Health Insurance for Students

© Estee Janssens / Unsplash

Students are liable to insurance deductions for health and long-term care insurance. For this reason, proof of health insurance coverage is required at enrollment. More information on insurance can be found here.


PROOF OF HEALTH INSURANCE FOR REGISTRATION

No enrolment without digital insurance notification

Every applicant must contact the responsible health insurance company before enroling in order to initiate a digital insurance notification, a so-called M10. The health insurance company then reports digitally to the university whether

  • he/she is insured or
  • he/she is exempt from insurance, exempt from compulsory insurance or not subject to compulsory insurance.

Which health insurance company is responsible for the digital insurance notification?

Applicants must apply for the digital insurance notification required for enrolment from the health insurance company with which they are or will probably be insured as a member or family member at the beginning of their studies. The health insurance company then automatically forwards this report to the university.Applicants who want to be exempted from compulsory insurance must also apply for a corresponding digital notification (insurance-free or exempt) from a statutory health insurance company.

The sender number of Leibniz Universität Hannover is H0001382.


Compulsory insurance for students

All students at German higher education institutions (HEIs) are required to take out statutory health insurance. This requirement is usually applicable until the end of the semester in which the student turns 30 at the latest. Thereafter, students may continue to be insured on a voluntary basis.

  • Exeption from compulsory insurance
    • Insurance is not compulsory for students as long as they are included in family insurance (with a statutory health insurance company), which is usually possible until the age of 25.
    • Students are exempt from insurance if they are liable for compulsory insurance according to other regulations, or if they are exempt from insurance by law (e.g. civil servants, paid employees, recipients of widow’s pensions, self-employed workers, etc.).
  • Exemption from compulsory insurance

    Students may be exempted from compulsory insurance on request. Applications for exemption may be made within three months of the insurance becoming compulsory for them (after the initial enrolment at a German HEI or, for example, in the case of age-related exclusion from family insurance coverage). Such an exemption applies for the entire duration of the programme and may not be revoked.

    Students with (family) insurance taken out with a private health insurance company must obtain an exemption from the compulsory insurance system from a statutory health insurance company if they wish to remain privately insured and do not want to opt for a statutory health insurance company.

  • Which health insurance company is responsible?

    The following statutory health insurance companies are responsible for issuing certificates of health insurance coverage and for all other issues associated with compulsory insurance for students:

    • the "Allgemeine Ortskrankenkassen" (AOK)
    • company health insurance funds and Innungskrankenkasse insurance companies
    • maritime health insurance companies
    • the miners’ health insurance system
    • and the supplementary health insurance companies (e.g. BEK, DAK, KKH and TK).


    Based on the student’s insurance status, this can mean:

    a)  Compulsory insurance

       If the student already has insurance with a statutory health insurance company, this health insurance company is responsible for him or her. However, the student may also opt for one of the other companies mentioned above. (The choice should be declared to the health insurance company chosen by the insured person no later than two weeks after insurance becomes compulsory. Students who are covered by family insurance have no option; they must go along with the family member’s choice.)

    b)  Released from compulsory insurance

    If the student is already insured with one of the companies mentioned above, this company is responsible for him or her. If there is no insurance relationship with a statutory health insurance company, the company listed above that last had an insurance relationship with the student is responsible for him or her; if neither of these situations apply, any of the aforementioned companies may be responsible.

    c)  Excluded from compulsory insurance

       An exemption from compulsory insurance is only possible on request. The application must be made to the statutory health insurance company where the student has, or last had, insurance coverage. If the student has never had insurance with a statutory health insurance company before, the application for exemption can be directed at any of the companies mentioned above.

    d)  Voluntary student insurance

       For voluntary (continued) insurance after the age of 30 either the statutory health insurance company in which the person is already insured or one of the aforementioned companies is responsible.

    For more information, please contact one of the statutory health insurance companies.

  • European insurance card for international students

    To enroll at university you must provide proof of health insurance. You can obtain this proof either from a German statutory health insurance (if you have a German health insurance) or from your health insurance in your home country. There you will receive an European insurance card, which you can use to contact any German statutory health insurance company. The German statutory health insurance company sends us an electronic message about the insurance status (not insured).


Obligation to report by Universities

Higher Eduction Institutions have an obligation to report registrations to the statutory health insurance companies. This obligation to report is regulated in detail by the §199a Sozialgesetzbuch 5 (SGB 5) (German language only).

In addition to enrolments, HEIs also inform the health insurance companies about all students who drop out or graduate. Conversely, health insurance companies must report any changes in a student’s insurance status to HEIs. This includes the termination of an insurance relationship and/or non-compliance with obligations imposed on students (payment of contributions), which will result in the university’s refusal to register or reregister the student.


Learn about studying at Leibniz University Hannover on social media:

Instagram
Facebook
YouTube
© Zentrale Studienberatung / LUH
Service Hotline
Our service hotline will be pleased to assist you! Contact us via phone, e-mail or in person!
Address
ServiceCenter
Welfengarten 1
30167 Hannover
Building
© Zentrale Studienberatung / LUH
Service Hotline
Our service hotline will be pleased to assist you! Contact us via phone, e-mail or in person!
Address
ServiceCenter
Welfengarten 1
30167 Hannover
Building