Health & Care
Cancer insurance
best cancer insurance
Optimal coverage: Find the best cancer insurance for your financial security
A cancer diagnosis is a significant turning point. Alongside the health burden, financial concerns often arise. An appropriate cancer insurance can provide critical support here, enabling you to focus entirely on your recovery.
The topic in brief and concise terms
A cancer insurance policy provides financial security through a lump sum payment upon diagnosis, which is readily available and can fill the gaps in coverage from statutory health insurance.
Pay attention to a wide range of cover (over 300 types of cancer, adequate sum, child's co-insurance) and carefully check exclusions and waiting periods.
The costs vary greatly; concluding early and providing truthful health information are crucial for affordable and valid coverage.
Understanding the Need for Cancer Insurance
Approximately 4.65 million people in Germany live with a cancer diagnosis or have survived one. The number of new cases has increased over the past decades, even though survival rates have improved thanks to medical advancements. Cancer insurance provides financial security when life is thrown off balance. It pays out an agreed sum upon diagnosis, which can be used freely. This can help offset income losses, as sick pay often only amounts to about seventy percent of gross income. It also covers co-payments for medications or alternative treatments, which can quickly reach several thousand euros. Suitable cancer insurance fills this gap. Addressing this issue is an important step in precautionary planning.
Analyse the scope of a good cancer insurance
Several factors are crucial when choosing the best cancer insurance. Make sure that as many types of cancer as possible are covered – ideally more than three hundred. The sum insured should be sufficiently high; many providers offer amounts of up to one hundred thousand euros or more. Another important aspect is the automatic insurance of children, often up to fifty percent of the parents' sum insured. Also, check the conditions regarding waiting periods, which are usually six months. Some policies offer additional assistance services such as psychological support or a second medical opinion. These can provide valuable support in case of an emergency. A cancer insurance policy with a short waiting period can be advantageous. Thoroughly reviewing the insurance conditions is essential.
Quick Facts: What matters in the best cancer insurance
For a quick overview, we have compiled the most important criteria:
Number of insured types of cancer: There should be at least over three hundred.
Amount of insurance coverage: Typically between ten thousand and one hundred and fifty thousand euros.
Child insurance cover: Ideally automatic and free of charge, often at fifty percent of the main sum.
Waiting periods: Six months are common; some providers refund premiums if diagnosed during the waiting period.
Health questions: Truthful answers are mandatory; the extent varies considerably.
Exclusions: Certain early stages or types of skin cancer may be excluded.
Additional benefits: Psychological support or counselling can be valuable.
Contribution stability: Clarify if contributions increase with age.
These points will help you better compare offers and make an informed decision for your cancer insurance without health questions, if this is a criterion. This way, you can secure yourself optimally.
Practical Part: Costs and Specific Calculation Examples
The cost of cancer insurance varies greatly and depends on several factors. These include the age at entry, state of health (especially smoking status), the desired insurance sum, and the term of the contract. A thirty-year-old non-smoker pays, for example, between twenty and thirty euros monthly for an insurance sum of fifty thousand euros with some providers. For smokers, the premiums can be significantly higher, often by fifty to one hundred percent. Our expert tip: Take out cancer insurance as early as possible to benefit from lower premiums. The payout in the event of a claim is tax-free and can be used flexibly, for example, for a housekeeper, which can quickly cost several hundred euros per month, or for alternative treatment methods, which often require four-figure amounts. Financial assistance in case of cancer is often essential. This flexibility is a big advantage.
Important paragraphs and current rulings at a glance
Some legal foundations are relevant for understanding your rights and obligations. The Patient Rights Act significantly strengthens the position of patients in relation to doctors and health insurers. It establishes, for example, the right to comprehensive disclosure and information. In the Insurance Contract Act (VVG), the sections on pre-contractual disclosure obligations (§ nineteen to § twenty-three VVG) and waiting periods are particularly important. Recent rulings on the interpretation of insurance clauses in cancer cases are rarely specific to pure cancer insurance but often affect similar risk insurances. In the past, the Competition Centre has criticised misleading advertising for cancer insurance that broadly promised coverage for all types of cancer, even though the conditions included exclusions. Our expert tip: Find out about your options for retroactive cancer insurance if you have already had a pre-existing condition, although this is often challenging. Precise knowledge of the legal situation is important.
Design tips for your optimal insurance coverage
To design the best cancer insurance for you, you should carefully analyze your individual situation and needs. Consider what financial gap might arise in the event of an emergency. Take into account ongoing costs, potential loss of income, and expenses for services not covered by health insurance, which can quickly reach several tens of thousands of euros. Choose a coverage amount that realistically covers this gap. Ensure the policy covers a comprehensive range of different types of cancer, ideally over three hundred. Check the conditions for child insurance; automatic coverage of fifty percent of the insured sum is a good benchmark. Answer the health questions carefully and honestly. Our expert tip: Compare not only the price but also the price-performance ratio and the clarity of the conditions. A specific analysis of providers can be helpful but is not part of this article. A well-considered choice ensures the best possible support.
At nextsure, we are happy to help you find the right coverage for your situation. Our mission is to offer you customized and easy-to-understand insurance solutions.
Request an individual risk analysis now: Have your insurance situation checked free of charge and receive specific suggestions for optimization.
More useful links
Robert Koch Institute (RKI) offers the current report "Cancer in Germany 2023" with comprehensive data and analyses.
Federal Ministry of Health provides information on important aspects of cancer prevention and health risks.
German Cancer Society provides current data on the incidence of cancer and general information on cancer diseases.
Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) publishes press releases that include relevant statistics, also in the health sector.
Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) offers detailed tables on deaths due to cancer in Germany.
Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) provides guidelines for medical care in Germany.
Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) provides information on method evaluation and recommendations for early cancer detection in adults.
Cancer Information Service of the German Cancer Research Centre (DKFZ) offers comprehensive information and current figures on cancer research.
FAQ
Why is cancer insurance important?
It provides financial support in the event of a cancer diagnosis to cover costs not covered by statutory health insurance, such as loss of earnings, alternative therapies, or domestic help. Every year, around five hundred thousand people in Germany are newly diagnosed with cancer.
What should I consider when comparing cancer insurances?
Compare the number of covered cancer types (ideally >300), the maximum insurance sum, conditions for child insurance, waiting periods, health questions, and exclusions.
What happens if I develop cancer during the waiting period?
Most insurers have a waiting period of six months. If you develop cancer during this time, you often have no entitlement to benefits. However, some providers do refund the premiums paid up to that point.
Are children automatically insured?
In many plans, children are automatically insured up to a certain age (e.g. eighteen years) and often with a percentage of the parents' sum insured (e.g. fifty percent).
Can I take out cancer insurance if there are known cases of cancer in my family?
Yes, this is usually possible. Some insurers do not specifically ask about family medical history, while others do. This may affect the premium but does not necessarily lead to rejection.
What is the difference from critical illness insurance?
Critical illness insurance covers a broader range of serious illnesses, including cancer, but also heart attacks or strokes. A pure cancer insurance focuses exclusively on cancer diseases.
