Do You Need Travel Insurance for Germany? (2026)
The verdict
For a visit to Germany you need travel health insurance with at least EUR 30,000 of cover, and all five tariffs compared here are recorded for exactly that: no waiting period, no minimum term, English documents and purchase without a German address. DR-WALTER and HanseMerkur offer variants up to EUR 1,000,000. Pricing in this line is a day rate, not a monthly premium. The catch: none of these policies counts for a residence permit. If you are moving to Germany you need GKV or PKV, because health cover is mandatory.
Jump to section
Which travel policies do German missions accept?
The catalogue holds five travel tariffs, and all five are recorded as visa-valid with at least EUR 30,000 of cover. They differ in ceiling, in who sells them and in price level, not in whether a mission accepts them. DR-WALTER and HanseMerkur reach EUR 1,000,000, AXA and Care Concept are the budget short-trip routes, and Allianz Travel is the only record with a published monthly premium.
DR-WALTER
DR-WALTER Visum-Schutz
Highest ceiling. Over 60 years of consular acceptance, an instant visa certificate as a PDF, and a cover variant up to EUR 1,000,000.
Get a DR-WALTER quote- Stated visa cover floor
- EUR 30,000
- Waiting periodBest
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
- Minimum term
- None
- English documentsBest
- Yes
Prices as of August 2026, verify on the provider site.
Pros
- Over 60 years of consular acceptance
- The highest cover variant in the line
Cons
- Not valid for a residence permit, visa phase only
- Ongoing treatment of pre-existing conditions excluded
- Maximum trip duration limits apply
Best for Applicants who want to sit far above the cover floor
HanseMerkur Reiseversicherung
HanseMerkur Visum-Plus
A direct insurer rather than a broker, with an instant policy and cover up to EUR 1,000,000 across Schengen and the EU.
Get a HanseMerkur quote- Cover up toBest
- EUR 1,000,000
- Waiting periodBest
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
- Sold by
- The insurer direct
- English documentsBest
- Yes
Prices as of August 2026, verify on the provider site.
Pros
- No broker in between
- Cover far above the Schengen floor
Cons
- Visa phase only
- Chronic-condition maintenance excluded
- Rated by trip length
Best for Applicants who would rather buy from the insurer direct
AXA Assistance
AXA Schengen
Budget short trips. The catalogue's cheapest consulate-cited brand for short trips, with an instant embassy-format certificate.
Get an AXA Schengen quote- Stated visa cover floor
- EUR 30,000
- Waiting periodBest
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
- Tiers
- Low Cost / Europe Travel / Multi Trip
- English documentsBest
- Yes
Prices as of August 2026, verify on the provider site.
Pros
- Cheapest consulate-cited brand for short trips
- Multi-trip option
Cons
- The bare EUR 30,000 tier is minimal
- Visa phase only
- Exclusions for chronic conditions
Best for Short visits where the price decides it
Allianz Partners SAS / AWP
Allianz Travel Schengen
Only monthly price. The only record in this line with a published monthly premium: the Feather travel bundle costs EUR 9.92 a month.
Get an Allianz Travel quote- Feather travel bundle
- EUR 9.92/month
- Waiting periodBest
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
- Scope
- Schengen and worldwide
- English documentsBest
- Yes
Prices as of August 2026, verify on the provider site.
Pros
- Worldwide scope
- The only published monthly premium in the line
Cons
- Visa certificates only on the stated products
- Bundle components inflate the price against pure health cover
- Exclusions for chronic conditions
Best for Frequent travellers who want worldwide scope rather than a single trip
What does a German Schengen visa require?
Travel health insurance with stated cover of at least EUR 30,000, evidenced by a certificate you attach to the application. Each of the five catalogued tariffs is recorded for that: DR-WALTER and Care Concept state EUR 30,000 as the starting point, AXA records the floor as met with a certificate, and HanseMerkur and DR-WALTER carry variants up to EUR 1,000,000.
Timing is not the obstacle: all five tariffs carry a zero-month waiting period and no minimum term, so you can buy immediately before the appointment. The certificate arrives as a PDF from DR-WALTER, in embassy format from AXA, instantly from Care Concept, and with the policy from HanseMerkur.
