The Bavarian Dental Supplementary Insurance: Comprehensive Protection for Your Smile
19 Apr 2025
8
Minutes
Katrin Straub
CEO at nextsure
High dental costs can quickly become a financial burden. A dental supplementary insurance from Bayerische provides you with protection against unexpected expenses and ensures high-quality dental care. Discover how you can optimally protect your dental health with the right plans.
The topic in brief and concise terms
The Bavarian Dental Supplementary Insurance offers plans (Smart, Komfort, Prestige) with up to 100% coverage for dental treatment and dentures, often with no waiting times.
The additional module ZAHN Sofort provides benefits for already recommended treatments for a monthly surcharge of 29.90 euros.
Stiftung Warentest repeatedly rated the ZAHN Prestige tariff as a test winner with the grade "very good" (0.5).
Understanding the range of services offered by Bavarian supplementary dental insurance
Die Zahnzusatzversicherungen der Bayerischen bieten je nach Tarifumfang eine breite Palette an Leistungen. Dazu zählen Erstattungen für Zahnbehandlungen wie Kunststofffüllungen, Wurzel- oder Parodontalbehandlungen. Auch hochwertiger Zahnersatz wie Inlays, Kronen, Brücken und Implantate ist in den meisten Tarifen mit bis zu hundert Prozent der Kosten abgedeckt. Die professionelle Zahnreinigung ist in der Regel ebenfalls ein fester Bestandteil der Tarife. Einige Tarife, wie der ZAHN Prestige, übernehmen sogar Kosten für Bleaching oder kieferorthopädische Maßnahmen für Erwachsene bis zu 2.000 Euro.
Particularly noteworthy is that many tariffs from Bayerische can be taken out without waiting periods, allowing you to claim benefits immediately after the contract begins. For recommended or already started treatments, there is also the optional component ZAHN Sofort, which can be added for 29.90 Euros per month and provides up to 1,500 Euros over 24 months. The tariffs ZAHN Komfort and ZAHN Prestige also cover orthodontic benefits for children and adults. Find out more about the details of the dental insurance to find the right coverage for you.
Tariff options of Bayerische in detail: Smart, Komfort and Prestige
Die Bayerische offers three main dental insurance plans: ZAHN Smart, ZAHN Komfort and ZAHN Prestige. The ZAHN Smart plan is designed as an entry-level option, covering dental treatments and prosthetics at 75 percent, with an annual allowance of 80 euros for professional teeth cleaning. The ZAHN Komfort plan increases reimbursement for dental treatments to 100 percent, for prosthetics to eighty to ninety percent (one hundred percent for standard care), and for professional teeth cleaning up to 150 euros per year. The premium plan ZAHN Prestige reimburses both dental treatments and prosthetics at 100 percent and offers up to 200 euros annually for professional teeth cleaning and bleaching. All plans come without waiting periods. The ZAHN Komfort plan also allows for an increase in the reimbursement rate for prosthetics from eighty to ninety percent through a bonus booklet maintained over five years. A comparison of dental insurance plans can help in the selection process.
Here is an overview of the core benefits:
ZAHN Smart: 75 percent for dental treatment and prosthetics, 80 euros for teeth cleaning.
ZAHN Komfort: 100 percent for dental treatment, 80-90 percent for prosthetics (100 percent for standard care), 150 euros for teeth cleaning.
ZAHN Prestige: 100 percent for dental treatment and prosthetics, 200 euros for teeth cleaning/bleaching.
ZAHN Prestige Plus: In addition to Prestige up to 250 euros for prophylaxis and bleaching, as well as additional extras.
The choice of the right plan heavily depends on your individual needs and desired level of coverage.
Costs and contribution structure of Bavarian dental supplementary insurance
The monthly contributions for a dental supplementary insurance with Bayerische vary depending on the selected plan and the age of the insured person. The introductory plan ZAHN Smart is available from as little as €4.80 per month. For the plan ZAHN Komfort, contributions start at around €16.50 per month, while the high-performance plan ZAHN Prestige is available from €17.50 per month. It is important to note that contributions can increase with age, as the risk of dental treatments tends to rise. Bayerische also takes the place of residence into account when calculating contributions, which can lead to varying regional costs. An exact calculation is possible via Bayerische's online calculator. The minimum contract duration is typically two years. Consider what a dental supplementary insurance should cost to plan your budget.
Immediate protection and regulations for existing treatment needs
One major advantage of many tariffs of the Bavarian dental insurance is the waiver of general waiting periods. This means that you can immediately access benefits for dental cleaning, treatments, and dentures right after signing the contract. This is particularly relevant if unexpected dental problems occur. For cases where treatment was already recommended or even started before signing the contract, the Bavarian offers the additional module ZAHN Immediate. This module can be added to any main tariff for a monthly fee of 29.90 Euros and provides up to 1,500 Euros spread over two years (maximum 750 Euros per calendar year). The term of the ZAHN Immediate module automatically expires after two years, while the chosen main tariff continues unchanged. This option offers valuable protection, even if the dental visit is already scheduled. A comparison of dental insurance plans without waiting periods can bring clarity here.
