The Premium Is Not the Whole Cost
A PKV quote leads with the monthly premium, but that figure is not what the cover costs you in a year when you actually use it. The excess, the benefit caps and the treatments your tariff does not fully cover all add to the real number, and a cheap premium often means a bigger share of these falls on you.
Where the Extra Costs Hide
- The excess (Selbstbeteiligung): the amount you pay yourself each year before the tariff reimburses. A high excess buys a lower premium but a bill when you claim.
- Benefit caps: dental, aids and alternative-medicine benefits often carry annual limits. Spend above the cap and the difference is yours.
- Prescription and treatment copays: some tariffs reimburse a percentage rather than the full cost.
- Excluded areas: a thin tariff may leave whole categories, such as certain therapies, largely to you.
Compare the yearly cost, not the monthly quote: add the excess and the likely uncovered share to twelve premiums. A tariff that looks cheap monthly can cost more in a year you need treatment than a dearer one with fuller cover.
Matching the Structure to Yourself
A high excess suits someone healthy who rarely claims and wants the lowest premium, since they keep the saving in most years. It punishes someone with regular treatment, who meets the excess every year and pays it on top of the premium. Read the caps against the treatments you actually use, especially dental, and set the excess to match how often you expect to claim rather than chasing the lowest headline figure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Compare PKV Tariffs for Your Situation
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