMerkur incoming) from €58/month at entry age 13–40 (Basic) is recognised by the Ausländerbehörde, runs up to 5 years and is issued in German + English — also for partner and children individually.

    Care Expatriate from €58/month per person →

    3

    Family arrives before the main earner's job / Anmeldung is set up

    Typical rule: Schengen-conform · DE/EN PDF · cancellable on long-term start

    During the visa, move-in and Anmeldung phase the family typically has no employer link yet. Care Economy from €30/30 days (Schengen-conform incoming, entry until the 75th birthday) is the recognised short bridge — bookable from a foreign address with an instant German + English PDF certificate. It is normally cancelled the day the long-term lane (DAK-Familienversicherung or Care Expatriate) takes over.

    Care Economy from €30/30 days →

    Avoid the mistakes that can delay your application

    Visitor insurance may be too short

    For multi-month or multi-year stays, Care Expatriate can be a better fit than short visitor coverage.

    Statutory or private?

    Freelancers, self-employed people and some incoming long-stay cases may need private incoming coverage instead of German statutory insurance.

    Residence proof requested?

    Care Expatriate can provide PDF confirmation after successful application for visa or immigration documents.

    Renewal stress later

    A longer coverage term can reduce repeated renewal pressure during projects, residence processes or long stays.

    What happens when an expat family arrives in Germany without one recognised certificate per family member

    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.

    Family move-in or joint Ausländerbehörde appointment in the next weeks? Lock the right lane per person today

    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.

    From foreign address to recognised family cover — in 3 steps

    10 minutes online for Care Expatriate (per family member) or Care Economy (short bridge); each policy document is issued by email in German + English and accepted by landlords, banks (placeholder) and the Ausländerbehörde for § 5 / § 21 AufenthG. After the job starts, employee families switch to the free DAK-Familienversicherung lane.

    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. 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. Complete the application

      Enter passport, destination, stay details and requested coverage period online. Additional questions may apply depending on the plan.

    3. Submit your proof

      Receive PDF confirmation after successful application and submit it to the embassy, consulate or immigration authority if requested.

    What expat families say about Care Expatriate as the recognised per-person lane for partner and children in Germany

    4.9/5458 customer responses · our own survey
    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

    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

    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

    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

    Yunhee

    Australia

    Now choose your plan

    4.9/5458 customer responses · our own survey

    Full price tables — Care Expatriate · Care Economy (per family member)

    Quick answer: Two recognised products cover non-statutory expat families: Care Expatriate from €58/month per person for the long-term residence permit, and Care Economy from €30/30 days for the short bridge during the visa and Anmeldung phase. Both are bookable from a foreign address; each family member receives an own certificate in German + English.

    Long-term — Care Expatriate (per family member)

    HanseMerkur incoming, ages 0–74, up to 5 years, accepted by the Ausländerbehörde for § 5 / § 21 AufenthG, certificate issued in German + English (3 tiers — Basic / Comfort / Premium · button price: from €58/month (up to 5 years)):

    Care Expatriateworldwide without USA, Canada and Mexico
    Basic
    BestsellerComfort
    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.

    Short bridge — Care Economy

    Schengen-conform incoming, ages 0–74, 1 day to 2 years, bookable from a foreign address, cancellable the day the long-term lane starts (button price: from €30 / 30 days (up to 2 years)):

    Care Economy
    Duration
    Bestsellerup to 64
    up to 64
    Bestseller65+
    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.

    How long should the health insurance run?

    Quick answer: Usually for as long as the stay is planned to last — and not shorter. The premium is set by the entry age at the start of the contract and stays in that age band for the whole term. Anyone who extends later typically signs a new contract at the age they are by then.

    Term comparison over five years — example values, Basic, age band 13–40 (€58/month)
    Term Premium/month Total Renewals needed Pre-existing-condition gap
    12 months €58 €696 4 possible (2×)
    24 months €58 €1,392 2 possible (1×)
    60 months €58 €3,480 0 none

    Is a 41st birthday coming up?

