Lesson 47 · German A1-2

Health Insurance Vocabulary

Die Krankenversicherung

Health insurance is legally mandatory in Germany, and understanding your Krankenversicherung is one of the more paperwork-heavy parts of settling in. This is distinct from Lesson 14's doctor-visit vocabulary - today is about the system and the paperwork, not the symptoms.

Today's win: understand the two insurance systems, know your insurance card vocabulary, and ask basic coverage questions.

The two systems

die gesetzliche Krankenversicherung (GKV)statutory/public health insurance - the default for most employees
die private Krankenversicherung (PKV)private health insurance - for certain employment types/income levels

Core vocabulary

die Versicherunginsurancedie Versichertenkarteinsurance card
der Beitragcontribution/premiumdie Krankenkassehealth insurance provider

Asking practical questions

Bin ich versichert? (Am I insured?)
Was kostet der monatliche Beitrag? (What does the monthly contribution cost? - reusing Lesson 12's kosten)
Ist das von der Krankenkasse übernommen? (Is that covered by the health insurance? - literally "taken over")

At the doctor's office

Hier ist meine Versichertenkarte. (Here is my insurance card.)

You'll present this card at nearly every medical appointment - keep it with your Ausweis (Lesson 9) as one of your most-used documents.

Try it out loud: say which system you'd expect to be in (GKV or PKV, if you know) and ask one coverage question using "Ist das von der Krankenkasse übernommen?"

Quick recall check

1. What does GKV stand for the short way - what kind of insurance?

Show answer
statutory

2. What's the German word for "insurance card"?

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Versichertenkarte

3. "What does the monthly contribution cost?" - Was ______ der monatliche Beitrag?

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kostet

4. What's the German word for a health insurance provider (the company)?

Show answer
Krankenkasse

5. What's the article for "Beitrag" (contribution)?

Show answer
der

Primary source

Vocabulary cross-checked against the "Gesundheit" topic in the official Goethe-Zertifikat A1 Wortliste.

Have a real insurance letter or question you're trying to work through? Ask your teaching agent to go through it with you.