IVFP Rating

The Institute for Pension and Financial Planning evaluates insurance rates based on its own set of criteria—including in the area of employer-sponsored health insurance. The results serve as an external benchmark for comparing rates.

What a Credit Rating Does

Ratings combine a large number of individual criteria into an overall score. This is useful for narrowing down options and identifying plans that are fundamentally sound.

In addition to the IVFP rating, other ratings are commonly used in the market, such as those from Ascore or industry publications. These ratings differ in their methodology and weighting, which is why a tariff may receive different ratings across various rating systems.

What a credit rating does not do

An overall rating says nothing about whether a collective bargaining agreement is a good fit for a specific workforce. The criteria that determine this are lost in the aggregation:

• Whether dental and vision care put a strain on the budget or are reimbursed separately
• Where the sublimits are—and whether they affect areas needed for operations
• What reimbursement rates apply?
• Whether a dental program is currently running and how long it lasts
• Whether an advance payment from the statutory health insurance is required
• What assistance services are included and how to access them

A highly rated plan with a sublimit that meets the workforce's needs is a worse choice than an average-rated plan without that limit.

How to Use Ratings Effectively

As a filter, not as a decision. A rating narrows down the field; the actual selection is then made based on specific performance metrics and workforce structure.

When communicating with management or the works council, an external evaluation can also serve as evidence that the selection was not made arbitrarily—but it does not replace the rationale explaining why this particular collective bargaining agreement is a good fit for this company.

What to Look Out For

• What criteria are included in the evaluation, and how are they weighted?
• What year is the rating from —and has the rate changed since then?
• Does the rating refer to the specific plan or to the insurer as a whole?
• Do several ratings agree in their assessment?

Conclusion

Ratings are a useful starting point but a weak criterion for decision-making. They answer the question of whether a plan is sound—not whether it is a good fit for a specific workforce. The second question can only be answered by looking at the plan’s coverage details.