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Electronic health card; application for people with statutory health insurance

As a rule, you will receive your electronic health card (eGK) automatically from your health insurance company. If you have lost your eGK or it is defective, apply for a new eGK from your health insurance company.

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Procedure details

The electronic health card (eGK) is the membership card of a statutory health insurance fund and confirms that your statutory health insurance fund will pay the treatment costs for you.
As a rule, you will automatically receive a current eGK from your statutory health insurance fund. This is also the case if the validity of your old card expires. You do not need to do anything else in these cases.
If your name changes, notify your health insurance company. Your health insurance company will then issue you with a new card.
Have you lost your eGK, has it been stolen or is it defective? Then you must have the old eGK blocked by your health insurance company and request a new card.

You are entitled to an eGK if you are a member of a statutory health insurance fund.

  • Required Documents
    • aktuelles Passbild 
      • Ausnahmen gibt es für Kinder und Jugendliche unter 15 Jahren. Außerdem für Versicherte, die bei der Erstellung des Passbildes nicht mitwirken können, wie zum Beispiel pflegebedürftige Menschen.
    • gegebenenfalls Nachweis Ihrer Namensänderung (zum Beispiel Personalausweis, Heiratsurkunde)

    Je nach Spezialfall können weitere Unterlagen erforderlich sein. Bitte informieren Sie sich dazu bei Ihrer gesetzlichen Krankenkasse.
     

As a new member of a statutory health insurance fund, you will usually receive your new eGK automatically.

  • Your health insurance company will contact you in advance and ask you for a current passport photo.
  • You usually have several options for sending your passport photo to the health insurance company: online, by post or, with many health insurance companies, in person at the office.
    • Please wait for the letter from your health insurance company. Until then, you do not have to do anything yourself.
    • Once you have submitted your photo, the subsequent card production may take some time.

If you have been insured with your health insurance company for some time and need a new eGK, request the card directly from your health insurance company. This is the case, for example, if

  • your card is defective or
  • has been lost.

You can request a new eGK from your statutory health insurance provider. In order to protect your data, the requirement differs depending on the health insurance company. Your health insurance company will tell you what options you have. You can request the eGK from many health insurance companies in person at the office. It is often also possible to apply via the health insurance company's online portal, by letter or by telephone.

  • Inform your health insurance company and enclose the necessary documents.
  • The health insurance company will check your application.
  • You will receive the new eGK by post.

If your address changes, you do not usually need to apply for a new card. Inform your health insurance company. They will change your stored address details, which will then be automatically updated on the eHC the next time you visit the doctor.

As a rule, the health insurance company will issue you with an eHC free of charge. The statutory health insurance companies can charge EUR 5 if you are responsible for the loss or damage.

  • As a member of a statutory health insurance fund, you do not have to adhere to a time limit.
  • Your eGK is valid for a maximum of 5 years. At the end of this period, your health insurance provider will automatically send you a new eGK.

Processing normally takes around 1 to 4 working days. It takes around 3 to 10 days until the eGK is actually issued (including the production time of the eGK).

To ensure fast processing and a decision, your health insurance fund must have the necessary information and any required documents in a complete and meaningful form.
The health insurance fund decides on applications promptly, whereby the statutory processing period is observed to protect patients' rights.
Please note that the processing time stated is an average value for all health insurance funds. It may vary in individual cases.
The exact processing time also depends on the complexity of the individual case and may be extended accordingly. The same applies if documents or records are sent to you or your health insurance fund by post.

  • Objection
  • Action before the social court

Status: 09.03.2025
Editorial responsibility Bundesministerium für Gesundheit
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