Health insurance ("Krankenversicherung") forms part of the statutory social security contributions. It is regulated in Book V of the German Social Code ("Sozialgesetzbuch"). Pursuant to § 1 SGB V, its purpose is to "maintain, restore and improve the health of the insured".
In Germany, statutory health insurance is compulsory for all employees with annual income lying below the insurance threshold (2024: 69,300 euro) and above this for many other groups (cf. § 5 SGB V). In general, researchers having a working contract as well as their accompanying family members are subject to compulsory health insurance.
In Germany, there are statutory as well as private health insurance companies. For statutory health insurances, the contribution rate of 14.6% has been applicable since 1 January 2019. Under certain circumstances, health insurance companies may charge additional contributions. The costs for the health insurance contributions (including possible additional contributions) are equally split between emloyers and employees.
There is quite a range of statutory health insurance providers and private insurance companies to choose from. In order to help you get a better overview, we have drawn up a list of statutory health insurance providers and private health insurance companies that can be found under "Further information".
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The following information applies to citizens of EU States, as well as citizens of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, who are spending time abroad:
Those who are insured on a voluntary basis or who are covered by statutory insurance may make use of the health services in other EU States, as well as in Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, and have the costs reimbursed by their health insurance scheme. Thus, with regards to ambulant treatment, those insured can choose whether they wish to be treated in Germany or in another Member State. If they consult a doctor or use other medical services within the European Union, they initially have to pay the costs of the treatment on the spot and then submit the receipts to their insurance scheme in their own country. The costs will then be reimbursed at the same level as they would if they had been incurred for treatment in Germany; any excess costs usually must be covered by patients themselves.
In the case of hospital treatment in another State, the health insurance scheme must agree to the treatment in advance. This may only be refused if the same or equally effective treatment at the same general standard of medical knowledge could be obtained for the patient in good time at a hospital in Germany.
Extended health insurance cover comes into force if someone covered by statutory insurance and his or her family are only staying in another country on a temporary basis - for example on holiday or business. In case of illness, they are eligible for services that are necessary medically, including hospital treatment.
If a contract for employment in Germany has been signed and you are actually working here, you are subject to compulsory health insurance here.
The European Health Insurance Card
To facilitate treatment during temporary visits abroad, every health insurance scheme is obliged to issue its members with a European Health Insurance Card. In case of illness in another EU country, or in Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, medical services are provided according to the laws of the host country and reimbursed according to the charges applying there: by presenting the card, patients are eligible both for services which are free of charge in the host country as well as for free medical treatment. Costs for services which usually incur charges in the host country will be covered by the health insurance scheme on presentation of the insurance card.
However, the European Health Insurance Card only has a limited scope.
It is valid:
- for temporary stays abroad
- for necessary medical services
It is not valid:
- for trips abroad specifically for the purpose of treatment
- for the costs incurred in transporting an invalid home
Extended Stays
An extended stay abroad is one that goes beyond a holiday or business trip or a conference visit such as a guest professorship or research trip that lasts a semester or a year. For extended stays abroad within the European Union, as well as in Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, instead of the European Health Insurance Card, the following applies:
If you are entitled to statutory health insurance at home, then your domestic health insurance provider will issue you with an S1 Form (formerly E 106) on request. This S1 Form entitles you and your family members to register with a German health insurance scheme. The German health insurance scheme will then provide all the services that a German health insurance scheme member is entitled to. The German health insurance scheme will subsequently bill the domestic health insurance provider for their costs.
If you are entitled to statutory health insurance in Germany and some members of your family have remained in your own country, then the German health insurance provider will issue an S1 Form (formerly E109) on request. This S1 Form allows those members of your family who have stayed at home to make use of the services of the statutory health insurance scheme without needing to pay contributions. The domestic health insurance provider will subsequently bill the German health insurance scheme for their costs.
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For a research stay in Germany, medical treatment in the event of serious illness and accidents in Germany must be able to be covered . In case of preconditions, please obtain all necessary medication in your home country, as private health insurance in Germany generally will not cover preconditions, meaning you will have to bear any treatment costs yourself. In contrast to private insurances, statutory health insurance providers are required to cover the full costs for insured persons, even preconditions, from the very first day of coverage. It is a good idea to contact the health insurance provider you have selected before travelling to Germany to clarify any questions you may have in advance and to ensure insurance coverage is provided from the very first day. The responsible Immigration Office will require proof of health insurance in order to process residency permit applications.
Check whether your insurance at home covers medical and hospital expenses incurred during your stay in Germany. The insurance company must then confirm in writing that the insurance coverage is also valid in Germany. If the insurance cover is inadequate for visa or residency permit application purposes, you will have to take out an additional insurance policy.
Travel insurance is not sufficient: travel insuance only covers specific health risks when travelling, but does not provide sufficient healthcare coverage for your time in Germany.
Since 1 January 2009, anyone residing in Germany is required to possess health insurance coverage from an insurance provider licensed in Germany if they are not covered by statutory health insurance or entitled to health allowances for members of the civil service. Therefore, in these cases it would make sense to obtain health insurance from a German provider. Insurance coverage abroad can then be switched to the For the duration of your stay in Germany, the foreign health insurance cover can be deferred for this time.
Statutory Health Insurance
Researchers without an employment contract may also have access to statutory health insurance schemes during their stay in Germany. This option may be available to researchers whose research stays begin on or after 1st March 2024 and who are in possession of a residence permit issued according to § 18d (Researcher) of the German Residence Act in accordance with § 9 Number 6 SGB V. More information about residence permits for researchers can be found on our Entry Conditions and Visas page.
