Health insurance when you've just moved to Germany

Briefly, sometimes — EU citizens can use EHIC for emergencies in transition. But within weeks of moving, German law requires you to have a German health insurance contract. Foreign policies do not satisfy the legal requirement.

No. Several public Krankenkassen and most private insurers offer English-language contracts and support. DKV and Allianz are particularly known for English service.

If you have residency in Germany, you need German health insurance — even if your employer is abroad. Self-employed status applies in most cases.

Expat-style policies (Care Concept, Hanse Merkur Expat, etc.) are short-term contracts (1–5 years) priced for newcomers. Regular private is open-ended. If you plan to stay long-term, go straight to regular private.

Yes, as long as the plan meets the legal minimum: unlimited cover for inpatient and outpatient treatment, no exclusion of pre-existing conditions for emergencies, and a deductible no higher than allowed. All standard private plans from regulated German insurers qualify. Pure travel insurance does not.

You need German-compliant health insurance from your first day. If your salary is at or above the income threshold (€77,400 in 2026), private is an option. Below that, public is the default. Both are accepted by the Foreigners Office (Ausländerbehörde).

Only as a short bridge. Travel insurance is fine for the first few weeks while you sort out your residence registration and main plan, but the Ausländerbehörde will not extend a residence permit based on travel cover. You need a proper public or private contract before that point.

Same day in most cases. We collect your details, submit the application electronically, and the insurer issues confirmation usually within 24 to 72 hours. You can use this confirmation immediately for your residence registration and employer paperwork.

Insurers ask about the past 3 to 5 years of medical history. Depending on what comes up, you may get the standard rate, a premium surcharge, an exclusion for one condition, or in rare cases a rejection. We pre-check anonymously across multiple insurers so you never receive a formal rejection on your record.

It depends on your own cover. If you are in public insurance, a non-earning spouse and your children are usually covered for free under family insurance (Familienversicherung). If you go private, each family member needs their own contract, though children's premiums are modest. Family reunion visas generally expect dependents to be insured the same way as the resident partner.

Both are quick. A public Krankenkasse activation and a private application both typically produce a usable confirmation within 24 to 72 hours. The slower part is usually gathering your documents, not the insurer, so start as soon as you have a job offer or study place.