Notlagentarif: the last safety net and its limits

The Notlagentarif (i) in private health insurance is set out in § 193 (6) and (7) VVG and was introduced in 2013 to secure minimum cover for people subject to compulsory insurance even when they fall behind on premiums. The background is compulsory health insurance under § 193 VVG: once you are privately insured, you cannot simply remain uninsured.

The transfer does not happen after the first missed payment. The insurer must first go through a dunning procedure with fixed deadlines. Only after that, if the premium arrears are still unpaid, is the insured person transferred to the Notlagentarif (i). During the arrears, late payment surcharges accrue and increase the outstanding amount further.

The premium in the Notlagentarif (i) is typically between €100 and €150 a month. This amount is clearly lower than a regular private premium, but it reflects the greatly reduced scope of benefits.

If you see a doctor, you often have to pay the costs yourself first and then submit the bill for reimbursement. The insurer only pays the covered items. Billing still follows the fee schedule for doctors, but only what the Notlagentarif (i) provides for is reimbursed.

You can return to your original contract without new health questions. The condition is that all premium arrears that have built up, including the late payment surcharges, are paid in full. After payment, the plan you had before is resumed.

Waiting periods already completed still count as completed, and no new ones are triggered. Pre-existing conditions are subject to the same rules as before the transfer. So there are no new health questions at all. If you cannot pay the arrears all at once, you should agree on payment in installments with your insurer early.

We have supported over 5,000 applications with health questions and consultations, and we see that the Notlagentarif (i) can be avoided in most cases if people react early. Insured people often fall into arrears because they underestimate the burden after a larger premium adjustment and put the first reminders aside.

If you have difficulty paying your premiums, we recommend that you contact your insurer immediately and check a deferral, payment in installments or a switch to a cheaper plan. The Notlagentarif (i) is a safety net, not a savings plan.

No. While compulsory insurance applies, the insurer may not cancel the contract on its own. The Notlagentarif (i) secures exactly this minimum continuity.

No. While you are in the Notlagentarif (i), no further ageing reserves are built up in your main plan. In the long term, this can affect how your premium develops from the start of retirement. In addition, up to 25 percent of the premium in the Notlagentarif can be taken from the existing ageing reserves (§ 153 (2) VAG).

No. Optional hospital services such as chief physician treatment or a single room are excluded. Only the acute care required by law is covered.

Only under certain conditions, for example if your income falls below the Jahresarbeitsentgeltgrenze or you start a job subject to social insurance. The Notlagentarif (i) itself does not end the duty to be insured in private health insurance.