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Health insurance

In Germany, you are required to take out health insurance. We will give you an overview of the types of health insurance and their services.

In Germany, you must take out health insurance as an employee. A distinction is made between statutory and private health insurance. These are two different systems and you cannot switch between them freely.
Most employees in Germany have statutory health insurance. As a person with statutory health insurance, you can choose the health insurance provider from a wide range of insurances and suits you eh best. Here is where you can find a list of all statutory health insurance providers. Your partner and your children also enjoy insurance cover: if, for example, your spouse does not work, you can include them in the statutory health insurance. This does not incur any additional costs for you. The same applies to your children.

Above a certain salary, you can opt for private health insurance. This limit for the salary is called the compulsory insurance limit. You can find the latest information on salary limits on the official website of the Federal Government.

Health insurance benefits

If you fall ill, you are in good hands in Germany. The health insurance provider covers the costs of all urgently needed medical treatment. The basic insurance cover provided by the statutory health insurance providers extends to the following services:

  • outpatient medical treatment, for example, in doctors' surgery
  • dental care
  • medication, health remedies or medical aids 
  • in-patient medical treatment, for example in a hospital
  • medically necessary rehabilitation measures
  • benefits during pregnancy and childbirth

Please beware

When taking out health insurance, you are automatically covered by long-term care insurance. Long-term care insurance covers you if, for example, you are no longer able to look after yourself due to a serious illness – in other words, if you need help from a carer.

Health insurance without an employer

You are not employed by an employer? You still require health insurance! The type of health insurance depends on which group you belong to:

  • Family: Children, spouses and registered life partners can usually be insured collectively through family insurance with one adult being in the statutory health insurance.
  • Trainees, students and interns: You generally have to take out statutory health insurance. There are some exceptions, e.g. for students over the age of 30.
  • Jobseekers: EU citizens can use their European health card. People without EU or EEA citizenship who are not in employment, for example because they have a visa to look for work, must take out private health insurance. There are special rates for expats in this case. 

The website of the Federal Ministry of Health has a complete list of all compulsorily insured persons, as well as the number of a citizens' hotline for advice.

What is the health card (eGK) / European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)?

If you are a member of a statutory health insurance scheme, you will receive your electronic health card, a kind of health insurance membership card. You bring the card with you to every doctor's appointment. It is also valid in all EU countries as well as in Great Britain, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. This means that if you fall ill in these countries during a holiday or a business trip, you will get access to local medical care with the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). You do not have to apply for the EHIC. It is automatically printed on the back of your insurance card. It is advisable to find out about the procedure in an emergency from your health insurance company in good time, before travelling abroad to other countries.

Information on the web

  1. National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds An overview of all statutory health insurances
  2. EURES Information about the German healthcare system
  3. Federal Ministry of Health Citizens' hotline for questions about the health system
  4. The electronic health card
  5. Federal Association of Statutory Health Insurance Dentists Search for dentists in Germany

Do you have any questions?

Let us advise you on your opportunities to work and live in Germany. Our experts will support you with questions regarding job search, visa, recognition and learning German. 

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