Which insurance is mandatory in Germany?

Health insurance including long-term care for everyone living here, motor liability for every registered vehicle, dog liability in several states, liability for drones and professional indemnity for some professions. Personal liability is voluntary but almost universal.

Should I choose statutory or private health insurance?

Employees earning below 77,400 euros a year (2026) have no choice and join a statutory fund. Above that, or when self-employed, private cover is possible. Think long term: returning from private to statutory insurance is difficult and after 55 generally impossible.

What is Haftpflichtversicherung and why does everyone have it?

Personal liability insurance pays if you damage someone else's property or injure someone. German law has no upper limit on liability, so one accident can cost millions. It costs little, which is why nearly every household has it.

Can I keep my car insurance from home?

Once your car is registered in Germany it needs German motor insurance. Ask your previous insurer for a claims history letter; some German insurers accept it for a better no-claims class, others start you as a new driver.

Do I need insurance to rent a flat in Germany?

No insurance is legally required for tenants, but many landlords ask for proof of personal liability. It also covers damage to the rented flat, which the deposit alone would not.

Is my insurance from home valid in Germany?

Health cover from another EU country applies only in certain cases, for example posted workers. Contents, liability and motor policies are usually tied to your home country address. Check each contract once you register your address here.

When should I review my insurance?

At each major change: first job, moving in together, children, buying property, going freelance, and before leaving Germany. Older contracts often have weaker terms than current ones at the same price.

Arriving with a suitcase in a German town

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Insurance for New in Germany: what you really need

Health insurance is compulsory from the day you live here, statutory through your employer or private if you earn above the threshold or are self-employed. Personal liability is the next step, and many landlords ask for it. Bring written proof of claims-free driving years from your home insurer; some German insurers credit them towards your no-claims class.

Request quotes All situations at a glance

Essential

Personal liability

Sensible

Optional

Only in certain cases

Travel or expat health plan as permanent cover
Such plans usually do not meet the German legal requirements for health insurance and often end

after a fixed period.
Savings life insurance if you may leave soon
Most costs fall in the first years,

so cancelling after a short stay returns much less than you paid in.

What you really need, policy by policy

Personal liability

In Germany, anyone who negligently causes damage to someone else pays for it in full, with no …

Contents insurance

For newcomers to Germany: the insurance for your belongings is called Hausratversicherung. It …

Occupational disability

Berufsunfähigkeitsversicherung, usually shortened to BU, pays a monthly pension if illness or …

Travel insurance

German insurers sell up to six different travel policies, but only one is essential: …

Private health insurance

Germany runs two parallel systems: statutory health insurance (GKV) for about nine in ten …

Supplementary health

If you are in German public health insurance, you are well covered for medical treatment, but …

Legal expenses insurance

Legal expenses insurance pays for lawyers, court fees and experts when you need to enforce …

Car insurance

You cannot register a car in Germany without liability insurance, and the insurer, not the …

Why this order

The rule: existential risks first, expensive ones second, comfort last

Insurance for New in Germany: what you really need

What you really need, policy by policy

Other situations