Foreign health insurance comparison: now secure travel protection

International health insurance comparison: optimally protected worldwide

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A cold, a broken leg, a serious car accident: On vacation or on business, nobody is immune to illness and accidents. If an emergency occurs, this can also cause health problems big financial risk mean for you – a risk against which you can protect yourself with a favorable insurance: the foreign health insurance. It covers the treatment costs and often the transport back to your home country.

Why is international health insurance important??

An international health insurance, often also called travel health or foreign travel health insurance, is a private supplementary insurance, which intervenes if you fall sick or suffer an accident abroad. Both in Europe and in non-European holiday destinations, they are fully protected against costs only with health insurance abroad.

Additional costs within Europe

In general, statutory health insurance (SHI) covers treatment costs in European member states as well as in countries of the European Economic Area (EEA) such as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland – but only up to a maximum height. Because it takes over at most the costs that would have incurred in Germany for a treatment. That means: Everything that goes beyond that, you have to pay yourself! Especially in popular holiday areas, it happens that doctors demand more than in this country. For example, if you crash hard when skiing in Austria, it can happen that you have to add a few things. It may also be that you are abroad treated as a private patient become. This also happens in clinics. An indication of this is the lack of demand for the European Health Insurance Card. Mostly then follows a not particularly favorable bill, which you must settle on the spot itself.

Outside of Europe it often gets really expensive

Germany has some non-European countries social Security Agreement completed, for example with Turkey, Israel and Tunisia. If you travel to one of these countries, the GKV will also reimburse you for the maximum costs that would have been incurred in this country. Otherwise, whether Thailand, USA or Brazil – the statutory health insurance usually pays not a cent. You need a health insurance for these countries.

Private insurance usually enjoy worldwide protection

If you have private health insurance, in most cases you will enjoy full worldwide insurance coverage. But here too there are some tariffs, e.g. do not take back medical returns. That is why it is important that you check your insurance conditions before you travel. If necessary, you can then take out a supplementary health insurance with your or another insurer.

A foreign health insurance is cheap

Foreign health insurance – for both individuals and families – is not expensive. For singles without children are annual fares often under 10 euros to have. Families receive protection from around 17 euros per year. The children may often be 21 or 24 years old. If the insured is older than 60 years, usually a small surcharge is due. Therefore, you must also specify your age when comparing a foreign health insurance.

Important fare details for comparison

Before you take out a health insurance, you should compare several tariffs. You can do this easily and conveniently with an online calculator. This shows you the cheapest health insurance abroad. However, when comparing foreign health insurance, do not just consider the price.

Pay attention to these tariff details

Single or family rate: You can always choose between single and family rates. For three or more, family rates are often cheaper than individual policies. So if your partner and your children need a foreign health insurance, you can save money with a family plan. The condition: you must live with your loved ones in a domestic community. The insurance cover is usually also, if you travel separately.

Repatriation: If a repatriation from abroad is necessary, this is usually very costly. Therefore, you should pay attention to an important detail before signing the contract: Does the transport have to be prescribed by a doctor, that is medically necessary? Or is it enough if the transport is justifiable, ie medically meaningful? Medical returns are very rare. They are therefore protected against high costs only with a tariff, which already carries meaningful return shipments.

Excluded countries: Many tariffs exclude individual countries. Often this affects the US and Canada. The reason: The costs of medical care are much higher in these countries than in Germany. Suppliers therefore often distinguish between tariff inclusive and exclusive of the two countries. The insurance cover is thus only if a corresponding tariff has been completed, which is usually more expensive.

Amounts: There are health insurance abroad with or without deductible. If you choose a rate with a deductible, you have to pay a certain sum in case of illness. But the tariff is also cheaper. In order to stay at no cost, however, you should choose a contract without a deductible.

Change now and save

The benefits of international health insurance have improved considerably in recent years. So if you have an old contract, you should switch to get better services at a cheaper price. For a simple, convenient search, it is best to use a foreign travel health insurance comparison.

You have to go in advance?

For smaller treatments you have to pay the doctor bill yourself first. Back home, the insurer reimburses the amount laid out. If a larger treatment is needed, the insurance usually takes care of the payment itself. It is important for you, above all, that you keep all the written documents you have received for presentation.

For example, you need:

Diagnoses and therapy reports,

Medical bill (s) with the name and address of the patient and the doctor in charge and the correct invoice date,

Recipes and receipts.

If information or important documents are missing, the insurance may not recognize the invoice. And having the documents corrected later can be quite complicated. So watch out complete and correct data.

Caution: In order for you to be reimbursed, you should file your claims with the insurer within three months. Otherwise the entitlement to benefits will be forfeited.

How long does a foreign health insurance apply??

Foreign health insurance policies are usually concluded as annual rates. They then apply to all trips within the year. But beware: A single trip may not exceed the contractual maximum duration of usually 42 to 56 days at a time. If you are staying abroad for a longer period of time, for example for a semester abroad or studying, you will need to take out a long-term health insurance abroad. But no matter whether long-term or conventional tariff: Close your foreign health insurance still before the start of the journey and from Germany. Because if you are already abroad, you will generally no longer receive a policy.

What services does the health insurance cover abroad??

International health insurance policies differ greatly depending on the tariff and provider. The prices vary a lot. However, there are some typical services that are included in most fares.

Basic rates include these benefits:

Transport to the nearest doctor or to the hospital

Outpatient examinations and treatments

Inpatient hospital treatment as a private patient, incl. Operations

Medication prescribed by the doctor, bandages, aids (wheelchair, etc.)

Transfer in case of death

Treatments for pregnancy complications

Pregnant? Check the services

Pay attention to what a specific tariff will do during pregnancy. Because there are big differences here. It is best to call the insurer directly before starting your journey. In our guide, you will learn what a health insurance in pregnancy should do.

Uninsured are mostly:

Costs for rooming-in, ie costs for the accommodation of a close accompanying person in the hospital room, a stationary treatment should be necessary

Transfer to another clinic

Other useful travel insurance

Are you traveling frequently? In addition to the foreign health insurance, there are other travel insurance, which protects you against unpleasant costs. For example, cancellation insurance, baggage or travel insurance. To be on the safe side, you can use insurance packages that cover the most important travel insurance policies and are often cheaper than individual policies.

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Christina Cherry
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