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Photo: Thomas Trutschel / photothek / IMAGO
Did you know?
If you want, you can change your health insurance company at least once a year.
And if your insurer has increased the premium, you even have a special right of termination.
At least 66 cash registers have now done so.
Not only are they more expensive now, the advance of the contribution increases was extremely unfavorable for the insured.
The traffic light government had known for months that many insurance companies would have to increase their additional contribution.
If the income from a fund is not sufficient and the reserves are used up, this is mandatory.
In the fall of 2022, the coalition partners then decided, without much public discussion, that health insurance companies that increase the additional contribution in the first half of 2023 do not have to inform their customers individually - a note in the members' magazine or on the homepage is currently sufficient.
But who is looking?
You can always switch
If you are annoyed now because the increase has passed you by or you only notice on the payslip for January that your health insurance fund has become more expensive - don't fret for long.
You can still trade .
Simply switch to a cheaper health insurance company, but above all you are happy to switch to a good and inexpensive health insurance company.
As I said, you have a special right of termination because of the increase.
You can't do much wrong with such a change, because 95 percent of the services are required by law and are therefore the same for all health insurers.
But there are some things you can do right: the five percent benefits that one fund may bring and the other does not can make a big difference for you individually.
In fact, some of the best health insurance companies are also among the more inexpensive in the country.
Four are ahead in comparison
My colleagues at Finanztip check open cash registers nationwide once a year and determine which cash registers are currently offering strong performance profiles.
So where can you go if you are not only looking for a cheap, but a really good cash register for changing.
The core of the study consisted of 30 sub-items, such as premiums and premium development over the past few years, range of services and transparency as well as the scope of numerous additional services.
Before the questionnaire for the health insurance companies was developed, the colleagues asked 4,800 readers about their preferences for the services and also asked the health insurance companies which extras the insured use particularly frequently.
This year at Finanztip HKK, after five years, the technicians as well as HEK and Energie-BKK are in the lead again.
The nice thing about such a change: The effort for you as a customer is kept within tight limits.
Since the beginning of 2021, the new checkout has been doing all the work.
You don't even have to cancel, just decide on the new one.
criteria for switching
In addition to the amount of the contribution, I recommend the following criteria for your decision:
Do I need local health insurance, what about the range of services?
Some cash registers have an office in almost every district town, some can only be reached online and by telephone.
With some health insurers, the service hotline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, while others offer extensive medical advice over the phone.
If something like this is important to you, you should pay attention to this.
Does the health insurance company think ahead in your interest?
Insurance companies that offer a particularly large amount of prevention are a good choice, especially for younger people.
Many cancer screening tests are only health insurance standard after a certain age.
As an extra, some insurance companies offer free skin cancer screening for under 35-year-olds as well as additional examinations for early breast and colon cancer detection, flu and TBE vaccinations for everyone and high subsidies for health courses.
Does the insurance company attach particular importance to family benefits or dental benefits?
One pays additional examinations for pregnant women and midwife consultations via video or chat, the other pays for special dental services for children or a subsidy for professional teeth cleaning.
And then there are health insurers that focus on alternative medicine and osteopathy, but also fund alternative remedies.
Save contribution or save through extra services
Let's talk money.
The health insurance contribution consists of a general contribution of 14.6 percent of the income up to the assessment limit of almost 5000 euros per month.
In addition, there are different additional contributions depending on the financial situation of the respective fund - on average another 1.6 percent.
The general contribution and the additional contribution have been paid in equal parts by the employee and the employer since 2015.
In the case of pensioners, the pension fund bears the employer's share, while the self-employed have to pay the entire amount themselves.
The most expensive health insurance is more than one percent more expensive than the cheapest because of its higher additional contribution.
If you have very expensive insurance, you can save around 20 euros a month with a gross income of 4000 euros by switching.
At 2000 euros gross still a tenner.
The employer saves just as much.
But there are also some special benefits from cash registers that make a real difference financially.
If you are traveling to the tropics with your family, the necessary vaccinations alone can cost several hundred euros.
Some cash registers pay for them.
Other health insurance companies pay hundreds of euros for yoga or sports courses or reimburse a bonus because you have your teeth checked regularly, are a member of a sports club or keep your weight within the normal range.
Such extras help numerous insured persons to save more than is possible with cheaper providers via the additional contribution.
Does it make sense to switch cash registers every year like in the past with the electricity provider and today with a mobile phone contract?
No, it's not.
But the possibility of a change is a privilege of health insurance patients.
If you are unhappy with your insurer because you can never reach them properly or because they have refused a necessary cure, then you not only have the option of filing an objection and having the insurer's decision reviewed again.
You can also simply switch registers.
Because you no longer trust the service promise of your old cash register.
This option is not so easy for private patients.
Switching there often leads to significant financial losses, but there is still no guarantee of better service.
Dear cash register customer: If you are upset about the service and higher premiums, as a king customer you can make everything clear and switch.
On the other hand, if the service and contribution are right, why not graciously stick with your checkout?
Also very nice!
