As of: February 20, 2024, 7:13 p.m
By: Philipp Bräuner, Bjarne Kommnick
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Many health insurance companies are increasing their additional contributions.
If you want to save, you can switch to another insurer.
But that doesn't always really make sense.
Frankfurt – It has been clear for a few months now that many health insurance companies will increase their contributions in 2024.
Several million insured people in Germany are affected by this.
Consumers could therefore definitely consider changing health insurance companies, as some insurers have announced that they want to keep their premiums stable.
With a simple calculation example you can save over 100 euros.
You can save over 100 euros by changing your health insurance company - but that doesn't make sense in all cases.
© Nicolas Armer/dpa
Additional contributions for health insurance companies are increasing – which insurers are the cheapest?
On average, the additional contributions increase by 0.1 percent from 1.6 percent to 1.7 percent.
The federal government decided to increase contributions for health insurance companies in October 2023, but on a voluntary basis for health insurance companies.
Many insurers are following the federal government's decision and increasing their additional contributions in 2024. Only a few health insurance companies are reducing their additional contributions.
In some cases, switching health insurance companies can save money.
These are the health insurance companies with the lowest additional contributions in 2024:
Health insurance |
Additional contribution 2024 in % |
|---|---|
BKK Firmus |
0.9 |
HKK |
0.98 |
Audi BKK |
1 |
BKK Faber-Castell & Partners |
1.1 |
BKK Public |
1.2 |
(Source: statutory health insurance funds.de) |
Save money by switching health insurance companies: Stiftung Warentest warns against hasty decisions
Calculation example: This is how much you can save by switching health insurance companies
If you pay the average additional contribution of 1.7 percent with a gross salary of 3,000 euros, you can save 144 euros by switching to BKK Firmus with the low rate of 0.9 percent.
As the web portal
Finanztip
explains, it is important to note that with a lower additional contribution, more taxes are incurred.
If you stick with the example of 3,000 euros gross for a person without children and without church tax, there would still be an annual savings of 104 euros left.
Lower additional contributions could tempt you to switch health insurance companies in order to save money.
But according to
Stiftung Warentest,
that doesn't always make sense.
A hasty change could lead to the loss of any additional benefits and bonus programs, which could have a financial impact, especially if you make use of the health insurance company.
(pb)