Long Term Nursing Care - Pflegeversicherung (PV)

There are two types of PV. Pflegeplichtversicherung and Pflegezusatzversicherung. Both are generally referred to as just, Pflegeversicherung, Pflege, PV or PVN

1. Pflegepflichtversicherung - Compulsory Care Insurance. This is a legal requirement (pflicht = compulsory) 2. Pflegezusatzversicherung - Supplemental Care Insurance. This is optional (zusatz = supplemental).

Pflegezusatzversicherung provides similar cover to Pflegepflichtversicherung and can be used as additional cover. It is not an alternative however. Pflegepflichtversicherung should normally be taken regardless of whether Pflegezusatzversicherung or another option is taken or not - but see below*.

PV is a very contentious issue and is often misunderstood. It is not a health insurance – it is a Social Welfare measure. It is subject to a fixed rate of contributions and provides defined benefits, which are purely financial and only for the purpose of remuneration of Carers, Care Homes etc. Any actual health issues must still be covered by normal health insurance. PV is integral in PUBLIC Insurance but for privately insured persons it is only obtainable through German PRIVATE Health insurers. It is normally offered when applying for a German Private Health Insurance, but is nevertheless optional in that the client may select the provider i.e. it does not have to be the same insurer that provides the main health insurance. The onus is upon the individual to ensure that they have compulsory PV.

*Despite the legal requirement for everyone to have Pflegepflichtversicherung, German PRIVATE Health Insurers will not offer it as a stand-alone product (it is effectively non-profit making!). They will only provide it if the client has their own, usually expensive, full health cover also.......which they will not offer to expatriates who have been in Germany less than 2 years!

If anyone has completed an (International) insurance contract with an EEA provider, German health insurers are obliged to conclude with that person a private care insurance if the EEA contract complies with the provisions of § 193 (3) VVG - (VVG Versicherungsvertragsgesetz – Insurance Contract Law).

All the EEA (International) insurances Spectrum offer in Germany are listed on the BaFin data base as approved insurers in Germany and comply with the provisions of § 193(3) VVG

German Insurers with whom we have spoken infer that they will not offer stand-alone Long Term Care Pflegepflichtversicherung ….through Brokers. We take this to mean that they may offer it on a direct approach by the client! They quote the sentence from the Law: …these Undertakings are bound by law to enter into such a contract upon request with – and only with – any person legally required to take out long-term care insurance.We are therefore advising clients who require Pflegepflichtversicherung as a stand-alone product to apply direct to any German Private Insurer.

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