Nürnberger Supplementary Health Insurance: Plans, Benefits, and Costs
Nürnberger divides its supplementary health insurance offerings into two fundamentally different plan categories: BudgetSelect as a budget plan, and the CARE and KOMP series as compact plans. With BudgetSelect, the employer chooses a budget level between 300 and 1,200 euros per year per employee; the BudZ version additionally includes dental prosthesis benefits, while the standard Bud version covers outpatient and other services excluding dental prostheses. The compact plans—CARE Komfort, CARE Premium, KOMP, and KOMPZ (Compact + Dental)—do not operate on a freely selectable budget, but rather through fixed benefit packages that can be supplemented as needed with individual modules such as alternative medicine, dental coverage at 70% or 90%, vision care, preventive care, and vaccinations. With a total of 29 plan options, the offering can thus be tailored to a company’s structure based on either a budget-oriented or a benefit-oriented approach.
Under the budget framework, outpatient services such as medications, bandages, therapeutic agents, medical aids, as well as preventive and travel vaccinations are reimbursed from the annual health budget. Treatments provided by alternative practitioners in accordance with the fee schedule for alternative practitioners and osteopathy are also included. A sublimit applies to vision aids within the overall budget, meaning that only a portion of the budget is available for this purpose and the entire annual budget cannot be exhausted. Advance payment by the statutory health insurance provider is not required for reimbursement, which simplifies the process for employees, as invoices can be submitted directly to Nürnberger.
The range of coverage options is particularly evident in inpatient care, dental care, and preventive care: Options include, for example, hospital coverage for accommodation in a single or double room, or coverage limited to accidents; dental prosthetics with 70 or 90 percent reimbursement; and preventive dental care as a separate coverage option. Professional teeth cleaning and teeth whitening are included in the coverage catalogs, whereas a daily hospital allowance is not provided. The offering is complemented by digital health services such as video consultations via TeleClinic, a service for scheduling appointments with specialists, and a medical hotline, all of which are available free of charge to all employees with comprehensive supplementary health insurance (bKV).
It is important for employers to note that the Budget plans can be purchased for as few as 5 employees, while the CARE Komfort, CARE Premium, KOMP, and KOMPZ Compact plans are available only for groups of 10 or more employees. No medical examination is required, which allows for enrollment even for workforces with varying health statuses without an individual risk assessment.
Family members can be covered under the policy without a medical exam, though this does not include parents or grandparents; services for family members are available accordingly. If an employee leaves the company, the policy can be continued privately without a new medical exam, so that the existing insurance coverage does not automatically end but continues with the employee paying the premiums.
With its combination of low minimum coverage thresholds for budget plans and a wide selection of coverage modules, Nürnberger’s offerings are suitable both for smaller businesses looking to start with a streamlined budget plan and for larger companies seeking a more robust, comprehensive benefits package through its compact plans. In external evaluations, Nürnberger received a “Very Good” rating from the IVFP, while Morgen & Morgen rated the supplementary health insurance as “Average” (3 out of 5).
Rates
- BudgetSelect Bud (Budget Plan): Budget tiers: 300 / 600 / 900 / 1,200 EUR/year · 12 plan options · for businesses with 5 or more employees
- BudgetSelect BudZ (Budget Plan): Budget tiers 300 / 600 / 900 / 1,200 EUR/year · 4 plan options · for businesses with 5 or more employees
- CARE Comfort (Compact Plan) · for 10 or more employees
- CARE Premium (Compact Plan) · for companies with 10 or more employees
- KOMP (Compact Rate) (Compact Rate) · for companies with 10 or more employees
- KOMPZ (Compact + Dental Prosthetics) (Compact Plan) · for companies with 10 or more employees
- Coverage Options: Alternative Medicine, Hospitalization Only in Case of Accident, Hospitalization SW1b (1- or 2-bed room), Hospitalization SW2b (2-bed room), Vision Care, Preventive Care + Vaccinations, Dental Prosthetics 70%, Dental Prosthetics 90%, Preventive Dental Care
Services
- Preventive screenings: covered differently depending on the plan
- Alternative Practitioner: Yes, according to the GebüH
- Alternative Medicine: Regulations Vary Depending on the Plan
- Osteopathy: included
- Medicines and medical supplies: Yes
- Remedy: Yes
- Resources: Yes
- Vaccinations: included
- Travel vaccinations: included
- Vision aids: with a sub-limit within the health care budget
- Professional teeth cleaning: included
- Teeth Whitening: Included
- Daily Hospitalization Benefit: No
- Digital Health Services: Video Consultations (TeleClinic) · Specialist Appointment Service · Medical Hotline
- Budget carryover: No, expires at the end of the year
- Upon leaving the company: Private continuation is possible without a medical exam
- Services for Family Members: Yes, excluding parents/grandparents
- Family Coverage: Yes, without a medical exam
Costs
Under the BudgetSelect plan, the premium amount for Nürnberger bKV is directly based on the selected budget level, which ranges from 300 to 1,200 euros per year per insured person. The higher the selected level, the more comprehensive the coverage for outpatient services, medical devices and aids, dental prostheses, or other add-ons, as all reimbursements are deducted from this annual budget. In contrast, for the CARE Komfort, CARE Premium, KOMP, and KOMPZ compact plans, the premium is calculated based on the selected fixed benefit package and any additional add-ons purchased.
