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What an anonymous enquiry is
The insurer checks your health details anonymously, without your name or address. The answer contains the terms on which it would accept you: standard terms, a risk surcharge, a benefit exclusion or a rejection.
Anonymous risk enquiry: how we check your chances without an entry in a database
With an anonymous risk enquiry, we check your chances of acceptance with several insurers, without a formal application and without an entry in a database. The insurer assesses your health details on an anonymous basis and tells you on what terms it would accept you. The advantage: a rejection is avoided, because it is not recorded anywhere. In recent years we have handled over 5,000 applications with health questions, and the anonymous enquiry is our standard tool.
Guide
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The key points about the anonymous risk enquiry at a glance.
Contents
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A no-obligation review of your situation, personal and independent.
How does the consultation work? →Which condition leads to which outcome in the health questions?
Choose a condition Usually accepted Usually accepted Usually accepted Usually accepted Usually accepted Risk surcharge likely Benefit exclusion likely Benefit exclusion likely Risk surcharge likely Risk surcharge likely Rejection likely Rejection likely Risk surcharge likely Risk surcharge likely Risk surcharge likely Risk surcharge likely Risk surcharge likely Risk surcharge likely Risk surcharge likely Rejection likely Rejection likely Rejection likely Rejection likely Rejection likely Rejection likely
Usually acceptance on standard terms, because the injury has healed and no follow-up risk remains.
- What it depends on
- Complete healing without lasting complaints.
- How long
- An exclusion is generally not to be expected here.
- How it can be resolved
- Not necessary.
Usually standard terms, because healed and without follow-up risk.
- What it depends on
- A completed operation without complications.
- How long
- Generally no exclusion.
- How it can be resolved
- Not necessary.
Usually standard terms. If complaints remain, a risk surcharge is possible.
- What it depends on
- Time since the operation and whether you are currently free of complaints.
- How long
- If an exclusion is agreed, it applies without a time limit.
- How it can be resolved
- After a lasting period without complaints, you can request a review.
Usually standard terms. With repeated episodes, a risk surcharge is possible.
- What it depends on
- A single event or recurring complaints.
- How long
- Rarely an exclusion.
- How it can be resolved
- Not critical if you are free of complaints.
Mild, well controlled allergies usually count as non-critical and are often accepted without conditions.
- What it depends on
- Severity of the allergy and need for treatment.
- How long
- Rarely an exclusion.
- How it can be resolved
- Usually not required.
If healed without after-effects, a risk surcharge is more likely.
- What it depends on
- Treatment status, how long you have been free of complaints and the individual insurer.
- How long
- A risk surcharge remains in place. A review makes sense after several years without complaints.
- How it can be resolved
- A medical certificate confirming that it has healed, then a new assessment by the insurer.
Teeth that have not been replaced often lead to a surcharge or a benefit exclusion in the dental area. Replaced teeth are usually unproblematic.
- What it depends on
- Number of gaps and the planned dental restoration.
- How long
- The exclusion applies specifically to the dental area.
- How it can be resolved
- After the restoration, the exclusion can be reassessed.
During ongoing treatment, an exclusion usually applies. Afterwards, regular acceptance is possible.
- What it depends on
- Completion of the treatment.
- How long
- Limited until the treatment ends.
- How it can be resolved
- Open to reassessment as soon as the treatment is finished.
A risk surcharge is more likely than standard terms.
- What it depends on
- Course of treatment and insurer.
- How long
- A risk surcharge remains in place. A later review is possible.
- How it can be resolved
- A new assessment after a stable course without complaints.
Manifest chronic diagnoses tend to lead to a risk surcharge rather than acceptance on standard terms. Severe cases can lead to rejection.
- What it depends on
- Severity and stability of the course.
- How long
- A surcharge remains in place permanently.
- How it can be resolved
- If your condition has demonstrably improved, you can request a review.
Ongoing or recently completed psychological treatment usually leads to rejection or to the application being deferred. A benefit exclusion is rarely an option in that case.
- What it depends on
- Time since the last treatment and type of diagnosis.
- How long
- After a sufficient period without complaints, a reassessment is possible.
- How it can be resolved
- Reassessment after a period without complaints, ideally through an anonymous enquiry.
Regular acceptance is usually not possible. A benefit exclusion is then not an option, because the contract is not concluded at all.
- What it depends on
- Course and accompanying conditions.
- How long
- Acceptance generally fails.
- How it can be resolved
- Options are the Basistarif BasistarifA statutory social plan that every private insurer must offer. Its benefits are comparable to statutory health insurance, and its premium is capped at the statutory maximum contribution.More about Basistarif → as the fallback plan and an anonymous enquiry to several insurers.
Many insurers accept asthma with a risk surcharge. Some providers do not insure asthma and exclude it. A rejection is rather rare.
