What Is the Best Health Insurance for New Arrivals in Germany? (2026)
The verdict
For new arrivals, Feather Expat / Incoming Health Insurance leads at EUR 72/month on the tested profile. Health cover is mandatory in Germany and there is no tax-funded service that covers you by default. The policies ranked here are the bridge: incoming cover that sells in English before your Anmeldung.
Once you have a job or a permit
Whether you may join a statutory fund (GKV) or a private substitute (PKV) depends on your income, your employment status and your profession, and neither decides until you have a job, a university place or a residence permit. You leave the incoming policy again once GKV or PKV opens.
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Which health insurance is best for new arrivals?
Sorted by monthly premium, not our recommendation. The default view is our ranking, weights published below.
Sorted by cover, not our recommendation. The default view is our ranking, weights published below.
Feather
Feather Expat / Incoming Health Insurance
The default day-one cover for non-EU arrivals
Get a Feather quote- Monthly premium
- EUR 72/month
- Waiting period
Waiting period
The gap between signing and the day cover starts. Anything that appears during it is never paid, not even later, so shorter is better.
- 0 for accidents; plan-specific for illness
- Dental
- accidents and pain relief only
- English support
- Yes
- Visa acceptance
- Yes, German embassies and Ausländerbehörde for national visas/residence (first arrival phase); NOT a substitute for employment-based long-term cover
More details
- Tested profile
- Basic EUR 72/mo; Premium EUR 134/mo (2026, adult under ~40; max term 5 years; EU/Schengen-wide; home-country visits up to 6 weeks/year after year 1)
- Pre-existing conditions
- NOT covered, only conditions arising after policy start; psychotherapy, check-ups and routine dental excluded
- Claims
- Feather app, English
- Premium varies by
- age band, plan (Basic/Premium)
- Minimum term
- None
Prices as of August 2026, verify on the provider site.
Pros
- Buy online in English before arrival, no Anmeldung needed
- Visa certificate issued instantly
Cons
- Pre-existing conditions excluded entirely
Best for New arrivals who want the strongest overall fit.
Expatrio
Expatrio Value Package (DR-WALTER incoming + TK/BARMER GKV bundle)
Covers the arrival gap automatically
Get a Expatrio quote- Monthly premium
- EUR 0/month
- Waiting period
Waiting period
The gap between signing and the day cover starts. Anything that appears during it is never paid, not even later, so shorter is better.
- None
- Dental
- incoming: emergencies only; GKV phase: statutory
- English support
- Yes
- Visa acceptance
- Yes, package designed for German student/work visas; embassy-accepted incoming certificate plus GKV pre-confirmation
More details
- Tested profile
- Incoming cover FREE during the gap months when bundled with TK/BARMER membership; GKV then at student rate (TK EUR 146.29 / BARMER EUR 151.42, 23+ childless 2026). For non-students 30-44: Expatrio-arranged private cover from EUR 129/mo; 45-59 from EUR 166/mo
- Pre-existing conditions
- Incoming phase: excluded; GKV phase: fully covered
- Claims
- Expatrio portal / fund apps
- Premium varies by
- age band, GKV fund choice, student vs non-student
- Minimum term
- None
Prices as of August 2026, verify on the provider site.
Pros
- Free incoming insurance in the arrival gap
- Blocked account + insurance in one checkout
Cons
- GKV fund locked to TK/BARMER in the bundle
Best for New arrivals who need a different insurer or price point.
DR-WALTER
DR-WALTER educare24 / Provisit (incoming health cover)
Visa-ready before arrival
Get a DR-WALTER quote- Monthly premium
- EUR 34.50/month
- Waiting period
Waiting period
The gap between signing and the day cover starts. Anything that appears during it is never paid, not even later, so shorter is better.
- None
- Dental
- emergency/pain relief
- English support
- Yes
- Visa acceptance
- Yes, embassy- and Ausländerbehörde-accepted for students, language learners, au pairs, exchange visitors
More details
- Tested profile
- educare24 S EUR 34.50/mo; educare24 M EUR 39/mo (age 30+); Provisit Student EUR 79/mo (under 29) / EUR 129 (30-45), 2026 tariff table
- Pre-existing conditions
- Excluded (incoming tariff norm)
- Claims
- online portal
- Premium varies by
- age, tariff line, deductible
- Minimum term
- None
Prices as of August 2026, verify on the provider site.
