đź©ş Travel insurance and illness abroad
In brief
The most important travel insurance is travel health insurance for trips abroad. Make sure it includes repatriation.
- The EHIC (on the back of the health insurance card) applies to people with statutory health insurance in the EU, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, the United Kingdom and Switzerland.
- It covers treatment as for locals. It does not cover repatriation or rescue costs.
- Trip cancellation and interruption insurance is worthwhile for expensive trips or family trips.
Known pre-existing conditions are often excluded.
Step by step
- Check the cardCheck whether your health insurance card contains the EHIC.
- Choose extra coverTake out travel health insurance with repatriation.
- Read the termsCheck exclusions (pre-existing conditions) and notification deadlines.
- Document an emergencyCollect medical records and invoices, report the case quickly.
Deadlines
- The EHIC does not apply in Andorra, Monaco, San Marino, the British Channel Islands, the Faroe Islands, the Isle of Man, Svalbard and the Vatican.
- Repatriation, rescue costs and accommodation of relatives are not covered by the EHIC.
- The Verbraucherzentrale tends to advise against luggage and bundled insurance.
- Privately insured: rules not checked; ask your insurer.
In depth · legal basis, figures and practice – for advisers and professionals
Travel insurance
According to the Verbraucherzentrale, travel health insurance is the most important protection (annual rates around €10 per person, including emergency transport). Private liability insurance often applies worldwide for stays of under one year. Trip cancellation and trip interruption insurance make sense for expensive trips or family holidays; they reimburse unused travel costs in case of illness, accident or family emergencies. Known, previously treated pre-existing conditions are often excluded; surprising serious illnesses such as a heart attack or broken bone are usually covered (Verbraucherzentrale Hamburg, search result). Luggage, travel accident and all-in-one packages are advised against.
EHIC
According to the European Consumer Centre, the EHIC applies in the 27 EU states as well as Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, the United Kingdom and Switzerland; treatment as for a local, for example for sudden illness and hospital stays. You may have to pay up front and apply for reimbursement later; the insurer reimburses either under the law of the country of treatment or at German rates with administrative costs of 5 to 12 percent. The DVKA (Deutsche Verbindungsstelle Krankenversicherung – Ausland, German liaison body for health insurance abroad) offers country-specific leaflets (search result).
A question about your situation that this page does not answer? Write to us or use the contact form – we will tell you which office is responsible and what to bring. Free of charge, without individual legal advice.