Continentale Krankenversicherung a.G. (Continentale Insurance Group)
Continentale
Continentale is a travel insurance for the Germany market with online purchase and 24/7 assistance.
Direct payment
The insurer generally reimburses costs directly to the insured person against original invoices/receipts rather than settling bills directly with foreign providers in all cases. In an emergency, the EUROPA 24-hour assistance service organizes medical care, and if another insurer is also liable, EUROPA may advance payment and seek recovery directly from that insurer.
Geographic scope
Worldwide
Coverage applies outside the Federal Republic of Germany ("Ausland" = the territory outside Germany).
Starting price
€1
Indicative — pricing assumptions not stated
Unique selling points
- 24/7 personal emergency assistance line reachable worldwide, in any time zone, for medical emergencies abroad.
- Coverage can be flexibly extended up to 365 days per trip (90 days for travelers 65+), well beyond typical base tariffs of 42-56 days.
- Policy can be concluded directly online without requiring an in-person advisor.
- Low daily premium starting at 1.45 EUR per travel day for the extended-duration tariff.
- Rated 'very good' for claims handling in an independent market research survey (Servicevalue/Focus Money, January 2024).
Coverage limits
Medical expenses (outpatient treatment)
Covered
100% reimbursement of medically necessary outpatient treatment costs abroad, including physician services, prescribed medication and remedies; no monetary cap is stated in the policy wording.
Emergency medical treatment
Covered
Costs of medically necessary treatment for an acute illness or accident occurring during the trip abroad are reimbursed at 100%; psychotherapy is excluded and psychiatric treatment is covered only for acute conditions.
Inpatient (hospital) treatment
Covered
100% reimbursement of costs for inpatient treatment including operations and ancillary surgery costs; no monetary cap is stated. Instead of cost reimbursement, the insured may elect a substitute daily hospital allowance (Ersatz-Krankenhaustagegeld) of 25 EUR per day of full inpatient stay.
Outpatient treatment (medication, remedies, aids)
Covered
Reimburses 100% of costs for prescribed medication, remedies (e.g. physiotherapy by licensed practitioners) and rental of simple prescribed aids first required during the trip; massages, baths, and medical packs are excluded.
Emergency dental treatment
Covered
100% reimbursement (in simple execution) of pain-relieving dental treatment including necessary fillings, provisional dentures and repairs to existing dentures; orthodontics and new permanent dentures are excluded.
Local emergency transport costs
Covered
Covers costs of transport by a locally customary and appropriate means to the nearest suitable doctor or hospital for initial treatment in a medical emergency, and for a subsequent medically necessary transfer to a more suitable hospital; no monetary cap stated.
Repatriation to Germany
Conditional
Covers costs of repatriating an acutely ill or injured insured person to Germany at 100%, if the repatriation is medically sensible and organized/pre-approved by the insurer's consulting physician, or if the hospital stay is prognosed to exceed 14 days; costs for medically necessary accompanying medical personnel are also covered.
Repatriation of remains / burial costs
€30,000
Covers costs up to 30,000 EUR for repatriation of the deceased to Germany or burial at the place of death; alternatively, a death benefit (Sterbegeld) of 1,500 EUR per case can be chosen instead, in which case no repatriation/burial costs are covered.
Search, rescue and recovery costs
€5,000
Reimburses up to 5,000 EUR for the costs of rescue or recovery of an insured person abroad due to illness, accident or death.
COVID-19 treatment
No limit stated
The AVB and product pages reviewed do not mention COVID-19 specifically as a covered or excluded peril.
Pre-existing / chronic conditions
Conditional
Medically necessary treatment for an acute deterioration of a chronic pre-existing condition during the trip is treated as an insured event; however, treatment known to be necessary before departure (unless the trip became necessary due to the death of a spouse/partner or first-degree relative) and treatment for the condition the trip was undertaken for are excluded.
Winter sports cover
No limit stated
The AVB do not name a specific winter sports benefit; the only sport-related exclusion concerns costs arising from active participation of professional athletes in competitions and their preparation.
