Vaccination cost addition: Avoid expenses and ensure optimal protection
1 Jun 2025
12
Minutes
Katrin Straub
CEO at nextsure
Many vaccinations, especially for long-distance travel, can quickly cost several hundred euros, which are not always covered by the statutory health insurance (GKV). Vaccination cost supplementary insurance protects you from unexpected expenses. Find out how to optimise your vaccination protection and save costs.
The topic in brief and concise terms
Standard vaccinations are usually covered by statutory health insurance, while travel vaccinations and special vaccinations are often only provided as a voluntary statutory benefit or not at all.
A vaccination cost supplementary insurance can cover the expenses for vaccinations not covered by the statutory health insurance, particularly travel vaccinations, and help avoid high one-off expenditures.
The cost of individual travel vaccinations can range from 30 to over 100 euros per dose; multiple doses are often necessary.
Understanding Vaccination Cost Coverage: The Basics for Policyholders
Die Ständige Impfkommission (STIKO) issues recommendations for necessary vaccinations in Germany. Statutory health insurance funds (GKV) usually cover the costs for these standard vaccinations recommended by the STIKO in accordance with § 20i SGB V. For children and adolescents up to 18 years of age, these vaccinations are generally free of charge. However, for travel vaccinations for private holidays, the situation is different; here, coverage is often a voluntary benefit of the respective health fund. This means that without an additional vaccination cost supplement, costs of over one hundred euros per vaccination can quickly accumulate. The exact regulations vary significantly between individual health insurers, making early clarification essential.
Travel Vaccinations: Identifying Cost Factors and Statutory Health Insurance Coverage Limits
Travel vaccinations are a common reason for private contributions, as they are not part of the standard services catalog of statutory health insurance. The costs for a single travel vaccine like Hepatitis A can be around 67 euros, for rabies approximately 70 euros per dose, with several doses often required for full protection. A yellow fever vaccination might cost around 59 euros. Some statutory health insurers, such as BARMER or hkk, reimburse many travel vaccines at 100 percent if recommended by STIKO and the Foreign Office. However, many other insurers only cover these costs partially or offer them as a voluntary service up to a certain maximum amount, for example, 300 euros per year. It is therefore crucial to get information on the exact conditions from your insurer at least six weeks before starting your trip. A travel vaccine cost supplementary insurance can be extremely helpful in this situation.
The following travel vaccinations are often required and incur costs:
Cholera: approx. 63 euros per dose
TBE (Tick-borne encephalitis): approx. 44 euros per dose
Yellow fever: approx. 59 euros per vaccine
Hepatitis A and B: each approx. 53 to 67 euros per dose
Japanese encephalitis: approx. 90 euros per dose
Rabies: approx. 70 euros per dose
Typhoid: approx. 30 euros per dose
These costs highlight the savings potential through a suitable supplementary insurance.
Vaccination supplementary insurance: Maximizing financial relief and coverage
A vaccination cost supplementary insurance, often part of outpatient supplementary insurance, bridges the gap created by the limited coverage of statutory health insurance (GKV). Such insurances typically reimburse costs for vaccinations not covered by the GKV, particularly travel vaccinations such as for hepatitis A or typhoid. Providers like AXA, for example, cover eighty per cent of the costs for preventive measures and vaccinations up to a maximum amount of 2,000 euros within two years. The monthly premium for such coverage can start as low as around twelve euros. This is often cheaper than the costs for just one or two non-reimbursed vaccination series. When taking out a private supplementary insurance, you should pay attention to the exact scope of benefits and any waiting periods. Some tariffs also cover vaccinations that go beyond the STIKO recommendations or are intended for non-risk groups. In this way, you ensure comprehensive protection in the area of health and care.
Expert Knowledge on Vaccination Costs: Navigating Legal Foundations and STIKO Recommendations
The legal basis for the coverage of vaccinations by the statutory health insurance (GKV) is § 20i of the German Social Security Code, Book V (SGB V). This paragraph specifies that insured persons are entitled to vaccinations, the details of which are determined by the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) in the vaccination directive (SI-RL) based on the recommendations of the Standing Committee on Vaccination (STIKO). The STIKO recommendations include standard vaccinations, vaccinations for at-risk groups, and vaccinations for occupational risks. It is important to note: If the G-BA does not follow a new STIKO recommendation within two months, GKVs are required to temporarily cover the costs. However, this usually does not apply to private travel vaccinations; here, only the benefits of the health insurance statutes often apply. Our expert tip: Examine the statutes of your health insurance company carefully or consider taking out a daily allowance insurance policy that may also cover vaccination side effects. The cost of a single vaccine dose can be over one hundred euros, as with Bexsero for meningococcal B.
STIKO recommends vaccinations against, among others:
Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis (whooping cough), Polio – as a standard for everyone.
Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) – for children and possibly adults.
