If you're considering studying in Germany, securing health insurance is imperative. Without it, international students are prohibited from enrolling in German higher education institutions. Therefore, it's highly advisable to address the insurance question promptly.

For students from non-EU countries

Every student must have sufficient health insurance coverage which is a requirement of your enrollment at DHBW Karlsruhe.
There are two primary types of health insurance in Germany applicable to students: statutory student health insurance and private health insurance. This article provides a good overview of student health insurance in Germany and these pages go into more detail on statutory and private coverage. Most students opt for statutory insurance, as it offers an affordable rate for students under 30 years of age. You are free to choose whichever provider you want.

You will receive a health ID card from your provider (EHIC, European Health Insurance Card). Be sure to always keep this with you and store it safely; you have to show this card when going to the doctor or hospital. In Germany, the EHIC includes your photo on the front, so follow any instructions from your provider to submit a photo. You don’t have to pay any money for doctor’s visits or same-day hospital visits (the fees are directly settled via the card), but you have to pay small co-payments as follows:

• Up to maximum € 10 for certain prescription medications (which you get from the pharmacy/Apotheke)
• Maximum € 10 per day for overnight stays in the hospital – paying a maximum of € 280 (even if stay exceeds 28 days)

Unlike coverage in some countries, in Germany you can see most specialist doctors directly without being referred by your general practitioner. So, for example, you can make an appointment directly with a dermatologist or HNO (throat-nose-ear) doctor.

For students from EU countries:

With your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) from your EU country, you have the same coverage as statutory coverage in Germany. You show your EHIC in the same way as described above for German statutory insurance. Whether your fees are settled via your card depends on your country’s agreement with Germany – they might be paid directly or you might be required to pay and request reimbursement from the insurance scheme in your home country. You cannot be insured in both your home EU country and Germany at the same time.

Health insurance companies in Karlsruhe  

Anyone living in Germany should consider having “Haftpflichtversicherung” (personal liability insurance). This covers cases of liability for injury or damage to other persons or their property. This insurance not only covers your own negligence but also includes your family members in it.  It does not cover damages that have been caused by your car (you need to take out a separate insurance for this), but it covers liability for damage caused, for example, when riding a bicycle or breaking a window. Having liability insurance is not a legal requirement in Germany, but most Germans do have it and it is strongly recommended for expats as well. It costs between €50 and €70 per year.