As of: February 27, 2024, 2:10 p.m
By: Marco Blanco Ucles
Comments
Press
Split
Anyone who is dissatisfied with their statutory health insurance should carefully consider whether switching to private health insurance makes sense.
The health insurance system in Germany is unique: nowhere else in Europe do two systems exist side by side - statutory and private health insurance.
There are bonus programs that you should definitely know about.
At first glance, the private option seems extremely tempting, especially in terms of the short waiting times for a doctor's appointment.
However, not everyone is allowed to switch to private health insurance, explains
Finanztip.de
: “Only civil servants, self-employed people or students as well as employees whose salary is above the annual salary limit are allowed to take out private insurance.
In 2023 this was 66,600 euros gross per year.”
Private health insurance: advantages and disadvantages
There has been discussion about abolishing the existing structures and introducing a common health insurance system for over 20 years.
However, a solution for this is not yet in sight (as of February 26, 2024).
The situation is different when it comes to tax classes; there could soon be a big change there.
But what are the arguments for private health insurance and what are the arguments against it?
There are some advantages and disadvantages.
Advantages of private health insurance
For civil servants, switching to private health insurance generally makes sense, for financial reasons alone.
50 percent of civil servants' treatment costs are covered by their employer anyway.
For the other half of the costs, it is worth taking out private health insurance.
“With statutory health insurance, civil servants would have to pay the entire insurance premium out of their own pocket,” explains
Stiftung Warentest
.
A subsidy for statutory insurance for civil servants is only available in a few selected federal states.
People with private insurance often enjoy advantages when visiting the doctor - but there are also points that speak against this.
© imagebroker/IMAGO
Unlike statutory health insurance, patients with the private option rarely have to wait longer for a doctor's appointment.
According to Finanztip.de,
these people usually receive
treatment twice as quickly.
A good contract also ensures that privately insured people have access to top-quality medicine or special treatments abroad.
In addition, the contract can be designed in such a way that special services are selected in private health insurance, which cannot be deleted.
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Disadvantages of private health insurance
In contrast to statutory health insurance, private health insurance companies can also reject people even though they basically meet the requirements described at the beginning.
This can be the case, for example, if a person is struggling with a previous illness.
Young people in particular are lured to private institutes with low fees.
However, the costs sometimes increase significantly as you get older, and you should be informed about this in detail.
The costs do not decrease even if the person stops working.
This is not the only reason why more and more people are having to continue working longer as they get older.
In contrast to statutory health insurance, it is not possible to insure children free of charge.
Children and life partners without income must be provided with their own contracts subject to contributions.
Finanztip.de
also warns
that medical bills always have to be paid by yourself and that reimbursement can take up to four weeks - not everyone can afford this, depending on the treatment.
Should you take advantage of the potentially cheaper premiums of the private option at a young age and switch back to statutory health insurance when you get older?
Nice idea, but it doesn't work.
Because there are certain conditions that allow such a change.
Firstly, you must not be 55 years old.
The consumer advice center also explains: “The salary must not exceed the limit that applies to you.
In 2024 this will be 69,300 euros gross per year.
Anyone who was already privately insured as an employee on December 31, 2002 has a lower limit of currently 62,100 euros.”