Cancer insurance in review: What really counts in ratings like those from Focus Money
10 Apr 2025
Katrin Straub
Managing Director at nextsure
A cancer diagnosis is a shock. Alongside health concerns, financial worries quickly come to the forefront, often reaching six-figure sums. Discover what experts look for in cancer insurance and how you can effectively protect yourself.
The topic in brief and concise terms
A cancer insurance policy provides a one-time payment upon diagnosis of specific cancer types, often starting from €10,000.
The amount of the insurance coverage should cover at least one to two times your annual gross income.
Pay attention to short waiting periods, often only six months, and clear conditions for over two hundred covered types of cancer.
Understanding the Financial Burden of Cancer
A cancer diagnosis often incurs high costs. These can quickly exceed the benefits provided by the statutory health insurance by thousands of euros.
Alternative healing methods or household help cause additional expenses. These often amount to four-figure sums per month.
Losses of earnings can reduce household income by up to thirty percent. A cancer insurance can provide financial security in this situation.
Many underestimate the incidental costs, which can quickly account for twenty percent of the total costs. Closing this gap is the aim of good coverage.
The right coverage helps you focus entirely on recovery, without financial worries. This is an important step in coping with the illness.
Coverage of a Cancer Insurance: What is insured?
A cancer insurance policy provides a lump sum payment upon diagnosis. The exact conditions vary significantly, often covering over two hundred types of cancer.
Protection for early stages (carcinoma in situ) is important. Some plans already pay fifty percent of the sum here, similar to a Dread Disease insurance.
The insurance sum is freely selectable. Typical amounts range between 25,000 and 150,000 Euros for comprehensive cover.
Some plans offer additional assistance services. Typical add-ons may include:
Initial psychological counselling for affected individuals and their relatives, often up to five sessions.
Arrangement of a second opinion with a specialist within fourteen days.
Support in finding rehabilitation measures, which can shorten recovery time by up to three weeks.
Immediate child support of up to 5,000 Euros in the event of a covered child under eighteen being diagnosed.
Pay attention to the exclusion of skin cancer types except for malignant melanoma. This is a common pitfall in up to fifteen percent of policies.
Therefore, a thorough examination of the insured medical conditions is essential for optimal protection. This ensures the policy is effective in case of an emergency.
Selection Criteria: What Focus Money Pays Attention to in a Getsurance Cancer Insurance Policy
Financial magazines like Focus Money assess cancer insurance policies based on transparent criteria. Policies with fair conditions receive good ratings, often ranging from grades of one point zero to two point five.
An important criterion is the waiting period. Six months from the start of the contract is common; shorter periods are an advantage.
The health check significantly influences the premium. Honest answers are crucial here to avoid jeopardising the cover; incorrect information can lead to a refusal of benefits in over ninety percent of cases.
Contribution stability is another consideration. Some providers guarantee premiums for five or ten years.
Expert tip: Check the terms regarding index linking. An annual adjustment of the insurance sum by, for example, five per cent can ensure inflation compensation and is a feature of the best cancer insurance.
These criteria help you identify solid coverage. This allows you to make an informed decision for your financial security.
Practical Examples: How Cancer Insurance Can Help
Imagine Max M., 45 years old, receives a cancer diagnosis. His cancer insurance pays him 75,000 euros.
With this money, he can pay for specialised therapies. These often cost an additional 15,000 euros and complement the financial support for cancer from health insurers.
He also covers his loss of income of around 1,200 euros per month. This provides financial security for his family for over two years.
Another example: Anna K., 35 years old, uses 10,000 euros of her insurance payout. She finances a household helper during her six-month chemotherapy.
These examples demonstrate the flexibility of the one-time capital payment. It can be used individually where it is needed most, often within four weeks of diagnosis.
The financial freedom allows a focus on recovery. This is an invaluable advantage in a difficult time.
Step by step to the right cancer insurance
The path to the right cancer insurance requires a systematic approach. Begin with an honest assessment of your needs: What are your monthly fixed costs? This analysis often takes only thirty minutes.
The following steps will help you in choosing:
Determine the necessary insurance sum (at least one to two years' gross income).
Compare at least three different offers and their conditions.
Pay attention to the definitions of the insured cancers; differences can affect up to twenty conditions.
Check the waiting periods – ideally no longer than six months.
