Health insurance in Germany for Indian citizens
Health insurance is mandatory from your first day in Germany, and your Indian policy does not count. Here is how the system works for Indian professionals, families and students, in plain English.
Five things Indian professionals should know
Cover is required from day one
Your visa and your address registration (Anmeldung) both require German health insurance. Travel insurance and Indian policies do not satisfy the requirement.
A Blue Card salary usually opens the private option
Employees earning above EUR 77,400 gross per year (2026) can choose private health insurance. Many Blue Card packages in IT and engineering clear this line.
Your Indian policy does not transfer
The India-Germany social security agreement covers pension contributions, not health insurance. You start fresh in the German system.
English-language service exists on both sides
TK is the strongest public option for English support. Ottonova, DKV and Allianz offer private contracts and onboarding in English.
Family cover works very differently
Public insurance covers a non-working spouse and children for free. Private insurance charges a separate premium for every family member.
Public or private as an Indian professional in Germany
Most Indian citizens arrive as employees on a Blue Card or a skilled-worker visa. If your gross salary is above EUR 77,400 per year, you choose between public and private health insurance. Below that line, public insurance is mandatory for employees. Self-employed consultants and founders can choose private regardless of the employee threshold; we recommend it from around EUR 40,000 of annual income. Not sure where you land? Our eligibility check takes two minutes. If private looks like your route, our private health insurance guide for Indians in Germany covers costs, the health check and family cover in detail.
- Employee above EUR 77,400: free choice between public and private.
- Employee below the threshold: public insurance, pick a Krankenkasse with English service.
- Self-employed: private is open at any income; sensible from about EUR 40,000 per year.
- Student: public student rate of roughly EUR 135 per month is the standard route.
Public vs. private at a glance
Typical profile: Blue Card employee in IT, gross salary EUR 80,000, healthy, early 30s.
Public health insurance
Income-based
Private health insurance
Age and tariff based
The essentials
Choose a plan to compare
Figures are 2026 values and typical ranges. Your exact premium depends on age, health and tariff. Get a free quote for a personal calculation.
Trips home and family joining later
Two questions come up in almost every consultation with Indian clients. First, what happens on visits to India: public insurance offers little cover outside the EU, while many private tariffs include worldwide cover for temporary stays, so check the tariff before you sign. Second, family reunion: a spouse joining you on a family reunion visa needs cover that matches your system. In public insurance a non-working spouse joins your policy for free. In private insurance each person has their own contract, which is worth pricing in before you decide.
- Visiting parents need their own visitor policy with at least EUR 30,000 Schengen cover.
- Children born in Germany are added to public cover free, or get their own private contract.
- Planning to return to India? Ask about Anwartschaft, a low-cost way to pause private cover.
Common questions from Indian clients
No. German law requires a German health insurance contract from the day you register or start work. Indian policies, including corporate group cover, are not recognised.
No. Above EUR 77,400 gross per year you have a free choice. Private often costs less at Blue Card salaries, but public is the safer default if you expect a non-working spouse or several children. A free consultation compares both for your numbers.
TK is the usual recommendation for English-language service. Barmer and DAK also handle English correspondence in the big cities.
Public insurance generally does not cover treatment in India. Many private tariffs cover temporary worldwide trips, often up to several months per year. Check the tariff wording before you rely on it.
In public insurance, yes: a spouse with little or no income and children are covered at no extra cost. In private insurance every person pays their own premium.
Premiums depend on age, health and tariff rather than income. Healthy professionals in their early 30s typically see EUR 380 to 550 per month before the employer contribution. See our cost guide or get a free quote.
Talk it through in
Related guides
Two more pages that come up most often when people are at this stage.
Health insurance for internationals
The full guide for international residents in Germany.
Learn moreInsurance for your German visa
What counts as proof of cover, visa type by visa type.
Learn moreGuide for Americans
How the German system compares to US health cover.
Learn morePrivate cover for Indian professionals
Eligibility, 2026 costs and the health check, in detail.
Learn more