Krankenzusatzversicherung

Q: What is a Krankenzusatzversicherung?

A Krankenzusatzversicherung is a private insurance policy that supplements, not replaces, a GKV membership. You keep your statutory insurance and add one or more private modules that cover services the GKV does not, or covers only partially. It is a GKV-only product. Once you are in the PKV full cover (Krankenvollversicherung (full-cover health insurance)), those benefits are already included in your tariff, and you do not need a separate Zusatz.

Q: How to think about combining modules

Two common patterns: • Young, healthy, single GKV member: Often a dental module plus a hospital upgrade is the highest-value combination. Premium maybe €30-80 per month; real upside if you need surgery or dental work. • Older GKV member or family: More modules become economically viable, but underwriting may become harder with age and accumulated medical history. Earlier is cheaper, and healthier buyers have more choice. The decision is rarely "all modules or none". Each is contracted separately with its own tariff, waiting periods, and cancellation rules.

Supplementary Health Insurance

Updated: 4 May 2026

A Krankenzusatzversicherung, supplementary private health insurance, is an add-on policy for GKV members who want benefits above the statutory standard. Common modules: hospital upgrades (chief physician, single room), dental, outpatient extras, international cover, and Krankentagegeld (private daily-sickness allowance) top-ups. It does not replace the GKV, it sits on top.

Key facts

For GKV members only, adds selected private benefits on top of statutory cover
No underwriting in some lines (e.g. some dental), full Gesundheitsprüfung (health assessment) in others (e.g. Stationär (inpatient cover))
Hospital upgrades cover chief-physician fees and single/double rooms
Dental add-ons cover prosthetics, implants, and professional cleanings beyond GKV limits
Typically monthly premiums in the €10-70 range per module depending on age and scope
A separate contract alongside the GKV, cancellation follows its own tariff conditions

What is a Krankenzusatzversicherung?

A Krankenzusatzversicherung is a private insurance policy that supplements, not replaces, a GKV membership. You keep your statutory insurance and add one or more private modules that cover services the GKV does not, or covers only partially.

It is a GKV-only product. Once you are in the PKV full cover (Krankenvollversicherung (full-cover health insurance)), those benefits are already included in your tariff, and you do not need a separate Zusatz.

The main modules

Stationärer Zusatz (hospital upgrade)

• Access to the chief physician (Chefarztbehandlung) during hospital stays

• Single or double room (Ein- or Zweibettzimmer)

• Typically billed directly between hospital and insurer: minimal paperwork

• Monthly premium range: roughly €20-70 depending on age and whether chief-physician is included

• Full Gesundheitsprüfung usually required

Zahnzusatz (dental)

• Covers the gap in GKV dental prosthetics (Zahnersatz): the GKV pays only a fixed subsidy

• Can include inlays, crowns, bridges, implants, higher-grade fillings, professional cleaning

• Often with a staggered cap in the first 4-5 years (Zahnstaffel: €1,000 year 1, €2,000 year 2, etc.)

• Monthly premium range: roughly €10-40

• Waiting periods of 3-8 months are normal; some tariffs without health questions have longer waits

Ambulanter Zusatz (outpatient)

• Partial reimbursement of specialist visits, alternative medicine (Heilpraktiker), vision aids, preventive check-ups beyond GKV scope

• More varied than dental or hospital modules: every insurer has a different menu

• Health assessment usually required

Auslandsreise-Krankenversicherung (foreign travel)

• Covers medical treatment during travel abroad where the GKV does not reach

• Often available as an annual policy for minimal cost (typically €10-20 per year for EU cover, more for worldwide)

• No health assessment for short-term products

Krankentagegeld-Zusatz (income top-up)

• Closes the gap between statutory Krankengeld (capped at €135.63/day gross in 2026) and actual income

• Particularly relevant for GKV members earning at or above the BBG

• See the Krankentagegeld entry for the full mechanics

A separate Pflegezusatzversicherung (long-term care top-up) also exists, but it sits in its own product category and is rarely a primary expat concern. Worth a separate conversation if elder-care planning is on your radar.

How to think about combining modules

Two common patterns:

• Young, healthy, single GKV member: Often a dental module plus a hospital upgrade is the highest-value combination. Premium maybe €30-80 per month; real upside if you need surgery or dental work.

• Older GKV member or family: More modules become economically viable, but underwriting may become harder with age and accumulated medical history. Earlier is cheaper, and healthier buyers have more choice.

The decision is rarely "all modules or none". Each is contracted separately with its own tariff, waiting periods, and cancellation rules.

Is it a substitute for PKV?

No, and this is the most common confusion. A Zusatzversicherung adds modules on top of the GKV. A PKV full-insurance is a separate contract that replaces the GKV entirely. The Zusatz does not make you a PKV member, does not give you the PKV's treatment flexibility, and does not escape the GKV contribution.

It is the right answer when you want some of the PKV's upside (hospital comfort, dental generosity) without leaving the GKV's familiar structure, for example, for families who benefit from the free Familienversicherung.

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