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This is important for a private supplementary health insurance
Not all services provided by doctors or dentists are covered by the statutory health insurance. Some of the expensive measures are not covered. Many therefore think about private supplementary insurance. However, not everything that is advertised really makes sense. Experts give important tips on what to pay attention to when taking out such insurance.
A private additional insurance can be worthwhile
Time and time again, something can happen: sometimes the glasses are broken, dentures become necessary or expensive hospital treatment is required. The statutory health insurance in Germany comes up only for the essentials. Therefore, private supplementary insurance can sometimes be worthwhile. However, not all policies make sense. Often, the statutory health insurance companies participate in treatment only up to a certain limit. Patients who do not want to cover the additional costs alone should observe some basic rules when taking out additional insurance. In a message from the dpa news agency, experts explain what these are and give valuable tips.
When concluding a supplementary health insurance numerous details are to be observed. (Image: Jürgen Fälchle / fotolia.com) Show prudence and compare offers
Basically, to show prudence. Ulrike Steckkönig of Stiftung Warentest in Berlin says: "No private additional insurance - with the exception of the foreign travel health insurance - is absolutely necessary." Rita Reichard of the consumer center NRW in Dusseldorf explains that you should always compare offers: "Interested parties should in any case to obtain several offers from various private insurance companies, "says the expert. According to information from Reichard, private policies of various providers differ greatly in their services and tariffs.
Better balance the electoral tariffs
In some cases, you do not have to turn to another provider, because some statutory health insurance companies offer their members additional benefits as optional tariffs. Ms Steckkönig explains: "Electoral tariffs can be an opportunity for those who have been rejected by private insurers for reasons of age or because of illness." The minimum obligation is, however, for some elective tariffs one year and for others even three years. In addition, the additional protection does not apply lifelong. Furthermore, the cashier may at any time cancel out optional rates for sub-calculations. "So it can happen that insured persons pay for years in an election tariff, without ever benefiting from its benefits," says PKV Press Officer Dirk Lullies.
Dental supplements are often completed
Supplementary dental insurance is one of the most common voluntary insurances that are completed in this country. In many cases, the overhead can not be covered by the subsidy that cash-desk patients receive for crowns, bridges, or implants. Supplementary insurance can therefore make sense from the point of view of Rita Reichard of the Verbraucherzentrale NRW. "Again, however, a precise examination of the offered tariffs is essential because different services are offered." However, it can already help if patients specifically ask for alternatives to existing dentures. Then the costs are often covered with the cash grant.
Supplementary insurance for illness
Even if there is a chief physician treatment or a single room in the clinic only with private supplementary insurance, such a supplementary hospital insurance from the point of view of the consumer center NRW is not always worthwhile. "So many insurers take no treatment costs in a private clinic, if there is no contractual relationship with the statutory health insurance of the patient," said Reichard. In addition, consumers should clarify exactly how much headroom fees are reimbursed. If employees are written off sick, they receive payment for wages from the employer in the first six weeks and are thus usually financially secure. The conclusion of a daily allowance insurance is therefore worthwhile, according to the Consumer Center NRW for employees often. Self-employed and freelancers, on the other hand, should definitely secure income losses in the event of illness.
Insurance cover on vacation
For travel and vacation: "The foreign health insurance is under the additional policies a must," said Steckkönig of the Stiftung Warentest. The protection of statutory health insurance is not sufficient even within the European Union. "It does not come up for a medically necessary return transport," explains Steckkönig. This also applies to some treatment costs. In countries outside the EU, one is usually no longer insured by the local health insurance. If you plan to stay in a distant country, you should not take the various travel insurance policies as a package, insurance experts advise. Because some of the services that are offered in an all-inclusive package - consisting of foreign travel sickness, travel cancellation and luggage insurance - are already covered by other insurance. (Ad)