Researchers who have this option and decide to join the statutory health insurance system must apply to a statutory insurance company within three months of the start of their research stay at the latest. Please note that memberships in statutory insurance schemes will begin with the start of the research stay, meaning that applicants who apply at a later time during these three months will be required to pay contributions retroactively to the date of their arrival.
Applications generally may also be made in advance of a research stay in order to provide evidence of health insurance coverage at the time of a visa application. Please contact the statutory health insurance provider you would like to register with for more information on how you can register in advance to receive evidence of health insurance cover for more information.
It is important to note that statutory health insurance policies only become active upon entry into the Federal Republic of Germany, meaning that insurance coverage for the journey to Germany should be booked separately, for example with a travel insurance scheme, in order to ensure that you have adequate health insurance at all times during your research journey.
In rare exceptions, researchers in Germany with residence permits based upon other paragraphs of the Residence Act may also have the option of voluntarily registering for statutory health insurance in accordance with § 9 SGB V. If in doubt, please ask your funding provider or the statutory health insurance provider you would like to register with in Germany about this option before commencing your research stay.
Information about statutory health insurance providers can be found on the website of the German National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Providers: German National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Providers (GKV Spitzenverband).
Pre-Conditions and Family Members
Statutory health insurance coverage in Germany covers treatment for pre-conditions. Additionally, immediate family members (spouses, children) accompanying researchers insured with a statutory health insurance provider are generally able to be insured at no extra charge via family insurance coverage.
Private Health Insurance
Should you not wish to be insured with a statutory health insurance provider or do not meet the requirements to be insured with a statutory health insurance provider, you will need to apply for private health insurance for the duration of your stay.
There are a number of private health insurance providers in Germany offering different types and levels of health insurance coverage. It is important to read the fine print about these policies as preconditions may not be completely covered, not covered at all or only be covered at a higher premium. Furthermore, some policies may not cover certain medical needs or may have a waiting period before providing certain types of coverage, such as in the case of pregnancy. Additionally, any accompanying family members will need to apply for and pay for their own separate insurance policy.
Private health insurance policies generally will be offered either at entry-level tariffs or as substitutive health insurance. Entry-level tariffs often only cover a bare minimum and may not be sufficient for visa and residence permit applications or renewals. Substitutive health insurance generally offers similar coverage to that of statutory health insurance, but may have limited coverage (such as with regards to pre-conditions).
Selecting a private health insurance policy at the start of your research stay will generally preclude you from applying for statutory health insurance at a later date, even within the first three months of stay on the basis of § 18d (Residence Act) if you do not have an employment contract requiring social insurance contributions. Travel health insurance policies that cover the journey to Germany are generally exempt from this rule regarding exclusion to access to statutory health insurance membership.
Information about a number of private health insurance providers can be found on the website of the Association of Private Health Insurance Providers (PKV-Verband).
If you are employed on the basis of an employment contract, then you will most likely be subject to compulsory public German health insurance.
However, there might be an exception. If a Social Security Agreement ("Sozialversicherungsabkommen") exists between Germany and your own country, the health insurance regulations of your country may continue to be applicable. In these cases, your health insurance provider or social security authority at home will confirm this using form number 1 or 101. On the basis of form number 1 or 101, you will continue to be subject to your national health insurance regulations and be exempt from statutory German health insurance, provided that the Social Security Agreement that is in place with your own country applies to health insurance.
As an employee, if you do not possess form number 1 or 101, you will be subject to German health insurance. Your level of income will determine whether you must obtain private or statutory health insurance.
If your gross salary is less than 69,300 euro a year (as of 2024), you must be insured by a statutory health insurance company. The general statutory health insurance rate is set at a standardised 14.6% of the gross salary. Both the employer and employee pay 7.3% of the insurance rate.
Starting in 2015, statutory health insurers may charge a supplemental premium if they have established that they cannot otherwise cover their costs. Spouses out of employment and children can be insured at no additional cost in the statutory health system.
The health insurance providers decide themselves on the amount of the supplemental premium. Should your health insurance company introduce or increase its supplemental premium, it is possible to switch to a different health insurance provider more quickly based on a special right of cancellation.
The care provided for by statutory health insurance are, for the most part, standardised, though there are differences in customer service, additional benefits and optional premiums between companies. You are free to choose a statutory health insurance company, meaning that it can be worthwhile comparing the benefits of different providers.
If your gross annual salary regularly exceeds 69,300 euro (as of 2024), you are free to choose between a statutory health insurance provider and a private health insurance company. This means that you may opt for either a statutory and a private health scheme.
You must inform your employer which health insurance company you have chosen so that the contributions can be paid. The employer registers new employees with the health insurance company they have chosen if the employee is not yet registered with a health insurance provider. For first time arrivals, the health insurance provider then forwards the registration to other social security providers. Contributions to health insurance are deducted automatically from the employee's salary.
Further Information
Statutory Health Insurance
Information on the statutory health insurance in Germany National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds.
Private Health Insurance Companies
Information about private health insurance and private health insurance providers (in German) from the Verband der privaten Krankenversicherung e.V.
DAAD-Group Insurance Scheme
Health, Liability, and Accident Insurance available to foreign scientists sponsored, supported or represented by members of DAAD or DAAD Partner Organizations
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