German Insurance Vocabulary
This set covers the vocabulary you need to actually deal with German insurance, from die Krankenversicherung (health insurance) to filing a Schadensmeldung (claim report) after an accident. One thing to watch: German splits English "insurance" into many compound nouns depending on type, so there's no single word doing the work of "car insurance" or "life insurance" the way English gets by with one adjective plus "insurance." You build the specific word instead: Kfz-Versicherung, Lebensversicherung, Hausratversicherung.
Learn these 19 words
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All 19 words
plural: die Krankenversicherungen
health insurance
Ich habe eine private Krankenversicherung. — I have private health insurance.
plural: die Haftpflichtversicherungen
liability insurance
Jedes Auto braucht eine Haftpflichtversicherung. — Every car needs liability insurance.
plural: die Kfz-Versicherungen
car insurance
Ich zahle meine Kfz-Versicherung jährlich. — I pay my car insurance annually.
plural: die Policen
policy
Er hat die Police gut gelesen. — He read the policy carefully.
to insure
Wir versichern unser Haus gegen Feuer. — We insure our house against fire.
plural: die Deckungen
cover
Die Deckung umfasst auch Diebstahl. — The cover also includes theft.
plural: die Erstattungen
reimbursement
Die Erstattung dauert oft mehrere Wochen. — The reimbursement often takes several weeks.
plural: die Hausratversicherungen
household insurance
Die Hausratversicherung deckt gestohlene Möbel. — The household insurance covers stolen furniture.
plural: die Lebensversicherungen
life insurance
Er hat eine Lebensversicherung für seine Familie. — He has a life insurance for his family.
plural: die Prämien
premium
Die Prämie steigt jedes Jahr. — The premium increases every year.
plural: die Rechtsschutzversicherungen
legal expenses insurance
Die Rechtsschutzversicherung zahlt die Anwaltskosten. — The legal expenses insurance covers the lawyer's fees.
plural: die Schadensmeldungen
claim report
Bitte füllen Sie die Schadensmeldung aus. — Please fill out the claim form.
plural: die Selbstbeteiligungen
deductible
Die Selbstbeteiligung beträgt zweihundert Euro. — The deductible is two hundred euros.
plural: die Unfallversicherungen
accident insurance
Die Unfallversicherung zahlt bei Verletzungen. — The accident insurance pays for injuries.
plural: die Versicherer
insurer
Der Versicherer prüft den Schaden genau. — The insurer checks the damage carefully.
plural: die Versichertenkarten
insurance card
Haben Sie Ihre Versichertenkarte dabei? — Do you have your insurance card with you?
plural: die Versicherungen
insurance
Sie sollten eine Versicherung für Ihr Gepäck abschließen. — You should take out insurance for your luggage.
plural: die Versicherungsnehmer
policyholder
Der Versicherungsnehmer muss den Antrag unterschreiben. — The policyholder must sign the application.
insurance cover
Der Versicherungsschutz gilt weltweit. — The insurance cover is valid worldwide.
How to learn this set
Every word in this list ending in -versicherung is feminine, so once you know die Versicherung, you automatically know die Krankenversicherung, die Haftpflichtversicherung, die Kfz-Versicherung, die Lebensversicherung, die Rechtsschutzversicherung, die Unfallversicherung and die Hausratversicherung are all die too. Drill these as one block: cover the first half of each compound and see if you can still produce the right word for "health," "liability," "car," "life," "legal expenses," "accident," and "household" insurance. Separately, notice that der Versicherer (the insurer, the company) and der Versicherungsnehmer (the policyholder, you) share the same root but opposite roles, which is easy to mix up under pressure. The verb versichern sits behind all of this: learn it first, then the nouns built from it will make more sense.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Versicherung and Police?
Die Versicherung is the insurance itself, the contract and the company relationship. Die Police is the physical or digital document that proves the contract exists, like the policy paper you'd file away.
Is health insurance mandatory in Germany?
Yes, die Krankenversicherung is legally required for everyone living in Germany. You'll also need your Versichertenkarte, the insurance card, to see a doctor.
What does Selbstbeteiligung mean in German insurance?
It means deductible, the amount you pay yourself before die Versicherung covers the rest. It literally translates as "self-participation," which is a useful way to remember what it means.
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