All residents in Germany must take out health insurance. Most people are insured with a statutory health insurance company. The largest statutory health insurance companies include, for example, Barmer or AOK. When you are insured, as a rule your health insurance fund will pay the costs for treatment by a doctor or in hospital. However you may have to pay some extra money for special treatments.

If you exceed a certain income threshold, you can also select a private health insurance policy.

You will be issued with an electronic health card from the health insurance fund that insures you.  The card displays your name, date of birth, address, insurance policy number and a picture of you. You present this health card before every treatment from the doctor or in hospital.