We regularly receive questions about the health insurance excess.
Insured persons aged 18 and over must pay a compulsory amount themselves before their health insurer does. In 2020 this amount is € 385 per year. The compulsory excess does not apply for GP care – consultations with your GP are always free of charge and the excess does not apply for children up to the age of 18.
However, extra examinations that your GP may request (such as blood tests, urine cultures, or pathological examinations) will be charged. It is therefore possible that you will receive a bill from your insurer for these costs afterwards. The same applies to prescribed medication or a consultation or admission to the hospital.
We do not always know the exact costs of the examinations or medication and we recommend that you check this in advance with your pharmacy or the relevant laboratory.