Travel insurance for Germany

Australia doesn’t have a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement with Germany, so without travel insurance, you may need to pay for any medical expenses you incur out of your own pocket. The standard of medical treatment in Germany is high, but medical costs are more expensive than in Australia. In fact, medical practitioners will ask for payment or proof of appropriate insurance upfront before you’re given any treatment.¹

In the worst-case scenario, travel insurance can help pay for emergency medical assistance or repatriation back to your home country.

A trip may be delayed or cancelled for many reasons, including weather or unexpected medical issues. Comprehensive travel insurance coverage can help cover the cost of a cancelled leg of the itinerary or additional accommodation if needed, should your airline not provide compensation.

Travel insurance may also cover bookings and activities you had to cancel due to delays, like pre-booked tickets, tour group visits, accommodation and even special events like music concerts and sporting events.

In Germany, petty crime like pickpocketing and theft has been known to happen.¹ As long as you do what you can to protect your belongings (e.g. don’t leave them unattended in public), travel insurance may help cover the cost of lost and stolen belongings.

If you plan on skiing down the German Alps, consider adding ski and snow sports cover as an optional extra to your travel insurance policy.

This way, if you have an injury on the slopes, you could be covered. Otherwise, standard travel insurance policies don’t generally cover medical expenses in these instances.

Even hiking can be considered an adventurous activity, and any injury that occurs might not be covered without the appropriate travel insurance. If you plan to hike through the Black Forest or climb one of Germany’s many mountains, check in your PDS that any sports and activities you want to do are covered. In some cases, insurers will offer an adventure pack add-on to provide additional insurance for specific activities.

From Munich to Hamburg, travel insurance can cover a range of incidents that could occur on your trip to Germany; however, there will be circumstances in which you’ll be unable to claim.

Exclusions are outlined in your PDS and specify when your travel insurance company won’t pay out a claim. Some common exclusions can be:

• If you were under the influence of alcohol or an illegal substance
• Acting recklessly, dangerously or illegally when an incident occurred
• You need medical care for a pre-existing medical condition but it isn’t covered by your policy
• You left your luggage and belongings unattended in public, and they were stolen
• You were driving without an international driver’s license.

Furthermore, civil unrest, armed conflict, war and invasions are often excluded. While rare, many European countries have experienced terrorist attacks and violent protests, which is something to keep in mind when planning any international trip.