Contributions of private health insurance are increasing

In the course of the health reform, the contributions of the statutory health insurance funds were increased. Almost unnoticed by the public, numerous private health insurance companies (PKV) increase their contribution rates. Nevertheless, the industry is on the upswing. Experts assume that around 300,000 people will switch to private health insurance this year.

01/02/2011

Since the beginning of the year, numerous providers of private health insurance have announced or already carried out premium increases. In some cases, the increases are rather insignificant and amount on average only a few euro cent amounts. However, some providers even raise the contribution rates of their tariffs in the double-digit range. An increase in the contribution of private health insurance, however, must not be accepted without insurance. It affects not only the full insurance, but also the insurance, the daily allowance insurance, the supplementary care insurance and the supplementary insurance to the statutory health insurance.

Termination right makes a change possible
If the private health insurance company increases its tariffs, insured persons can make use of their extraordinary special right of termination. This makes it possible to change the provider and take a possibly cheaper tariff with the same services. However, consumers can only avail themselves of the right of termination within four weeks. Health economists favor the active comparison of insurance providers, as this stimulates the market. Because unlike the statutory health insurance, the private health insurance rates are not capped by the legislature. Here the market and the demand determine the contributions. Competitors in the health insurance market thus represent the only price brake for consumers.

PKV change should be well considered
A change, however, should always be well considered, as the consumer centers admonish. Consumers should compare the health services and tariffs offered by different providers. The age, the current life situation and future plans play an important role. The deselection of additional services such as chief physician treatment or single-bed accommodation in clinics could save enormous costs. Therefore, a change should be considered in the long term and a change should not be hasty. Attention should be paid to lure packages with extremely low contribution rates. Such offers become more expensive at a later date and offer hardly any services.

Despite the current premium increases, the industry expects a significant increase in new customers. The facilitation of a change of employees to private health insurance, decided in the course of the health reform, will stimulate new customer business, as it was said. The insurance industry expects about 30,000 new customers by the end of the year. (Sb)

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PKV contribution increases of up to eight percent?

Image: Thommy Weiss