Two Ways to Cushion Retirement Premiums
A Beitragsentlastungstarif lets you pay extra now to reduce your PKV premium once you retire. The alternative is to invest the same amount yourself and use the proceeds to meet premiums later. Both aim at the same problem, a premium that must still be paid on a retirement income, and they suit different people.
The Case for the Relief Tariff
- Employer share: while you are employed, your employer may subsidise contributions to the relief tariff, which a private investment does not get.
- Guaranteed reduction: the premium cut it buys is contractually fixed, not market-dependent.
- Discipline: the money is committed to the purpose, so it is there when you need it.
The Case for Investing Yourself
- Flexibility: your own investment stays under your control and can be used for anything.
- Potential return: a long-run diversified investment may outgrow the guaranteed reduction.
- Portability: it is not tied to staying with one insurer or tariff.
The employer subsidy is the swing factor: for an employee, an employer contribution toward the relief tariff is money you would not get by investing alone, which tilts the maths toward the relief tariff. For the self-employed, that advantage is absent.
Deciding
An employee who values a guaranteed, subsidised reduction leans toward the relief tariff. A self-employed person comfortable managing investments, who wants flexibility, has a stronger case for the do-it-yourself route. Run both with real numbers, including any employer share, before committing, since the amounts involved are large over time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Compare PKV Tariffs for Your Situation
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