Dental insurance

Value high-quality dentures and the best possible dental treatment. Pay attention to the following points in a supplemental dental tariff:

• Comprehensive benefits: Dentures, dental treatment, prophylaxis and, where relevant, orthodontics should be broadly covered in your tariff. Look especially for potential restrictions on the provision of dentures.
• High reimbursement rates: The cost reimbursement should be as generous as possible. Strong tariffs have a high reimbursement rate: between 70 and 100% of the bill should be reimbursed.
• High age limits: Especially for orthodontic benefits, private health insurers often only pay up to a certain age, for example 18 or 21. But teeth can still shift later in life, and an accident can make orthodontic treatment necessary.

Many insurers require a waiting period of eight months before benefits can be claimed. If you are planning a professional teeth cleaning at the dentist soon, for example, make sure the insurance waives the initial waiting period for it. With “ZAHN PLUS” you can claim benefits for dental treatment, dentures or orthodontics immediately.

Yes, if the dentures become necessary because of an accident.

Otherwise a waiting period of 8 months applies. That is the time between the start of the insurance and the start of the treatment.

In the first three years the following maximum reimbursement amounts apply:

• 1st insurance year: €1.500
• 2nd insurance year: €3.000
• 3rd insurance year: €4.500
• From the 4th insurance year: full benefits

Yes, a supplemental dental insurance can be deducted from your taxes. It is declared in the “Vorsorgeaufwendungen” (provision expenses) annex, alongside statutory health, long-term care and pension insurance and other policies. Whether the costs are actually deductible depends on a number of criteria, including your income level, marital status and number of children.

Your cover is limited only in rare cases. There is no entitlement to benefits in the following situations:

• Teeth that were already diseased when the application was made
• Teeth that were missing and not yet permanently replaced when the application was made
• Treatments that were already known, medically advised or already started when the application was made
• Teeth that never developed (missing tooth buds)

So that you immediately understand what your insurer and your dentist are talking about, we have summarised the most important technical terms around supplemental dental cover:

• Regelversorgung (standard care): Corresponds to the benefits catalogue of the public health insurance. Standard care guarantees a sufficient, appropriate and economical treatment of the condition of your teeth.
• Festzuschuss (fixed allowance): The amount the public health insurance pays towards your dentures. The amount depends on the diagnosis.
• Heil- und Kostenplan (treatment and cost plan): Filled in by the dentist and sent to your public health insurer. It contains the diagnosis, the planned therapy and the expected costs.
• Gleichartige Versorgung (same-type care): Means you have chosen standard care, but with additional benefits.
• Andersartige Versorgung (different-type care): Applies when you choose a solution other than standard care.
• Gebührenordnung für Zahnärzte (GOZ): The fee schedule that regulates the remuneration of dental services outside the public health insurance.
• Härtefall (hardship case): Under the hardship rules, insured persons can receive a fixed allowance of 100 percent, for example when their gross monthly income does not exceed certain thresholds.
• Bonusheft (bonus booklet): You receive the bonus booklet from your dentist. It documents your check-ups so that your public health insurer may grant a higher fixed allowance towards dentures.