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Supplemental Travel Health Insurance
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Janine El-Saghir
Janine El Saghir is an editor at How-to-Germany.com, where she specializes in the practical aspects of daily life and integration for expatriates. With years of...
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Sadie Voss is the Lead Editor for How-to-Germany.com. As an expat who carved her own way into Berlin from the United States, Sadie is deeply...
The products and information on this page are for German residents who need limited travel health coverage abroad. Travel health insurance does not meet minimum requirements for expats applying for German residency.
- German travel health insurance is mainly for residents of Germany who travel abroad temporarily.
- Public health insurance (GKV) only gives limited protection abroad. The European Health Insurance Card can help inside the EU/EEA/Switzerland, but it does not replace private travel insurance.
- Private health insurance (PKV) can include worldwide coverage, but benefits vary by tariff, destination, trip length, and repatriation rules.
- Travel health insurance does not meet German residence insurance requirements for incoming expats, long-term residents, or people applying to live in Germany.
- Incoming insurance for visitors to Germany is a separate product category. Visitors entering Germany should compare Schengen visa insurance or incoming travel insurance instead.
See products and information for German visa requirements and German expat visa insurance requirements.
Top Supplemental Travel Health Insurance Plans
Who Needs Supplemental Travel Health Insurance?
Travel health insurance provides coverage for unexpected medical treatment during temporary trips abroad. It can cover emergency care, hospitalization, medication, and medical repatriation, depending on the policy.
This page is for German residents, including expats living in Germany, who travel out of Germany temporarily. It does not cover incoming travel insurance for tourists entering Germany.
Travel health insurance is relevant for:
- German residents, including expats, who travel abroad and want emergency medical protection outside their normal German health insurance.
- People with GKV who travel outside the EU/EEA/Switzerland, where statutory coverage is usually very limited or unavailable.
- People with PKV whose private tariff does not fully cover worldwide medical treatment, medical repatriation, or longer trips abroad.
- Students, business travelers, and frequent travelers living in Germany who need flexible annual plans for short international trips.
If you are entering Germany as a tourist, visitor, language student, or Schengen visa applicant, you usually need incoming travel insurance or Schengen visa insurance. That is a different product from outgoing travel insurance for German residents.
Outgoing Travel Insurance Is for Residents Traveling Abroad
Outgoing travel insurance, often called Auslandskrankenversicherung in German, is designed for people who already live in Germany and already have German public or private health insurance.
It is normally used for:
- Holidays outside Germany
- Business trips abroad
- Family visits in another country
- Short stays outside Germany
- Trips outside the EU/EEA/Switzerland, where GKV coverage is especially limited
Outgoing travel insurance does not replace your regular German health insurance. It is an add-on for temporary travel risks, especially emergency medical treatment abroad and medical repatriation back to Germany.
Travel Insurance: Limited Public Insurance Coverage
If you are insured through Germany’s statutory health insurance (GKV), your travel coverage is limited.
Travel health insurance is useful when you may need emergency treatment abroad, a private doctor or clinic abroad, or medical repatriation back to Germany. Even within Europe, GKV does not replace full travel insurance.
Comparing German Public Coverage to Supplemental Travel Coverage
| Coverage Area | GKV (Statutory Health Insurance) | Supplemental Travel Insurance | Typical Limits | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Cost | Included in contribution. | ~€8–€25/year for many basic annual health-only policies. | Plan dependent. | Higher premiums may apply for cancellation, baggage, long trips, or worldwide packages. |
| EU / EEA / Switzerland | ✔ Medically necessary public care through EHIC. | ✔ Public + private emergency care, depending on the plan. | Often unlimited or very high emergency medical coverage. | EHIC is not full travel insurance and does not cover private treatment or return transport. |
| Hospitalization | ✔ EU public system only. | ✔ Worldwide emergency hospitalization, depending on the plan. | Often unlimited or very high emergency medical coverage. | Direct billing may depend on the insurer and hospital. |
| Medical Repatriation | ✖ Not normally covered. | ✔ Usually covered. | Full cost or high limits. | Check whether return transport is covered when medically necessary or medically advisable. |
| Medication | ✔ Limited inside Europe under public-system rules. | ✔ Usually covered for acute treatment. | Almost always included. | Reimbursement processes vary. |
| Non-EU Coverage | ✖ Usually not covered. | ✔ Worldwide, depending on the plan. | Often unlimited or very high emergency medical coverage. | Especially important for the US, Canada, UK, Asia, and long-haul travel. |
| Private Doctors / Clinics | ✖ Usually not covered abroad. | ✔ Often covered for emergencies. | Policy-based. | Important where travelers are directed to private clinics. |
| Trip Duration | ✔ No fixed limit for temporary EU stays, subject to public-system rules. | ✔ Typically limited per trip. | Often around 56 or 60 days per trip. | Longer stays may need international health insurance, not normal travel insurance. |
Supplemental travel insurance is a useful add-on for people who already have mandatory German health insurance but want to reduce the cost risk of emergency treatment abroad.
