Reisekrankenversicherung Europa: Optimal protection for your travels
27 Mar 2025
6
Minutes
Katrin Straub
CEO at nextsure
A medical emergency abroad in Europe can quickly become expensive. The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) only provides basic coverage. A private travel health insurance for Europe fills important gaps and protects you from unexpected costs, often amounting to several thousand euros.
The topic in brief and concise terms
The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) only provides basic cover in Europe; a private travel health insurance is essential for comprehensive protection.
When taking out travel health insurance for Europe, pay special attention to coverage for the costs of medical repatriation and treatment expenses beyond the German statutory health insurance rates.
Annual policies for travel health insurance in Europe are often available for as little as ten euros for individuals and typically cover trips of up to 56 days.
Understanding the EHIC: Outlining Basic Coverage in Europe and Its Limitations
The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) enables medical care in 27 EU countries and other states.
This allows you to receive services in the host country under the usual conditions and costs for insured persons there.
This means you may have to pay national co-payments of ten percent or more.
Your EHIC is usually located on the reverse side of your health card.
Important: The EHIC is not a substitute for private travel health insurance in Europe.
For example, it does not cover the costs of medically necessary repatriation to Germany, which can amount to five-figure sums.
Neither does the EHIC cover private medical services or treatments in private clinics.
In some countries, such as North Macedonia and Serbia, the EHIC only covers absolute emergency services.
Without additional protection, you may often be left with significant costs.
Closing Gaps: Explaining the Need for Private Travel Health Insurance for Europe
A private travel health insurance for Europe is essential to fill the coverage gaps of the EHIC.
It covers costs not borne by statutory insurance, such as higher medical fees.
In Spain, treatment costs can quickly exceed German rates by 20 percent.
Especially important is covering the costs of a medical repatriation, which can reach six-figure amounts.
Statutory insurance funds do not generally cover these costs.
Even for a few days of travel per year, taking out insurance is worthwhile.
Annual policies for individuals are often available from as little as ten euros.
Families can secure cover from around 20 euros per year.
Without protection, doctor's visits abroad can quickly cost several hundred or thousand euros.
An international health insurance thus provides financial security for carefree travel.
Optimising Service Scope: Defining the Core Benefits of a Strong European Travel Health Insurance
A good travel health insurance for Europe should cover essential benefits.
Make sure it includes coverage for outpatient and inpatient medical treatments, without being limited to German rates.
This includes the freedom to choose doctors and hospitals locally, which is particularly important in emergencies.
A complicated arm fracture in Austria can result in treatment costs of over 5,000 euros.
The following benefits are crucial for your protection:
Medically necessary repatriation to Germany, ideally without high deductibles.
Coverage of costs for medication, bandages, therapeutic and auxiliary aids.
Pain-relieving dental treatments including simple fillings and repairs of dentures.
Rescue costs after an accident, often up to 10,000 euros.
Treatment of pregnancy complications if the trip was undertaken during pregnancy.
Organisation and coverage of costs for the care of accompanying minor children in an emergency.
A 24-hour emergency hotline for quick assistance and payment guarantees to hospitals.
Check the insurance sums and exclusions carefully before taking out a Reiseversicherung Europa.
A policy should provide at least one million euros in coverage for medical costs.
This ensures you are protected for expensive treatments, such as after a serious accident.
Knowing these benefits helps in selecting the right policy.
Kosten Reduzieren: Displaying price ranges and tariff options for European travel protection
The cost of European travel health insurance is low compared to the potential financial risk.
Affordable annual policies for individuals are often available from as little as ten to 20 euros.
For families, annual premiums usually range between 20 and 35 euros.
These policies cover an unlimited number of trips within a year, often with a maximum of 56 days per trip.
Some policies offer options with or without an excess.
An excess of, for instance, 100 euros per claim can reduce the annual premium.
Consider whether the small savings are worth the risk of self-payment in the event of an emergency.
For most travellers, a policy without an excess is the better choice.
Pay attention to age limits; seniors often pay higher premiums or require special policies.
A comparison of different offers is always worthwhile for the best protection.
Mastering Special Cases: Adapting Travel Health Insurance for Long-term Stays and Special Needs in Europe
For longer stays in Europe, such as a semester abroad, a regular annual policy is often not enough.
Standard tariffs usually only cover trips lasting up to 56 or a maximum of 63 days.
For longer durations, you need a special long-term travel health insurance.
This can be taken out for stays of up to one year, sometimes even five years.
The costs for this are higher: three months can cost around 200 euros.
A whole year abroad in Europe can cost between 400 and 900 euros.
These tariffs should cover all important services such as medical repatriation and treatment costs.
Ensure that the insurance coverage does not lapse during temporary returns to the home country.
Students, au pairs, or individuals over 65 often have specific needs.
Clarify in advance whether pre-existing conditions are covered or if waiting periods apply.
Proper preparation is crucial for a worry-free long-term stay.
Leverage Expert Knowledge: Avoid Pitfalls and Optimize Insurance Coverage for Europe
To ensure optimal protection of your travel health insurance for Europe, there are expert tips.
Always finalize the insurance before starting your journey.
Purchasing from abroad is usually no longer possible or involves waiting times.
Carefully keep all invoices and medical reports for submission.
For smooth reimbursement, you need detailed invoices including diagnosis and services.
Our expert tip: If you are hospitalized, promptly inform your insurance via the 24-hour emergency number.
This way, the cost coverage can be directly clarified, and advance payments are avoided.
Check the conditions for a medically advisable return transport closely; this is often more advantageous.
Many overlook that the EHIC abroad only covers basic services.
A good travel health insurance is not a luxury, but a necessity for carefree travel.
With these tips, you are well-prepared for your next journey.
Now request an individual risk analysis: Have your insurance situation reviewed for free and receive concrete suggestions for improvement.
More useful links
The Foreign Office offers comprehensive travel and security advice, which also includes important health information for stays abroad.
The Federal Ministry of Health provides detailed information about foreign health insurance and the associated regulations.
The European Union's portal Your Europe provides official information about the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).
The Federal Office for Social Security (BAS) offers insights into the international aspects of health insurance.
The GKV-Spitzenverband, the central representative of statutory health and nursing care funds, explains the functionality and benefits of the EHIC.
FAQ
What benefits are particularly important in a travel health insurance for Europe?
Key services include: medically necessary repatriation, coverage of treatment costs (outpatient and inpatient) beyond German health insurance rates, costs for medication, pain-relieving dental treatments, and rescue costs. A 24-hour emergency hotline is also very helpful.
Does my German statutory health insurance automatically apply throughout Europe?
With the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), you are entitled to medically necessary services in EU countries as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland under the conditions of the respective country. However, this is only basic coverage.
What happens if I forget my EHIC while on holiday?
If you have forgotten your EHIC, you need to contact your health insurance provider in Germany to request a provisional replacement certificate (PRC). This can often be sent via fax or email.
Does the European travel health insurance also cover pandemics such as COVID-19?
Many modern travel insurance policies also cover treatments related to COVID-19. However, it is important to check the exact insurance terms regarding this before concluding, as there may be differences between providers.
How long is a regular annual travel health insurance for Europe valid?
Most annual travel health insurance policies for Europe apply to unlimited trips within one year, provided each trip does not exceed a certain duration (often 56 or 63 days). For longer stays, there are special long-term rates available.
Can I still take out travel health insurance for Europe shortly before departure?
Yes, many providers allow you to take out travel health insurance for Europe at very short notice, sometimes even on the day of departure. Taking out insurance after the start of the journey is generally no longer possible.
