A policy takes minutes to arrange, but using it follows the insurer’s rules. Most often the guest pays the doctor and is reimbursed afterwards against documents.
✓ Verified: 01/08/2026
WHAT TO DO
Buying takes minutes, but using the policy works differently from what people expect: in most cases the guest pays the doctor and the money comes back later. What matters therefore is keeping the original documents and meeting the claim deadline.
The policy can be arranged online in minutes through Check24↗ or Tarifcheck↗; if the guest buys it themselves and German is difficult, Feather↗ serves customers in English.
I sent the doctor’s invoice home with my guests but filed the claim myself. A duplicate had to be requested — the originals were needed here.
Photograph the policy and put the image in your chat with the guest. In an emergency nobody searches a suitcase for paper.
Mostly on a reimbursement basis: the guest pays the doctor’s bill and the insurer refunds it against evidence. Direct settlement with a clinic is less common and separately agreed.
Original invoices stating the diagnosis and services provided, prescriptions and proof of payment. Copies and translations may be requested on top, so invoices should stay with you until the claim is filed.
Get help first and deal with paperwork second: emergency treatment is provided regardless of insurance. Inform the insurer as early as possible — for hospital admission many policies require notification within a set time.
Some insurers allow it, but not all and often not once travel has begun. If the length of stay might change, settle that question before buying rather than at the moment the visa is being extended.