One of the biggest insurance companies in Germany is TK health insurance, which together with AOK covers millions of citizens and residents with health insurance. You should first familiarize yourself with the scope of coverage, price, extra treatments, and other pertinent information before contemplating becoming a member of TK. In this manner, you may choose Germany’s top health insurance company.
Choosing a health insurance company in Germany might be a difficult task. Your options are restricted to public providers if you are only qualified for public health insurance. Nonetheless, there are more than 50 alternatives accessible, even among public suppliers. Selecting the appropriate insurance may depend on how these providers compare and what choices they supply.
You could be choosing between TK and AOK since they are two of the largest and most reputable public insurance providers. A comparison of their key characteristics may help you choose between AOK and TK, even if their services are somewhat comparable due to government regulation of public suppliers.
TK Health Insurance Private or Public
In Germany, TK is a publicly funded health insurance company. This indicates that the business is prepared to provide you with statutory health insurance that complies with German government regulations.
Eligibilities for TK Health Insurance
You can get TK health insurance if you meet the requirements of Germany’s public health insurance system, which covers a number of certain categories of individuals.
Workers. If you work in Germany and your annual salary is less than a specific amount (which in 2023 is EUR66,600), you are usually required to get public health insurance.
In Germany, most registered students under 30 who attend an accredited school must have public health insurance.
Trainees. In Germany, those enrolled in apprenticeships or other forms of vocational training are usually eligible for public health insurance.
Self-employed: Self-employed people may also qualify for public health insurance based on certain requirements and their income. If your self-employment falls under the category of modest employment. you can be required to obtain public health insurance.
Relatives: You could qualify for family insurance under your spouse’s or child’s coverage if they are currently covered by TK or another public health insurance provider.
TK Insurance Coverage
TK provides covering for a variety of advantages, such as the following:
Medical advice and services. TK Insurance provides coverage for a range of medical procedures and consultations with physicians, specialists, and therapists among other healthcare providers.
Stays in hospitals. TK Insurance covers inpatient care, which includes hospital stays, operations, and associated treatments.
Prescription drugs are covered by TK Insurance as long as the policies the insurance company establishes and the pharmaceutical formulary are followed.
Preventative medical attention: preventative care is emphasized by TK Insurance, which provides coverage for a range of preventative services including immunizations, screenings, and regular checkups.
Childbirth and maternity. TK Insurance provides coverage for necessary prenatal, postnatal, and delivery care for expectant women.
Rehabilitation therapies: such as occupational therapy, speech therapy, and physiotherapy, are covered in order to help patients recuperate and get better.
Dental attention: TK Insurance usually covers basic dental care, including fillings, routine checkups, and certain dental operations. More comprehensive dental care, however, might not be fully covered.
Appliances and medical devices: Orthopedic devices, hearing aids, and prosthetics are among the required medical appliances and assistance that are covered by TK Insurance.
services for mental health. In recognition of the significance of holistic healthcare covering mental well-being, TK Insurance covers mental health treatments, such as therapy and counselling sessions.
As a provider of statutory health insurance: TK guarantees that its members can obtain the basic medical treatments that are mandated by law. TK ensures that its members receive the treatment they require to preserve their health and well-being by adhering to these government-mandated services.
Additional Services
With TK, you may take use of extra services at an extra fee in addition to the necessary coverage options. Depending on what you want, these services might vary, but often comprise the following:
- Services provided domestically.
- Extra dental care.
- Funds allocated for visual assistance.
- Services for sports medicine.
- Alternative therapies.
- Extra services related to pregnancy, delivery, and childcare.
TK Health Insurance Cost
This comprises an extra 1.2% contribution determined by TK for 2023 in addition to the obligatory 14.6% contribution that all covered persons must pay. It’s important to keep in mind that your company pays the remaining half of the payments; as an employee, you only contribute half of them.
For instance:
- The contributions would be computed as follows if your gross monthly income was €3,000:
- Statutory mandatory rate (split into two equal portions, 14.6%):
- Your monthly payment is €219 (€3,000 * 7.3%).
- Monthly employer contribution: €3,000 * 7.3% = €219 TK extra contribution (split into two equal portions of 1.2%).
- Your monthly payment is €18 (€3,000 * 0.6%).
- Monthly payment from the employer: €3,000 * 0.6% = €18
In this case, your company would additionally pay the same amount each month, for a total of €237 (€219 + €18) in contributions to TK health insurance.
Those who work for themselves often pay the whole amount of the contribution; others, such as retirees or those receiving unemployment benefits, have a government agency pay the remaining half.
TK Insurance Additional Contribution
As of 2023, the TK extra contribution rate is fixed at 1.2%. Since its introduction in 2015, employers have been obliged to pay half of the contribution rate. This rate is independently determined by the insurance companies in order to offset the costs and financial risks related to health insurance coverage.
As a result, the supplementary contribution rate varies amongst insurance companies; some may have a greater or lower rate, which might have an impact on how much your health insurance will ultimately cost in Germany. For this reason, you should investigate German health insurance companies to select the one that most closely matches your requirements and financial situation.
Get Health Insurance with TK in Germany
Here’s how to swiftly register for insurance coverage with TK health insurance:
Eligibility verification: Make sure you fulfil the requirements to receive TK health insurance. This includes having the necessary qualifications for Germany’s statutory health insurance, such as employment, student status, self-employment, or family member status of an insured person.
Procedure for applications: You can apply in person at a TK office or online for TK health insurance. Complete the appropriate application forms and attach the applicable paperwork, including identification and residency documents as well as any pertinent work or student status records.
