Health insurances in comparison: What Finanztest recommends

The good news first: The contributions of the statutory health insurances have hardly increased so far despite the additional Corona expenditure. Only two of the more than 70 insurance companies that are open to all insured persons have recently become more expensive, a current comparison by “Finanztest” shows.

Since July, the BKK Firmus has been charging 15.44 percent instead of 15.04 percent and the BKK VBU now costs 16.2 instead of 15.9 percent. The latter is one of the most expensive health insurances in comparison, the BKK Firmus is one of the cheapest despite the increase.

The only nationwide open cash register where you currently pay even less is the hkk with a contribution rate of 14.99 percent. If you primarily want to pay little, do not need any special extra services and do not want to deal with the intricacies of the bonus programs, you are in good hands with a fund with a low contribution rate (see table).

Switching from an expensive to a cheap health insurance company can be worthwhile. Anyone who earns 3,000 euros gross per month saves around 200 euros in contributions a year, a high earner even 350 euros, calculates the “financial test”.

The cheapest health insurance

* regionally restricted; Source: financial test

Professional teeth cleaning and more

However, the contribution rate is not the only important criterion. If you make use of certain extra services that go beyond the general health insurance benefits, the bottom line is that you might be better off with a health insurance company that covers these costs. A popular example is professional tooth cleaning (PZR), which many patients use once a year and which in principle has to be paid for out of their own pocket. 50 health insurers currently pay a subsidy of at least 10 euros for this. The provider IKK – Die Innovationskasse pays the full costs up to 100 euros per year, the BKK Firmus and Heimat KK each pay 80 euros.

The benefits also differ for alternative treatment methods. For example, some health insurers reimburse several hundred euros a year for osteopathic treatments. Some providers also have a per capita budget, up to the limit of which various extra services are subsidized – this can be between 50 and 750 euros, depending on the fund.

Different amounts of money can also be retrieved through the respective bonus programs that reward healthy behavior. With some health insurance companies there is a cash bonus for a single measure such as early cancer detection or a gym subscription, with others you have to collect several. Another argument is the quality of the service – on site at the branch, by phone or online and via app.

Anyone who is dissatisfied with advice, costs or services can now switch even more easily. Since the beginning of 2021, it is no longer necessary to terminate the old fund; a written application to the new one is sufficient. In addition, you can now change membership at a health insurance fund after just 12 months instead of only after 18 months, as was previously the case.