Additional dental insurance: How to save on expensive dentures!

Additional dental insurance: How to save on expensive dentures!

Supplementary dental insurance is very popular in Germany and is now important private health insurance for around 19 million people. This is particularly relevant since statutory health insurance companies only cover standard dental care. All additional costs, such as high-quality dental fillings and dentures, must be borne by the patients themselves. This can quickly lead to high expenses, as dentures such as bridges and implants can cost several thousand euros. The cost of an implant is at least 2,000 euros, although both the implant and the crown can cost 1,000 euros each. Dental bridges also usually cost over 2,000 euros, which depends on the material and work involved. Statutory insured people who do not keep a bonus booklet only receive 60% of the standard care, while up to 75% can be covered with a bonus booklet. In cases of hardship, larger subsidies can be granted, but these are not automatic.

It is important to know that implants are not part of standard care. Patients are therefore obliged to cover the entire cost themselves. The lack of additional dental insurance can lead to considerable financial burdens. These insurance policies can potentially top up statutory health insurance benefits up to 100%. The monthly costs for such additional dental insurance are between 20 and 40 euros, although these amounts can increase over the years.

What to pay attention to when choosing

When choosing additional dental insurance, the services provided are of central importance. In particular, not only the prices but also the reimbursements for dentures should be taken into account. Particularly cheap offers could often contain hidden disadvantages. High reimbursements for dentures such as implants, bridges or crowns are essential.

Refunds are also important for inlays, i.e. high-quality fillings made from materials such as plastic, ceramic, gold or titanium. In addition, the tariffs vary greatly; While some advertise 100% reimbursement for dentures, plans with 90% are often more attractive. Some providers stagger their services depending on the regularity of dental care, which makes the choice even more complex. A consistently stamped bonus booklet can ensure higher additional payments for statutory and private supplementary insurance.

Benefits and Limitations

Tariffs should also cover the cost of more expensive materials or high-quality dentures. Professional dental cleanings (PZR) are particularly popular, the costs of which are often covered by additional insurance. However, it should be noted that many good dental supplementary plans include a subsidy for professional teeth cleaning and these can be more expensive than annual PZR without insurance.

Another important aspect is the reimbursements in the first few years after taking out the insurance. Many tariffs only pay a limited amount, which is why it is advisable to ensure that at least 1,000 euros are reimbursed in the first four years. Higher benefits are particularly advantageous because once the reimbursement limits have been reached, invoices are often only paid up to certain maximum rates. Insurance companies can reduce excessive billing amounts; Some providers, such as Württembergische, even pay more.

To ensure that all costs are covered, it is advisable to submit the cost estimate to the insurance company before starting treatment. Ultimately, supplementary dental insurance can be extremely advantageous, especially for expensive dentures, as statutory health insurance only covers the simplest dentures. This makes it all the more important to carefully examine your individual situation and the services required and select the appropriate insurance accordingly.