Within the budget, a sublimit applies to vision aids: Only a limited portion of the budget is available for this purpose, which does not use up the entire annual budget. Otherwise, benefits such as medications and bandages, therapeutic products, assistive devices, treatments by alternative practitioners, preventive and travel vaccinations, and dental services are covered from the same budget, depending on the selected plan.
Any unused budget is not carried over to the following year but expires at the end of the year. Therefore, the selected budget tier or rate plan is the primary factor in calculating premiums, not the actual individual usage over the course of the year.
External Reviews
FAQ
Do I need a doctor's prescription for every service?
No. Only certain services require a doctor’s prescription—for example, medications and bandages, medical devices and aids, and osteopathy. Vision aids do not require a doctor’s prescription; an optician’s invoice with diopter values is sufficient.
Can I still use these services when I'm abroad?
Yes. Insurance coverage is provided worldwide. For treatment abroad, reimbursement is limited to the maximum amount that would have been incurred for the same treatment in Germany.
Can I carry over the budget to next year if I don't use it?
No. Any unused budget expires at the end of the year.
Will I still be insured if I take parental leave?
Yes. Full insurance coverage is provided for up to 36 months of parental leave—without the employer having to make any contributions. To qualify for the contribution exemption, the employer must notify Faktor Mensch of the parental leave.
Can I continue my insurance coverage privately if I leave the company?
Yes. Within 3 months, the policy can be continued privately with the same coverage (BudZ6 plan); the individual is responsible for paying the premiums. The option for a premium waiver does not apply in this case.
How long do I have to submit an invoice?
There is no deadline. Invoices should be submitted as soon as possible. The date of purchase or treatment determines which annual budget applies.
Are dietary supplements or vitamins reimbursed?
No. Medications and medical supplies are covered, provided they have been prescribed by a doctor. Vitamin supplements, for example, are excluded.
What counts as an assistive device—do fitness trackers, for example, qualify?
Medical devices are devices prescribed by a doctor (e.g., bandages, orthopedic insoles). Fitness trackers are not considered medical devices and are not eligible for reimbursement.
Can I collect several invoices and submit them together?
Yes. The budget applies per calendar year, regardless of how often or when submissions are made.
Will I get my own insurance number or card?
You will receive an insurance card from Faktor Mensch that shows your insurance number.
Can my employer see the claims I submit?
No. The employer does not see any personal usage data.
Are services purchased online also reimbursed?
Yes, provided that the services are eligible for reimbursement and a valid invoice is available.
Will the budget be prorated if I enroll during the school year?
No. If you join during the year, you'll receive the full annual budget.
What happens if a doctor charges more than the GOÄ/GOZ rates?
Nürnberger may also reimburse amounts exceeding the GOÄ/GOZ maximum rates. If the bill is not medically justifiable, the reimbursement may be reduced.
How does the bKV work in conjunction with private supplemental insurance?
Any advance payments made by other payers must be disclosed at the time of submission; the prohibition against unjust enrichment applies.
What happens to my insurance if I'm unable to work for an extended period?
In the event of an inability to work without continued pay or leave of absence for caregiving, insurance coverage remains in effect; if necessary, the employer may arrange for an exemption from premium payments.
Can my family members use the bKV?
Yes. Family members can apply for a health budget at their own expense; each insured person receives their own budget.
When can I start submitting claims?
Claims may be submitted as of the effective date of coverage; the date of treatment or receipt must be after the effective date of coverage.