A Special Status with Its Own Rules
An au pair is neither a normal employee nor a tourist, and the insurance expected reflects that in-between status. Au pairs receive pocket money rather than a salary, live with a host family, and stay on a defined programme — so the cover required is a specific bundle designed for the au pair year, not the full private-versus-statutory decision that occupies regular workers. Knowing what is actually required avoids both under-insuring and overpaying.
The typical requirement: comprehensive health insurance for the whole stay, plus accident and personal-liability cover. These are often packaged as a dedicated “au pair” policy, and arranging them is generally the host family’s responsibility as part of the placement.
The Three Covers an Au Pair Needs
- Health insurance: full cover for illness and treatment during the stay, valid for the au pair’s visa and residence — the core requirement
- Accident insurance: cover for accidents on and off duty, since the au pair is not a standard employee within statutory accident insurance
- Personal liability (Haftpflicht): protection if the au pair accidentally causes damage — valued in a household setting with children
Why Not Full PKV?
Full German private health insurance is built around long-term residents and earners, with ageing reserves and lifelong cover — a poor and needlessly expensive fit for a one-year au pair placement. Dedicated au pair policies exist precisely because they match the situation: fixed-term, comprehensive-enough health cover bundled with accident and liability, accepted for the au pair visa. For EU au pairs, an EHIC may play a role for some treatment, but a proper au pair policy is usually still expected to meet the programme’s requirements.
Host Family Responsibilities
In most placements the host family arranges and pays for the insurance bundle as part of hosting an au pair, and confirms it is in place before the au pair arrives and starts. Both sides should keep the policy documents and confirmation of cover — needed for the visa or residence process and for any treatment. Agencies typically guide families to suitable packages, but the responsibility to ensure cover exists sits with the host household.
The Bottom Line
Au pairs need a purpose-built insurance bundle — comprehensive health cover for the stay, plus accident and personal-liability protection — not full PKV, which is designed for long-term residents. The host family generally arranges and funds it, and both parties should hold the documents. Match the cover to the fixed-term au pair reality and the year is protected without overpaying for a system built for someone else.
Frequently Asked Questions
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