(1) Health insurance which may wholly or partially substitute for health and long-term nursing care insurance cover provided for in the statutory social insurance system (substitutive health insurance) is for an indefinite period, unless subsections (2) and (3), and sections 196 to 199, provide otherwise. Sentence 1 applies accordingly where the non-substitutive health insurance cover is provided in the manner of life insurance.
(2) A period of contract may be agreed in the case of vocational training, overseas, travel, and residual debt health insurance.
(3) Agreement may be reached in the case of health insurance for a person with a temporary residence permit for Germany to the effect that the insurance will expire after five years at the latest. If a shorter term has been agreed, a similar new contract may only be concluded with a maximum term that does not exceed five years when added to the term of the expired contract; this also applies if the new contract is concluded with another insurer.