Do you need insurance for a trip to Germany

Germany is part of the Schengen Area, and medical insurance is mandatory for a visa. The policy is attached to the documents submitted to the visa centre and may be requested on entry. Germany’s insurance requirements are common to all Schengen countries.

Insurance requirements for the visa

  • Sum insured — at least EUR 30,000.
  • Territory — all countries of the Schengen Area.
  • Period — every day of the trip. Insurers often add a 15-day grace period to Schengen policies; it is convenient but not mandatory: when you buy through the calculator on polisre.ru, the grace period is added automatically.
  • Cover — emergency medical care, hospitalisation, medical transportation and repatriation.
  • Deductible — consulates require a policy with no deductible.

Which sum to choose for Germany

Germany has some of the most expensive healthcare in Europe. Foreigners without local insurance are billed at private rates, and a hospital stay can quickly exceed EUR 30,000. We recommend EUR 50,000, and for older travellers, people with chronic conditions and skiing — EUR 100,000.

What to consider on a trip to Germany

  • Family visits. Many people visit relatives for long periods. The policy must cover the whole stay, and people with chronic conditions should add the exacerbation option.
  • Business trips and trade fairs. Frankfurt, Munich, Hanover and Düsseldorf host major trade fairs. A tourist policy is usually fine for office work and meetings, but work in production or installation requires a separate option.
  • The Bavarian Alps. Garmisch-Partenkirchen and other resorts — skiing requires the skiing or snowboarding option.
  • Bicycles. Germany is a cycling country, and many tourists rent a bike. City rides usually need no options, but mountain biking and cycling races count as active sports.
  • Emergency, not planned treatment. Travel insurance pays only for emergency care. Planned treatment, examinations and surgery for which people travel to German clinics are not covered.

A Schengen policy is valid in all countries of the area, so a trip from Germany to Austria, Czechia or the Netherlands does not require extra insurance.

Buy a policy to Germany online

You can buy insurance right on this page: the calculator above shows prices from several insurers at once (16 insurers are available in the service). Online sales are provided by Polis Re’s partner, the Cherehapa service; the contract is concluded with the insurance company you select.

  1. Check that “Germany” is selected and set the dates and travellers’ ages.
  2. Tick the options you need: exacerbation of chronic diseases, skiing, trip cancellation, visa refusal.
  3. Sort offers by price or by cover and open the terms of the plan you like.
  4. Enter your first and last name in Latin letters exactly as in your international passport, enter your e-mail and pay.
  5. The electronic policy arrives by e-mail within a few minutes and is as valid as a paper one.

Insured event in Germany: what to do

Keep the assistance phone number at hand: it is printed in the policy. An assistance company is a service company that organises help abroad on behalf of the insurer.

  1. Report the case before seeing a doctor: policy number, your details, address and symptoms.
  2. Get a referral to a clinic — treatment there is paid without your involvement, within the sum insured and taking the deductible into account.
  3. If the assistance company allows you to pay yourself, keep the medical report, invoices and receipts and file a claim for reimbursement after you return.

More in the “Insured event” section.

Nearby destinations

If your route covers several countries, see the other pages too: insurance to the Schengen Area, insurance to France, insurance to Italy, insurance to Spain. The full list of destinations, annual policies and tips on choosing cover are on the travel insurance page.