Worthwhile change of health insurance in 2015?

Different additional contributions of the health insurance as a reason to change

12/11/2014

The changes in the contribution rate for statutory health insurances (GKV) from January 2015 will initially provide relief for most insured persons, but there will be more pronounced differences in contributions in the future. With a change of cash, you can potentially save several hundred euros a year here.

As of 1 January 2015, the basic contribution rate in SHI will be reduced by 0.9 percentage points (from 15.5 to 14.6 percent). However, the health insurance companies are at the same time free to make an additional contribution to cover their costs. Several health insurances have already announced their contributions for the coming year and for many the reduction in the contribution rate is completely eroded by the additional contribution levied. Others only charge a significantly lower additional fee, but completely without any health insurances. The collection of the additional contribution, however, is also followed by a special right of termination for the insured, which is why the industry is currently experiencing enormous competitive pressure.

In the long term premium increases are expected
In many health insurance companies, the announced additional contributions are so moderate that the insured initially recorded a relief. However, around one third of the previously announced additional contributions reach 0.9 percent, so there are no advantages here. A change, therefore, can be quite attractive. In the long term, however, is to be expected that the additional contributions to all health insurance companies increase significantly. Thus, the health spokeswoman for the parliamentary group of Alliance 90 / The Greens, Maria Klein-Schmeink, told the news agency „dpa“ explains that it expects additional contributions to increase in the coming years to between 1.4% and 2%. This burden would be borne exclusively by the insured, since the employer's share is fixed in the base contribution rate.

Health insurance can save several hundred euros
However, due to the current premium adjustments, insured persons can temporarily save several hundred euros a year. Particularly for insured persons with a high gross income, a change can be worthwhile. If the own health insurance fund adds 0.9 percent, one to two hundred euro savings per year can be easily realized by changing it. In extreme cases, the difference could even amount to more than 400 euros. Therefore, anyone wishing to exercise their special right of termination should wait for the corresponding announcement of the additional contribution by his health insurance company, then submit his termination by 31 January and conclude a new insurance with a cheaper provider. As of April 1, 2015, the new contract would then enter into force. (Fp)