Accident insurance
The Deutsche Verbindungsstelle Unfallversicherung – Ausland foreign liaison body assists with the implementation of international agreements.
It ensures that all persons insured in the EU, the EEA, Switzerland, the United Kingdom or other countries that are signatories to relevant treaties receive the necessary medical care while travelling abroad.
Travel cancellation and interruption insurance
Many travel cancellation insurance policies also cover an unexpected worsening of an existing illness or disability as a valid reason for cancellation or interruption. This means that the insurance company may cover the cancellation costs if your health suddenly deteriorates before your trip begins.
Tip: you can ask your doctor for a medical certificate confirming that you are fit to travel—ideally before booking your trip. For travel interruption insurance, it is advisable to obtain another medical certificate shortly before departure to document your state of health.
International health insurance
International health insurance is particularly important for people with disabilities or chronic illnesses. If you fall ill or have an accident during your trip, travel health insurance usually covers:
However, international health insurance does not cover treatments that are plannable or foreseeable or measures that were already medically recommended or necessary before the start of the trip.
Illnesses that have already been diagnosed are generally considered pre-existing conditions. However, this does not automatically mean that such illnesses are excluded from insurance coverage.
If a previously stable state of health deteriorates suddenly during the trip, this may be considered an unexpected event and may thus be insured.
Examples:
In such cases, travel insurance benefits can be claimed.
When does international residual cost insurance make sense? When employees are sent abroad, statutory health insurance only covers costs that would also have been incurred in Germany. As medical services abroad—for example in the US—are often significantly more expensive, there is a considerable cost gap without supplementary insurance.
International residual cost insurance (information in German) closes this gap and protects employers from substantial financial burdens relating to surgeries, hospital stays or repatriation, for example. It is particularly useful for postings to countries that do not have social security agreements with Germany.