Only health insurance is mandatory – without it, you generally get neither a visa nor your registration sorted. Car owners additionally need motor liability insurance.
Urgently recommended on top of that: private liability insurance (covers the unlimited liability risks of everyday life – see /ENG/private-liability-insurance), for furnished flats with the inclusion of borrowed and rented items, plus protecting your ability to work (occupational disability or accident insurance – see /ENG/accident-insurance). Optional depending on your situation: household contents, legal protection and dental supplement. Small policies for your phone, on the other hand, you can usually skip. How to build a solid foundation step by step is shown on our page Financial Security.