PKV-Welt founder Tim Bökemeier in an interview

My name is Tim Bökemeier. I founded PKV-Welt in 2017. I came to private health insurance during my training as a bank clerk. There I noticed that a bank can only ever offer the plans of a single partner. That is exactly what I wanted to do differently. In 2016, I became self-employed, and since then I have focused 100 percent on private health insurance. We have now supported more than 3,800 clients and evaluated more than 5,000 sets of health questions. Neutrality and independence come first for us.

Comparison portals give you a first orientation, but they quickly reach their limits with individual questions. As soon as it comes to risk surcharges, choosing a plan, a rejection or a plan change, experience is decisive. Private health insurance is a decision for many years. That is why an expert is worth it, someone who helps with the choice and the ongoing support, without any additional costs for you.

No, every case is different. Because of the Jahresarbeitsentgeltgrenze (i), private health insurance is not possible for everyone, and it does not make sense for everyone. I would never advise a family with many children and a fluctuating income to go private. The decision is always an individual weighing of factors.

In clear steps. It starts with contact and an appointment. Then we check whether you can be insured. Next, we get to know you and what you want. After that, we answer the question statutory or private. Then we prepare a comparison of offers with all documents, give you time to think and only submit the application when everything fits. After you sign, we remain your point of contact.

Several factors matter in combination: current and future premiums, the scope of benefits you want, your state of health, your family and life planning and your entry age. If you join young, you often benefit from lower premiums. These points must fit together for the decision to be well founded.

Often for people who are young and healthy, have a good income or assets and have completed their family planning. Good health is important, because insurers can add surcharges for pre-existing conditions or reject an application. For members of a Versorgungswerk, private health insurance is also often an attractive option.

If your income is below the Versicherungspflichtgrenze (i), private health insurance is not possible anyway. If you want to insure family members free of charge, you are better off in statutory health insurance. With a strongly fluctuating income or with pre-existing conditions, statutory insurance can also be the safer choice.

Often for higher earners among employees and the self-employed, for doctors, lawyers, engineers, entrepreneurs and senior executives, and for freelancers. The advantage is usually a lower premium burden with better benefits.

There are differences in benefits and conditions between statutory and private health insurance. As a rule, private plans offer more, for example faster appointments, chief physician treatment, a single room or higher contributions for dentures. How big the difference is, however, depends heavily on the plan you choose.

That is individual. In general, I look for free choice of doctor and hospital, good dental cover without unfavorable staggered limits, reimbursement up to the standard maximum rate, benefits for alternative practitioners and medical aids, Krankentagegeld (i)KrankentagegeldPrivate sick pay: a daily allowance from private insurance while you are unable to work. It replaces lost income from an agreed day of illness.More about Krankentagegeld → and preventive checkups. People who wear glasses benefit from good reimbursement for visual aids.

Choose a plan that fits your needs, and answer the health questions truthfully. Pay attention to how premiums develop and read the conditions carefully, above all the benefit catalogs, the exclusions and the rules for a later plan change.

Above all the trust we build over the years. I represent my clients' interests 100 percent, keep my expertise up to date and always send enquiries to all insurers. This creates a wide choice and a truly individual recommendation. Being available is a matter of course for us, and our client reviews reflect this too.

This worry is often unfounded and avoidable. Many insured people save money over the years and can put part of it aside for old age. If the premium still becomes too high, an internal plan change, the Standardtarif (i)StandardtarifA statutory social plan for people who have been privately insured for many years. Its benefits are close to statutory health insurance, and its premium is capped. or the Basistarif, or in some cases a return to statutory health insurance can help. Planning early prevents problems.