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    Health Insurance for Foreigners in Germany
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    Care Expatriate — § 21 AufenthG acceptedfrom €58/month (up to 5 years)
    Expats normally cannot freely choose statutory vs private — the lane is driven by employer status, age, and § 5 / § 21 AufenthG, not by preference

    Private vs. Statutory Health Insurance for Expats in Germany

    4.9/5· 10,000+ policies since 2009458 customer responses · our own survey
    Private vs. statutory health insurance for expats in Germany — DAK-Gesundheit (statutory ~17.8% of gross), Care Expatriate (private incoming from €58/month, § 5 / § 21 AufenthG), Care Economy (bridge from €30/30 days)
    Statutory
    DAK ~17.8%
    Private incoming
    Expatriate €58/mo
    Bridge
    Economy €30/30d

    Three rules that decide whether statutory or private incoming is the right lane for an expat:

    1. 1Employee contract = statutory: § 5 SGB V opens DAK-Gesundheit 17.8% of gross (open-ended) on day 1 of the contract. Half paid by the employer, family members free under Familienversicherung.
    2. 2No German employer = private incoming: Self-employed, freelancers, Gewerbeanmeldung or residence-permit applications without a job normally use Care Expatriate from €58/month (up to 5 years) (HanseMerkur, § 5 / § 21 AufenthG, up to 5 years). Care Expatriate is a recognised Incoming-Versicherung (Privat), not a German Vollversicherung / PKV.
    3. 3Bridge the gap with Care Economy: Use Care Economy from €30 / 30 days (up to 2 years) for ≤ 90 days or as a 1–3 month bridge before the employer enrols you in DAK. Travel-style cover used as a permanent solution is normally rejected.

    Not sure which lane fits? 30-second statutory vs. private finder →

    Inside: how income-based statutory contributions compare with a fixed-premium incoming tariff · why entry age 13–40 keeps Care Expatriate locked at €58/month for 5 years · the one mistake (travel cover used long-term) that pauses most permits

    Sources: § 5 SGB V (statutory GKV via employment) · § 5 / § 21 AufenthG (residence permit & cover precondition) · JAEG 2026 (€77,400 gross threshold) · HanseMerkur Care Expatriate / Care Economy AVB · DAK-Gesundheit 2026 · 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

    Statutory vs. private incoming — the right lane depends on your employer status. Care Expatriate for the long-term private lane, Care Economy for the bridge — both with instant DE/EN certificate.

    🏛️ 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

    6 factors that decide the lane — statutory DAK, private incoming, or short bridge

    Quick answer: "Which factors decide private vs. statutory health insurance for expats in Germany?" — six factors cover almost every relocation case. Employer status is the strongest single signal: with a German employee contract, DAK-Gesundheit opens automatically; without one, Care Expatriate is the standard recognised long-term lane.

    1

    Confirmed German employer with gross salary under JAEG (€77,400 / 2026)

    Lane: Statutory (DAK-Gesundheit)

    § 5 SGB V triggers statutory cover automatically: DAK-Gesundheit ~17.8% of gross, half paid by the employer. Family members free under Familienversicherung. No medical exam, no age surcharge.

    DAK-Gesundheit ~17.8% of gross →

    2

    Self-employed, freelancer or Gewerbeanmeldung (no German employer)

    Lane: Private incoming (Care Expatriate)

    Statutory GKV is normally not open without an employer. The recognised long-term lane is Care Expatriate from €58/month (HanseMerkur incoming) — accepted by the Ausländerbehörde for § 21 AufenthG, up to 5 years.

    Care Expatriate from €58/month →

    3

    Residence permit application before employer start (§ 5 / § 21 AufenthG)

    Lane: Private incoming (Care Expatriate)

    Cover must run for the full requested permit duration. Care Expatriate is locked at the start for up to 60 months and certificates are issued in German + English. Travel-style cover is normally rejected at this stage.

    Care Expatriate · § 5 / § 21 AufenthG →

    4

    1–3 month gap before the German employer enrols you in DAK

    Lane: Bridge (Care Economy)

    Care Economy from €30/30 days is the recognised short bridge — Schengen-conform, instant German + English PDF, cancellable the day GKV starts (no overlap fee).

    Care Economy from €30/30 days →

    5

    Entry age above 55 with no German employer in sight

    Lane: Private incoming (Care Expatriate)

    Without an employer route into GKV, statutory access is normally closed. Care Expatriate accepts entry up to age 74 — €58/month at age 13–40 (Basic), €68/month at 41–60, €246/month at 61–74. No 9/10 rule needed.

