Every year the health insurance companies check their contributions and adjust them. An analysis shows that anyone who compares can save several hundred euros per year.
In December, health insurance companies regularly decide whether they need to keep their contribution rates stable for the coming year or adjust them. If your health insurance company informs you of an increase – and in this case it must – it may be worth thinking about changing. The magazine “Finanztest” reports on this in its issue (1/2024).
According to the magazine, the lowest contribution rate for statutory health insurance is currently 15.4 percent of gross income and the highest is 16.59 percent.
Although employers and employees each share half the cost of health insurance, the savings for employees between the most expensive and the cheapest tariff can amount to around 142 euros per year with an income of 2,000 euros per month. With higher income, the savings potential also increases. Anyone who earns 3,000 euros per month can save around 214 euros a year.
Good to know: If your health insurance company increases the contribution rate, you can make use of your special right of termination. Otherwise, you must have been a member of your health insurance company for twelve months to be able to switch.
According to “Finanztest”, the application to the receiving health insurance company is sufficient to get out of the current one. A separate termination is not necessary. The new fund will contact the old one and inform you when your membership begins. Once everything has been done, the employer should be informed of the change.
However, “Finanztest” recommends not to be hasty when switching health insurance companies and, above all, not to just focus on the financial advantages. Those with statutory health insurance should also check to what extent extra services, service and accessibility of the health insurance companies differ. These are also important factors when selecting the cash register.