Outside the EU/EEA/Switzerland, public insurance policies typically offer no coverage, unless your insurer has a specific agreement with the destination country, which is rare. For non-EU trips, medical repatriation, or private emergency treatment abroad, a private supplemental travel health insurance policy is strongly recommended.
The common €30,000 minimum coverage is a Schengen visa insurance requirement for incoming travelers, not the normal benchmark for outgoing travel insurance bought by German residents. Many resident travel health insurance plans offer unlimited or very high medical emergency coverage instead.
Supplemental Travel Insurance: Sometimes Still Useful with Private Health Insurance
Private health insurance (PKV) in Germany can include worldwide coverage, especially in comprehensive plans. However, the extent of coverage can vary significantly, so it’s important to check your individual policy before relying on it abroad.
Some tariffs limit the duration of international coverage, exclude certain countries, limit repatriation, or apply different reimbursement rules outside Germany. In these cases, adding a separate travel insurance policy can still be useful, especially for longer trips, high-risk destinations, or trips to countries with expensive private healthcare.
If you’re traveling abroad as a German resident, supplemental travel insurance can provide additional benefits beyond your normal mandatory insurance plan.
How to Choose the Right Supplemental Travel Insurance Plan
Finding the right supplemental travel health insurance depends on your destination, trip length, health status, and purpose of travel. Plans vary significantly in price and coverage.
Even if you already have health insurance and live in Germany, your insurance policy may not cover worldwide emergency bills, return transport to Germany, rescue costs, or private medical treatment abroad.
You can purchase German travel health insurance for short-term trips, either for one specific trip or as an annual travel insurance plan. Annual policies for short-term trips are usually valid for multiple trips per year, but each trip is capped, often around 56 days. If you are staying abroad longer, you may need international health insurance instead of normal travel insurance.
There are differences in the regional coverage of policies. If you want insurance coverage for the US or Canada, check whether those countries are included and whether a higher premium applies.
Travel Insurance Checklist for Expats in Germany
Before buying a policy, check:
- Destination: Is the country or region included, especially the US, Canada, UK, or non-EU destinations?
- Trip length: Does the annual policy cover the full length of each trip?
- Pre-existing conditions: Are stable chronic conditions covered, excluded, or only covered for unexpected acute deterioration?
- Deductible: Do you pay the first €50, €100, or another amount yourself?
- Repatriation: Is return transport covered only when medically necessary, or also when medically advisable?
- Adventure sports: Are skiing, diving, hiking, climbing, surfing, motorbike use, or other higher-risk activities excluded?
- Private clinics: Does the plan cover private emergency treatment abroad?
- Claims process: Can you submit invoices digitally, and does the insurer offer a 24/7 emergency hotline?
- Direct billing: Can the insurer pay hospitals directly in large emergencies?
- Cancellation and baggage: Are these included, or is the policy health-only?
Choose a health-only annual policy if you mainly want emergency medical coverage for short trips abroad. Choose a broader travel package if you also want trip cancellation, luggage delay/loss, or stronger travel assistance. Choose incoming insurance only if you are entering Germany as a visitor or visa applicant.