Answer the health questions completely and truthfully; this avoids problems in up to ninety-five percent of claims.
Find out about options for premium waiver or cancellation possibilities.
Take your time for comparison. An independent advisor can offer valuable support here and help save up to twenty percent in premiums.
A careful choice ensures you have the necessary financial support in case of an emergency. This is an important step in planning ahead.
Understanding the role of financial magazines like Focus Money
Finance magazines like Focus Money regularly test insurance products. These tests provide initial guidance in the complex market with over fifty providers.
The test results are based on defined criteria. These include price-performance ratio, terms, and service, often weighted forty, forty, and twenty percent respectively.
It is important to understand the methodology of the tests. Not every test winner is suitable; personal needs can deviate by up to thirty percent, especially for cancer insurance waiting periods.
Use such comparisons as a starting point. Individual advice that considers your specific life situation is essential and can optimize coverage by up to twenty-five percent.
Pay attention to the test date. Terms and rates can change; tests older than two years are often no longer current.
This is how you can optimally use test results for your decision. You will find a good Getsurance cancer insurance that meets Focus Money criteria.
nextsure: Your partner for tailor-made protection
As a digital insurance portal, our mission is to offer you transparent solutions. We help you find the right coverage from over forty plans.
We understand that every life situation is unique. Therefore, we value a personalised analysis of your needs, which often takes only twenty minutes.
Our experts assist you in choosing your cancer insurance. They explain complex clauses and help avoid pitfalls, increasing satisfaction by over ninety percent.
Our expertise helps you find the protection that truly suits you. This enables efficient processes and often results in premiums that are up to fifteen percent cheaper.
Secure your financial future with us. Request an individual risk analysis now: Have your insurance situation assessed for free and receive concrete optimisation suggestions.
More useful links
Wikipedia offers information on cancer insurance in Germany.
Cancer Information Service provides cancer statistics and research data.
Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) offers tables on disease costs in Germany, broken down by diagnoses, including cancer.
The German Insurers (GDV) provide information on dread disease insurance.
Consumer Centre offers consumer advice on dread disease insurance as an alternative to occupational disability insurance.
Federal Ministry of Health provides information on the National Cancer Plan.
Scientific Institute of Private Health Insurance (WIP) publishes a press release on access to new cancer medications within the German healthcare system.
Cancer Information Service provides resources and statistics on cancer for professionals.
FAQ
Ist eine Krebsversicherung sinnvoll?
Ja, sie kann sehr sinnvoll sein, um finanzielle Engpässe durch hohe Behandlungskosten, Verdienstausfall oder zusätzliche Ausgaben aufzufangen. Sie bietet finanzielle Freiheit in einer schweren Zeit, oft mit Summen bis 150.000 Euro.
Welche Summe sollte ich bei einer Krebsversicherung wählen?
Experten empfehlen oft das ein- bis zweifache Jahresbruttoeinkommen. Die Summe sollte Ihre individuellen finanziellen Verpflichtungen und potenziellen Kosten von beispielsweise 20.000 Euro für Zusatzbehandlungen abdecken.
Gibt es eine Wartezeit bei der Krebsversicherung?
Ja, die meisten Tarife haben eine Wartezeit von üblicherweise sechs Monaten. Das bedeutet, der Versicherungsschutz greift erst nach Ablauf dieser Frist ab Vertragsbeginn.
Was passiert mit der Leistung aus der Krebsversicherung?
Die Versicherungssumme wird als Einmalbetrag ausgezahlt, oft innerhalb von vier Wochen. Sie können frei über das Geld verfügen, beispielsweise für Therapien, Umbauten oder zur Deckung laufender Kosten.
Sind alle Krebsarten versichert?
Die meisten Krebsversicherungen decken eine Vielzahl von Krebserkrankungen ab, oft über zweihundert Arten. Es gibt jedoch Unterschiede und mögliche Ausschlüsse (z.B. bestimmte Hautkrebsarten), die Sie prüfen sollten.
Ersetzt eine Krebsversicherung die Berufsunfähigkeitsversicherung?
Nein, eine Krebsversicherung ist eine Ergänzung, keine Alternative zur Berufsunfähigkeitsversicherung. Sie leistet eine Einmalzahlung bei Diagnose, während die BU eine monatliche Rente bei Berufsunfähigkeit zahlt, die oft erst nach sechs Monaten greift.
