Life-situation review
We map your status, employee, freelancer, family, homeowner, and identify which insurance types actually apply to you.
Mandatory vs optional, clarified first
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James & Sophie
Protected from day one
Find the right protection in Germany
We help expats compare insurance options, understand what is mandatory vs recommended, and set up the right cover, health, property and mortgage protection. Multilingual guidance in 6 languages, no jargon overload.
Service scope
What we do for you
We help you compare, choose and set up insurance in Germany, from health cover to property and mortgage protection. Product-neutral, multilingual advice.
Health insurance comparison
Public (GKV), private (PKV) or expat health, we help you understand eligibility, trade-offs and switching implications.
GKV · PKV · expat optionsProperty & building cover
Building insurance (Wohngebäudeversicherung) and landlord-specific cover, protection tied to owning or letting property in Germany.
Owners & landlordsMortgage & income protection
Restschuld, life insurance and cover linked to your mortgage, coordinated with property financing when you buy in Germany.
Linked to home financeApplication & setup
We help you compare provider options and navigate applications, so setup is not a pile of German forms without context.
Multilingual setup helpClaims & renewal support
Guidance when you need to claim, switch providers or review cover at renewal, especially after life changes.
Support beyond sign-up
The process
How insurance advisory works
Fewer products, clearer priorities. We structure the process into four steps, from understanding your situation to ongoing cover you actually need.
Step 1
Share your situation
Employment status, family, housing and existing cover, collected in a short call or form.
We help map your needs
Step 2
Compare options
Health, liability, household and situational cover, compared side by side for your profile.
We help you compare
Step 3
Choose & apply
You pick the right combination; we help with applications and setup paperwork.
We help with setup
Step 4
Stay covered
Claims guidance, renewals and cover reviews when your life situation changes.
We help long-term
Who this is for
Insurance by life situation
The right insurance mix depends on how you live and work in Germany, not a one-size-fits-all package. Start with the situation that matches yours.
Employee
Employed in Germany.
Health insurance is mandatory, usually via public (GKV) or private (PKV). Liability and household cover are strongly recommended on top.
Talk to an advisor as an employeeSelf-employed
Freelancer or Gewerbe.
Health cover choice matters more . PKV, GKV or expat options depending on income and status. Liability is essential for client-facing work.
Talk to an advisor as self-employedFamily with children
Cover for the whole household.
Family health setup, liability for the household and contents insurance, with attention to dependents and school-age requirements.
Talk to an advisor about family coverHomeowner
You own your home.
Building insurance (Wohngebäudeversicherung) becomes relevant, plus household contents and mortgage-related protection where applicable.
Talk to an advisor as a homeownerLandlord
Renting out property.
Landlord liability, building cover and loss-of-rent considerations, on top of your personal health and liability setup.
Talk to an advisor as a landlordNew arrival / unsure
Just landed in Germany?
Health insurance is your first priority, often required for residence registration. We help you sort mandatory vs recommended cover quickly.
Check health insurance eligibility
Compare & prioritise
What cover do you actually need?
Like Feather, we separate options from priorities, so you compare health paths first, then see what is mandatory, strongly recommended or situational.
Health insurance paths
Public (GKV)
Statutory health insurance, income-capped contributions, family co-insurance possible. Default for most employees under the threshold.
Private (PKV)
Private health insurance, for higher earners, self-employed and some civil servants. Premium based on health profile and age at entry.
Expat / international
Short-term or transitional cover, relevant for some new arrivals or specific visa situations. Not a long-term substitute for GKV/PKV in most cases.
Health insurance (Krankenversicherung)
- Required for residence and employment in Germany
- Must be in place from day one of work or registration
Liability & household
- Personal liability (Haftpflicht), low cost, high protection
- Household contents (Hausrat) for renters and owners
Depends on your life
- Legal protection (Rechtsschutz)
- Life insurance & mortgage protection
- Building insurance for owners / landlords
- Travel or income protection
Documents
What to prepare for your review
You do not need everything on day one, but having these ready speeds up comparison and application. We send a tailored checklist after your first call.
Personal & visa
- Passport and residence permit / visa
- Anmeldung (registration certificate)
- Employment contract or job offer
- Date of arrival in Germany
Health insurance
- Current or prior health policy (if any)
- Proof of income / salary statement
- Family status and dependents
- Medical history summary for PKV quotes
Housing & property
- Rental contract or property details
- Approximate household contents value
- Mortgage documents (if homeowner)
- Existing liability or household policies
Timing to know
- Health cover required from first day of work
- Needed for Anmeldung and employer onboarding
- PKV: apply before income threshold is crossed
- Liability & household: set up when you move in
For families, self-employed profiles or property owners, the checklist expands. We provide your specific list after the initial advisory call.
