Save on private health insurance

Tariff change in private health insurance

If you change your private health insurance, you may be able to obtain financial benefits and save money. For the contributions of private health insurance in the age of three times.

(23.09.2010) Many, especially older private health insured complain the ever higher contributions of their health insurance. Although the contributions of the statutory health insurance companies are increasing, the premium increases among private providers are sometimes very drastic. If you get into the private health insurance (PKV) today as a mid-thirties, you pay far less than in the legal. But at the latest retirement age, it is over with the savings. In part, the insured expect three times as high insurance premiums, as the beginning of the tariff. Many PKV insureds report that they sometimes have to pay 600 to 800 euros per month for their health insurance.

Why are the PKV contributions getting higher?

For one thing, it is the demographic change of our society. People are getting older and older and are getting more medical care at the age. Medicines and treatment costs are becoming ever more complex and therefore more expensive. On the one hand, technical advances in medicine are an advantage for people, on the other hand health care costs are increasing.

Another major reason for the contribution increases are the so-called lock offers of the PKV tariffs. In order to attract customers, private insurers are constantly setting new tariffs. These tariffs are initially unbeatable compared to the voluntary health insurance. In the new tariffs are mainly young contributors, which cause little cost. Tariffs that have been on the market for some time will eventually be closed because more and more sick people are insured in the tariff. At the latest at this time the tariff will be closed. This means that there will be no new members for this PKV offer. All who are insured in this tariff, stay now „among themselves“. The older the customers remaining there, the higher the contributions will be. Suddenly, the insured face the situation, having to pay much higher contributions. Partly increase the PKV contributions by three or four times. Many PKV providers also suffer from old rates from the 1970s and 1980s. At that time, many factors and risks were not included. These old tariffs also have higher contributions due to the non-observance of the rising costs.

Tariff change within the PKV

The insured can hardly defend themselves against this situation. For who in such a tariff „captured“ is, who can not switch to another PKV provider. The accumulated pension provisions will remain with the old insurer. The provisions for old age are used to compensate for the expected higher costs of old age. If you still want to switch to another provider, you will notice that the contributions are almost identical. Because the provisions for old age are not included in the new tariff. A way out could be a tariff change with the same health insurer. This change makes the insurance contract law possible. Only if new PKV tariffs offer more health services, the private health insurance may demand a renewed health examination.

But a change within the same company is not welcome. Because the old tariffs are financially weakened by a change and with the new tariffs there is the danger that thereby the costs and thus the contributions are driven up. For this reason, insurers are reluctant to provide information about which alternative rates can be offered. Especially not if the insured is already older.

Problems with the PKV tariff change

If insurers do not provide any information, it is possible to compare offers from their own insurer on the internet. With appropriate offers you can now go to his insurer and demand a tariff change. You should not let yourself be swamped immediately. Some time ago, namely the insurance companies PKV tried to prevent a tariff change by a high surcharge. But that should be over after the judgment of the Federal Administrative Court. Surcharges are no longer allowed according to judgment with the file number AZ: 8C 42.09. In addition, the providers may not require a renewed health check, if the desired rate does not offer more or better services than before. Decisive is the state of health at the reception of the customer, which was determined at the old tariff.

If the private health insurance wants to prevent a change at all costs, then those affected should either turn to the consumer center, or turn on a private health insurance ombudsman. An ombudsman has the task of avoiding litigation through an agreement between the two parties. However, neither the provider nor the insured are bound by the recommendations of the arbitration board. Only "recommendations" are pronounced. An ombudsman can be reached nationwide under the telephone number. 01802/550444. If no agreement or compromise could be reached and the private health insurance remains stubborn, then one also has the possibility to file a complaint with the BaFin Financial Supervisory Authority. Last year, 1,757 insured members complained about their private health insurance.

Save on tariff change

But how can you save on a tariff change? There are significant potential savings that should be checked first. In doing so, one should examine exactly which health services are important and which ones can rather be neglected. For example, there are considerable savings in additional services such as single rooms in hospitals or chief physician treatment. If you save, for example, the single bed, so can be saved between 10 to 50 euros per month in contributions. Another option is to reduce reimbursement fees. Anyone who accepts a reduction in glasses, dental treatment and other aids can also save a lot of money.

Important additional options

It is important that the PKV contract for medical fees to the maximum rate of fees ranges (3.5 times). The reimbursement of psychotherapy should be included with 20 treatments already in the contract. Otherwise, the costs of a long illness can quickly blow up your own budget. So you have to think very carefully about which health services are really necessary and which ones can be neglected. This depends on the individual situation of the insured person.

Stay in the statutory health insurance?

If, due to various circumstances, one has to stay either in the statutory health insurance before the election or change into a private health insurance, this step should also be carefully considered. In fact, various services are not offered at all in private health insurance. For example, if you want to start a family, you should be aware that there are no non-contributory family insurance in private health insurance. This means that children and non-working wives or spouses can not be co-insured for free. Here should be reckoned exactly after, if a change in the PKV is worthwhile. Again, the consumer centers offer their help and calculate the contributions in the long run in advance.

Rating of the private health insurance

The image of PKV is still good. According to a survey, PKV compares favorably with statutory health insurance. 73 percent of respondents perceive the benefits of private health insurance as more extensive. 51 percent found the price-performance ratio to be positive. 73 percent assume that PKV will continue to offer good medical care in the future. At the GKV only 45 percent were of this opinion. But these are survey results that say nothing about the quality and actual performance. (sb, fp)

Also read:
PKV: services and quality a change reason?
Aid does not take on alternative therapies
Federal Government: billions for the PKV

Picture credits: teasing