Healthcare
system
Germany provides a good level of universal healthcare and is one of the safest countries in the world. In the event of an emergency, help will arrive within a few minutes.
Ensuring basic medical care
Germany’s healthcare system is also one of the best in the world. To ensure that everyone in Germany can benefit from good basic medical care and protection against high medical bills, all persons living in Germany must take out health insurance. In Germany, health insurance is a legal requirement for everyone. You will need to be able to prove that you have health insurance at various points during your stay, including when you extend your visa, apply for a residence permit or register at a language school or university.
Statutory or private health insurance
The German healthcare system is split into two parts, with statutory health insurance provided by the state and private health insurance provided by privately owned insurers. The main difference between statutory health insurance and private health insurance is the level of cover provided and the amount of premium you will pay.
Whether or not you can choose between the two variants depends on the type of course you are studying. If you belong to one of the groups listed below, you will only be able to obtain insurance from a private health insurance provider (you will not be eligible for statutory health insurance).
- Students at private business schools (not officially recognised universities)
- Students at language schools
- Students at university preparatory colleges (institutions known in Germany as “Studienkollegs”)
- Trainees
- “work & travel” participants
- Persons over 30 years of age
Comparison of medical care
Generally, insurance policies cover the costs of all the medical treatment that you will need if you become ill or are involved in an accident. The costs of medicines prescribed to you by a doctor are also reimbursed. This applies to both statutory health insurance and private health insurance.
In some cases, statutory health insurance will also provide additional insurance cover for services such as preventive cancer screening, sports and exercise classes or dental hygiene appointments. Sometimes you will need to pay an additional premium for these extra services. One of the main advantages of statutory health insurance is that your treatment costs for any pre-existing conditions will also be covered.
Private healthcare insurance policies usually offer more additional services and significantly more comprehensive treatment than statutory policies. As a result, private health insurance is often far better, but also more expensive. However, there are special student rates that can be a lot cheaper than statutory health insurance.
Cost reimbursement procedure
If you have private health insurance, your doctor will send you their invoice. You then submit this invoice to your insurer to claim reimbursement. Generally, the insurer will pay the required amount into your bank account within a few days, so that you can pay the doctor. If you are treated as a hospital in-patient (which means that you stay in hospital for one or more nights to complete your treatment), it is a good idea to contact your insurer as soon as possible. In such cases, your private health insurer will contact the hospital to discuss a payment agreement and will pay the costs of your treatment directly to the hospital.
Comparison of student premiums for statutory and private health insurance
For students, statutory health insurance can cost up to three times more than private health insurance. However, statutory health insurance does cover the treatment of pre-existing conditions. This is why the monthly premiums for the two variants are so different.
Illness or injury
It is important: to note that you should only go directly to hospital in an emergency; in all other cases, you should book an appointment at a doctor’s surgery.
Important emergency numbers
- Ambulance/fire service: 112 (in all European countries)
- Out-of-hours service: 116 117
Comparison of private and statutory health insurance
Monthly costs
- Statutory health insurance: approx. €100.00–€110.00
- Private health insurance: approx. €30.00–€50.00
Insurance cover
- Private health insurance: You will be reimbursed for the costs of treatment for illnesses and accidents, and for the costs of medication prescribed by a doctor. Generally, private health insurance covers more additional services and provides a higher amount of cover for treatment costs than statutory health insurance.
- Statutory health insurance: You will be reimbursed for the costs of treatment for illnesses and accidents, and for the costs of medication prescribed by a doctor. The reimbursed treatment costs are fixed and are generally a lot lower than with private health insurance. Statutory health insurers generally reimburse the costs of fewer additional services than private health insurers. For example, statutory insurance does not include liability cover; this is important because it protects the person who caused the damage from financial risk in the event of a claim.
Cost reimbursement procedure
- Private health insurance: Private health insurers reimburse costs in different ways, depending on their terms and conditions of insurance.
- Statutory health insurance: Statutory health insurers will settle the bill with your doctor or hospital directly.
Ablauf Kostenerstattung
- Private health insurance: Private health insurers reimburse the insured person. The insured person sends the bill to the insurance provider for reimbursement. The relevant amount is then paid into the insured person’s account and the insured person pays the doctor.
- Statutory health insurance: Statutory health insurance only covers the costs of essential treatment.
Persons who cannot obtain insurance
- Private health insurance: Persons over 55 years of age cannot obtain private insurance.
- Statutory health insurance: Students studying at language schools, university preparatory colleges or private universities and students who are over 30 years of age cannot obtain statutory insurance.
Limitations on insurance cover
- Private health insurance: The costs of treatment for pre-existing conditions will not be reimbursed.
- Statutory health insurance: The costs of treatment for pre-existing conditions can be reimbursed.
- Insurance only covers the costs of treatment provided by registered doctors. Often, the costs of treatment by persons such as natural health professionals and alternative medicine practitioners are not reimbursed.
