Higher contributions
The cheapest health insurance companies in 2022 – and what to look out for when switching
Many insured persons have to pay more for the health insurance
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At the turn of the year, numerous health insurances increased the premiums, with some others, however, it will be cheaper. What those who want to change now need to know.
Millions of people with statutory health insurance will have to pay higher contributions in 2022. As of January 1, around one in five of the almost 100 health insurance companies increased the additional contribution, including numerous general local health insurance funds (AOK) with a large number of members. Some company health insurance funds (BKK) also increased the contributions.
The bottom line is that roughly every fourth health insurance patient is affected by increases of between 0.2 and 0.7 percentage points. The majority of the health insurers left the contribution unchanged, some BKK even lowered it at the turn of the year. The general contribution rate is currently 14.6 percent of gross income, and the health insurance companies also charge different amounts of additional contributions.
The cheapest health insurance company open across Germany is the hkk with a contribution rate of 15.29 percent. It is the most expensive at BKK 24 with 17.10 percent. The nationwide largest health insurance company, the Techniker, leaves its contribution rate at 15.80 percent. The number two and three in the industry – Barmer and DAK Gesundheit – continue to demand 16.10 percent. In addition to the health insurance companies that are open to everyone, there are also numerous regional providers and company health insurance funds that are only open to their own employees. A list of all current contribution rates is available from National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds.
Cheapest nationwide health insurance companies 2022
Health insurance | Contribution rate |
hkk | 15.29% |
BKK firmus | 15.44% |
BKK Gildemeister Seidensticker | 15.50% |
Bertelsmann BKK | 15.60% |
Securvita BKK | 15.70% |
IKK healthy plus | 15.70% |
Audi BKK | 15.70% |
BKK VerbundPlus | 15.70% |
Home health insurance | 15.70% |
Source: National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds
Change easily possible
Switching from an expensive to a cheap health insurance company can be worthwhile. Depending on their income, employees can save up to several hundred euros a year. Switching to another health insurance company is very easy. Since 2021, insured persons no longer have to cancel themselves. All you need to do is register with the new health insurance company via an online application, which will then take care of everything else.
Anyone who has been a member of their fund for at least twelve months is allowed to change. There is also a special right of termination in the event of a premium increase. If the health fund increased the additional contribution on January 1st, the insured person can cancel until January 31st, even if the year commitment period has not yet ended.
Don’t just look at the post
When choosing a health insurance company, however, insured persons should not only look at the contribution rate. Another criterion is whether the health insurance company pays for certain extra services that are regularly used – such as professional teeth cleaning, osteopathic treatments or special preventive examinations. The providers also differ in terms of service and bonus programs. In the Stiftung Warentest or different comparison portals can be used to compare the individually relevant points.
In the future, the contributions to the health insurance are likely to continue to rise. The current wave of increases would have been significantly stronger if the federal government had not more than doubled its tax subsidy for 2022 from 14 to 30 billion euros. Without this cross-subsidization, the coffers are threatened with funding holes. If politicians fail to react, the contributions would have to rise by an average of almost one percentage point at the beginning of 2023, warns the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds. According to the industry association of health insurance companies, long-term care insurance could already see premium increases in the first half of 2022.