PKV contributions increase in 2013 by up to 30 percent

Renewed tariff adjustments expected in the private health insurance

10/10/2012

As of January 1, 2013, numerous private health insurance (PKV) tariffs will rise again. This applies to existing as well as new customers. Industry experts assume price increases between 10 and 30 percent in the individual tariffs of private health insurance.

As in almost every year, private insured persons have to be prepared for rising contributions at the turn of the year. Although the contribution rates do not rise as fast as they did at the beginning of last year, tariff increases of on average 10 per cent are expected per insured person. Price reductions of approximately 29 percent and more are also possible for single rates. As every year, the insurance industry is justifying the increases with demographic change and rising costs in the health care system through advances in medical technology, which, while providing higher life expectancy, are also associated with higher health insurance costs. In addition, insurers are affected by the ongoing financial crisis, as interest rates on investments have been very low for some time.

Insurance companies have to lower their discount rate from 3.5 to 2.75 percent due to the financial market situation. „In these cases, the insured are again the victims“, says Ozan Sözeri, founder of the independent consumer protection portal „widge“. Finally, with the actuarial interest rate of 3.5 percent, the old-age provisions earn interest - a reduction would have to compensate for this difference through higher premiums.“

The insured persons can hardly protect themselves against such a price increase of private health insurance. Usually, only the change to a next cheap rate within the provider remains. Who wants to change the provider completely, should consider, „that the retirement provisions are not taken.“ However, those who change within the insurance group can take along their old age provisions in accordance with section 204 of the Insurance Contracts Act. With the new entry tariffs, however, most insured persons will not be able to avoid price increases, since the service packages are usually already very low.

The consumer centers have long been calling for improved switching options for private individuals. For this the legislator would have to act, as the insurers „have created complex hurdles that make it virtually impossible to change providers“. In addition, calculation bases for contribution increases should be verifiable in order to make adjustments more verifiable. (Sb)

Also read:
PKV providers announce contribution increases
CDU health expert wants to abolish the PKV
PKV: For non-payers only emergency care
Health insurance: Non-payers cause losses
Private patients flee to the health insurance

Picture credits: Ronny Richert