Health Insurance

• You are automatically covered by the German statutory health insurance system if you have an employment contract or an MPS support contract. 
• Statutory health insurance is mandatory for all employees with an annual income below a certain threshold (2024: 69.300 EUR).  
• The costs for this coverage are a certain percentage of your income and are shared by employee and employer. The insurance costs are deducted from your paycheck. 
• You are free to select your own statutory health insurance provider (see the list below). The differences between the various providers are minimal with respect to cost and benefits. However, you may want to choose a provider that has an office in Tübingen or that has information material in English. 
• Please inform your employer about your choice once you sign your work contract. Your employer will then contact your health insurance company to confirm your status. 
• In some exceptional cases where there is a Social Security Agreement between Germany and your own country, your home coverage may continue to apply to you and exempt you from the German statutory health insurance scheme. This must be confirmed by your health insurance provider or social security agency at home using form 1 or 101. If you think this may be the case, be sure to contact your health insurance provider before leaving home. 
• Please note: In case your annual income will exceed 69.300 EUR (2024), you have the option to choose whether you would like to take out private health insurance or whether you stay in voluntary statutory health insurance. For voluntary statutory health insurance, please discuss with your employer if you need to apply for subsidies from the LBV (Landesamt für Besoldung und Versorgung Baden-Württemberg) or if your employer has arranged this for you. 
• Advantages of statutory health insurance in contrast to most private insurance schemes:
  • even pre-existing and chronic conditions are covered without waiting periods 
  • you have a free choice of doctors, provided that they are authorized to treat patients of the statutory health insurance scheme. 
  • with your health insurance card, the doctor bills the insurance company directly. You do not have to settle the bill yourself and then request reimbursement. 
  • preventive check-ups are included and encouraged. 
  • spouses and children without their own income are generally covered by your policy at no extra cost.

List of all statutory health insurance providers in Germany

This list can be filtered by clicking on the drop-down arrow under "Für welches Bundesland suchen Sie eine Krankenkasse?" and choosing the State of Baden-Württemberg.

List of statutory health insurance providers with offices in Tübingen

Applies to you if…

• You are a citizen of an EU member state (or Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland)
• You are covered by the statutory health insurance system in your EU home country (if NOT check the section for scholarship holders and those with private funding here)
• You won’t get a German working contract (if you’ll get a working contract please read the information under "Employees" above)

Please note:

• It's fundamental to clear all questions ahead of your stay! So please contact your insurance provider in your home country before your arrival.
• The coverage may differ from that of your home country because it’s only provided under German law (eventually co-payments may be required).

European Health Insurance Card (EHIC):

You can find detailed information here:

• https://www.dvka.de/media/dokumente/merkblaetter/urlaub_in_deutschland_1/EHIC_Dt_englisch.pdf
• https://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=559&langId=en

Short stays (< 3 months):

• You may use a valid European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) for necessary medical services.
• Usually only acute medical care is covered (according to the treatment conditions under German law)

Long stays (> 3 months):

• Please contact your health insurance provider in your home country and request the form E106 or S1.
• Form E106 or S1 entitles you and your family members to register with a German statutory health insurance company. You will have access to all the services that are also available to a German health insurance statutory member.
• The German health insurance provider will subsequently bill the domestic health insurance provider for their costs.

For longer stays of 3 months or more, the EHIC card can only be used in exceptional cases (for example posted workers, exchange students). Also your trip must not be for the purpose of medical treatment. Make sure to check with your home insurer if this applies in your case!

If you are not entitled to statutory health insurance at home check the section for scholarship holders and those with private funding.