How do employees submit invoices to bKV?

Submitting claims is the only routine process through which employees regularly use their supplemental health insurance. It takes place directly between the employee and the insurer, without the employer being involved—which is crucial from a data protection perspective.

Three common submission methods

App-based (standard for modern insurers): Employees take a photo of the receipt with their cell phone, the app guides them through a few fields, and the claim is submitted in under two minutes. Reimbursement is typically deposited into the account within 5 to 10 business days.

Web portal: Log in via the insurer’s member portal and upload the invoice as a PDF or image. It takes a little longer than using the app, but it’s often the preferred option for people who don’t like using their cell phones.

Paper via mail: The traditional method using a form and enclosed original receipts. This method is becoming less common among modern insurers, but is still available everywhere. Processing time is often 2 to 3 weeks because of the additional time required for mailing.

What must be included on the invoice

  • The patient's name and date of birth
  • Date of treatment
  • Treating professional, including address and qualifications
  • Reason for diagnosis or treatment
  • Individual services with fee codes
  • Total amount; VAT shown separately

How quickly the refund will be processed

For app-based submissions, the standard processing time is 5 to 10 business days; for web portal submissions, it is 7 to 14 days; and for paper submissions, it is 2 to 4 weeks. Reimbursements are made via bank transfer to the account provided by the employee.

What the employer sees (namely, nothing)

At no time does the employer receive information about invoices submitted, medical diagnoses, or services used by individual employees. The only data that is shared with the employer consists of aggregated and anonymized usage statistics—such as the percentage of the workforce that has submitted at least one claim in a given year.

Related terms

Which preventive medical exams are covered by the bKV?
Supplementary health insurance (bKV) typically covers advanced preventive care services not included in the statutory health insurance (GKV) catalog—such as annual comprehensive checkups, cancer screening for those under the GKV age limits, HPV tests, services not covered by statutory health insurance (IGeL), travel vaccinations, and modern imaging procedures. A list of eligible services can be found in the respective plan terms and conditions.
What does the bKV cover for dental prosthetics?
Supplementary health insurance typically covers the full cost of dental prosthetics—crowns, bridges, implants, and dentures—either as part of the annual health budget or through a separate dental coverage option. Standard annual budgets range from 300 to 1,200 euros. Some plans have tiered coverage limits during the first few years of the policy or short waiting periods for major dental treatments.
How quickly can a supplementary health insurance plan be implemented?
It typically takes 2 to 4 weeks from the decision to the start of active insurance coverage. Employees can often access benefits as early as the first day of coverage—without a medical exam or waiting period. More complex situations (multiple rate groups, works council approval) can extend the process to 6 to 8 weeks.