- What it depends on
- Severity and frequency of complaints and the individual insurer.
- How long
- A surcharge remains in place. An exclusion applies without a time limit. With a stable course, a review is possible.
- How it can be resolved
- An anonymous enquiry to several providers. There you will often find insurers with a moderate surcharge.
Well controlled high blood pressure is usually accepted with a risk surcharge. High readings, several medications or damage to the cardiovascular system make the assessment clearly worse.
- What it depends on
- Level of the readings, number of medications, accompanying diagnoses and the individual insurer.
- How long
- A surcharge remains in place permanently. An exclusion applies without a time limit.
- How it can be resolved
- Prove stable readings over a longer period, then request a review from the insurer.
An underactive thyroid that is well controlled with medication is often accepted with a moderate risk surcharge. Some insurers assess it more mildly than others.
- What it depends on
- Stable blood values under treatment, the cause of the underactive thyroid and accompanying findings.
- How long
- A surcharge remains in place until it is reduced on request.
- How it can be resolved
- An anonymous enquiry to several providers. The differences are often large here.
Endometriosis usually leads to a risk surcharge. With active treatment, the assessment is stricter.
- What it depends on
- Stage, need for treatment, past operations and the individual insurer.
- How long
- A risk surcharge remains in place permanently.
- How it can be resolved
- After a longer period without complaints and without treatment, you can request a review.
Mild cases are often accepted with a surcharge. With regular treatment with cortisone or modern active substances, a higher risk surcharge for skin conditions is likely.
- What it depends on
- Severity of flare-ups, treatment interval and the medications used.
- How long
- A risk surcharge remains in place permanently.
- How it can be resolved
- Have several years without treatment confirmed by a doctor, then a new assessment.
Mild acne usually has no consequences. Cases that need treatment, especially with prescription medication, often lead to a surcharge for the skin area.
- What it depends on
- Severity, current treatment and type of medication.
- How long
- A risk surcharge remains in place permanently and applies specifically to skin conditions.
- How it can be resolved
- Have it reassessed once the treatment is finished and the skin has healed.
A single event that healed without after-effects often leads only to a small surcharge, sometimes also to standard terms.
- What it depends on
- Number of episodes, time since the last event and current findings.
- How long
- A risk surcharge remains in place permanently.
- How it can be resolved
- After several years without a new event, request a review from the insurer.
Regular acceptance is usually not possible. The course and the time since treatment are decisive.
- What it depends on
- Type of disease, course and time since therapy.
- How long
- Acceptance generally fails.
- How it can be resolved
- After a long period without complaints, a reassessment can make sense.
These diagnoses are among the common reasons for rejection. Excluding individual benefits does not replace regular acceptance in that case.
- What it depends on
- Diagnosis and course.
- How long
- Acceptance generally fails.
- How it can be resolved
- The Basistarif as the fallback plan, plus an anonymous enquiry.
Chronic bowel diseases are among the common reasons for rejection, but the assessment varies from insurer to insurer.
- What it depends on
- Course, need for treatment and provider.
- How long
- Acceptance often fails.
- How it can be resolved
- An anonymous enquiry to several insurers.
A documented ADHD diagnosis often leads to rejection, especially with ongoing medication.
- What it depends on
- Time since the last treatment, medication and the individual insurer.
- How long
- Acceptance generally fails.
- How it can be resolved
- An anonymous enquiry to several providers, plus the Basistarif as the fallback plan.
Treated sleep apnea often leads to rejection, especially with ventilation at night.
- What it depends on
- Severity, type of therapy and accompanying diagnoses.
- How long
- Acceptance generally fails.
- How it can be resolved
- An anonymous enquiry to several insurers. The assessment differs from insurer to insurer here.
Information about drug use generally leads to rejection. The time since the last use is decisive.
- What it depends on
- Type and frequency of use and the time since the last use.
- How long
- Acceptance generally fails.
- How it can be resolved
- After a longer documented period without use, a reassessment is possible, ideally through an anonymous enquiry.
Typical outcome based on more than 5,000 applications with health questions that we have supported. This is not a promise. Only an anonymous enquiry to several insurers gives you a binding answer for your case.
Your advantages with us
Several insurers at the same time
We send the enquiry to several insurers in one step, instead of contacting each one separately.
A market overview instead of a single opinionThe same diagnosis is assessed very differently from insurer to insurer. We see who accepts more generously.
No recorded rejectionThe enquiry stays anonymous. So you do not risk an entry that makes later applications harder.
The anonymous risk enquiry in detail
What does the anonymous risk enquiry do?
It is not an application, but a check of your chances. Before a formal insurance application is made, the broker or the applicant asks one or more insurers anonymously whether, and on what terms, acceptance would be possible. The insurer only receives the health details, no identifying data.
