Arrange health insurance before you fly

Germany takes health insurance seriously: you can't enrol at university, start a job or get a residence permit without it.

Students under 30: you'll join statutory insurance (gesetzliche Krankenversicherung) — TK, AOK, Barmer and DAK are the big names; student premiums are nearly identical (~€140–150/month in 2026, including long-term-care insurance) and all are fine. Many providers let you apply online before arrival and activate coverage on your enrolment date.

Students 30 and over can't use the student tariff: you'll pay the higher voluntary statutory rate (€200+) or need an alternative — plan this before the visa, not after.

The travel gap: statutory coverage usually starts with enrolment or job start. For the days between landing and that date, get a cheap incoming/travel policy — some embassies require proof of coverage for the visa itself.

Workers: you're enrolled in statutory insurance through your employer once you start; pick a Krankenkasse and tell HR (if you don't choose, they pick one for you). Above a high income threshold you may choose private insurance — but private is hard to leave later; don't choose it just to save money in year one.

Rule of thumb: when in doubt, statutory. It covers doctors, hospitals and most essentials with no upfront payment.

Red flags:

• Cheap "incoming" or expat policies used for the whole stay. They exist for the arrival gap — universities and the Ausländerbehörde reject them for enrolment and residence permits.
• Opting into private insurance as a student because it's cheaper at 25. Once you leave the statutory system as a student, returning during your studies is essentially impossible — and private premiums climb with age.
• Policies with a deductible (Selbstbehalt) buried in the terms — "pay first, claim later" is exactly what you don't want in your first German winter.
• A coverage start date that doesn't match your actual arrival — landing a week early "to settle in" means an uninsured week.