Change of employer

One of the most important—and often least publicized—features of modern group supplementary health insurance policies is portability when changing employers. When an employee leaves the company, he or she does not automatically lose health coverage. Instead, nearly all group policies include the right to transfer the supplementary health insurance to an individual policy with the same insurer without a new medical examination. This right is one of the strongest arguments in favor of supplementary health insurance over individual supplemental insurance—and one of the most frequently underestimated.

An Overview of Reconciliation Rules

The underlying mechanism is legally straightforward: Employees who leave the company generally have what is known as a right of continuation. Within a specified period—typically 2 to 6 months after their employment contract with the employer ends—they can transfer their existing coverage to an individual policy. The following applies:

• No new medical examination: The insurer does not review pre-existing conditions or new risk factors
• No new waiting periods: The benefits accrued under the group contract will be fully credited
• Comparable scope of coverage: The benefits under the individual policy generally correspond to those of the previous group plan or an equivalent tier
• New premium: The premium is calculated in the individual contract according to the terms and conditions specified therein and is paid by the employee

The new premium under an individual policy is generally higher than the previous group plan premium, often by a factor of 1.5 to 3—because group rates are, after all, group rates. For employees with pre-existing conditions, however, switching to an individual policy is often the only realistic way to maintain coverage.

Strategic Importance for Employee Communication

From a communication standpoint, the portability provision is one of the most underrated features. Many employees are skeptical about supplementary health insurance because they suspect that their coverage will lapse if they change employers. The opposite is actually true. Clearly communicating this dispels one of the most common reservations people have about supplementary health insurance.

Specific key messages that are effective in engagement communication:

• Your health coverage isn't tied to us—you'll keep it even if you leave at some point.
• The benefits and entitlements you’re building up now will follow you wherever you go—regardless of who your future employer is.
• No new medical exam required: What is covered today will remain covered tomorrow.

Deadlines and formalities

The transfer is not automatic—employees must actively apply for it, usually within a period of 2 to 6 months after the employment relationship ends. The exact deadline is specified in the relevant collective bargaining agreement. Anyone who misses the deadline loses the right to transfer and would have to enter into a new individual contract with a full medical examination.

The typical process:

1. The employee receives a confirmation of termination or acknowledges their resignation
2. The insurer is notified (usually automatically by the employer)
3. The employee receives a transition offer from the insurer with a new premium
4. The employee must decide within the specified time frame—whether to accept, reject, or adjust the benefit level
5. The individual contract seamlessly replaces the group contract

Special Considerations Regarding Retirement and Retirement Age

When you retire, similar rules apply as when you change employers. Your bKV coverage does not end automatically; instead, it can be transferred to an individual policy. This is particularly valuable for older individuals with pre-existing conditions who would otherwise be unable to obtain supplemental private health insurance on their own.

Some insurers offer special rates for retirees with more favorable transition terms, especially if the employee has been covered under a group policy for many years. This is a retention incentive that has a particularly strong impact when communicating the plan’s launch to older employees.

What happens when you switch to a new employer

If, after leaving the company, the employee joins a new employer that also offers a supplementary health insurance plan, there are two options:

1. Suspend the individual policy: The employee transfers to the new employer’s group health insurance plan, suspends the transferred individual policy without paying premiums, and can reactivate it later
2. Cancel an individual policy: If necessary, provided the new employer-sponsored plan offers the same coverage
3. Parallel coverage: If you need a high level of coverage, an individual policy and a new supplementary health insurance plan can run concurrently (double-benefit effect)

The choice depends on the individual situation. When communicating with departing employees, it’s worth briefly explaining these options—it’s often the last positive experience employees associate with their former employer.

FAKTOR MENSCH : Portability rights are the underrated recruiting selling point of supplemental health insurance. We’ve noticed that candidates are increasingly asking about this: “What happens to my supplemental health insurance if I leave the company?” Candidates who have previously worked for an employer offering supplemental health insurance are aware of portability and expect it. Employers who can confidently answer this question—ideally with a one-page information sheet on portability—demonstrate professionalism and a long-term perspective. Our recommendation: A one-page information sheet on portability, provided by HR and included as standard during the offboarding process. A small measure with a big positive impact.

Conclusion

The right to transition is not a minor detail, but a structural feature that elevates supplementary health insurance from an employer benefit to a form of lifelong health protection. For employees, it means security; for employers, it is a selling point in recruitment and retention; for insurers, it is a way to gain customers, as a group plan member becomes a long-term individual policyholder. Employers who actively communicate this significantly lower the barrier to entry into the bKV while simultaneously reinforcing their image as forward-thinking employers.