Real-World Cost Gaps Travel Insurance Can Cover
Travel insurance is cheap because most trips do not involve major medical events. The risk is the rare emergency where costs become very high.
| Scenario | Without travel insurance | With travel health insurance | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broken leg in the US | Emergency room, imaging, surgery, and follow-up can create bills in the tens of thousands. | Emergency treatment can be reimbursed according to the policy, often with unlimited or very high medical emergency coverage. | GKV usually does not cover normal medical treatment in the US. |
| Appendicitis in Thailand | Private hospital care may need upfront payment or a payment guarantee. | The insurer may reimburse treatment or coordinate payment with the clinic. | Tourist clinics often expect private payment. |
| Ski accident in Switzerland | EHIC may help with public care, but rescue, private treatment, and repatriation can still create gaps. | Policy may cover emergency treatment, rescue, and medical transport, depending on conditions. | Winter sports and rescue costs need careful policy checks. |
| Medical repatriation to Germany | Return transport can be very expensive and is not covered by EHIC. | Travel insurance can cover medically necessary or medically advisable repatriation. | This is one of the most important benefits of travel health insurance. |
Travel Health Insurers for German Residents
As an expat living in Germany, you may want a provider that offers easy online sign-up, clear policy documents, digital claims, and 24/7 emergency support. These features matter if you need help during a medical emergency abroad.
Focus on providers that actively offer outgoing travel health insurance for German residents. Examples include digital providers such as Getsafe and established German insurers such as Deutsche Familienversicherung, depending on your language needs and coverage preferences.
Getsafe
Getsafe offers digital travel health insurance for people living in Germany who travel abroad temporarily. It can be a practical option for expats who want app-based setup, digital claims, and a modern insurance experience.
Deutsche Familienversicherung
Deutsche Familienversicherung (German Family Insurance) supplemental travel health insurance is aimed at German residents. It is in German, but it can be a low-cost add-on for residents who are comfortable with German-language insurance documents. The DFV AuslandsreiseSchutz annual single policy starts at €20.00/year.
Feather
Feather stopped issuing new policies for pure standalone travel health insurance (ideal moreso for German residents) in February 2026. Instead, Feather’s travel coverage is oriented towards expat health insurance or international health insurance options – be advised of this when making a choice.
How Travel Health Insurance Claims Usually Work
In a minor claim, you usually pay the doctor or pharmacy abroad, keep the invoice, and submit the claim after the trip. In a serious hospital case, you should contact the insurer’s emergency hotline as early as possible.
A typical claim process looks like this:
- Get treatment: Use emergency services if needed.
- Contact the insurer: For hospital stays, surgery, or high bills, call the 24/7 emergency number.
- Keep documents: Save invoices, prescriptions, medical reports, payment receipts, and discharge papers.
- Ask for readable invoices: German or English documents make reimbursement easier.
- Submit the claim: Upload documents through the app, portal, or email.
- Answer follow-up questions: The insurer may ask for diagnosis codes, proof of travel dates, or proof that the illness was unexpected.
Travel health insurance usually focuses on unexpected illness and accidents. Pre-existing conditions, planned treatment abroad, foreseeable treatment, or treatment that started before the trip may be excluded or restricted.
Conclusion – German Residents Should Use Travel Insurance for Trips Abroad
If you are a resident of Germany planning short trips abroad, a standard supplemental international travel health insurance policy is a low-cost way to protect yourself against emergency medical costs beyond what German statutory or private health insurance covers.
For German residents, the main use case is outgoing travel: holidays, business trips, family visits, and short stays outside Germany. It is especially important outside the EU/EEA/Switzerland and for destinations with expensive private healthcare, such as the US or Canada.
If you are a visitor entering Germany, this is not the right product category. You need incoming health insurance or Schengen visa insurance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Public health insurance can help with medically necessary treatment in the EU/EEA/Switzerland through the European Health Insurance Card. However, it usually does not cover private treatment, medical repatriation, or full costs outside Europe. For trips outside the EU/EEA/Switzerland, separate travel health insurance is usually recommended.
German residents with statutory health insurance can usually use the European Health Insurance Card for medically necessary public healthcare in the EU/EEA/Switzerland. However, EHIC is not full travel insurance. It does not cover private healthcare, medical repatriation, lost luggage, cancellation, or every possible co-payment. A private travel health policy can still be useful, but residents are not buying it “to visit the Schengen area” in the same way as tourists applying for a Schengen visa.