Studies and Insurances

Every enrolled student at a German university mandatorily needs health insurance. This means you need to have sufficient health insurance coverage during the whole course of your studies. Here, you can choose freely between the health insurance companies. In Germany, there are both statutory and private health insurance providers.

Statutory health insurance companies (“gesetzliche Krankenversicherungen“) have the advantage of definitely covering the mandatory requirements for medical care. Many of them even offer bonus programs, health courses and other benefits. You can find an overview of all federal health insurance providers online.

In general, three types of membership in the statutory health insurance are possible for students: family insurance, student health insurance and voluntary health insurance.

If you choose private health insurance, you must apply for exemption from the compulsory insurance within the first three months of your studies. The exemption applies for the entire duration of your studies and should therefore be well considered. If you are insured privately through your parents, please take into account that you must ensure having your own private insurance policy by the time you reach the upper age limit of 25. As each private health insurance provider offers a different range of services, make sure that you compare policies in depth before you sign a contract. A list of all private health insurers in Germany can be found online.

International students who are enrolled at a German university are also subject to compulsory insurance. Since this is a very extensive topic, we have prepared an information sheet (pdf, 204 kB) for you.

In case of questions feel free to contact our Social Counselling Team of Studentenwerk or turn to your health insurance provider.

Family insurance:

Up to the age of 25, students can be insured free of charge through a parent, given said parent is covered by a German statutory health insurance provider (plus periods of voluntary military or community service/ juvenile voluntary service/ development aid worker for a maximum of 12 months). You can also be covered by family insurance through a working, statutorily insured spouse, in which case the age limit does not apply.

It is really important to pay attention to the income limit of €505 per month, e.g. when you are a working student, receive pensions, work self-employed or earn income by leasing, or rather have a “mini-job” (marginal employment with a maximum monthly salary of €538). Otherwise the insurance cover through family insurance will terminate. Maintenance payments by the parents or the social welfare office and BAföG payments are not taken into account.

If the entitlement for family insurance is exhausted, the student has to insure him- or herself, by student or voluntarily health insurance.

 

Student health insurance:

Once you reach the age of 25, or if you are not covered under family insurance, you will have to arrange your own health insurance. The affordable student health insurance is valid until one month after your final semester or until exmatriculation (if you leave during the semester) or until you reach the age of 30. After exiting the student health insurance you usually will be voluntarily insured by the same health insurance provider.

In exceptional cases, student health insurance can be extended beyond this limit. If you can prove that you were unable to study to the full extent during a specific time period then your student health coverage might be extended by the duration of the time period you were unable to study. Your health insurance provider will make its decisions on a case-by-case basis. Please contact them if you have any questions.

The same rules apply for international students (pdf, 204 kB) when they are insured by a statutory health insurance provider. 

 

Voluntary health insurance:

If reached the age of 30, generally, you can insure yourself voluntarily with one of the statutory health insurers. For information on the exact tariff, please contact your health insurer.

 

For BAföG-recipients:

Students receiving BAföG-funding can claim additional funding per month to compensate partially for contributions to their own health and long-term care insurance. Your health insurer will provide certification to send to your BAföG Office on request.

Leisure Time Accident Insurance of Studentenwerk Chemnitz-Zwickau

We know that accidents can happen when you’re playing sports or just enjoying your time off from your studies. For this reason, Studentenwerk Chemnitz-Zwickau has arranged a group accident insurance policy for all enrolled students at TU Chemnitz and WH Zwickau.

This insurance protection covers all accidents that occur during your leisure time, internships and whilst preparing for examinations outside of the university. It also covers accidents at work, even for student trainees, for which the German Social Code (“Sozialgesetzbuch”) Book VII states that your employer’s liability association must bear responsibility, provided this job is a mandatory part of your studies. It applies worldwide and around the clock.

Excluded are internships and employment that are not related to your studies - i.e. voluntary internships and employment that are not mandatory according to the study and examination regulations. Also excluded from the insurance coverage is the writing of thesis in a company in case there is NO integration into the general work processes of the regarding company.

Should you have an accident and wish to claim insurance coverage, first of all seek medical attention and contact our Social Counselling Service immediately.

Sums insured for consequential damages:

• in case of disability (225% progression) – €56,000
• in case of total and permanent disability (100% disability) – €126,000
• in case of rescue costs – up to €5,000
• in case of cosmetic operations – up to €5,000

 

Statutory Accident Insurance for students

Students at TU Chemnitz and WH Zwickau are covered by statutory accident insurance for all activities directly associated with their studies by the Free State of Saxony. This applies to accidents on the way to and from your place of study and for university sports events. The insurer is Unfallkasse Sachsen, Postfach 42, 01651 Meißen.

If you wish to make a claim against this insurance, you must report the accident promptly to the dean’s office in your faculty.

Accidents suffered by students must also be reported to the following places: TU Chemnitz or WH Zwickau

Health Insurance

All students in Germany are legally bound to being health insured. Therefore, every student needs to proof sufficient health insurance coverage when enrolling at a German university. Anyone who is not family-insured by a parent or the spouse has to conclude his/her own health insurance.

 

Accident Insurance

Students already have a certain insurance cover by the statutory accident insurance (not all international students) and the Leisure Time Accident Insurance of the Studentenwerk Chemnitz-Zwickau. Nevertheless, in certain cases the conclusion of a private accident insurance can be advisable, as this can be better adapted to the individual circumstances of life and concluded with higher sums of coverage.

 

Personal Liability Insurance

You accidentally dropped the expensive smart phone of your friend and now it’s damaged? On the way to university you are accidentally causing an accident in which a car gets damaged? In case you accidentally break or damage the property of someone else, the personal liability insurance will pay for the damage (not in the case of negligence, intent or recklessness).

In general, German students are insured with their parents' liability insurance until the age of 25. Therefore, please ask your insurance company if you are covered by your parents’ insurance - if not, you can decide about taking out your own liability insurance!

 

Other insurances

There are a variety of other types of insurance. Whether these are necessary or useful for you depends on the respective circumstances. For example, motor vehicle liability insurance or partial liability insurance is indispensable for motor vehicle owners. But also a household content insurance, a legal expenses insurance or an occupational disablement insurance can be advisable in individual cases.