Health: Comparison portal: Majority of health insurance companies increase premiums

According to an evaluation by the comparison portal Check24, at least 51 of the more than 90 statutory health insurance companies are increasing their additional contributions at the turn of the year. Almost 44 million members are affected. The portal said the increase was between 0.4 and 1.9 percentage points. Some health insurance companies have not yet announced their decision on the future amount of the additional contribution, others are not planning to increase it.

Experts had calculated an average premium increase of 0.8 percentage points to 2.5 percent for the coming year so that health insurance companies can cover their ever-increasing costs. The Federal Ministry of Health set this value as a benchmark. In the end, the health insurance companies themselves decide whether and how much to increase, depending on their financial situation. This can happen not only at the turn of the year, but also in between.

Differences can amount to several hundred euros per year

According to Check24, the currently most expensive health insurance company charges an additional contribution of 4.4 percent for the new year. Together with the basic health insurance contribution of 14.6 percent, the total contribution rises to a value of 19 percent of the income subject to contributions. According to the portal, a total contribution of 16.44 percent will be due from January onwards for the currently cheapest health insurance fund. With a gross income of 3,000 euros, that would be around 460 euros less per year that an insured person would have to pay.

If a fund increases the additional contribution rate, members have a special right of termination and can change. The basic contribution and the additional contribution are each borne equally by employers and employees.

DAK also increases the contribution rate significantly

The third largest health insurance company DAK has now also announced a significant increase in the additional contribution rate by 1.1 percentage points to 2.8 percent. In view of the massive increase in performance expenditure, this was necessary, it was said. A few days earlier, the Techniker Krankenkasse, the largest health insurance company, had announced an increase in its additional contribution from 1.2 to 2.45 percent.