What insurance do I need as a host family for an au pair in Germany?
In short
What insurance you need as a host family for an au pair in Germany is set by the Federal Employment Agency: you take out cover for illness, pregnancy, birth and accidents and pay for it yourself. Liability insurance is not required but recommended. Packages with health, accident and liability cover cost about EUR 25 to 70 a month.
Published premiums and required amounts, as of October 2026.
Example
Typical range
Package of health, accident and liability cover for an au pair in Germany
about EUR 25 to 70 a month
Health cover for guests from abroad, entry plan up to age 34
from about EUR 36 a month (EUR 1.19 a day)
Accident disability sum in published au pair packages
about EUR 20,000 to 60,000
Pocket money under the Federal Employment Agency's information sheet
EUR 280 a month
Contribution to the German course
EUR 70 a month or EUR 840 in one payment
Premiums come from published plan details,
required amounts from the information sheet and model contract of the Federal Employment Agency
(April and October 2023).
Some guides quote EUR 260 pocket money; the agency's figure is the one that counts.
Your premium depends on origin, age and scope; we obtain the exact quote.
Worked example
Host family with two children, au pair from outside the EU, twelve months
This is how the fixed costs for one year add up, without room, food and travel to the course.
Pocket money (12 × EUR 280)
EUR 3,360
German course contribution
EUR 840
Health, accident and liability package (12 × EUR 25 to 70)
EUR 300 to 840
Together about EUR 4,500 to 5,040 a year. Insurance is the smallest part of that, so it is not the place to save.
What the Federal Employment Agency requires
An au pair in Germany is not covered by statutory social insurance. The Federal Employment Agency (Bundesagentur für Arbeit) therefore requires insurance for illness, pregnancy and birth as well as for accidents. The host family pays all premiums, and you do not need an employer number.
Health cover must start on the first day and last for the whole stay. If the au pair comes from a country that needs a visa, proof of health insurance is part of the visa application.
Insurance
Required?
Who pays
Illness, pregnancy, birth
yes, under the agency's information sheet
host family
Accident
yes, under the agency's information sheet
host family
Liability
no, but recommended
usually the host family as part of a package
Statutory accident insurance
does not apply, no registration
not applicable
Au pairs from the EU and from other countries
If your au pair comes from the EU, the EEA or Switzerland and has health insurance at home, the European Health Insurance Card gives basic cover for up to twelve months. Benefits can be limited and it never pays for a flight home. Private top-up cover closes that gap.
Au pairs from outside Europe need their own health insurance for guests in Germany, often called incoming insurance. Check the age limit of the plan and make sure pregnancy and birth are included, because the Federal Employment Agency names exactly those risks.
What your own liability insurance covers and what it does not
Under the German model terms for personal liability insurance, the statutory liability of people employed in your household towards third parties is covered for that work. Whether this includes an au pair depends on your policy, so ask your insurer before the au pair arrives.
Two gaps almost always remain. If the au pair breaks a vase belonging to the family, your own liability insurance does not pay. If the au pair injures your child while babysitting, your policy does not cover that either. Both are covered by a separate liability policy for the au pair, which many packages include.
Accidents: why statutory insurance does not help
Au pairs are not domestic employees and you are not their employer, so they are not registered with German statutory accident insurance and get no cover from it. If the au pair falls on the way to daycare, only the private accident insurance in the package pays.
Check the disability sum. In published packages it lies between about EUR 20,000 and EUR 60,000. That is enough for minor injuries but little for serious ones.
If the au pair drives your car
If your motor insurance does not restrict who may drive, the au pair may drive. If you limited drivers to family members or to people aged 25 and over, you must report the au pair, otherwise the insurer can charge a contractual penalty on top of the extra premium.
Licences from the EU and the EEA are valid without time limit. Other foreign licences usually apply for six months, and au pairs can have that extended by another six months.
What a year with an au pair costs besides insurance
Under the Federal Employment Agency's information sheet you pay EUR 280 pocket money a month, regardless of working hours. You contribute at least EUR 840 to the German course, either EUR 70 a month or in one payment, plus travel costs to the course. You provide room and board free of charge.
The au pair helps for no more than six hours a day and 30 hours a week. After a full year the au pair is entitled to four weeks of paid holiday.
Step by step
Find out whether the au pair comes from the EU or needs a visa.
Take out cover for illness, pregnancy, birth and accidents from the day of arrival.
Ask your liability insurer whether the au pair is included in your policy.
Choose a separate liability policy for the au pair that covers damage to your belongings and your children.
Check your motor insurance and report the au pair as a driver if your driver group is restricted.
Keep proof of insurance with the contract and adjust the term if the stay is extended.
Checklist
Health cover including pregnancy and birth
Accident cover for free time, household and travel
Repatriation to the home country included
Liability cover for damage within the host family
Term covers the whole stay
Au pair reported as a driver where needed
Common mistakes
Relying on the European Health Insurance Card alone
Assuming your own liability insurance pays for damage to your own household goods
Choosing a plan without pregnancy and birth
Letting the au pair drive the family car without reporting it
Questions and answers
Frequently asked
Does the host family have to pay for the insurance?
Yes.
Under the Federal Employment Agency's information sheet,
all insurance premiums are paid by the host family.
Is liability insurance for the au pair required?
No, but many placement agencies recommend it.
Without it, damage to your belongings and injuries to your children usually remain uncovered.
Is the au pair covered by statutory accident insurance?
No.
Au pairs are not registered with statutory accident insurance.
Only private accident insurance pays after an accident.
Is the European Health Insurance Card enough?
It gives basic cover for up to twelve months if the au pair is insured at home.
Repatriation and some benefits are missing, so private top-up cover makes sense.
How long can an au pair stay?
At least six months and at most one year.
According to the information sheet, a second au pair placement is not possible.
Can I deduct the insurance from the pocket money?
No.
The EUR 280 pocket money belongs to the au pair, the host family pays the premiums on top.