Wait for verification: Following submission of your application, TK will examine it and provide you an insurance coverage confirmation. Included in this confirmation will be your insurance number along with other pertinent information.
Use TK insurance: As soon as you receive your insurance confirmation, you can use TK health insurance for your medical needs.Your insurance card which you must provide to healthcare providers, will be delivered to you.
TK will notify your prior insurance provider that you are switching if you were previously insured by another public insurance firm.
Use TK Insurance Outside Germany
Yes, when you travel outside of Germany, most European countries recognise your TK health insurance. Â The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), which enables physicians to settle accounts directly with TK, is printed on the back of your TK health card. To be sure this applies to the place you want to go, it’s crucial to review TK’s list of nations.
Since TK does not cover the expenditures in non-European countries, it is often advised to obtain private travel health insurance. Â Statutory health insurance companies may not cover all services, including return transit to Germany.
TK Health Insurance for Students
Pupils who meet the requirements for family insurance can keep their TK contract active by just giving their enrollment certificate to an institution. International students and those ineligible for family insurance must provide TK with the required paperwork in order to finish the registration procedure. It’s crucial that international students get in touch with the business first to find out if they qualify for public insurance.
A baseline rate of 10.22% of the compulsory rate set forth by the Federal Training Assistance Act is what students in Germany are obligated to pay. Students with TK health insurance are required to pay an extra 1.2% TK payment on top of the based contribution.
TK Health Insurance for Employees
You are always welcome to apply for TK membership as an employee. It is important to note that there can be a commitment period if you are currently covered with another carrier and would like to transfer to TK. Be careful to speak with your existing provider before making the transition.
In terms of expenses, the same guidelines are followed: you pay half of the 14.6% required contribution in addition to the 1.2% TK payment, and your employer covers the remaining half. It is important to remember that a contribution assessment’s maximum monthly income is EUR 4,987 (2023). This implies that your contribution does not rise if your income exceeds this cap.
TK Health Insurance for Retirees
Retirees can get health insurance from TK which guarantees them full coverage and assistance during their post-employment years. Retirees have the option to select TK as their health insurance provider if they were previously covered by another insurance company or to stay insured with TK. As a retiree, you must finish the application procedure and submit the required paperwork in order to register in TK health insurance.
Providing details regarding your personal information, prior health insurance coverage, and retirement status may fall under this category.
You must pay TK’s additional 1.2% health insurance payment in addition to the same 14.6% required contribution rate as a retiree. But the Pension Insurance Institute and you split the sum. Half of the required TK contribution will be covered by the pension fund; the other half will be your responsibility.
Switch to TK from Other Companies
Transferring your health insurance:
- Submit an application to TK.
- Notify your employer of the change.
- Get the membership paperwork ready.
- Complete the transition.
You may concentrate on the switch as TK will handle terminating your previous membership. In order to guarantee a seamless transfer, TK will get in touch with you individually if more information or documentation is needed.
TK Bonus Programs
All TK-insured people are eligible for the TK bonus program and participation is completely voluntary. All you have to do is download and register the TK app to get started. You can accrue points by participation in the bonus program and receive rewards for your actions.
The TK bonus program’s highlights are as follows:
- Get incentives: Gather ten euros for every task completed or twenty euros for the TK health dividend.
- highest possible payoff: Earn up to 200 euros annually for your participation.
- Fit TK: Track your steps with the TK app to get daily extra points.
- Simple recordkeeping: All you have to do is record your actions using the TK app.
- mobile loyalty program: Utilize the app to take advantage of the loyalty program’s perks.
- Option to carry over: Save any bonus points that aren’t used for the next year.
- Options for financing: The bonus programme can be used to fund supplemental insurance.
FAQS
In Germany, what is TK insurance?
TK: What is it? In Germany, TK stands for Techniker Krankenkasse, a state health insurance provider. With 10.4 million members, it is the biggest health insurer in the nation. As with all German public health insurers, TK is a non-profit organization.
How is TK health insurance used?
When you see a doctor, your TK eHealth card serves as documentation of your insurance coverage. You can utilize medical services both domestically and internationally with this card. Presenting the convenient chip card is all that is required for receiving medical care from physicians, hospitals, or licensed therapists.
Who pays for the glasses, TK?
If you have a visual defect of more than six dioptres in one eye, a visual defect of more than four dioptres because of astigmatism, or if you are severely visually impaired—that is, if you can only see no more than thirty percent of your better eye’s field of vision even with glasses or contact lenses—we can provide financial assistance for glasses.
Does overseas travel get covered by my German health insurance?
Nevertheless, the statutory health insurance providers will only pay claims expenses if the policyholder resides in one of the so-called “Schengen states,” which are nations that have social agreements with Germany. This covers the majority of European nations. That being said, your statutory health insurance will not protect you if you travel abroad.
How can I pay TK?
You may, for instance, pay your donation directly using a bank transfer. Your contribution must be credited to the TK account before the due date in order to prevent any late penalties or issues. You may find the TK account number for your contributions to long-term care and health insurance on your bank statements and contribution statements.
Conclusion:
The Managing Board’s proposed budget must be approved by the Supervisory Board, which oversees the health insurance fund’s day-to-day operations. The self-governing bodies also dismiss the managing board and approve the yearly accounts. They provide their approval to the Managing Board’s executive management at the time of discharge.
The Supervisory Board appoints independent auditors to conduct a management and yearly financial statement audit of the organization. The self-governing body also makes decisions about the audit’s components. By doing this, the Supervisory Board members guarantee that TK can provide excellent benefits and services and that the insurance payments are managed soundly.
