Private health insurance comparison: top plans by professional group

For the self-employed, 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 → is often the most important module, because during a longer illness your income stops while your running costs remain. Look at when it starts (waiting period of 29 or 43 days), a realistic amount for private and business costs and the option to adjust it later.

A suitable deductible makes the plan more predictable. The goal is not the highest possible amount, but one you can realistically carry even in a weak year, with a clear annual cap and the option to adjust it later.

When your income depends on your ability to work, fast treatment counts. Plans without a primary care doctor rule, with free choice of doctor and simple digital submission help to stop a single bill from turning into a never-ending task.

Beihilfe (i) covers part of the costs, and you insure the rest privately. What matters is a Restkostentarif (i)RestkostentarifA private plan that covers the share of medical costs that Beihilfe does not pay. Together with Beihilfe it gives civil servants full cover.More about Restkostentarif → that exactly matches your Beihilfesatz, plus a supplementary plan for typical gaps. Medical aids, dentures and optional hospital services are particularly relevant.

Do not only assess the starting premium, but also the development of recent years. Look for solid plan pools, sufficient reserves and comprehensible premium adjustments. For relief in old age, it is worth looking at separate relief plans.

Start with your must-have criteria and then compare the terms in detail. Outpatient, inpatient and dental cover with clear reimbursement rates are relevant, plus rehabilitation and spa treatment, because Beihilfe (i) often sets limits here.

Some insurers offer special plans for medical professionals. They can be attractive, but they are not automatically the best choice. It makes sense to compare in two directions: doctors' plans, if benefits and terms fit, and high-quality regular plans, which are often broader.

If you are covered by a Versorgungswerk (i)VersorgungswerkThe professional pension scheme of the chambers, for example for doctors, lawyers and tax advisors. Members pay into it instead of the statutory pension insurance.More about Versorgungswerk →, you should plan your private health insurance for the long term. What matters is not only today's premium, but the burden in retirement, the past stability of the plan and options for relief in old age.

Rehabilitation and spa treatment are handled differently depending on the pension and care system. Make sure that inpatient and outpatient medical rehabilitation is clearly insured, check which spa benefits are included and which proof is required in advance.

For newborns there is the Kindernachversicherung (i)KindernachversicherungAdding a newborn to a parent's private policy without health questions. The application must reach the insurer within two months of birth.More about Kindernachversicherung →, and cover starts without waiting periods. The application must be made within the first two months. One parent must already be privately insured, and the contract must have existed for some time (at least three months). The child's plan must not be better than the parent's plan.

For children, it pays to look at frequently used benefits: orthodontics with clear rules and good reimbursement, therapies such as physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy, and solid inpatient cover.

For children, a low deductible or none at all often makes sense, because there are many checkups and doctor's appointments in the first years. Choose the deductible so that it still feels right with frequent visits to the pediatrician.