FAQs

A health insurance makes you eligible to receive all necessary medical services in all of Germany. However, some health insurance providers offer additional benefits for their clients which are not part of the statutory medical services. This is why it is worthwhile for you to join SBK.

As an SBK member you can freely choose your doctor provided they are authorised by statutory health insurances and your hospital. For outpatient treatments you will find a variety of GPs and specialists working in individual or group practices. Don't forget to bring along your electronic healthcare card, when visiting your doctor or the hospital.

Your electronic healthcare card identifies you as an SBK insurant which makes you eligible to receive all services. You and every co-insured family member receive their electronic healthcare care automatically at the beginning of their membership. Once signed, it is valid. Simply present your electronic healthcare card at the doctor's or in the hospital. Thanks to the integrated chip your data are imported and the physician or other service provider is able to settle the bill with SBK. Your passport photo protects you from unauthorised use of the card.

By the way: We help you find suitable specialists or specialist hospitals

Regardless of which health insurance you are a member of, you are required to pay 10 % of the price of prescribed medication. The co-payment is a minimum of 5 Euro and a maximum of 10 Euro. Children and teenagers up to the age of 18, however, are exempt from any payment. As a matter of principle, health insurances do not pay for over-the-counter medication.

In the following cases you are exempt from paying a deductible: 

You don't need to co-pay if you are a regular user of certain medication. As an insurant, deductibles are limited to a maximum of 2 % of your annual gross earnings. If you are suffering from a serious chronic condition, the deductible limit is at 1 %. In case you reach this limit within a calendar year, make a request for exemption from paying deductibles. Your personal client advisor will be glad to advise you.

All medication necessary for your treatment will be prescribed by your doctor by means of a prescription. You can then obtain this medication in the pharmacy of your choice. SBK will incur the costs – save your co-payment of 5 to 10 Euro. In contrast to other countries, medication cannot be obtained in supermarkets or drugstores.

Regarding visual aids such as glasses or contact lenses, health insurances only take over a part of the costs in case of children and teenagers up to the age of 18 and persons with marked visual impairment.

In Germany, employees and trainees are covered by the statutory unemployment insurance – in case of unemployment or during professional reorientation. 

Should you, for example, become ill while travelling, SBK will under certain conditions pay for your outpatient or inpatient treatment within the EU as well as in Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland.

It is best to dial 112 to call the emergency service, which will generally be at the emergency location within a very short time. The costs for emergency response will be borne by SBK. You only have to co-pay 5 to 10 Euro. In case of acute conditions that are not life-threatening, the non-emergency medical on-call service (Ärztlicher Bereitschaftsdienst) will provide medical attendance by dialling 116 117.

The SBK nursing care fund supports and helps relatives and care-dependent people in the case of long-term care individually and competently be employing nursing care insurance services. Nursing care contributions are regulated by law, will be borne by you and your employer, and calculated based on your gross income – up to the social security contribution ceiling. Your contribution will be higher if you are over 23 years old and have no children. Our dedicated SBK nursing care team will be glad to advise you on all important questions you might have.