Meaning of Bonus Booklet and Statutory Health Insurance Benefits
The bonus booklet also plays a role in Bayerische's dental supplementary insurance, particularly in the ZAHN Komfort tariff. Through regular dental check-ups, documented in the bonus booklet, the reimbursement rate for dental prostheses can increase from eighty percent to ninety percent after five years. The preliminary benefits from the statutory health insurance (GKV) are taken into account when calculating the reimbursement of the supplementary dental insurance. Bayerische's tariffs top up the GKV fixed allowance, so depending on the tariff, up to one hundred percent of the total costs are covered. For example, the GKV often covers only about 255 euros for an implant with a ceramic crown that costs around 2,300 euros. The supplementary dental insurance significantly reduces the remaining personal contribution. It is advisable to submit treatment and cost plans to the insurer before treatment begins; although this does not affect the performance with Bayerische, it serves to clarify the expected reimbursement. The tax deductibility can be another aspect.
Expert opinions and test results on the Bavarian dental supplementary insurance
The rates of Bayerische supplementary dental insurance are regularly evaluated by independent testers. Stiftung Warentest, for example, has repeatedly awarded the ZAHN Prestige tariff the top grade of “very good” (0.5 in issue 08/2024) and named it the test winner. Such evaluations can provide guidance when choosing a tariff. In the 2024 test, a total of 287 tariffs were examined. However, it is important not only to pay attention to test results but also to consider individual needs and the desired scope of services. Bayerische itself emphasizes that in the event of a claim, the money is often in the insured's account within ten days. When choosing a supplementary dental insurance for orthodontic braces in adults, specific tariff details should be considered.
Important criteria in tests often include:
Reimbursement amount for dental prostheses (e.g., implants, crowns).
Services for dental treatments (e.g., fillings, root canal treatments).
Costs for professional teeth cleaning.
Regulations on waiting periods and limit amounts in the early years.
These aspects help to assess the quality and suitability of a tariff.
Special services: Orthodontics and additional extras
In addition to the standard services for dental treatment and dentures, some plans from Bayerische also cover orthodontic treatments. The ZAHN Komfort and ZAHN Prestige plans include benefits for children and adults. For example, under the ZAHN Prestige plan, up to 1,500 Euros will be reimbursed during the entire contract period where there is a preliminary service from the statutory health insurance (GKV), or up to 2,000 Euros without any preliminary GKV service. This also applies to modern methods such as invisible braces (Invisalign) or lingual technique. Under the ZAHN Prestige Plus plan, orthodontic measures are reimbursed regardless of age at eighty to one hundred percent, with a budget of up to 2,000 Euros. Depending on the plan, additional extras might include coverage for an electric toothbrush in the first insurance year (e.g., in the Prestige plan) or a voucher. Special pain relief methods such as acupuncture, hypnosis, or anesthesia can also be reimbursed up to 200 Euros per calendar year under the ZAHN Prestige plan. For families, the insurance for children's braces is an important consideration. Those who wonder whether they are allowed to have two supplementary dental insurances should closely examine the contract conditions; Bayerische excludes this in its conditions for the ZAHN Prestige plan.
Important Contract Aspects and Application Process
Conclusion: Finding the right protection for your dental health
More useful links
Das Bundesgesundheitsministerium provides information about dental treatment in Germany.
Die Bundeszahnärztekammer offers data and figures on the dental profession in Germany.
Die Bundeszahnärztekammer presents the results of the German Oral Health Study (DMS).
Die Kassenzahnärztliche Bundesvereinigung publishes its Statistical Yearbook with relevant data.
Wikipedia offers an article on the fee schedule for dentists (GOZ).
Das Statistische Bundesamt (Destatis) provides tables on health expenditures by type of service.
Der GKV-Spitzenverband delivers key figures on statutory health insurance (GKV).
Die AOK presents facts and figures about dentists.
Die Stiftung Warentest offers a test report on dental insurance supplements.
FAQ
What are the benefits of dental supplementary insurance from Bayerische?
Die Bayerische offers up to one hundred percent cost reimbursement, no waiting times in many tariffs, an immediate module for ongoing treatments, and award-winning tariffs like ZAHN Prestige.
How quickly does the Bayerische reimburse the costs?
According to Bavarian authorities, the money is often in the insured's account within ten days in the event of a claim.
Are professional teeth cleanings insured with Bayerische?
Yes, professional dental cleaning is included in every plan of the Bayerische supplementary dental insurance, with the reimbursement amount varying depending on the plan (e.g., 80 euros for Smart, up to 200 euros for Prestige).
What does the ZAHN Prestige tariff of the Bayerische cover?
The ZAHN Prestige plan reimburses one hundred percent of the costs for dental treatment and prosthetics, up to 200 euros per year for professional teeth cleaning and bleaching, as well as orthodontics up to 2,000 euros.
Can I take out supplementary dental insurance with Bayerische if treatment is already planned?
Yes, with the additional module ZAHN Sofort, you can also receive reimbursement for already recommended or ongoing treatments. This costs an additional 29.90 euros per month.
How important is the bonus booklet for the services of Bayerische?
In the ZAHN Komfort plan, a seamlessly maintained bonus booklet over five years can increase the reimbursement rate for dental prostheses from eighty percent to ninety percent.
