Krankenkasse in English: Choosing & Using German Health Insurance

Health insurance (Krankenversicherung) is mandatory in Germany — you cannot legally live here without it. Your provider is called a Krankenkasse, and choosing the right one affects your monthly costs, the doctors you can see, and how easy your life will be when things go wrong.

This guide covers the system, the choice between statutory and private, and the most common situations where you''ll need to communicate with your Krankenkasse in English.

Statutory vs private — the big decision

Germany has two parallel systems:

Gesetzliche Krankenversicherung (GKV) — statutory

• Mandatory if your gross salary is below €73,800/year (2026 threshold)
• ~14.6% of gross salary + ~1.7% supplementary contribution, split with employer
• Family members covered free
• Same medical care across all GKV providers — they only differ on extras

Private Krankenversicherung (PKV) — private

• Optional above the income threshold; mandatory for civil servants and most freelancers
• Premium based on age and health at sign-up, not income
• Each family member pays separately
• Faster appointments, private rooms, some elective treatments covered
• Hard to switch back to statutory after age 55

The honest recommendation for most expats: stay statutory unless you''re a high-earning civil servant or a healthy freelancer under 35. Private looks cheaper at 28 but becomes expensive in your 50s, and switching back is nearly impossible.

The major statutory insurers

The big GKV providers are functionally interchangeable for basic care:

• TK (Techniker Krankenkasse) — best English-language website and app
• AOK — largest, region-specific (AOK Berlin, AOK Bayern, etc.)
• Barmer — second largest, decent English support
• DAK-Gesundheit — strong in northern Germany
• HKK — typically the lowest supplementary contribution

Pick TK or Barmer if English support matters to you. AOK''s English varies wildly by region.

How to sign up

1. Choose a Krankenkasse (you can switch later)
2. Apply online or in person — bring passport, Anmeldebestätigung, and employment contract (or freelance proof)
3. Receive your Versichertennummer (insurance number) by post within 2 weeks
4. Receive your Gesundheitskarte (health card) within 4 weeks
5. Give the insurance number to your employer for payroll

Without a permanent address, signup is harder but not impossible. TK accepts applications with a temporary address and updates later.

What''s covered

GKV covers:

• GP and specialist visits (referrals sometimes needed)
• Hospital stays (shared room, ward doctor)
• Prescription drugs (€5–€10 copay each)
• Pregnancy, birth, postnatal care
• Mental health therapy (long wait for approved therapists)
• Dental basics (cleanings cost extra; crowns partially covered)
• Vision: eye exam yes, glasses no
• Physiotherapy with prescription

NOT covered (you''ll pay or need supplementary insurance):

• Private rooms or chief-physician treatment
• Most cosmetic dentistry
• Glasses and contact lenses
• Alternative medicine beyond a small annual budget

Common situations & what to say

Requesting your insurance card replacement

"Ich habe meine Gesundheitskarte verloren und brauche eine neue." (I''ve lost my health card and need a new one.)

Asking about reimbursement for a private bill

"Ich habe eine Privatrechnung. Welche Kosten erstatten Sie?" (I have a private invoice. Which costs do you reimburse?)

Cancelling to switch insurers

"Ich möchte meine Mitgliedschaft kündigen, um zu wechseln." (I want to cancel my membership to switch.)

Phone hold times at most Krankenkassen run 15–45 minutes, and many call-center agents have limited English. AmtSprache handles the entire call in real time — the officer speaks German, you hear English, you reply in English, and your reply is spoken in German on their end.

How to switch Krankenkasse

You can switch after 12 months of membership with any GKV provider. If your current provider raises its supplementary contribution, you can switch immediately with a Sonderkündigungsrecht (special right of termination).

Steps:

1. Apply to the new Krankenkasse — they handle the cancellation for you
2. Confirmation arrives in 2–4 weeks
3. Your new coverage begins on the 1st of the month after the 2-month notice period
4. Give your new insurance number to your employer

You never need to coordinate the switch yourself — the new insurer does it.

Special situations

Freelancers (Freiberufler) You pay both halves of the contribution yourself. The minimum monthly contribution (based on a minimum income assumption) is around €230/month in 2026 — verify with your insurer. Above €5,512.50/month gross, you pay the full ~16.3% rate.

Students under 30 You qualify for the reduced student rate (~€125/month all-in) until your 14th semester or 30th birthday, whichever comes first.

Unemployed The Jobcenter or Agentur für Arbeit pays your contributions while you receive benefits. Notify your Krankenkasse immediately when your job ends.

Family members Spouse and children under 23 (or 25 if in education) are covered free under your statutory membership (Familienversicherung) if their own income is below ~€535/month.

Related guides

• Anmeldung in Germany
• German Tax ID (Steuer-ID) explained
• Ausländerbehörde in English

Frequently asked questions

Can I use my European Health Insurance Card in Germany?

Only for short visits. If you''re moving to Germany you must register with a German Krankenkasse from the day you start work or within 3 months of arrival.

What if I can''t afford private insurance premiums later?

This is the biggest risk of going private young. Premiums rise sharply after 50, and switching back to statutory after 55 is nearly impossible. There''s a regulated "basic tariff" (Basistarif) as a fallback, but it''s expensive and limited.

Do I need supplementary (Zusatzversicherung) insurance?

Only if you want private rooms in hospital, premium dental coverage, or vision benefits. Most expats are fine without it. If you do want it, sign up while you''re young and healthy — premiums stay locked in.

How do I find an English-speaking doctor?

Use doctolib.de and filter by language, or search the TK doctor finder. In Berlin, Munich, and Hamburg most GPs in expat neighborhoods speak workable English.