Expat health insurance is a common and great option for expats first arriving in Germany and settling in. It is an affordable insurance option with minimal eligibility criteria, meaning it is quick and easy to sign up for and provides you with initial health insurance in Germany.

However, unlike a statutory insurance (such as public or full private insurances), expat is designed as a short term insurance that covers basic health care needs.

What’s covered?

Expat insurance will cover you for new medical conditions that commence after your insurance cover starts (and after the waiting period if that applies to you). This includes both outpatient appointments (e.g. an appointment with a Hausarzt), or inpatient hospital treatments. This coverage applies specifically to treatment with a registered medical doctor.

There is limited additional for non-medical treatments, such as dental and physical therapy, which will be covered in more detail below.

First, let's break down the coverage in a simplified comparison table so you can have an initial overview.

Coverage (per insurance year)	Basic Expat Plan	Premium Expat Plan *( indicates 6 month waiting period)**
Out-patient medical treatments	✅	✅
Dental treatment for pain relief	€500	€1000
Preventative dental treatment (eg dental cleanings)	X	✅ *
Medications and surgical dressings	✅	✅
Radiation therapy, light therapy, and other physical treatments	✅	✅
Massages, compresses and inhalations	€300	✅
Therapeutic aids prescribed following an accident	€500	✅
General medical aids (with prior approval)	X	€500
Repairs for existing medical aids	X	€250
Visual aids (following a 0.5 diopter or higher vision loss)	X	€200
Operations	✅	✅
In-patient medical treatment under general care insurance (multiple-bed room without treatment by private doctor)	✅	✅
Screening check-ups for early detection of cancers in accordance with the statutory programs introduced in Germany	X	€300 *
One skin cancer check-up	X	✅ *
Up to 80% of the eligible cost for medically required dentures	X	€1,250 *
Dental check-ups	X	€200 *
Pregnancy treatment due to complaints	✅	✅
Pregnancy examinations and deliveries	X	✅ *
Ambulance transport to in-patient treatment	✅	✅
Ambulance transport to out-patient treatment	X	X
Repatriation, if medically necessary	✅	✅
Repatriation of mortal remains to the home country or funeral in the Federal Republic of Germany	€10,000	€10,000
Tele-medical consultation	1 free consult (no copay)	2 free consults (no copay)
Travel vaccinations	X	€250
Covid vaccinations	X	€100
Covid rapid tests	3 (up to 15 euros)	5 (up to 25 euros)
Fitness applications	X	€5 per month
Pre-existing conditions	X	X
Gynaecological preventative care	X	X
Regular vaccinations	X	X
Psychotherapy	X	X

* indicates 6 month waiting period

Now, let's provide some further information on the coverage points listed above.

Additional details on coverage on the basic expat plan

Dental treatment:
- €500 per year for pain-relieving restorative dentistry including simple fillings and repairs of existing dentures as long as this treatment is performed or prescribed by a dentist. Please note that this applies to new dental issues that occur after your insurance begins and not pre-existing issues or routine check ups.
Physical therapy:
- €300 per year is covered for physical therapy as long as it relates to a new medical issue and there is a referral from a doctor for this treatment (which should be included when you submit your claim)
Travel health cover:
- Anywhere within the EU and the Schengen Area, as well as Andorra, Monaco, San Marino, and the Vatican City
- Additionally, after 1 year on the expat plan, you will receive coverage for up to 6 weeks of travel to your home country per year
Ambulance transport that leads to an admission and inpatient treatment
Radiation therapy and light therapy
Repatriation if medically necessary
Corona virus and PCR testing:
- PCR tests are covered if the test was ordered by a doctor (Hausarzt)

Additional details on coverage on the premium expat plan

Dental treatment:
- €1000 per year for pain-relieving restorative dentistry including simple fillings and repairs of existing dentures as long as this treatment is performed or prescribed by a dentist. Please note that this applies to new dental issues that occur after your insurance begins and not pre-existing issues or routine check ups.
- After 6 months on the premium plan: you will receive a further:
  - €200 per year towards dental check ups
  - €100 euros per year towards dental cleanings
  - Dentures at 80% of the reimbursable invoice amount per insurance year, up to €1,250
Physical therapy:
- Unlimited coverage for physical therapy, as long as it relates to a new medical issue, and there is a referral from a doctor for this treatment (which should be included when you submit your claim)
Video doctor appointments
- You can receive 2 video doctor appointments per year using our online service through your Feather account. These two calls are not subject to the regular €25 copay fee.
Cancer screenings
- After a waiting period of 6 months, you have €300 per year towards the recommended cancer screenings in Germany for your specific age group
Skin cancer screenings
- After 6 months on the plan, you can have one skin cancer check up per year covered to 100%
Mandatory check ups for children
- Children on the premium plan will have the U1 - U9 mandated check ups for children in Germany covered (excluding vaccinations that are not included in the check ups)
Visual aids:
- Up to €200 for eyeglasses and contact lenses in cases of significant eyesight changes (-0.5 diopters)
Pregnancy coverage:
- If you become pregnant after your coverage commences, then you can receive coverage for required check ups and delivery after a waiting period of 6 months on the plan. Pregnancy check ups and delivery are covered from the 6 month mark onwards.
Fitness and health apps:
- €5 per month is included in your plan
Travel health cover:
- Anywhere within the EU and the Schengen Area, as well as Andorra, Monaco, San Marino, and the Vatican City
- Additionally, after 1 year on the expat plan, you will receive coverage for up to 6 weeks of travel to your home country per year
Ambulance transport that leads to an admission and inpatient treatment
Radiation therapy and light therapy
Repatriation if medically necessary
Corona virus and PCR testing:
- PCR tests are covered if the test was ordered by a doctor (Hausarzt)

**What’s not covered?**

Pre-existing conditions: any conditions that are known before expat cover starts are considered pre-existing conditions.
Routine check ups: with the exceptions of the dental, cancer and skin check ups that are included in the premium policy, all other routine check ups, and any conditions that might be discovered as a result of a routine check up, are not covered
Preventative and prophylactic treatments
Psychoanalytical and psychotherapeutic treatment
Treatment relating to an addictive disorder
Ambulance transport that does not result in an admission/inpatient stay at a hospital
Allied health (aside from physiotherapy): eg occupational therapy, podiatry, social work, dietetics
Self inflicted injuries
Gynaecological screenings
Fertility or sterility treatments
Holistic/alternative therapies

As expat health insurance is designed for short term use and does not have the same levels of coverage as a statutory insurance, we recommend upgrading to public or full private insurance once you become eligible. You can check your eligibility using our recommendation tool.

If you have any further questions, or would like to read the full policy terms, feel free to reach out to us.

If you would like to learn more about expat health insurance or would like to sign up, you can do so here.

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