28 Mar 2024
Thursday


Health insurance in Germany

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The health insurance (Krankenversicherung) system in Germany is universal, meaning that by law everyone has to take out cover. There are two types of health insurance in Germany: statutory health insurance and private health insurance. The kind you have depends on your employment and how much you earn.

Does my foreign health insurance cover me in Germany?

If you are an EU citizen, you are covered by your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) for temporary stays. Once you register in Germany, you will need to take out health insurance.

If you are coming to Germany from outside the EU, having German health insurance is usually a pre-requisite for obtaining a residence permit. You will therefore need to take out German health insurance once you have arrived. Some exceptions to these rules apply to students (see below).