Tools & resources
Tools & resources before you decide
Compare options yourself first, then talk to an advisor when you are ready. These tools support the decision, the setup still happens with qualified insurance partners.
GKV, PKV or expat cover?
Health Insurance Eligibility Check
See which health insurance paths may apply to your employment status, income and family situation.
Check eligibility Buying with a mortgage?Home Loan Insurance Guide
Understand building insurance, mortgage protection and cover linked to property financing.
Explore property cover What insurance do expats need?Knowledge Hub . Insurance
Guides on mandatory vs recommended cover, GKV vs PKV and common expat insurance mistakes.
Explore guides Quick answers first?FAQ Library
Browse frequently asked expat questions across health, liability, household and property insurance.
Browse FAQs
Pricing
How insurance advisory is priced
Insurance advisory through FFE is typically free for you, partners compensate us when you take out a policy. We explain how that works so you know there is no hidden fee for the guidance itself.
What to expect commercially
The initial advisory call and option comparison are designed to be accessible. Premiums are paid directly to insurers; we help you compare value, not upsell cover you do not need.
- Free advisory for most cases. Orientation and comparison calls are typically at no cost to you.
- Premiums to insurers. Health and property-related policies are paid to the provider, we explain what you are buying.
- No pressure to over-insure. We prioritise mandatory and strongly recommended cover first, situational products only when they fit.
Trust
Why expats choose Finance for Expats
A combination of expat-specific routing, independent comparison and multilingual guidance in 6 languages, built into the service, not added as a slogan.
Independent comparison
GKV, PKV and expat health paths compared side by side, plus liability, household and situational cover when relevant.
Expat-specific routing
New arrivals, visa deadlines and cross-border prior cover are assessed before you commit to the wrong health path.
Multilingual support
English, German, Spanish, Hindi, Punjabi and Kannada.
Clear priority logic
Mandatory vs recommended vs situational, so you understand what you actually need before comparing premiums.
Connected FFE services
Property, mortgage and tax questions can be routed to the right FFE service from one platform.
Reviewed by FFE advisors
Insurance service content is curated by Finance for Expats advisors and licensed insurance partners.
GKV / PKV
Health paths compared
6
Languages supported
10+
Years in expat finance
Free
Advisory for most cases
Client story
From insurance overwhelm to a clear setup
A qualitative outcome story: how a relocating couple moved from conflicting online advice to the right health cover before Anmeldung. Names changed for privacy.
We moved to Munich with two job offers and no clear answer on public vs private health insurance, every blog post said something different. Our employer needed proof of cover before we could register, and the deadline was tight. Finance for Expats walked us through GKV vs PKV for our income level, helped us compare providers and apply in time for Anmeldung. We also got a straight explanation of what is mandatory, what is strongly recommended elsewhere, and what we could sort out later, without pressure to buy cover they do not arrange.
James & Sophie
Relocating couple · Health insurance chosen and set up in time
FAQ
Insurance questions expats ask first
The questions we hear in almost every consultation. The first one is open by default, answer it before you scroll on.
Yes. You need valid health insurance (Krankenversicherung) to live and work in Germany, including for Anmeldung and employer onboarding. We help you compare GKV, PKV and expat options for your profile.
It depends on income, employment status, age and family situation. Employees under the income threshold usually join GKV; higher earners and many self-employed may qualify for PKV. Use our eligibility check or see the coverage priorities section.
It pays off or reduces your mortgage if you die or become unable to work, lenders often expect it for financed purchases. We help you compare options and coordinate cover with your property financing. See our Home Loan Insurance Guide.
It covers structural damage to the building itself, fire, storm, tap water and similar risks. Owners and landlords typically need it; lenders may require proof when you finance a purchase. We help you understand scope and compare options for your property.
Sometimes for short transitional periods or specific visa cases, but long-term residents usually need GKV or PKV that meets German requirements. We assess whether expat cover is sufficient for your situation.
Self-employed profiles often have more choice between GKV and PKV, but also more responsibility to arrange cover yourself. Income, prior cover and business type all matter, we route these cases carefully.
Advisory is typically free for you, partners compensate us when you take out a policy. Premiums are paid to insurers directly. See the Pricing section for the full logic.
Owners typically need building insurance (Wohngebäudeversicherung) and may need mortgage-related protection. See our Home Loan Insurance Guide or ask an advisor about your purchase.
In public health insurance, dependents without their own income may be covered at no extra cost (family insurance / Familienversicherung) under certain conditions. PKV handles dependents differently, we explain both paths.
We review your situation, compare relevant options and help with applications if you proceed. You receive a clear priority list, mandatory first, then recommended and situational cover.
Ready to compare your insurance options?
Check health eligibility online or talk to an advisor. We help you understand mandatory vs recommended cover and what to prepare before you apply.
Free advisory for most cases, premiums are paid directly to insurers.