When changing employers, employees can generally transfer their supplementary health insurance to an individual policy with the same insurer without undergoing a new medical examination. The employee then pays the premium themselves; their existing coverage remains in effect.

The employer contribution refers to the employer’s financial contribution toward the supplementary health insurance premium. In most supplementary health insurance plans, the employer covers 100 percent of the premium; hybrid models that include an employee copayment are more complex from both an operational and a tax perspective.

Employer-sponsored health insurance (bKV) is a health benefit plan funded by the employer that provides employees covered by statutory health insurance (GKV) with private supplemental benefits—tax- and social security-contribution-free up to 50 euros per month.

Eyeglasses, contact lenses, and vision aids are the most frequently used benefit category in many supplementary health insurance plans. Typical reimbursements range from 200 to 800 euros per year—often without a medical necessity and without set intervals between claims.

The Family Option allows family members—usually a spouse and children—to be covered under the employee’s supplementary health insurance plan. Depending on the provider and plan, coverage may be fully funded by the employer, partially funded, or available as a self-pay option.

A medical examination is the standard process by which an insurer asks about pre-existing conditions before a contract is signed. In bKV group policies, this is generally not required—all employees are eligible for coverage without having to answer medical questions, even if they have pre-existing conditions.

A group policy covers multiple insured individuals under a single insurance contract with more favorable terms. In supplementary health insurance (bKV), the group policy is the standard structure: the employer is the policyholder, and the employees are the insured individuals.

Services provided by alternative practitioners include treatments administered by non-medical practitioners in accordance with the Alternative Practitioners Act. Supplementary health insurance typically reimburses these costs up to the amount specified in the fee schedule for alternative practitioners (GebüH)—usually at 2.0 to 3.5 times the standard rate.

The utilization rate describes the percentage of employees eligible for the company health budget who actually make active use of it within a year. Industry averages range from 15 to 52 percent—well-communicated programs reach 60 to 70 percent.

The enrollment window is the provision in the policy that specifies the period of time after the policy’s effective date during which new participants or family members can be enrolled without a medical examination. The longer the enrollment window, the more flexible the policy terms.

Osteopathy is a form of manual therapy that treats musculoskeletal complaints and functional disorders using targeted manual pressure. Supplementary health insurance typically covers osteopathic treatments as part of holistic healing methods.

The flat-rate taxation provision under Section 37b of the German Income Tax Act (EStG) allows employers to tax non-cash benefits provided to employees at a flat rate of 30 percent. For supplementary health insurance premiums exceeding 50 euros per month, this is the standard approach to ensuring that the benefit remains net-neutral for employees.

The framework contract number is the unique identifier for a supplementary health insurance group policy with the insurer. Employees need it for onboarding, claims processing, and communication with the insurer. Employers should keep a central record of it and make it easily accessible.

The tax-free benefit in kind under Section 8(2), sentence 11 of the German Income Tax Act (EStG) allows employers to provide employees with up to 50 euros per month free of tax and social security contributions. The supplementary health insurance premium is one of the most common uses of this provision.

The coverage policy is the document in which the employer specifies which employee groups are eligible for supplemental health insurance and under what conditions. While it is not legally required, it is strongly recommended—it protects against lawsuits under the General Equal Treatment Act (AGG) and disputes regarding the inclusion or exclusion of individual employees.

Preventive medical examinations are health screenings designed to detect diseases at an early stage. Supplementary health insurance (bKV) typically also covers preventive medical examinations that are not included in the statutory health insurance (GKV) coverage list—such as comprehensive checkups, HPV tests, colorectal cancer screening for people under 50, or IGeL services.

The waiting period is the time after the policy takes effect during which no benefits are paid out. In modern budget-based supplementary health insurance plans, this waiting period is usually eliminated entirely—employees can use the budget starting on the first day of coverage.

Dental care—crowns, bridges, implants, dentures—is one of the most financially burdensome categories of healthcare and, at the same time, one of the most frequently used areas of supplementary health insurance. Budget plans typically reimburse dental care in full within the limits of the available annual budget, sometimes with phased caps during the first few years of the policy.