German private health insurance splits policyholders into three tariff worlds: Alte, Neue, and Unisex, and the one that applies to you depends almost entirely on your contract start date. If you signed up before 2009, gender-based pricing and older reserve rules may still shape your premium; if you joined after 2009, unisex pricing applies automatically. The key action item for almost everyone: check what happens to your Alterungsrückstellungen before considering any switch, and look at an internal change with your current insurer first.
TL;DR:
- The Basistarif accepts nearly anyone eligible for private insurance, bars risk surcharges, and caps contributions near the statutory maximum, but usually sacrifices supplementary benefits.
- The Standardtarif mainly serves policyholders with contracts signed before 2009 who meet conditions such as age 55, pension status, or financial need.
- An internal switch under Section 204 VVG generally preserves reserves without a new health check; external moves can trigger underwriting, surcharges, or exclusions for added benefits.
- Contracts signed before January 1, 2009 follow older reserve transfer rules; contracts from December 21, 2012 onward use unisex pricing.
- Before comparing premiums, get your exact reserve amount and tariff code in writing, then request an individualized contribution comparison from your insurer.
Table of Contents
- What separates the Alte, Neue, and Unisex tariff worlds
- Basistarif vs Standardtarif: eligibility, caps, and why they matter
- How switching actually works under § 204 VVG
- Your checklist for identifying your tariff world and next steps
- How we help you make sense of your tariff world
- Why the standard advice on tariff switching misses the point
- Get a free tariff check from My Healthcare Broker
- FAQ
- Sources
What separates the Alte, Neue, and Unisex tariff worlds
The "Alte Welt" covers contracts signed before January 1, 2009. Insurers in this group could set premiums separately for men and women, and the aging reserves attached to these policies follow older transfer rules that often make switching insurers financially unattractive. If you have held your policy since the 1990s or early 2000s, you likely built up a substantial reserve that would not move with you cleanly to a new provider.
The "Neue Welt" applies to contracts from January 1, 2009 onward, after legislative reforms improved portability. Reserves in this group transfer more predictably when you change insurers, and the regulatory framework gave policyholders clearer rights around switching tariffs within their own company.
The "Unisex Welt" is not a separate time period so much as a pricing rule: since December 21, 2012, EU gender-pricing rules have required that new contracts use identical premiums for men and women. Anyone who signed up from that date forward sits in a unisex-priced tariff regardless of whether their contract otherwise falls under Neue Welt provisions.
Two people with nearly identical health profiles and ages can pay noticeably different premiums today purely based on when they signed their contract and which pricing rules applied at that moment. A man who signed in 2007 under Alte Welt rules might pay a different rate than a woman who signed in 2015 under Unisex rules, even with the same insurer and similar coverage.
- Alte Welt: pre-2009 contracts, gender-differentiated pricing, older reserve transfer rules.
- Neue Welt: post-2009 contracts, improved portability, clearer switching rights.
- Unisex Welt: contracts from December 2012 onward, identical pricing for men and women.
Basistarif vs Standardtarif: eligibility, caps, and why they matter
These two tariffs exist as safety nets, not everyday options, and confusing them can lead you to the wrong conclusion about your choices. The Basistarif has existed since 2009 and every private insurer must offer it. Insurers cannot reject an eligible applicant, cannot apply risk surcharges, and the benefits must be broadly comparable to statutory health insurance.
The Standardtarif, by contrast, is available primarily to people with contracts from before January 1, 2009, often tied to conditions like reaching age 55, drawing a pension, or demonstrating financial need. Switching into it typically happens within your existing insurer rather than by moving providers.
- Basistarif: open to nearly anyone eligible for private insurance, contribution capped near the statutory maximum, no risk surcharges allowed.
- Standardtarif: limited mostly to older, pre-2009 contracts, contribution also capped near the statutory ceiling, but with narrower eligibility conditions.
- Both tariffs trade some flexibility and extras for a hard ceiling on what you pay, which matters most for policyholders worried about affordability later in life.
If you are considering either tariff, understand that moving into one usually means giving up supplementary benefits you may have grown used to, so weigh that trade-off against the premium relief before applying.
How switching actually works under § 204 VVG
§ 204 VVG gives you a statutory right to switch tariffs within your own insurer and to take your accumulated Alterungsrückstellungen with you when you do. This is different from switching to a different insurer entirely, where reserve portability is far more limited and underwriting can reopen.
Alterungsrückstellungen exist to smooth out the cost of aging over your policy life, and how they transfer depends heavily on whether your contract predates 2009. An internal switch, within your current insurer, generally preserves these reserves without a new health check. Moving insurers can sometimes allow reserve transfer for post-2009 contracts, but it may also trigger new underwriting for any added benefits (Mehrleistungen), and legal precedent confirms insurers can lawfully apply risk surcharges or exclusions on those extra benefits, even without proof that your personal risk has changed.
Tarifwechsel-Leitlinien published by the industry require insurers to give you transparent, individualized guidance on switching, including the effect on your contribution and any surcharges. Before you act, work through these questions:
- What is my current Alterungsrückstellung, and will it transfer fully if I switch internally versus externally?
