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Insurance review

Supplementary cover · Travel abroad

Travel with medical protection. Include medical repatriation.

GKV cover abroad is limited or may be absent. Travel health insurance can cover acute treatment costs and medical repatriation where the policy conditions are met.

Review travel cover View the benefits
Treatment abroadMedical repatriationTrip length

Why does travel health insurance exist?

The European Health Insurance Card is not full travel cover. Outside the EU and countries with a social-security agreement, statutory cover may be absent entirely.

Typical benefits

Depending on the policy, insured costs may include:

  • Medically necessary outpatient and inpatient treatment.
  • Prescribed medication and dressings.
  • Transport to suitable medical care.
  • Medical repatriation that is medically reasonable and justifiable, if agreed.
  • Repatriation of remains or burial abroad within policy limits.

Who may want to review it?

  • People in GKV travelling abroad privately or for work.
  • Travellers outside the EU or countries with social-security agreements.
  • Families where children’s age and inclusion are expressly regulated.
  • People with comprehensive private health insurance (PKV) whose policy does not completely cover medical repatriation or treatment costs abroad.

Check trip length and exclusions before departure.

An inexpensive annual policy may suit holidays but end after only a few weeks during a longer stay.

Typical limits

  • Individual trips are often limited to six or eight weeks.
  • Planned treatment abroad is generally excluded.
  • Pre-existing conditions or already foreseeable treatment may be restricted.
  • Competitive or club sports and other special risks may be excluded.

Wording to review

  • The German wording “medizinisch sinnvoll und vertretbar” (medically reasonable and justifiable) generally gives a broader trigger for medical repatriation than “medizinisch notwendig” (medically necessary).
  • Clauses requiring a claim to another insurer first may require submission to GKV before the travel insurer.
  • Deductibles create personal costs even for small invoices.
  • Long trips require an expressly suitable long-term policy.
Illustrative example

An acute illness outside the EU.

Emergency inpatient treatment becomes necessary during a trip. GKV may pay nothing in the destination country. A suitable travel policy may cover medically necessary treatment and, if its conditions are met, medical repatriation.

Illustrative example only — not personal advice and not a guarantee of cover, benefits or price.

How MB Finance supports you.

We review more than the annual premium: trip duration, medical repatriation and exclusions relevant to the journey all matter.

Clarify the travel profile

Destinations, duration, private or business use and repeat trips are recorded.

Review existing cover

GKV, PKV, credit-card and group benefits are put into context.

Compare medical repatriation

The precise policy wording is compared clearly.

Read exclusions

Pre-existing conditions, planned treatment and special activities are considered.

Check family rules

Inclusion and age limits for children are made visible.

Explain emergency steps

Contacts, cost approval and submission of documents are prepared.

Travel cover adds to health insurance but does not solve an income gap or long-term care need.

Core system

Health insurance

Explains GKV, PKV and their different rules.

Understand the systems →Outpatient

Outpatient supplementary cover

Explains private invoices and selected outpatient extras.

Understand the policy →Income

Daily sickness allowance

May reduce an income gap during temporary incapacity for work.

Understand the distinction →

Frequently asked questions about travel health insurance.

Trip duration, destination and exact wording are decisive.

Is the European card enough?

Not for every risk. Co-payments and private invoices may arise even in Europe, and GKV does not pay for medical repatriation to Germany.

Why does medical-repatriation wording matter?

The German wording “medizinisch sinnvoll und vertretbar” (medically reasonable and justifiable) generally has a broader trigger than “medizinisch notwendig” (medically necessary). The exact policy wording is decisive.

Is annual cover unlimited?

No. Many policies limit each trip to six or eight weeks. Longer stays need suitable long-term cover.

Next supplementary module

Income gaps during illness: daily sickness allowance.

The next page clearly separates temporary incapacity for work from occupational disability and explains when a documented shortfall in net income can arise.

Continue to daily sickness allowance Back to outpatient cover

Sources and general notice

General information, last updated 31 August 2026. Descriptions of typical benefits are not a guarantee of cover or payment. Destination, trip duration, application, policy schedule and conditions are decisive.