Pros
- 65+ years of incoming-insurance specialisation
- University-recommended (e.g. Coburg University guide)
Cons
- Pre-existing conditions excluded
Best for New arrivals who need a different insurer or price point.
Care Concept
Care Concept (Care Discover incoming / Care College students)
Solid budget incoming option
Get a Care Concept quote- Monthly premium
- EUR 26/month
- Waiting period
Waiting period
The gap between signing and the day cover starts. Anything that appears during it is never paid, not even later, so shorter is better.
- None
- Dental
- emergencies/pain relief
- English support
- Yes
- Visa acceptance
- Yes, incoming tariffs accepted by German embassies for national visas and by Ausländerbehörde for defined temporary stays
More details
- Tested profile
- Care College Basic EUR 26/mo (under 30) / EUR 32 (30+, first 24 months); Care Discover incoming for foreign guests from ~EUR 1.39/day (2026 tariff pages)
- Pre-existing conditions
- Excluded
- Claims
- online
- Premium varies by
- age, tariff, duration
- Minimum term
- None
Prices as of August 2026, verify on the provider site.
Pros
- Care College Basic from EUR 26/mo for students under 30
- Long-stay incoming cover up to several years
Cons
- Pre-existing conditions excluded
Best for New arrivals who need a different insurer or price point.
HanseMerkur
HanseMerkur Young Travel (incoming for foreign students/guests in Germany)
Direct insurer with English docs
Get a HanseMerkur quote- Monthly premium
- EUR 36/month
- Waiting period
Waiting period
The gap between signing and the day cover starts. Anything that appears during it is never paid, not even later, so shorter is better.
- None
- Dental
- emergencies in Basic; broader in Profi
- English support
- Yes
- Visa acceptance
- Yes, direct BaFin-licensed insurer; embassy-accepted incoming certificates
More details
- Tested profile
- Under-35 incoming guests: Basic ~EUR 36/mo, Profi ~EUR 53/mo equivalent (day-rated: ~EUR 1.15-2.99/day depending on direction, tier and month 13+; reiseversicherung.com tariff listing 2026)
- Pre-existing conditions
- Excluded
- Claims
- app/online
- Premium varies by
- age, tier (Basic/Profi), duration (rates rise from month 13)
- Minimum term
- None
Prices as of August 2026, verify on the provider site.
Pros
- Finanztest 05/2026 'sehr gut (1.0)' for Profi tier
- Direct insurer, not a broker
Cons
- Rates rise from month 13
Best for New arrivals who need a different insurer or price point.
APRIL International
APRIL International (expat health plans)
Listed among accepted first-visa expat brands
Get a APRIL International quote- Monthly premium
- EUR 183/month
- Waiting period
Waiting period
The gap between signing and the day cover starts. Anything that appears during it is never paid, not even later, so shorter is better.
- 3-12
- Dental
- yes, 3-month routine / 6-month major waits
- English support
- Yes
- Visa acceptance
- Visa letters accepted by German missions; residence-permit substitution case-by-case
More details
- Tested profile
- 30-year-old female in Germany: from USD 197/mo (~EUR 183) with USD 20,000 deductible and USD 2M limit; USD 341/mo with USD 0 deductible and UNLIMITED annual benefit (Pacific Prime, 2026)
- Pre-existing conditions
- Underwritten; surcharges or waits
- Claims
- app
- Premium varies by
- age, deductible, benefit limit
- Minimum term
- 12 months
Prices as of August 2026, verify on the provider site.
Pros
- Unlimited-benefit option from ~USD 261/mo
- Frequently named in expat guides for Germany
Cons
- Not German-licensed; permit acceptance case-by-case
Best for New arrivals who need a different insurer or price point.
MAWISTA
MAWISTA (incoming health insurance: Classic/Comfort/Premium)
Budget option with service caveats
Get a MAWISTA quote- Monthly premium
- EUR 28/month
- Waiting period
Waiting period
The gap between signing and the day cover starts. Anything that appears during it is never paid, not even later, so shorter is better.
