Every Insurance You Need in Germany
Germany runs on insurance, and almost none of it is explained in English. This page lists everything we advise on, what each one actually protects, and roughly what it costs — so you can see the whole picture before deciding what you need.
The Three Most Expats Get First
If you have just arrived, this is the short answer. These three cover the risks that are either legally required, financially unlimited, or impossible to fix later.
Health Insurance
Mandatory from day one. Public (GKV) or private (PKV) — the choice affects your costs for decades and is hard to reverse. We explain both systems and compare offers.
Compare GKV and PKV →Personal Liability
Not required, but close to it. German law makes you personally liable without an upper limit. Around €5–15 a month covers it. Almost every household here has it.
See what it covers →Disability Insurance
Cheapest while you are young and healthy. Replaces your income if illness or injury stops you working. State provision covers far less than most people assume.
Understand the cover →Protecting Your Household
Once the essentials are in place, these are the policies that matter for your home, your family and your long-term finances.
Life Insurance & Retirement
Term life cover for your family, plus private pension planning. Particularly relevant if you will not spend a full working life paying into the German state pension.
Learn more →Home & Contents
Hausrat for renters, Wohngebäude for owners. Covers fire, water damage, burglary and storm — the everyday risks that turn into four-figure bills.
Learn more →Cyber Insurance
Cover for online fraud, identity theft, account takeovers and ransomware — private and business variants. Increasingly relevant, still rarely advised on in English.
Learn more →If You Work for Yourself
Freelancing or running a GmbH in Germany changes the picture: you carry risks an employer would normally absorb, and you have options employees do not.
Business Insurance
Professional indemnity, business liability, D&O and legal expenses — for freelancers, startups and established companies.
Learn more →Disability Cover for Freelancers
Without an employer and often without state cover, disability insurance is the single most important policy for the self-employed. The rules differ from employees.
Learn more →Anonymous Risk Inquiry
Have a pre-existing condition? We can ask insurers how they would assess you without submitting your name — so a rejection never lands in your record.
How it works →Not sure which of these apply to you?
That is the normal starting point, and it is exactly what a first consultation is for. Tell us your situation — employed or freelance, single or with family, staying a few years or for good — and we will tell you which policies are worth having and which you can skip.
It costs nothing, and there is no obligation. As an independent broker we are paid by the insurer you eventually choose, not by you.
Or Start With a Free Tool
If you would rather get a feel for the numbers first, three of our calculators run in your browser and store nothing:
- BU Cost Calculator — estimate your monthly disability insurance premium
- GKV vs PKV Quiz — see which health insurance system fits your situation
- Retirement Gap Calculator — find out what your German pension will actually leave you