- Are you moving your home base, or are you travelling?
- For which period and which countries should the cover apply?
- What is the product intended for according to its terms?
Start with your life, not with the product
Country of residence, possible next stops, travel profile and the people who come with you: only these details give a comparison a sensible frame. Someone planning three years in Dubai and perhaps moving on afterwards needs different answers from someone spending two winters in Portugal.
That is why, in the first call, we ask about your situation first and about plans only afterwards.
Note down before the call
- Destination country and planned period
- How often you travel to Germany or to other countries
- Who comes with you: partner, children
- How you are insured today: statutory, private or through your employer
- Whether an employer in the destination country provides insurance
The criteria and the question behind each one
None of these criteria is a checkbox. How they fit together only becomes clear from your situation and the respective policy terms.
| Criterion | Your question | Where the answer is found |
|---|---|---|
| Area of cover | Do I need cover only in the destination country, in a region or worldwide, and with or without the USA? | Policy terms on the area of cover |
| Scope of benefits | Which components matter to me: outpatient, inpatient, dental, preventive care, pregnancy? | Benefit description of the plan |
| Deductible and billing | How much do I want to pay myself, and is billing made directly with the hospital or by reimbursement? | Policy terms, billing rules |
| Home country link | What applies when I visit Germany? | Policy terms on the home country |
| Application and assessment | What information does the insurer ask for in the application, and how is it assessed? | Application documents, only during the application process |
| Way back | What happens to my German insurance, and how do I get back in? | German private health insurance (PKV) and Anwartschaft (a German option to keep certain rights in private insurance while abroad) when emigrating (German) |
Insure internationally or locally?
The right question is rarely just “international or local?”. Length of stay, mobility and the local conditions matter more.
Questions that may point towards local
- The destination country will be your home base for a longer time, and you rarely travel.
- Your employer on site provides a solution, and you know what it covers.
Questions that may point towards international
- Further moves between countries are realistic.
- You travel regularly, or you want treatment to be possible in other countries as well.
- Your family lives in different places.
Sometimes the two routes complement each other. We check local requirements, residence status and product availability per country and point in time; they are not a global rule of thumb.
Travel insurance or international health insurance?
Similar terms can serve different product purposes. A short trip, a longer stay abroad or a mobile way of living raise different questions.
Duration alone is not enough. Residence, movement profile and the respective terms matter too. You do not derive the scope of benefits, area of cover and requirements from a product name, but from the terms.
Three questions to check
- Are you moving your home base, or are you travelling?
- For which period and which countries should the cover apply?
- What is the product intended for according to its terms?
Where are you right now?
- Before the moveClarify your German contract (German)Timeline, cancellation, Anwartschaft, way back.
- Already abroadReview your existing cover (German)Not just the premium, but also terms and support.
- With familyPlan togetherLook at people, life stages and mobility together.
- BudgetUnderstand costsWhich factors change the premium.
Sources and last updated
Here you can read the legal bases and bodies behind the questions on this page yourself. Page last updated: .
- § 192 VVG (German Insurance Contract Act), typical insurer benefitsgesetze-im-internet.de · German-language source
- § 19 VVG (German Insurance Contract Act), duty of disclosuregesetze-im-internet.de · German-language source
- § 7 VVG (German Insurance Contract Act), information for the policyholdergesetze-im-internet.de · German-language source
- Country information from the German Federal Foreign Officeauswaertiges-amt.de · German-language source
This page asks questions and puts things in context. It does not replace advice in an individual case. What is binding are the law, the terms of your contract and the competent bodies.
Related topics
Frequently asked questions
Can I calculate a premium directly here?
Not responsibly. The premium depends on your situation, the scope you choose and an individual assessment. You can read which factors play a role under Costs of international health insurance.
Is international health insurance always better than local cover?
No. This page makes no blanket recommendation; it helps you sort out the questions that matter for your situation.
Do I need to give health information for the first call?
No. We discuss what information an insurer asks for in the application once an application becomes concrete.
This page provides orientation and does not replace individual advice. The law, your contract terms and the competent authorities are binding.
