Understanding International Health Insurance: Your Financial Safeguard Worldwide
23 Apr 2025
10
Minutes
Katrin Straub
CEO at nextsure
A medical emergency abroad can significantly impact your finances. Foreign health insurance protects you from unexpectedly high costs. Discover how this coverage works and what you should watch out for.
The topic in brief and concise terms
An international health insurance is essential for any trip abroad, as statutory health insurance often provides only insufficient coverage, especially outside Europe.
The cost for an annual policy is low (often starting from ten euros for individuals), but failing to purchase one can lead to existentially threatening expenses abroad, especially due to repatriations.
When choosing a tariff, pay attention to the area of coverage, the maximum duration of travel, the definition of medically necessary repatriation, and the regulations regarding pre-existing conditions.
Key Aspects of International Health Insurance in Brief
Travel health insurance covers medically necessary treatments during your trips abroad. The costs for these can quickly amount to several thousand euros, depending on the destination country. It protects against financial risks in case of illness or accident. Annual policies for individuals are often available from as little as ten euros. Families can usually be covered for under forty euros per year. Coverage generally applies worldwide, although higher premiums often apply for travel to the USA and Canada. The maximum travel duration per trip is usually limited to six to eight weeks for annual policies.
Scope of coverage in focus: When does the insurance pay?
The foreign health insurance covers costs for outpatient and inpatient medical treatments abroad. This includes doctor visits, hospital stays, and necessary medications. A skiing accident in Austria with a torn ligament, for example, can cause treatment costs of over 8,000 euros, which are covered. Pain-relieving dental treatments and simple fillings are usually covered as well. A key component of the coverage is the medically meaningful repatriation, which can quickly reach five to six-figure amounts. The insurance does not pay for treatments that were the sole reason for the trip or were planned before the trip started. Find out more about suitable foreign health insurance for your needs.
Legal protection versus private provision: Identifying the gaps
The statutory health insurance (GKV) provides coverage within the EU and in countries with social security agreements. However, the reimbursement is based on the customary rates of the destination country. This means that often only a portion of the actual costs is reimbursed. Many doctors in holiday regions only charge privately, which can lead to significant personal expenses. A medical repatriation to Germany is generally not included in the GKV's coverage. You must also cover treatments in private clinics or country-specific co-payments without a private travel health insurance.
Identify the optimal tariff: Essential selection criteria
When choosing your travel health insurance, several factors are crucial. The duration of your trip is an important aspect; annual policies typically cover trips up to 56 days. For longer stays, such as a semester abroad, you will need a long-term travel health insurance. Pay attention to the area of coverage: worldwide or excluding the USA/Canada, which is often more affordable. An important point is the clause on medical repatriation: it should be defined as “medically advisable and acceptable,” not just “medically necessary.” Our expert tip: Carefully check the conditions regarding pre-existing conditions; unexpected deteriorations should be covered. Also clarify whether search and rescue costs up to at least 5,000 euros are included.
Consider the following points when selecting a policy:
Maximum duration per trip (e.g., 42, 56, or 70 days)
Coverage area (worldwide, with/without USA/Canada)
Regulation on medical repatriation (advisable vs. necessary)
Coverage for pandemics and travel warnings
Amount of coverage for individual benefits
Exclusion or limitation of pre-existing conditions
Excess (policies without excess are often only slightly more expensive)
Benefits for accompanying children (e.g., rooming-in)
A careful check of these aspects ensures you optimal protection.
Calculate costs: These fees are to be expected
The cost of foreign health insurance varies depending on the provider and the scope of coverage. Affordable annual policies for individuals are available from around ten to twenty euros. Families pay annually between twenty and 35 euros for comparable protection. For longer stays abroad, such as three months, costs may amount to around 200 euros. Trips to North America (USA/Canada) are more expensive due to high medical costs; here, three months can cost between 300 and 500 euros. A whole year abroad costs between 400 and 900 euros (excluding North America), with North America coverage it can be 600 to 2,000 euros. People over 65 often have to expect surcharges. The exact costs also depend on the desired scope of coverage. More information on the costs can also be found in our article What does foreign health insurance cost?.
Emergency Management Abroad: Your Action Checklist
In the event of illness or accident abroad, quick and correct action is important. Inform your insurance company as soon as possible. Have your insurance number and the insurer's emergency number ready. Clarify directly with the insurance company which documents are needed for cost coverage. Request invoices for treatments preferably in English or German; they should include your name, diagnosis, and type of treatment. For more extensive and expensive treatments, you should discuss them with the insurer in advance. Keep all original documents carefully. To ensure a smooth process, it's helpful to know if your health insurance is also valid abroad.
Here is a short checklist in case of emergency:
Keep the emergency number of the insurance company and your insurance number ready.
Contact the insurance company immediately, especially before larger treatments.
Collect all original documents and invoices.
Ideally, have invoices issued in German or English (with diagnosis).
For inpatient stays, request daily cost reports, if possible.
Request a cost coverage statement from the insurer for the hospital.
These steps help speed up the reimbursement process later.
Additional Information: Taxes and Supplemental Protection
Contributions to foreign health insurance may be tax-deductible as precautionary expenses, depending on your individual tax situation. For precise information, you should consult a tax advisor. In addition to foreign health insurance, other travel insurances can be useful. These include, for example, travel cancellation or interruption insurance. Travel luggage insurance might also be worth considering depending on the type and destination of your trip. Before you travel, check the coverage area of your private liability insurance. At nextsure, we are happy to advise you on comprehensive insurance solutions for your travels. A common question is whether foreign health insurance can be deducted from taxes.
Request an individual risk analysis now: Have your insurance situation reviewed for free and receive concrete suggestions for optimisation.
More useful links
Auswärtiges Amt offers comprehensive information on travel and safety, including important health advice for travellers.
Auswärtiges Amt provides detailed country-specific health information that should be consulted before travelling.
Wikipedia offers an informative overview on the topic of travel health insurance.
Statistisches Bundesamt (Destatis) provides official data and statistics on healthcare expenditure in Germany.
Weltgesundheitsorganisation (WHO) publishes global travel recommendations and health warnings.
Bundesministerium für Gesundheit provides information on health insurance for international travel and the services of statutory health insurance abroad.
FAQ
Do I need international health insurance if I am covered by statutory health insurance?
Yes, definitely. The statutory health insurance (GKV) often only covers part of the costs abroad and never repatriation. Outside of Europe, the GKV usually does not provide any coverage.
What happens if I fall ill abroad and don't have travel health insurance?
You must pay all incurred treatment costs, including any potentially necessary expensive repatriation, entirely yourself. This can quickly lead to very high amounts.
How long is an annual overseas health insurance valid?
An annual policy is valid for an unlimited number of trips within one year, with each individual trip usually limited to a specific duration (e.g., six or eight weeks).
Are pre-existing conditions covered in the international health insurance?
That depends on the policy. Acute, unforeseeable worsening of a chronic condition is often covered. Planned treatments or treatments for conditions that required care before the start of the trip are usually not. Please check the conditions carefully.
Does the international health insurance also cover a coronavirus infection?
Most insurers provide coverage in the event of a Covid-19 illness. However, it is important to check the exact insurance terms, especially concerning travel warnings from the Foreign Office.
What should be considered when travelling to the USA and Canada?
Medical costs in the USA and Canada are extremely high. Many standard plans exclude these countries or charge high surcharges. Choose a plan that explicitly covers these regions if you plan to travel there.