The result shows on what terms acceptance would be possible. With this information, you can decide with which insurer a formal application makes sense.
When does the anonymous enquiry make sense?
The anonymous risk enquiry is particularly relevant in several situations:
- With pre-existing conditions: If you have had a diagnosis or treatment in the past, you do not know your chances of acceptance in regular plans in advance. The enquiry gives clarity before an application is made.
- After a rejection by another insurer, because a second rejection lowers your chances further.
- Even without pre-existing conditions: It protects you from a formal application being rejected unexpectedly and having to be stated in later applications.
What exactly does the enquiry avoid?
A formal rejection in the application procedure is recorded internally by insurers. Once you have been rejected, your starting chances with many insurers are worse than those of a first-time applicant.
The anonymous enquiry avoids this mechanism completely, because no identification takes place.
Which results are possible?
The insurer's reply falls into several categories:
| Result | What it means |
|---|---|
| Acceptance on standard terms | Acceptance without surcharges or benefit exclusions |
| Acceptance with a risk surcharge or benefit exclusion | Modified terms, typical surcharge 15 to 30% |
| No acceptance | The insurer would not accept a formal application |
The result no acceptance from one insurer does not mean that all insurers would reject you. The assessment of the same pre-existing condition varies between insurers. That is why it pays to send the enquiry to several insurers at the same time.
How large are the differences between insurers?
The assessment of identical health data varies enormously between insurers. An anonymized example from a risk enquiry for one of our clients shows this.
The starting situation:
- a known histamine intolerance for two years, the diagnosis confirmed, no treatment needed because there are no symptoms, only an adjusted diet
- an underactive thyroid for five years, treated with L-thyroxine, one tablet a day, with values in the normal range
The result of the assessment varied widely:
- Insurer A: acceptance without a risk surcharge
- Insurer B: 5 percent surcharge
- Insurer C: €25 surcharge
- Insurer D: 18 percent surcharge
- Insurer E: rejection of cover
With a direct application to insurer E, this client would have been burdened permanently. Through the anonymous enquiry, he found a first-class solution without any surcharge.
Which periods do insurers ask about?
Insurers ask about pre-existing conditions over different periods:
- Outpatient treatment: three years with most insurers. Württembergische asks about ten years, including the supply of medical aids. R+V covers conditions of the brain or nervous system over ten years, and Concordia also covers eating disorders over ten years.
- Inpatient treatment: five years with all insurers.
- Psychological treatment: a short period of five years, for example with Allianz, AXA, Continentale, DKV, Gothaer and Hanse Merkur. Eight years apply to the AXA plan ActiveMe. Ten years are used by ARAG, Barmenia, Concordia, Hallesche, Inter, Nürnberger, R+V, SDK, Signal Iduna, UKV, uniVersa and Württembergische.
Why is your own memory not enough?
Can you still remember every visit to a doctor in the last five years? Every prescribed medicine, every blood test, every physiotherapy session? Most people clearly overestimate their memory. A forgotten finding can later lead to avoidance of the entire insurance contract.
Common gaps in memory:
- check-ups with abnormal findings
- medicines taken for a short time, such as antibiotics or painkillers
- physiotherapy or massages on prescription
- blood tests with borderline results
- visits to a specialist without further treatment
The solution is a systematic review of your medical history. Request the complete statement of insured services from your statutory health insurance fund. It shows in black and white what was billed.
How do we use the anonymous enquiry in our advice?
We use the anonymous enquiry as a fixed part of every advice process where pre-existing conditions or a higher acceptance risk exist. In our advice practice, we see that the enquiry protects against unnecessary rejections in the large majority of cases, especially with moderate pre-existing conditions such as treated high blood pressure, past operations or documented back problems.
The result of the enquiry is the basis for deciding with which insurer a formal application is made. If you skip this step, you risk being rejected by the first insurer you try and so worsening your starting position for all further enquiries.
What does the enquiry not replace?
The anonymous enquiry has clear limits.
It does not replace the formal application. Once you have chosen an insurer, you must in the end make a regular application with complete identifying data.
It does not release you from the pre-contractual duty of disclosure under § 19 VVG. In the formal application, all health questions must be answered completely and truthfully. False statements or omissions can lead to the insurer avoiding the contract and refusing benefits. This also applies if the anonymous enquiry was positive.
It is not a legal guarantee of acceptance. The reply is the insurer's assessment on an anonymous basis. In a later application with complete data, the assessment can differ if new or different health information comes to light.
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Switching to private health insurance is probably not advisable for you.
From the age of 55, admission to private health insurance is often possible only with restrictions. A late switch can also mean higher premiums.
It matters to us that a switch pays off for you in the long run. That is why we do not recommend a consultation when your answers already show that the conditions are rather unfavorable.
Not sure, or want to correct your answers? Feel free to contact us. We will help you assess your situation.
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