Some of it is required by law. Some is only expected.
Nothing tells you which is which, and the two are treated very differently here.
New in Germany
Which insurance do you actually need here?
Explained in English, by advisors who know the German system from the inside — and who will also tell you what you do not need.
Nico & Markus · registered under § 34d GewO · advice in English
Why are you here?
I already know which insurance I need
Book my free consultation
Free · no obligation · in English · about 30 minutes
You are not supposed to know this yet. The rules here are written in German, for people who grew up with the system. We start with your situation, not with a product.
Nico Glatz & Markus Rink · Exparanto, AlzenauDoes this sound familiar?
Nobody hands you a list when you arrive.
You are expected to know which cover is required, which is simply assumed, and which you can skip — in a language you are still learning.
Every form, deadline and term arrives in German.
You are asked to agree to things you cannot fully read, and to notice deadlines nobody mentioned.
The first policy you are offered is not always the one you need.
Without someone to compare it for you, a good fit and an easy sale look the same.
You may need less than you think. One free conversation tells you what actually applies to your situation.
Book my free consultationFree · no obligation · in English · about 30 minutes
The short version
Required, expected, or optional?
Almost everything in German insurance falls into one of three groups. Knowing which is which removes most of the confusion straight away.
Required by law
Health cover, and car insurance
Everyone living in Germany needs health insurance, public or private. Car insurance works the same way: without it you cannot register a vehicle.
Expected of you
Personal liability
Not a legal duty, but landlords, employers and clubs regularly ask for proof of it before they sign anything with you.
Worth thinking about
Income, home, pension
Income protection, contents cover, legal cover and pension depend on your job, your family and how long you plan to stay.
Which of these applies to you depends on your visa, your work and your household. That is exactly what the free conversation is for.
No pressure, just the detail
For everyone who wants more detail
Seven topics, explained properly — with a quote at the end of each, if you want one.
Health insurance
Public and private — and how to actually decide
The honest comparison, in plain English.
Find out more
Home and belongings
Contents cover and liability, together
For an expat renting a flat, they're really one decision.
Find out more
Your first car in Germany
Registration, confirmation, and the no-claims problem
What has to be in place before you drive.
Find out more
Protecting the people you love
Term life, income protection, serious illness
What happens to your family if your income stops.
Find out more
Pension and retirement
Statutory, private and company pension
And what happens to it if you leave the country.
Find out more
Saving and investing
The wealth-building side — kept separate from insurance
Regular investing, explained without the sales pitch.
Explore investing
Family and children
Cover for children, including Exparanto KidsProtect
Starting them off properly protected.
Find out moreWhy people come to us
Advice in English, about the German system
Most expats end up with one of these. Each of them solves part of the problem.
A comparison website
Prices in English — but nobody who tells you whether the cover fits your life here.
A German advisor
Real advice — in German, about a system you are still learning.
A colleague’s tip
What worked for someone else’s situation. Not necessarily yours.
Exparanto
Advice in English about the German system, based on your situation — including the parts you can skip.
Open about the money
How we are paid
The consultation is free. If you decide to take out a policy through us, the insurer pays us a commission. If nothing fits your situation, we say so and nothing happens. You never pay us directly.
Licensed insurance intermediary under § 34d (7) GewO · Registration no. D-5D13-PTPUY-16 · vermittlerregister.infoStop guessing. Know where you stand.
Get clear answers in one free conversation.
We listen before we recommend. Together we look at your life in Germany, whatever you already have, and the questions that keep you uncertain.
Clarity first.No pressure. No obligation.
- 1Understand how the system works
We explain German insurance rules and terminology in plain English, before any product comes up.
- 2See what applies to you
Which cover is required in your situation, which is expected of you, and which can wait.
- 3Receive a personal recommendation
Know which next steps fit your situation and which products you do not need.
Book my free consultation
Completely free. No obligation. Fully in English.
Real people, not a call centre
Meet the people who will actually answer your questions
Insurance is personal. Your advice should be too.
Nico Glatz
Expat Insurance Advisor
Bachelor Professional of Insurance & Finance (IHK)
Markus Rink
Expat Insurance Advisor
Personal guidance from first question to ongoing supportOur promise: We help you understand your options before you make a decision. Our job is to make the German system feel clear, manageable and human.
Nico & Markus, ExparantoRecommended for a reason
Clients remember how we made a complicated decision feel simple
★★★★★
“Nico is super-friendly, absolutely competent and honest. He does not try to push anything, but genuinely recommends what makes sense.”
★★★★★
“Markus provided our family with wonderfully competent advice. His relaxed and personable manner immediately created trust.”
★★★★★
“Everything I did not immediately understand was explained honestly and clearly. I was not sold anything unnecessary.”
Before you book
The questions most people ask first
The short version: the conversation is personal, in English and completely free.
Ask us on WhatsAppI have just arrived. Is it too early to talk?
No, this is the best moment. Deciding before you sign anything is far easier than correcting it afterwards.
What is actually mandatory in Germany?
Health insurance for everyone living here, and car insurance before you can register a vehicle. Most of the rest is either expected in practice or genuinely optional. We go through your own situation with you.
Is the consultation really free?
Yes, completely free and without obligation. If we later arrange a suitable policy, the insurance provider pays us a commission. You never pay us directly.
What if I do not need anything right now?
Then we tell you that, and you change nothing. Knowing that you are already fine is a good result too.
What happens to my details?
They are used only to arrange and prepare your appointment. Nothing is passed on to an insurer without your agreement. See our privacy policy.
I already signed something in my first weeks. Can you check it?
Yes. We can explain contracts you already have, point out gaps or overlap and tell you whether a change is worth it.
Useful before it becomes a problem
The things nobody tells you about living in Germany
Landlords, deadlines, letters that sound scarier than they are — the questions expats ask us most often, answered in English.
The must-have insurances for expats renting a flat — and why landlords care
Why relocation agencies matter — and why insurance is part of the process
Private vs public health insurance in Germany: an honest look at reality
What Germans consider when buying a car
Protecting your income in Germany: why expats shouldn't wait
Give your child a unique head start — with Exparanto KidsProtect
Your next step costs nothing
You do not have to understand German insurance alone.
One free conversation can replace uncertainty with clarity — and show you whether the life you are building in Germany is properly protected.
Book my free consultationFree Personal In English No obligation
