Health insurance for a German visa or residence permit
Verified by Dr. Rob Schumacher on November 21, 2023
Rob Schumacher is a health insurance broker and the founder of Feather insurance . We work together since 2018.
This guide explains how to choose health insurance when you apply for a German visa, a National Visa or a residence permit .
What health insurance do you need?
For a tourist visa.
To apply for a tourist visa ( Schengen visa ), you need travel insurance . 1
Your travel insurance must… 2
- Cover you for at least 30,000 €
- Be valid in all Schengen area countries, not just Germany
- Be valid during your whole trip in the Schengen area
HanseMerkur’s Visa Plus travel insurance works well for a Schengen visa application.
If you don’t need a visa to visit Germany , you don’t need travel insurance, but it’s still good to have.
For a National Visa
To apply for a National Visa , you need public , private or expat health insurance .
When you start working in Germany, you must switch to public or private health insurance. If you have a minijob , you can usually stay on expat insurance. 13
For a job seeker visa
If you have never lived in Germany , you need travel insurance or expat insurance .
If you lived in Germany before , you need public , private or expat health insurance . Travel insurance is not accepted. 3 If you come back to Germany, you can get the same type of insurance as before.
When you start working , you must switch to public or private health insurance .
For a work visa or Blue Card
To apply for a work visa or a Blue Card , you need public or private health insurance . If your salary is under 69,300 € per year, you can’t get private health insurance.
If you apply in another country (at the German embassy or consulate), you can get expat insurance to get your National Visa . When you start working , you must switch to public or private health insurance. 1
How to apply for a work visa
How to apply for a Blue Card
For a freelance visa
If this is your first residence permit , you need public , private or expat health insurance . Travel insurance is not accepted.
If you renew or change your current residence permit , you need public or private health insurance . Expat health insurance is rarely accepted. 1
Don’t choose health insurance yourself. It’s a really bad idea when you are self-employed. The best option depends on your citizenship, your income, your health, and your plans for the future. Ask a health insurance broker to help you choose.
How to apply for a freelance visa
For a Working Holiday Visa
To apply for a Working Holiday Visa or Youth Mobility Visa , you need public , private , travel or expat health insurance .
When you start working, you need public or private health insurance. 12 If you have a minijob , you can usually stay on travel or expat insurance. 13
For other residence permits
If this is your first residence permit , you need public , private or expat health insurance .
Travel insurance is not accepted when you apply for a residence permit.
How to choose health insurance
Ask a health insurance broker to help you choose. Their help is free. It’s the best way to choose insurance.
How to choose German health insurance
Expat health insurance options
These insurers usually work:
- Feather works really well. 10 They have public, private and expat health insurance. They speak English. I got my own insurance from them. I trust them the most.
- Ottonova works well too. 4 They sell private and expat health insurance. They speak English. They are not the cheapest long-term option. – My review of Ottonova
- Care Concept is usually accepted. 5 It’s not the best insurance, but it works.
- April International 7
- Allianz Worldwide Care 11
These insurers are less reliable:
- Mawista Expatcare is not always accepted 8
- Cigna Global is not always accepted 9
blog.feather-insurance.com ⤴
schengenvisainfo.com , germany.info , visaguide.world ⤴
berlin.de ⤴
facebook.com , facebook.com , facebook.com , facebook.com , facebook.com ⤴
facebook.com , reddit.com/r/berlin , facebook.com , facebook.com ⤴
facebook.com , reddit.com/r/berlin , facebook.com ⤴
facebook.com ⤴
facebook.com , facebook.com , facebook.com , medium.com , reddit.com/r/berlin , facebook.com , facebook.com , facebook.com , facebook.com ⤴
Confirmed by a Cigna employee (2022), m.facebook.com ⤴
Rob Schumacher at Feather (November 2023), personal experience (2015) ⤴
Rob Schumacher at Feather (November 2023) ⤴
What are you looking for?
Medical health insurance.
Information on Medical Health Insurance when applying for a visa.
Every applicant has to submit proof of medical travel insurance covering the entire length of the stay in Europe when applying for a Schengen visa .
There are strict requirements. Please find more information here: Medical Health Insurance PDF / 304 KB
Some medical insurance companies do not cover costs for medical treatment abroad or do not issue letters stating the requirements listed above. In this case, or in the case that you have no medical insurance in the US, you will have to purchase an additional travel insurance
You can find additional insurance companies in your local Yellow Pages or on the internet (search for “health insurance Schengen visa”).
Please bear in mind that some companies offer medical insurance policies only in combination with other kinds of coverage like trip cancellation. Rates depend on the length of the trip, age and number of travelers and the extent of coverage.
Please Note : Although the information on this website has been prepared with utmost care, we can not accept any responsibility for inaccuracies contained herein.
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Germany travel insurance is a mandatory health insurance plan for travellers and visitors that covers your medical needs while in Germany. This insurance should have a minimum coverage of €30,000 and apart from Germany, it should also be valid in other Schengen countries.
This guide helps you choose health insurance for a Schengen visa, National Visa, Blue Card, freelance visa and other residence permits.
You can find a travel health insurance plan for Germany that fulfils all of the Schengen insurance requirements at Dr. Walter – PROVISIT VISUM, which offers affordable plans for travelers who plan to stay in Germany.
If you don’t need a Schengen Visa, then travel insurance is not mandatory to travel to Germany. But even though Germany is one of the safest countries in Europe, life can still be full of surprises — both good and bad — especially when you’re abroad.
Most expats and visitors in Germany have to get some sort of German health insurance. In this article, you will find detailed information about so-called Schengen travel insurance, its requirements and who needs to get it before travelling to Germany or any other country in the Schengen zone.
Every applicant has to submit proof of medical travel insurance covering the entire length of the stay in Europe when applying for a Schengen visa. There are strict requirements. Please find more information here: Medical Health Insurance PDF / 304 KB.