Travel health insurance for a long stay abroad is not the same as cover for a holiday. If you live, work or study abroad for several months, you first need to know whether your statutory health insurance (gesetzliche Krankenversicherung, GKV) or your private health insurance (private Krankenversicherung, PKV) continues in Germany, and where the gap appears. This guide explains what applies in each destination and what to check on duration and cancellation.
Short answer: Within the EU, the EEA and Switzerland, statutory health insurance usually continues during a temporary stay, and the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) covers medically necessary treatment. Outside these countries and without a social security agreement, statutory cover usually pauses when you leave Germany, and you then need private travel health insurance. Duration and cancellation rules are set in the contract. Last updated: May 2026, Verbraucherzentrale (German consumer advice centres).
The most important points at a glance
- Within the EU, the EEA and Switzerland, the EHIC covers medically necessary treatment during temporary stays.
- If you move permanently to an EU country, tell your health insurer early so it can start the S1 procedure (the form that confirms your cover).
- Without a social security agreement, statutory cover outside Europe usually pauses on departure (section 16 SGB V).
- Statutory and usually private insurers do not pay for repatriation to Germany, which is why this element matters so much.
- Duration, extension and cancellation of private travel health insurance are set only by the contract. Check the conditions and maximum term before you sign.
What applies within the EU, the EEA and Switzerland?
During a temporary stay, your membership in the statutory health insurance normally continues. The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), usually printed on the back of your health insurance card, covers medically necessary treatment that cannot wait until you return. It also applies in Iceland, Norway and Switzerland. In practice, not every clinic or country accepts the card in full, and you may receive private bills that you claim back later. For longer stays, the Verbraucherzentrale recommends additional travel health insurance. For an overview of study-related stays, see the guide Health insurance for students in the EU: EHIC and more.
A permanent residence in another EU country changes the picture. Whether you have moved your centre of life is determined under the Federal Registration Act (Bundesmeldegesetz). In that case the S1 procedure applies, and your health insurer issues the certificate. If you work abroad, your employer often covers necessary treatment and can claim the costs back from the health insurer (section 17 SGB V).
What applies outside these countries?
Outside the EU, the EEA and Switzerland, statutory insurance usually has no basis for cover unless a social security agreement exists. Membership then normally pauses on departure. This is also true if you plan to come back soon, because a short holiday does not create cover. The Verbraucherzentrale uses the United Kingdom as an example, where no agreement-based rules have applied since 1 January 2021. You therefore need private cover in the destination country.
Private health insurance has limits too. For temporary stays of up to one month, the usual cover normally applies, and some insurers offer longer periods. If you move your residence to a country outside the EU, cover usually ends, with exceptions for Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. Some insurers offer cover for the destination country for an additional premium. Raise this question early, not only when you are about to leave.
How long does cover last, and what about duration and cancellation?
The Verbraucherzentrale names no fixed end date for cover within the EU. It generally continues while your residence remains in Germany, and it ends only when new benefit entitlements arise abroad. The consumer advice service does not publish deadlines, maximum durations, contract terms or cancellation rules for private travel health insurance. It refers you to your health insurer, the DVKA (the German liaison body for cross-border health insurance), the National Contact Point for cross-border healthcare and the consumer advice centres. Whether a policy is monthly cancellable, has a yearly term or is designed for a maximum stay is stated only in the provider’s conditions. An overview of costs by region is in the German guide Auslandskrankenversicherung: Richtwerte nach Zielregion (in German).
Use these steps before you choose a policy:
- Write down the destination, the planned length and the type of stay (study, internship, work, family).
- Check in the conditions the maximum term, whether an extension is possible and whether cover applies for the whole stay.
- Read the notice period and the rules for switching to another tariff if your plans change.
- Get the statements on repatriation and pre-existing conditions confirmed in writing before you pay.
Which solution fits which situation?
| Situation | Statutory health insurance | Repatriation | What to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| EU, EEA or Switzerland, temporary stay | Membership continues, EHIC for necessary treatment | Usually not covered by the statutory insurer | Limits of the EHIC, possible private bills, extra cover |
| EU, permanent residence | S1 procedure through your health insurer | As above | Inform your health insurer in time |
| Outside the EU, no agreement | Membership usually pauses on departure | Not covered | Private travel health insurance for the whole stay |
| PKV, stay up to about one month | Not applicable, usual PKV cover applies | Depends on the tariff, usually not covered | Duration rules in the tariff |
| PKV, residence in a non-EU country | Not applicable, PKV usually ends except in Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway | Usually not covered | Ask for a surcharge for the destination country |
Frequently asked questions
Is the European Health Insurance Card enough for a whole year abroad?
No, not as a substitute for cover over the whole stay. The card covers only medically necessary treatment, it does not pay for repatriation, and it cannot always help with private bills. For a year abroad, additional insurance is usually sensible.
Do I stay in statutory health insurance if I move abroad?
It depends on the destination and your residence. Within the EU, the EEA and Switzerland, membership usually continues while you keep your residence in Germany. Outside these countries without an agreement, it usually pauses on departure (section 16 SGB V). Clarify the situation with your health insurer early.
Does private travel health insurance always pay for repatriation?
Not automatically. Repatriation is a separate module, and the conditions set out when it is paid. The Verbraucherzentrale advises checking whether the policy covers a medically sensible transport, not only a strictly necessary one.
Where can I get advice on my case?
Your first contacts are your health insurer and the DVKA. For cross-border questions, the National Contact Point for cross-border healthcare can help. For contract questions, the consumer advice centres and the European Consumer Centre offer advice.
What to do now
- Ask your health insurer whether your statutory membership continues or pauses in the destination country.
- Compare your destination with the table above and decide whether you need travel health insurance or private travel health insurance.
- Check the conditions, maximum term, extension and cancellation before you sign.
- Keep the insurance documents with you before departure and note the emergency number of your provider.
Related reading
- Studying Outside the EU: Health Insurance Rules (English)
- Private Health Insurance Abroad During Your Studies: 5 Tips You Should Know! (English)
- Health insurance for students: glossary from A to Z (English)
- Auslandskrankenversicherung fürs Auslandssemester: Was sie leisten sollte (in German)
Sources: Verbraucherzentrale: Krankenversicherung im Ausland, wie lange bin ich geschützt? (page status: 19 May 2026, in German); Section 16 SGB V, suspension of membership (gesetze-im-internet.de, in German).
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