    Care Expatriate · age 0–74 accepted →

    6

    Travel-style cover used as a permanent solution

    Lane: Reject — switch to recognised cover

    Pure travel insurance is normally rejected for residence permits and Gewerbeanmeldung. The Ausländerbehörde expects a recognised statutory or private incoming tariff for the full permit duration — not a travel policy stretched beyond its scope.

    Switch: Care Expatriate or DAK →

    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 the wrong lane is chosen — travel cover for a residence permit, or no statutory enrolment at employer start

    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.

    Permit appointment soon? Lock the right lane at least 4 weeks before — gaps trigger contribution back-payments and can pause the permit

    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 decision to recognised cover — in 3 steps

    10 minutes online for Care Expatriate or Care Economy, the policy document is issued by email in German + English and is accepted by every Ausländerbehörde. For DAK-Gesundheit, the German employer normally handles enrolment on day 1 of the contract.

    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 choosing Care Expatriate over statutory GKV when no German employer is in place

    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 · DAK-Gesundheit · Care Economy

    Quick answer: Three recognised products cover every expat scenario: Care Expatriate from €58/month for the long-term private incoming lane (no German employer required), DAK-Gesundheit at ~17.8% of gross on the first day of an employee contract (family members free under Familienversicherung), and Care Economy from €30/30 days for the short bridge between the two.

    Private incoming — 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.

    Statutory — DAK-Gesundheit

    ~17.8% of gross income, half paid by the employer, family members covered free under Familienversicherung, no medical exam (DAK button price: 17.8% of gross (open-ended)):

    DAK-Gesundheit for employees (statutory)
    General contribution rate
    14.6 % of gross
    + 3.2 % DAK supplement = 17.8 %
    Employer / employee share
    8.9 % each
    Paid 50/50
    Compulsory long-term care
    approx. 3.6 % standard
    4.2 % childless from age 23 · reductions depending on number of children
    Total (incl. care, childless)
    ≈ 22.0 % of gross
    Depending on long-term care variant
    Family co-insurance
    possible
    Spouse & children covered under statutory conditions
    Sickness pay (Krankengeld)
    from day 43
    70 % of gross, max 78 weeks
    Compulsory insurance limit (JAEG)
    €77,400 / year
    = €6,450 / month (as of 2026)
    Income-based
    No flat rate — contribution scales with gross salary
    Family covered free
    Spouse without income + children co-insured
    Mandatory under JAEG
    Gross < €77,400 / year → statutory insurance required

    2026 contribution rates: 14.6 % general + 3.2 % DAK supplement = 17.8 %; split 50/50 between employer and employee (8.9 % each). Compulsory long-term care approx. 3.6 % standard, 4.2 % childless from age 23, reductions depending on number of children. Family co-insurance possible under statutory conditions. As of 2026.

    Bridge — Care Economy

    Schengen-conform incoming, ages 0–74, 1 day to 2 years, cancellable the day long-term cover or DAK 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 — Private vs. statutory health insurance for expats

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Can I switch from private to public health insurance in Germany as an expat?

    After age 55, switching back is nearly impossible. Switching from private to statutory health insurance is only possible under specific conditions: starting a new job with a salary below the JAEG threshold, or receiving unemployment benefits. For a detailed overview, see our Expat health insurance guide.

    What is the difference between GKV and PKV for expats in Germany?

    For private transition coverage, the Care Expatriate starting at €58/month is a common option. GKV (statutory health insurance) charges income-based premiums and offers free family coverage for spouses and children. PKV (private insurance) charges risk-based premiums with customizable benefits but requires separate contracts for each family member. Both are accepted by immigration authorities.

    How much does private health insurance cost for expats in Germany?

    The Care Expatriate starts at €58/month (age 13–40, Basic). Costs vary based on age, health status, and coverage level. Full private tariffs from German insurers range from €300/month to over €800/month depending on benefits and age. See also: costs and benefits overview.

    Is public health insurance mandatory for employed expats in Germany?

    Yes, if your gross annual salary is below the JAEG threshold (€73,800 in 2025), you are legally required to join a statutory health insurance fund like the DAK-Gesundheit. Self-employed individuals and those earning above the threshold can choose freely.

    Which is cheaper for expats: private or statutory in 2026?

    Private (Care Expatriate from €58/month) beats GKV (~€200–€1,050.55/month) for expats without German salary. Above JVEG €77,400/year, long-term PKV becomes cheaper than GKV's 17.8% brutto. See /en/insurance-plans/care-expatriate/overview/.