The floor is a floor, not a recommendation. The catalogue notes on the cheapest AXA tier that the bare EUR 30,000 level is minimal and that higher ceilings are advised. A single hospital stay can exhaust it.
Is travel insurance enough if you are moving to Germany?
No, and that is the most important sentence on this page. Health cover is mandatory in Germany, and there is no tax-funded service that covers residents by default. If you live here you belong either in statutory cover (GKV) or in private substitute cover (PKV), depending on your income, your employment status and your profession.
Every travel record in the catalogue carries the same warning on this: valid for the visa phase, not for a residence permit. DR-WALTER puts it most plainly and rules residence permits out explicitly.
How much does Schengen travel insurance cost?
This line does not price by the month, it prices by the day: the premium follows trip length, age and cover tier. That is why four of the five cards above carry no premium but the basis the insurer prices on.
- DR-WALTER: day-rated. The catalogue cites a market range of roughly EUR 1 to 2 a day and EUR 17.70 for a seven-day policy in comparable products.
- AXA Schengen: widely sold at roughly EUR 1 to 2 a day for short Schengen trips, with the exact rate coming from the quote on axa-schengen.com.
- Care Concept: from roughly EUR 1 a day in market comparisons, with the live rate to be confirmed on careconcept.com.
- HanseMerkur: instant online policy, with the day rate coming from a live quote on hansemerkur.de.
- Allianz Travel: the only published periodic price in the line. The Feather travel bundle of health, luggage, liability and cancellation costs EUR 9.92 a month as a rolling subscription.
Comparing two day rates is only a comparison when the tier and the trip length match. The gap between an entry tier at the floor and a high-ceiling variant is the gap between two different policies.
What if you are staying longer than a visit?
Then you do not want a travel policy but incoming cover: health insurance for the weeks and months between arriving and joining GKV or PKV. Unlike the travel line, these tariffs do publish a monthly premium, for example Care Concept Care College from EUR 26, DR-WALTER educare24 from EUR 34.50 and Feather Expat from EUR 72.
That too is a bridge. 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. The ranking of these tariffs lives on the new-arrivals page.
What should you check in the policy?
Cover ceiling
EUR 30,000 is the minimum the certificate needs, not the target. DR-WALTER and HanseMerkur carry variants up to EUR 1,000,000, and the catalogue states on the cheapest AXA tier that the minimum level is thin.
Pre-existing conditions
Four of the five tariffs are recorded as acute cover only. DR-WALTER spells it out: acute emergencies covered, ongoing treatment of chronic conditions excluded. If you arrive with an existing condition, read this clause before you buy.
Dental treatment
All five tariffs cover dental treatment in an emergency only, and only up to a limit. A private hospital room and treatment by a private doctor are included in none of the five.
Certificate
Without the certificate the best cover is useless, because the application takes the document rather than the policy. DR-WALTER issues it instantly as a PDF, AXA in embassy format, and Care Concept instantly. All five sell without a German registered address and in English.
Care Concept Visum Protect is the fifth catalogued tariff: a German broker with English service, Schengen-compliant from EUR 30,000, an instant certificate, and roughly EUR 1 a day in market comparisons. See Care Concept
Frequently Asked Questions
How much cover does a German Schengen visa need?
All five travel tariffs in this catalogue are recorded as visa-valid with at least EUR 30,000 of cover. DR-WALTER and HanseMerkur offer variants up to EUR 1,000,000, and the catalogue notes on the AXA entry that the bare EUR 30,000 tier is minimal.
Does a travel policy count for a residence permit?
No. Every travel record in this catalogue carries the warning that it is valid for the visa phase only and not for a residence permit. Anyone living in Germany needs GKV or PKV, and a travel policy does not satisfy that duty.
Is there a waiting period?
No. All five travel tariffs are recorded with a zero-month waiting period and no minimum contract term, so you can buy immediately before your visa appointment.
Are pre-existing conditions covered?
Only acutely. Four of the five tariffs are recorded as acute cover only, and DR-WALTER states it explicitly: acute emergencies are covered, ongoing treatment of chronic conditions is excluded.
Are these policies available in English?
Yes. All five travel tariffs are recorded with English policy documents, English support and purchase without a German registered address. That sets this line apart from the German motor and legal insurance markets.
Community Q&A