Worth knowing for employers
Employees are sent abroad - e.g. as "expat" or "expatriate" to a foreign branch office, usually for one to three years, or foreign colleagues come to Germany. Whether on short-term or longer-term business trips, it is always important that these people are provided with the best possible health insurance cover.
Employers often assume that the existing statutory or private health insurance cover is sufficient. Unfortunately, this is usually a mistake.
As an employer, you are obliged (in accordance with § 17 of the German Social Security Code V - Benefits in the event of employment abroad) to assume the costs of treatment for illnesses and accidents abroad for employees with statutory health insurance. The same applies to employees who do not have statutory health insurance, in accordance with the principle of equal treatment or out of a duty of care. Only the costs that would also have been incurred in Germany are reimbursed by the statutory health insurance.