PKV no longer wants to offer low-cost tariffs

The new unisex tariffs make private health insurance for new customers considerably more expensive

16/12/2012

The contributions of private health insurance will increase with the entry into force of unisex tariffs, especially for men. In the course of this, the industry is reforming the tariff structures: So-called lock and low tariffs will no longer exist in the future. Too strong was obviously the self-produced image damage. For this, the range of services is expanded.

Price increases of up to 40 percent
The introduction of gender-neutral unisex tariffs will significantly increase the contributions of individual tariffs in private health insurance (PHI). After all, the change leads many providers to improve their health services in the individual tariffs.

The fact is that new customers will have to pay considerably more for their private insurance in the future. „Above all, men have to dig much deeper into their pockets“, reports industry expert Volker Lehmann. He estimates that some tariffs for male policyholders will increase by up to 40 percent. A similar assessment is made by the renowned insurance analysis house Franke and Bornberg. For an in-depth analysis, the experts assessed the new insurance conditions of 24 German insurance companies. Accordingly, the average tariff of a 30-year-old increases between four and 35 percent. „That's between 15 and 80 euros more per month and insured“.

Women, on the other hand, can easily benefit from the new unisex tariffs from 21 December 2012. Although tariffs would rise by up to 15 percentage points, Franke and Bornberg also reported „of reductions of up to six percent.“ It could also be up to 15 percent more, says Franke. That would be then „about 50 euros more monthly“.

Unisex fares are not solely responsible for rising prices
„However, the introduction of the unisex tariffs is not solely responsible for price increases“, says Lehmann. The generally increased costs in the health sector as well as improved benefits are also responsible for the contribution-plus. „Many insurers are using the new rates to expand their service catalog“, reports the analyst Franke. „In this way they compensate for gaps in the statutory health insurance.“ Just those gaps helped to gnaw on the image of the private funds. A scientific study on behalf of the health insurance companies had summarized in 2012 that the benefits of the private are in some respects worse than the legal. In response to this, outpatient psychotherapies and reimbursements of home help have now been added to the list of benefits of many private insurances.

Barely cheap rates
Likewise bad press produced the cheap lock offers. Their contribution structures showed already after short time rich price increases and caused great displeasure with customers. „Low-priced low-fare rates are increasingly disappearing from the market“, confirms Franke. According to Lehmann, the industry increasingly wants to focus on quality again. „With an extended service catalog, most private funds want to get rid of the bad image“, so Lehmann. (Sb)

Read also about PKV:
Unisex tariffs: Why PKV is significantly more expensive
Unisex rates: Many insurance companies are attracting
PKV Unisex fares hardly cheaper
Complaints about increase in PKV contributions
Health insurance: What will change in 2012?

Picture credits: Ronny Richert