- Does the target tariff include benefits my current one lacks, and could that trigger a risk surcharge or exclusion?
- Has my insurer given me a written comparison of contributions before and after the switch?
- Am I close to a milestone (age 55, retirement) that might open Standardtarif eligibility?
Pro Tip: Ask your insurer for the switch comparison in writing before you sign anything. A verbal estimate rarely matches the final contribution once surcharges are applied.
Your checklist for identifying your tariff world and next steps
Start by pulling your original policy documents and locating three details: your contract start date, your tariff code, and your most recent premium notice. These three items tell you almost everything about which tariff world you sit in and what options are realistically open.
- Confirm your contract date against the 2009 and December 2012 cutoffs to place yourself in Alte, Neue, or Unisex Welt.
- Note your tariff code exactly as written on your policy, since insurers use it to determine switching eligibility.
- Check whether you meet Basistarif or Standardtarif conditions, particularly age or pension status for the latter.
- Ask your insurer directly what your documented Alterungsrückstellung amount is as of your last statement.
Industry guidance consistently points to internal tariff switching as the first cost-management move, since it preserves your accrued reserves and avoids a fresh underwriting event. If your insurer cannot give you a clear answer on reserve transfer or keeps quoting figures that shift between calls, that is a signal to bring in independent advice rather than negotiate alone. For a deeper look at how these reserves work in practice, our explanation of Alterungsrückstellungen walks through the mechanics in plain English, and readers weighing cost levers more broadly may find this comparison of PKV cost-saving options useful as a starting point.
How we help you make sense of your tariff world
We provide consultancy that explains, in plain English, what your Alterungsrückstellungen are worth and whether an internal switch or a new insurer makes more financial sense. We do not sell policies for a single insurer, so our recommendations are not tied to any one company's product line.
When you share your policy number, tariff code, last premium notice, and a short summary of your medical history, it is often possible to gain clarity within one review on whether your reserves transfer cleanly, what an internal switch might save, and whether Basistarif or Standardtarif eligibility applies to your situation. Many clients find that initial discussions help clarify which options to pursue and which ones to skip. Our guide to private health insurance in Germany covers the broader PKV landscape if you want more context before reaching out.
Why the standard advice on tariff switching misses the point
Most guidance on this topic treats tariff switching as a simple cost comparison exercise: find a cheaper tariff, switch, save money. That framing ignores the real variable that decides whether switching makes sense, which is how much of your Alterungsrückstellung you actually keep. A tariff with a lower headline premium can cost you more over a decade if it forces you to forfeit reserves you spent fifteen years building.
The conventional wisdom also underweights how much insurers are legally allowed to adjust for added benefits during a switch. A richer tariff rarely comes free, even internally, and the surcharge math is often opaque until you ask for it in writing.
If there is one priority worth acting on first, it is this: get your exact reserve figure and your tariff code in writing before you compare a single premium quote. Everything else, including whether Basistarif or Standardtarif even applies to you, follows from that number.
— Marco
Get a free tariff check from My Healthcare Broker
We offer a free eligibility and tariff check that looks at your current contract, your tariff world, and whether an internal switch, a provider change, or a move into Basistarif or Standardtarif fits your situation.
- Send us your policy number, tariff code, and most recent premium notice to start.
- We review your Alterungsrückstellung transferability and flag any likely surcharges before you commit to anything.
- You get a plain-English summary of your realistic options, with no obligation to act on any of them.
Start your free review on our eligibility check page and we will walk you through what your tariff world actually means for your wallet.
This article is general information, not a substitute for advice from a qualified doctor. Consult a qualified healthcare professional about your own circumstances before acting on anything here.
FAQ
Welche Tarife gibt es in der PKV?
Private health insurers offer standard tariffs alongside two protective options: the Basistarif, open to nearly anyone eligible for private cover, and the Standardtarif, limited mostly to pre-2009 contracts under specific conditions. Your pricing also depends on whether your contract falls under the Alte, Neue, or Unisex tariff world.
Was ist besser, Standard- oder Basistarif?
Neither is universally better since eligibility differs: the Standardtarif is generally restricted to older contracts and specific life circumstances like retirement, while the Basistarif is open to a wider group and carries no risk surcharges. The right choice depends on your contract date, age, and whether you meet Standardtarif conditions at all.
Ist die PKV im Alter nicht mehr bezahlbar?
Affordability concerns are real but manageable: both the Basistarif and Standardtarif cap contributions near the statutory health insurance maximum, which limits how high your premium can climb. An internal tariff switch that preserves your Alterungsrückstellung is usually the first and most effective step before considering these capped tariffs.
Was ist besser, Bisex oder Unisex-Tarif?
Contracts signed before December 21, 2012 could use gender-differentiated, sometimes called "bisex," pricing, while anyone signing afterward falls under mandatory unisex pricing with identical premiums for men and women. Which is "better" depends entirely on your individual pricing under your specific contract rather than the pricing model itself, so a direct comparison requires reviewing your actual tariff code.
Sources
- Basistarif in der privaten Krankenversicherung | Bundesgesundheitsministerium
- Tarifwechsel-Leitlinien für Leistungen und Wahlfreiheit | PKV