It is a more or less hidden cost whose amount can be high, too high according to UFC Que-Choisir.
The consumer defense association calls into question complementary health insurance for the share of contributions they devote to administrative costs.
Faced with a very significant increase in these contributions of around 10% in 2024 after 7.1% in 2023, the UFC all the more deplores the too low portion devoted to reimbursements, the redistribution rate.
In addition to sometimes significant margins, the weight of management costs is the cause according to the association.
Depending on the organisms studied, they vary from 10% to 28%!
The UFC calls this situation into question, speaking of fees that it considers “scandalously high”.
Of the 23 organizations studied, only 6 have redistribution rates of at least 80%.
Five redistribute with a rate less than 70%.
Among the good performers are, at the top of the list, Pro BTP, AXA, Harmonie Mutuel, Aésio and Mutualia.
Conversely, April, Abeille assurances, GMF, MNT and Gan assurances are pinned.
“Retirees are the cash cows of mutual insurance companies”
In terms of service provided to contributors, the bad news is piling up.
In addition to the variability of the redistribution rate, the increase in contributions is all the more significant as the insured are older.
This phenomenon has always existed, but is increasing.
80% of the people surveyed by the UFC suffered an increase of more than 10% in their contributions.
For some retirees, prices sometimes soar by 25% to 30%.
The association takes the case of an increase of 40% since 2018 compared to 17% for inflation over the same period, or more than twice as much.
Le Parisien recently interviewed a retired couple whose monthly contribution to Axa has increased by 58% in four years.
As they are owners, “health insurance has even become the main recurring expense after food”.
“Retirees are the cash cows of mutual insurance companies,” denounces another couple, whose health insurance with AG2R la Mondiale is 6,408 euros for 2024. “With these increases, we will exclude a part of the population who will no longer be able to have access to it.
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Dental costs, more expensive procedures and natural increase in expenses
To justify the increases, complementary health insurance companies never highlight management costs.
They mention the increase in their share of dental reimbursements, going from 30% to 40%, or 500 million euros more.
They also talk about the revaluation of certain actions or the natural increase in health spending.
To try to improve the situation, Que-Choisir is calling for, among other things, a “binding improvement in the readability of contracts”, and “real transparency on management fees and redistribution rates”.
The UFC finally reminds that contributors can terminate their contract after one year.