    In the 13–40 age band the Basic premium is €58/month; in the 41–60 band it is €68/month (example values). The difference is around €10 a month — roughly €600 over 60 months. What counts is the age at the start of the contract, not the age during the term. Concretely: someone who chooses a 60-month term at 40 pays the 13–40 band for five years, rather than the 41–60 band from their 41st birthday onwards.

    When the renewal falls due

    A policy with a twelve-month term typically expires at close to the point the residence permit (Aufenthaltstitel) also needs extending. Both then fall in the same weeks: new contract, new proof of cover, new appointment at the foreigners' authority (Ausländerbehörde) — often under time pressure. A longer term decouples the two dates. There is also the practical effort: every renewal means passport details, proof of address and personal information again — usually gathered by relatives in Germany while the insured person is still abroad.

    What is different at renewal

    Conditions that first arise during a running contract are, as a rule, covered within that contract. In a contract taken out later they typically count as a pre-existing condition — and pre-existing conditions are usually excluded in incoming tariffs. The older the insured person, the more likely it is that a diagnosis falls between two contracts, and that diagnosis then usually counts as pre-existing in the follow-up contract. A continuous term avoids that gap.

    A gap can also open up between two contracts — days without cover, which may become visible when the residence permit is next extended. A continuous term avoids that.

    A fixed term also means planning certainty for the family: the premium is set for the whole duration, with no annual recalculation.

    For context: Care Expatriate can be taken out up to the age of 74.

    Monthly or a single payment?

    Quick answer: Both are possible, and the price is the same — there is no discount for paying in one go. The difference lies in the risk: if a direct debit goes unpaid, that can affect the insurance cover — and the residence permit rests on that cover. With a single payment the cover no longer depends on an ongoing bank debit. That matters above all where the premiums are paid by relatives in Germany: a job change, a change of bank or one tight month then has no bearing on the insured person's residence status.

    Where the premium is transferred from abroad, one payment replaces up to sixty individual transfers — each with its own bank charges and exchange rate.

    What happens on an early return?

    If the stay ends earlier than planned, the contract can be cancelled in writing. The overpaid premium is, as a rule, refunded minus a €5 processing fee (source: Care Concept FAQ). So someone who pays 60 months in advance and returns after two years gets the premium for the unused months back — the financial risk of paying in one go is therefore €5, not the remaining balance.

    And if the visa is not granted?

    If the entry visa is not granted, or entry does not take place for other reasons, the application can be cancelled in writing before the insurance cover begins. Premiums already paid are, as a rule, refunded minus a €5 processing fee (source: Care Concept FAQ).

    FAQ — Joint family planning for expats in Germany

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Are spouse and children automatically covered under DAK when I start a job in Germany?

    Yes, free of charge under § 10 SGB V (Familienversicherung) — as long as their monthly income is under €556 (2026 mini-job threshold) and children are under 25. Register with DAK-Gesundheit within 14 days of job start.

    Can Care Expatriate insure the whole family before employment starts?

    Yes — each family member gets their own Care Expatriate contract: from €58/month (ages 13–40), €68/month (13–40), children €40/month. Cancellable monthly once DAK Familienversicherung kicks in.

    What if only one partner has GKV — is the other automatically covered?

    Unmarried partners need their own contract — Care Expatriate from €58/month or voluntary DAK ~€200/month. Only if married (Ehepartner) or in a registered Lebenspartnerschaft. Children under 25 always follow the GKV parent free under § 10 SGB V.

    Which proof does the Ausländerbehörde ask for family reunification (§ 27–36 AufenthG)?

    Care Expatriate issues family PDFs same-day from €58/month per person. German-language insurance certificate for every family member, valid from arrival date. Travel insurance and ADAC policies are rejected.

    Can we mix private (Care Expatriate) and statutory (DAK) in the family?

    One parent can be in DAK-Gesundheit (17. Yes. 8% of gross) and cover children free under § 10 SGB V, while the other parent stays on Care Expatriate (€58–432/month). Common for freelancer + employed couples.