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Denial reasons for private health insurance applications

In Germany, private insurers can reject applications based on their own risk assessment and eligibility criteria.

Justina avatar
Written by Justina
Updated this week

1. Pre-existing health conditions

Your current or past health plays a big role in the application process. Conditions such as asthma, a history of mental health therapy, chronic illnesses, or ongoing use of certain medications can make it hard to get covered. Insurers assess the risk of high future costs and may deny coverage to manage their risk pool.


2. Financial stability

Insurers check your financial stability to make sure you can afford the monthly premiums over time. This check can include reviewing your credit history (such as Schufa) and other documents, depending on your employment status.

For employees

Your employment contract must be valid 12 months from the start date of the insurance in order to secure acceptance.

For freelancers

This can involve submitting contracts, tax declarations, and bank statements that confirm that your income is above the threshold within the following 12 months.


3. Occupational Risk

Some jobs come with higher risks. For example, if you work as a pilot or in other high-risk professions, insurers may deny your application or charge much higher premiums.


4. Gaps in health insurance

If you have lived in Germany for more than 3 years and have a gap in your health insurance history, private insurers may see this as a risk and deny your application.

Before applying, you can check which insurance fits your lifestyle best by using our recommendation tool.

If your private health insurance application is denied, our team will automatically send you an alternative health insurance option via email.

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