Adventure sports cover
No limit stated
The AVB do not name a specific adventure/extreme sports benefit; the only sport-related exclusion concerns costs arising from active participation of professional athletes in competitions and their preparation.
Pregnancy complications
Conditional
Medically necessary treatment for pregnancy complications, including premature birth before the completed 36th week of pregnancy, and treatment for miscarriage, are treated as insured events; routine pregnancy examinations, normal childbirth and abortion (other than as covered) are excluded.
Personal liability abroad
No limit stated
This is a pure travel health tariff; the AVB neither grant nor explicitly exclude a personal liability benefit.
Legal assistance abroad
No limit stated
This is a pure travel health tariff; the AVB neither grant nor explicitly exclude a legal assistance benefit.
24/7 emergency assistance service
Covered
EUROPA/Continentale provide a 24-hour emergency assistance line, reachable worldwide in any time zone, for medical advice, organizing treatment abroad, and arranging repatriation.
Key conditions
Assistance call deadline
Every hospitalization must be reported to the insurer immediately (unverzüglich); in case of inability to travel (Transportunfähigkeit), the underlying illness must likewise be reported to the insurer without delay, supported by a medical certificate.
Unauthorized treatment
Repatriation costs are only covered if the repatriation is organized or pre-approved by the insurer's consulting physician, or if hospitalization is expected to exceed 14 days; breach of notification/cooperation duties can lead to reduced or refused benefits under §28 VVG.
Purchase while abroad
ERK-V can be concluded before or during a trip if 56-day base cover in the Continentale Verbund already exists, provided the application is submitted before that existing cover for the trip expires; if applied for simultaneously with the base 56-day tariff, the contract must be concluded before departure.
Chronic conditions
Medically necessary treatment for an acute deterioration of a chronic pre-existing condition during the trip is treated as an insured event.
Pregnancy
Pregnancy complications, premature birth before the completed 36th week, and miscarriage are covered as insured events; routine pregnancy care, normal childbirth and abortion are excluded.
Pre-existing condition exclusions
Treatments known to be necessary before the trip began are excluded, unless the trip became necessary due to the death of a spouse/partner or first-degree relative; illnesses/accident consequences for which the trip was undertaken for treatment are also excluded.
Coverage duration limit
Coverage under ERK-V lasts up to 365 days total travel duration for persons under 65, or up to 90 days for persons 65 and older; an extension of the ERK-V tariff itself is not possible, but cover is automatically extended if return travel is medically impossible (Transportunfähigkeit) until that inability ends.
Where to buy
Documents
General Terms and Conditions – Tariff ERK-V (Travel Medical Insurance)
Terms & conditions
Policy specifics
Repatriation transport
Coverage for medical repatriation to Germany when medically necessary and reasonable
SourceChildcare costs coverage
Reimbursement of childcare costs when insured caregiver becomes ill or injured during trip
SourceMedical escort costs
Coverage for costs of medical personnel accompanying repatriated patient when medically necessary
SourceExtended coverage duration (ERK-V)
ERK-V tariff extends coverage beyond initial 56 days for up to 365 days (90 days for persons 65+)
SourceRisk carrier / administrator
The ERK-V tariff is underwritten and administered by EUROPA Versicherung AG, Sonderverträge Kranken, a subsidiary of the Continentale group, and marketed under the Continentale brand.
SourceAge-based eligibility limit
Persons who have completed their 65th year of age can only obtain ERK-V cover up to a total travel duration of 90 days; extension beyond 90 days is not insurable for this age group.
SourcePre-existing condition notification
Insured must notify insurer immediately if inability to travel due to acute illness before departure
SourceInformation and cooperation obligations
Insured must provide all information needed to establish coverage and claim basis when requested
SourceDirect settlement/assistance arrangement
EUROPA offers 24/7 assistance service for organizing medical care; medical expenses can be settled directly or reimbursed
Source