Understand Essential Information about Insurance – A Guide for B1 Level German Speakers
Insurance is a complex topic, but it’s important to understand the basics to make informed decisions about your financial future. Whether you are a German speaker at the B1 level or someone who is just starting to learn the language, this guide will help you understand the essential information about insurance.
First, let’s define some key terms in German and their English translations:
die Versicherung (Insurance)
der Versicherte / die Versicherte (Insured)
der Versicherungsvertrag (Insurance policy)
die Versicherungsgesellschaft (Insurance company)
die Deckungssumme (Coverage amount)
die Selbstbeteiligung (Deductible)
der Schadensfall (Claim)
die Leistung (Benefit)
Now that we have a basic understanding of the terminology, let’s look at some examples of different types of insurance:
die Krankenversicherung (Health insurance) – This type of insurance provides coverage for medical expenses, such as doctor’s visits, hospital stays, and prescription drugs.
die Haftpflichtversicherung (Liability insurance) – This insurance protects you in case you cause harm to someone else, such as damaging their property or injuring them.
die Kfz-Versicherung (Auto insurance) – This type of insurance covers expenses related to car accidents, such as repairs to your own vehicle or injuries to other drivers. (Kfz) is the abbreviation of (das Kraftfahrzeug)
die Hausratversicherung (Home insurance) – This insurance protects your belongings and your home against damage or loss, such as theft or a fire.
die Lebensversicherung (Life insurance) – This insurance pays a benefit to your beneficiaries after you pass away, providing financial security for your loved ones.
It’s important to understand the coverage amount and deductible for each type of insurance you have. The coverage amount is the maximum amount the insurance company will pay for a claim, while the deductible is the amount you must pay before the insurance kicks in.
For example, if you have health insurance with a coverage amount of €100,000 and a deductible of €500, you would pay the first €500 of any medical expenses yourself. The insurance would then cover the remaining €99,500.
German Dialog:
Versicherungsmitarbeiter: Guten Tag, wie kann ich Ihnen heute weiterhelfen?
Kunde: Hallo, ich möchte gerne mehr über Versicherungen erfahren.
Versicherungsmitarbeiter: Kein Problem, ich bin gerne bereit Ihnen zu helfen. Was möchten Sie genau wissen?
Kunde: Ich möchte wissen, was eine Versicherung ist und wofür man sie benötigt.
Versicherungsmitarbeiter: Eine Versicherung ist ein Vertrag, bei dem Sie im Gegenzug für eine regelmäßige Zahlung eine finanzielle Absicherung erhalten. Es gibt verschiedene Arten von Versicherungen, wie zum Beispiel Krankenversicherung, Haftpflichtversicherung, Autoversicherung und Hausratversicherung. Diese Versicherungen schützen Sie und Ihr Eigentum im Falle unvorhergesehener Ereignisse, wie Krankheit, Unfälle, Diebstahl oder Schäden an Ihrem Haus.
Kunde: Und was ist die Deckungssumme?
Versicherungsmitarbeiter: Die Deckungssumme ist der maximale Betrag, den die Versicherungsgesellschaft im Falle eines Schadensfalls zahlt.
Kunde: Und was ist die Selbstbeteiligung?
Versicherungsmitarbeiter: Die Selbstbeteiligung ist der Betrag, den Sie im Falle eines Schadensfalls selbst tragen müssen. Dies kann ein festgelegter Betrag pro Schadensfall oder ein prozentualer Anteil am Schadensbetrag sein.
Kunde: Ich verstehe, danke für Ihre Erklärungen.
Versicherungsmitarbeiter: Gerne, wenn Sie noch weitere Fragen haben, stehe ich Ihnen jederzeit zur Verfügung.
English Translation:
Insurance Worker: Good day, how can I help you today?
Customer: Hello, I would like to learn more about insurance.
Insurance Worker: No problem, I’m happy to help you. What would you like to know specifically?
Customer: I would like to know what insurance is and why it is needed.
Insurance Worker: Insurance is a contract where you receive financial protection in exchange for regular payments. There are various types of insurance, such as health insurance, liability insurance, auto insurance, and home insurance. These insurance policies protect you and your property in case of unexpected events, such as illness, accidents, theft, or damage to your home.
Customer: And what is the coverage amount?
Insurance Worker: The coverage amount is the maximum amount that the insurance company will pay in case of a claim.
Customer: And what is the deductible?
Insurance Worker: The deductible is the amount that you have to pay yourself in case of a claim. This can be a fixed amount per claim or a percentage of the claim amount.
Customer: I understand, thank you for your explanations.
Insurance Worker: You’re welcome, if you have any more questions, I’m always here to help.
In conclusion, understanding essential information about insurance can help you make informed decisions about your financial future. Whether you’re looking for health insurance, liability insurance, auto insurance, home insurance, or life insurance, it’s important to know the key terms, types of insurance, and coverage amounts. By taking the time to understand insurance, you can protect yourself and your loved ones in the case of unexpected events.