Healthcare and Insurances

In this section, we provide information about the healthcare system and health insurance in Germany, as well as tips on which other insurances are necessary and which are good to have. Please note that in Germany, social security is mandatory for all employees, regardless of nationality, and includes five components:

  • Health Insurance (Krankenversicherung)
  • Long-term Care/Nursing Care Insurance (Pflegeversicherung)
  • Pension Scheme (Rentenversicherung)
  • Unemployment Insurance (Arbeitslosenversicherung)
  • Accident Insurance (Unfallversicherung)

As an employee under contract, approximately 40% of your gross salary will automatically be deducted for social security contributions.

You will be automatically registered with social security at the start of your contract and will receive a letter containing your personal social security number (Sozialversicherungsnummer). Be sure to store this letter safely, as you may need the number for future inquiries.

Healthcare

If you are ill, and need to see a doctor or get a prescription, or if you are looking for general information about the German health care system, you can find some frequently asked questions at: tuebingenresearchcampus.com/en/tuebingen/living-in-tuebingen/going-to-the-doctor

  • If you are covered by statutory health insurance, you can choose your own doctor. Visits to the doctor and any treatments are free of charge.
  • In case of emergencies, you should call 112 (ambulance) or 110 (police and fire department).

Health insurance is legally required in Germany. If you are employed, your health insurance contributions are directly deducted from your salary. You need to register with a provider and inform your employer (e.g., when you meet with your group’s admin to sign your contract) about your chosen provider. The main health insurance providers in the Tübingen area that offer services in English are TK and AOK. There are no major differences in the services or pricing they offer, so feel free to choose based on your preference.

If you are not employed (e.g., students), there are several student health insurance providers. You can find more information here: Most plans cost a bit over €100 per month.

📊 Survey results - “What Health Insurances do others recommend/use?"

Other examples of Health-insurance providers

  • ARAG (private)
  • BKK
  • DAK
  • HKK

 

 

💭 What Others Say…

💭 Worth taking dental extra insurance

💭 The order of operations with signing up to TK is quite confusing, as you have to sign up before moving to Germany, but signing up requires giving them an address. What I ended up doing is signing up with my international address and then changing my address after moving to Germany. This was somewhat convenient as they have online services (including in English) - but might not be possible for everyone to do.

💭 English support: TK has reasonably good support in English. […] I don't think they have a lot of documentation/the website in English […]

💭 I had to travel outside Germany for work, and AOK did not get the relevant document despite asking for 2 months. Whereas TK had everything online very well set up already. I thought to change my insurance service provider post this experience.

 💭 Many GPs/specialized doctors don’t take new patients, but if you are calling with something urgent (and highlight that you couldn’t find another doctor) it is much more likely they are taking you in and in the past I made good experiences that they will keep you as a patient from there on.

💭 For orthopedic care, I had good experience with OCC Tübingen. You can book an appointment online and with not too much time in advance.

💭 […] You can also find doctors and appointments using Doctolib app.

Insurances

Germany takes insurance quite seriously, and there are a variety of different types of insurance for all kinds of situations. To learn more about insurances in Germany, please refer to tuebingenresearchcampus.com/en/tuebingen/paperwork/banks-insurance

📊 Survey results

Personal Liability Insurance

In Germany, anyone can be held liable for damages they cause to others (third parties). For this reason, it is common to take out personal (or family) liability insurance to protect against claims resulting from any damages caused unintentionally.

We strongly recommend that you obtain a personal liability insurance policy or check whether your existing liability insurance from your home country is valid during your stay in Germany. At a minimum, your liability insurance should cover all private liability cases, and if possible, it should also include work-related liability cases.

Regardless of the insurance company you choose, make sure the following are covered:

  • Mietsachschäden (damage to rented rooms or apartments)
  • Schadensausfalldeckung (coverage in case of damage caused by someone unable to pay for the damage themselves)
  • Schlüsselverlust (loss of keys, preferably both private and workplace keys)
  • If you have children and/or pets, ensure that any damage they cause is also covered.

💡 Please note: If you have personal liability insurance in your home country, check your policy to see if it covers you in Germany – at least for a short-term stay. If it does, be sure to bring your insurance documents with you. In some cases, private health insurance policies may include personal liability insurance as part of a package. Carefully review your contract to see if this applies to you.