- None
- Dental
- emergencies; Premium adds more
- English support
- Yes
- Visa acceptance
- Yes for visas; CAUTION: independent expat guides (insurancy.de 2025) flag 'mixed claim reports', verify recent claim reviews before choosing
More details
- Tested profile
- Age 18-29: Classic EUR 28 / Comfort EUR 36 / Premium EUR 74 per month; age 30-40: EUR 44 / 56 / 104 (2026 tariff page)
- Pre-existing conditions
- Excluded
- Claims
- online
- Premium varies by
- age band, tier, duration
- Minimum term
- None
Prices as of August 2026, verify on the provider site.
Pros
- Cheapest headline incoming rate (EUR 28/mo, 18-29)
- Three clear tiers
Cons
- Mixed claim-payment reports in expat guides
Best for New arrivals who need a different insurer or price point.
Allianz Care
Allianz Care (international health insurance, expat plans)
Good for corporate relocations
Get a Allianz Care quote- Monthly premium
- EUR 180/month
- Waiting period
Waiting period
The gap between signing and the day cover starts. Anything that appears during it is never paid, not even later, so shorter is better.
- maternity ~10-12; dental 3-6
- Dental
- module
- English support
- Yes
- Visa acceptance
- Accepted by German missions where policy states EUR 30,000+ Schengen-valid cover; for German RESIDENCE permits, IPMI without German licence is accepted case-by-case, GKV/PKV is safer; verify with the Ausländerbehörde
More details
- Tested profile
- From ~USD 195/mo (~EUR 180) for a 30-year-old female, Europe-area cover (Pacific Prime broker quotes, 2026); family plans USD 400-800/mo
- Pre-existing conditions
- Underwritten; cover after 12-24 months or with surcharge
- Claims
- app, direct hospital billing network
- Premium varies by
- age, area of cover, deductible, modules (outpatient/dental/maternity)
- Minimum term
- 12 months
Prices as of August 2026, verify on the provider site.
Pros
- Direct hospital billing in Germany
- Global portability between postings
Cons
- Residence-permit acceptance case-by-case vs GKV/PKV
Best for New arrivals who need a different insurer or price point.
Also a strong fit
Compare two insurers
Head-to-heads computed from the catalogue's structured fields.
How we ranked this for new arrivals5 criteria, weights published
A reader we describe as new arrivals is not the average reader, so this page does not use the average weights. Eligibility carries 30% here against 15% on the general ranking, and Cover breadth carries 10% here against 25% on the general ranking. The weights were fixed on 17 August 2026, before the prices were collected.
Criteria weighting
Fixed 17 August 2026, before pricing was collectedEvery Policy We Compared
The three above are picked from 10 incoming and expat health policies in the catalogue by this reader's weighting. The full table lives on the price research page.
Compare every policy in the cataloguePremiums, waiting periods and cover side by sideFrequently Asked Questions
Is health insurance mandatory in Germany?
Yes. Everyone resident in Germany must hold health cover, and proof of it is required for a residence permit and for university enrolment. Germany has no tax-funded national health service that covers residents by default, which is the single biggest difference for arrivals from countries that do.
What is the difference between GKV and PKV?
GKV is the statutory system: around 180 funds, contributions set as a percentage of gross income plus a fund-specific Zusatzbeitrag, split with your employer, with no health questions and no exclusions. PKV is private substitute cover: the premium is rated on your age and your state of health at underwriting rather than on your salary. Which one you may join depends on income, employment status and profession, so it is not a free choice for most people.
Can I buy incoming cover before I have a German address?
Yes. Every policy ranked here is recorded as available without local registration, sold online in English, and issuing its certificate digitally. That is what makes it usable in the weeks before your Anmeldung.
Can I stay on incoming cover permanently?
No. These are bridge products. The catalogue records that incoming cover is not a substitute for the statutory cover regular employment requires, and Feather caps its term at five years, after which you move to GKV or PKV.
Do incoming policies cover pre-existing conditions?
No. Every incoming policy in this ranking excludes conditions that existed before the policy started, and several also exclude psychotherapy, routine check-ups and routine dental work. GKV is the opposite: it takes you with no health questions and no exclusions.
Community Q&A