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    Health Insurance for Foreigners in Germany
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    Care Expatriate — bookable without German addressfrom €58/month (up to 5 years)
    No German address yet ≠ no insurance access — Care Economy and Care Expatriate are both bookable from a foreign address with an instant DE/EN certificate

    Expat without a German address — insurance proof for the Anmeldung, bank and Ausländerbehörde

    4.9/5· 10,000+ policies since 2009458 customer responses · our own survey
    Expat without a German address — recognised insurance proof for landlord (Wohnung), bank account and the Ausländerbehörde appointment, using Care Economy from €30/30 days as a short bridge or Care Expatriate from €58/month as the long-term lane
    Wohnung
    Economy €30/30d
    Bank + permit
    Expatriate €58/mo
    DE/EN PDF
    in minutes

    Three rules that decide which insurance the landlord, bank and Ausländerbehörde typically accept before your Anmeldung is registered:

    1. 1Foreign address is fine for the application: Both Care Economy from €30 / 30 days (up to 2 years) and Care Expatriate from €58/month (up to 5 years) can be booked from a foreign address — the certificate is issued by email in German + English within minutes.
    2. 2Right lane per agency: Landlords usually accept Care Economy as basic placeholder; banks accept the same during the Anmeldung phase and expect Care Expatriate for the permanent Girokonto; the Ausländerbehörde normally requires Care Expatriate (or another recognised long-term tariff) for § 5 / § 21 AufenthG.
    3. 3Travel-style cover is rejected for the permit: A travel/incoming policy stretched beyond its scope is normally rejected at the Ausländerbehörde — the certificate must cover the full requested permit duration, not just the first weeks.

    First Anmeldung appointment soon? 30-second pre-Anmeldung tariff finder →

    Inside: the 3 agencies that ask for insurance before your German address exists · why a foreign address is enough to book Care Economy or Care Expatriate · the one mistake (travel cover used for § 21 AufenthG) that pauses most permits

    Sources: § 5 / § 21 AufenthG (residence permit & cover precondition) · § 17 BMG (Anmeldung 14-day deadline) · § 5 SGB V (statutory GKV via employment — opens only after contract start) · 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

    No German address yet? Both Care Economy (short bridge) and Care Expatriate (long-term, § 21 AufenthG) are bookable from a foreign address — DE/EN certificate by email in minutes.

    🏛️ 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 agencies that ask for insurance proof before your German address exists — and what each typically expects

    Quick answer: "What insurance proof do landlord, bank and Ausländerbehörde expect from an expat without a registered German address?" — three agencies cover almost every pre-Anmeldung case. The split is binary: a Schengen-conform Care Economy certificate for the placeholder needs, and a recognised long-term Care Expatriate certificate for the residence permit and the permanent bank setup.

    1

    Landlord / WG / hotel longstay (Wohnung)

    Typical ask: Insurance certificate (PDF, DE/EN) · valid from move-in date

    Most landlords ask for a basic insurance proof together with the Mietvertrag — primarily liability + minimal health cover so the flat is not a financial risk on day 1. Care Economy from €30/30 days produces a Schengen-conform PDF certificate (DE + EN) within minutes; the policy is bookable from a foreign address.

    Care Economy from €30/30 days →

    2

    Bank account opening (Girokonto / Sperrkonto)

    Typical ask: Insurance proof + ID · expected upgrade to long-term cover

    German banks normally require ID, German address (after Anmeldung) and proof of basic cover before activating the account. While the Anmeldung is pending, a Care Economy certificate is widely accepted as the placeholder cover. For the long-term Girokonto setup the bank later expects a recognised long-term tariff such as Care Expatriate.

    Care Expatriate from €58/month (long-term) →

    3

    Ausländerbehörde appointment (residence permit)

    Typical ask: § 5 / § 21 AufenthG: long-term cover · DE + EN certificate

    For § 5 / § 21 AufenthG the certificate must cover the full requested permit duration — a travel-style policy is normally rejected. Care Expatriate (HanseMerkur) from €58/month at entry age 13–40 (Basic) is recognised, runs up to 60 months and is issued in German + English even before the Anmeldung is registered.

    Care Expatriate · § 5 / § 21 AufenthG →

    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 tries the Anmeldung and the Ausländerbehörde appointment without a recognised insurance certificate

    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.

    Move-in or Ausländerbehörde appointment in the next weeks? Lock the right lane today — the certificate is bookable from a foreign address

    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 cover — in 3 steps

    10 minutes online for Care Economy or Care Expatriate, the policy document is issued by email in German + English and is accepted by landlords, banks (placeholder) and the Ausländerbehörde. The same certificate covers the Anmeldung step a few days later.

    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 expats say about Care Expatriate as the recognised insurance proof before the German Anmeldung is registered

    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

    Quick answer: Two recognised products cover every pre-Anmeldung case: Care Expatriate from €58/month for the long-term residence permit and the permanent bank setup, and Care Economy from €30/30 days for the short placeholder cover the landlord and bank ask for at move-in. Both are bookable from a foreign address.

    Long-term — Care Expatriate

    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 placeholder — Care Economy

    Schengen-conform incoming, ages 0–74, 1 day to 2 years, bookable from a foreign address, cancellable the day long-term cover 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 — Insurance proof before the German Anmeldung

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Can I get German health insurance without a registered address (Anmeldung)?

    Yes — care Expatriate issues a PDF certificate from €58/month without requiring a Meldebescheinigung — accepted by the Ausländerbehörde under § 5 AufenthG for the initial residence permit. Bürgeramt Anmeldung follows within the first 2 weeks.

    Does the Bürgeramt need insurance proof for Anmeldung?

    No — the Bürgeramt only requires the Wohnungsgeberbestätigung (landlord confirmation) and passport under § 17 BMG. Health insurance proof is asked by the Ausländerbehörde separately for the residence permit.

    Do German banks require health insurance to open an account?

    Some (N26, Deutsche Bank) request it as a residence-permit indicator, others (Wise, Revolut) don't. Care Expatriate PDF from €58/month satisfies all bank checks. Consequential bank onboarding usually takes 3–5 working days.

    How does the Ausländerbehörde read insurance proof from expats without a fixed address?

    It accepts a German-language certificate with the § 5 AufenthG confirmation clause and a valid start date. Care Expatriate covers this from €58/month for 1–60 months. Address can be added later within 90 days of arrival.

    Which order — insurance, Anmeldung or Ausländerbehörde — is fastest for expats?

    Insurance first (Care Expatriate PDF same day, €58/month), then Anmeldung within 14 days of arrival (§ 17 BMG), then Ausländerbehörde appointment within 90 days. This sequence avoids the § 5 AufenthG rejection loop.

    What documents do I need for the Ausländerbehörde without a permanent address?

    You need a valid health insurance certificate covering Germany, your passport, and your visa. The insurance can be obtained before registration – for example via Care Economy (from €30/30 days) for short stays.