Influenza (flu) – annually for risk groups and older adults (often covered by insurance for everyone).
Pneumococci – for infants, older adults, and risk groups.
Hepatitis B – for infants, adolescents, and risk groups.
Human Papillomaviruses (HPV) – for girls and boys aged nine to fourteen years.
Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) – for people in risk areas.
Chickenpox (varicella) – for children and certain adults.
The detailed and up-to-date recommendations can always be found at the Robert Koch Institute.
Choose optimal coverage: Tips for the appropriate vaccination cost supplement
When selecting a vaccination cost supplementary insurance, you should consider several factors to find the best coverage for your needs. Pay attention to the annual or multi-annual reimbursement limit; 2,000 euros every two years is a good benchmark. Make sure that all vaccinations recommended by STIKO for travel are covered and whether medical consultation fees for vaccinations are also reimbursed. Some policies reimburse one hundred percent of the costs, while others cover a specific percentage, such as eighty percent. Also check if there are waiting periods before benefits can be claimed; three months is often common. Another important point is whether the insurance also covers vaccinations for children or the whole family and if there are combination options with other supplementary benefits such as a private health insurance for specific areas. Compare offers carefully, as premiums can start at less than fifteen euros per month. Remember, a good health insurance should offer more than just standard benefits.
GKV vs. Additional Coverage: A Cost-Benefit Comparison for Vaccinations
The statutory health insurance (GKV) offers a solid basic coverage, especially for standard vaccinations recommended by the STIKO, which are usually completely free of charge. However, for travel vaccinations or special indication vaccinations not included under regular coverage, costs can quickly rise to several hundred euros per person. A family with two children planning a long-distance trip can easily face vaccination costs ranging from 500 to over 1,000 euros. A vaccination cost supplementary insurance for as little as twelve to twenty euros per month per person can significantly reduce this financial burden. Over a period of two years, you might pay 288 to 480 euros in premiums but can be reimbursed for up to 2,000 euros in vaccination costs. This shows that such additional coverage often pays off after just a single large trip or for individuals with frequent needs for vaccinations not typically covered. It's a balance between the guaranteed monthly costs and the potential risk of high one-off expenses. For those who value comprehensive protection, a voluntary health insurance with corresponding additional modules is a worthy option to consider.
Request a personalised risk analysis now: Have your insurance situation checked for free and receive specific optimisation suggestions.
More useful links
The Joint Federal Committee (G-BA) offers guidelines on health services that form the basis for the cost coverage of vaccinations.
The Federal Ministry of Health provides comprehensive information on vaccinations and prevention in Germany.
The Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) supplies detailed tables on health expenditure by type of service, which can offer insights into the financing of vaccinations.
The National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KBV) provides information on vaccinations and their billing within the framework of statutory health insurance.
The German Society for Immunology (DGfI) answers frequently asked questions about vaccinations from a scientific perspective.
The Consumer Advice Centre offers useful information on preventive health checks and rights related to health insurance, which may also concern vaccinations.
The AOK provides information on its website about various vaccinations and the associated benefits for its insured members.
The World Health Organization (WHO) provides a detailed vaccination profile for Germany, offering global perspectives on vaccination strategies.
FAQ
What exactly is a vaccination cost supplement?
A vaccination cost supplement is typically a private supplementary insurance that covers the costs of vaccinations not or only partially covered by statutory health insurance (GKV). This often concerns travel vaccinations or vaccinations outside the STIKO standard recommendations for specific age or risk groups.
Does my statutory health insurance cover the costs for flu vaccinations?
Many statutory health insurances cover the cost of the flu vaccination, often also for individuals who are not part of the risk groups defined by the STIKO. For example, BARMER reimburses the flu vaccination for all insured persons. It is advisable to check this with your specific insurance provider.
Are vaccinations covered for work-related travel?
Yes, if travel vaccinations are necessary due to a stay abroad required by work or education, there is an entitlement to cost coverage by the statutory health insurance, provided this is specified in the vaccination guideline based on the recommendations of STIKO. Alternatively, the employer is often obliged to cover the costs.
What documents do I need for reimbursement of vaccination costs?
To claim a refund, you typically submit the original doctor's bill and the prescription or the pharmacy's invoice for the vaccine to your health insurance or supplementary insurance. Some insurers, like hkk, also offer this service online or via an app.
Are there upper limits for the reimbursement of vaccination costs?
Yes, both with voluntary benefits from the statutory health insurance (GKV) and with supplementary insurance, there are often annual or multi-year limits for reimbursement. For example, these can be 300 euros per year (with some GKVs) or 2,000 euros over two years (with supplementary insurance).
Does a standard travel health insurance policy also cover vaccination costs before the trip?
A standard travel health insurance typically covers medically necessary treatments during the trip, but not the costs for vaccinations given as a preventive measure before travelling. For this, a supplementary vaccination insurance or a statutory health insurance provision is responsible.
