What do you need?
Health, liability, household insurance: what is mandatory, what is worth it for most people and what can wait.
What this is about
In Germany there is insurance for almost everything. Only a few are mandatory. Some almost everyone needs; the rest depends on your situation.
- Don't take out everything at once.
- Don't let anyone talk you into a contract at your door or under time pressure.
- Independent advice is available from the Verbraucherzentrale.
Required
These insurances are legally required.
- Health insurance (Krankenversicherung): required for anyone living in Germany.
- Long-term care insurance (Pflegeversicherung): runs automatically alongside health insurance.
- Car liability insurance (Kfz-Haftpflicht): required if you register a car.
Really worth having
Consumer advocates recommend these to almost everyone.
- Private liability insurance (Haftpflichtversicherung): pays if you accidentally cause damage to someone else.
- It's usually cheap and often also covers your partner and children in the household.
- Occupational disability insurance (Berufsunfähigkeitsversicherung): protects your income if you can no longer work for health reasons.
Can wait
These insurances are useful depending on your situation, but rarely urgent.
- Home contents insurance (Hausratversicherung) for furniture and valuables in your flat
- Legal expenses insurance (Rechtsschutzversicherung)
- Extra insurance for teeth or glasses
Important to know
It's worth checking the basics before signing anything.
- Compare at least two offers.
- Check the term, notice period and excess (Selbstbeteiligung).
- Whether a contract suits you depends on your personal situation – if in doubt, get independent advice.
Concrete steps
- Sort out health insurance – it's required.
- Check private liability insurance.
- Only take out further insurance as needed.
- Keep all documents in one place.
Terms on this page
Tap a word. The terms stay in German so you recognise them in letters and forms.
This is orientation, not legal advice. Please check the details at the official source.
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