– Consumer advocates often consider hearing aid insurance to be superfluous. But there are cases for which it is generally worth taking out insurance.
Hearing aids are delicate and expensive. If one falls to the ground, it can break. Is hearing aid insurance worthwhile for these and other cases? This is a question that many might ask themselves.
Consumer protection is skeptical. “Hearing aid insurance is often not worthwhile,” says Julia Alice Böhne from the Association of Insured Persons in Hamburg. Above all, if the health insurance covers the costs for the hearing aid in full without the insured person having to pay a personal contribution, a corresponding policy makes no sense: “In such a case, the health insurance company also pays for repairs and maintenance.”
In addition, those with statutory health insurance can according to Stiftung Warentest usually require follow-up care every six years – i.e. a new hearing aid. If hearing deteriorates, this is also more likely.
Capped assumption of costs upon purchase
According to the consumer advice center in North Rhine-Westphalia, the statutory health insurance companies usually cover costs of 685 euros per hearing aid and a flat rate for individually manufactured earpieces of 33.50 euros. The insurers also pay a service fee for repair work of around 125 euros.
However, there are also insured persons who want a higher-quality, more visually appealing and therefore more expensive hearing aid. In this case, insured persons have to pay a high co-payment. It may then be worthwhile if the insured insure themselves against a total loss or loss.
“It remains to be seen whether this absolutely has to be hearing aid insurance,” says Böhne. From their point of view, it is better to put a certain amount aside just in case.
Important to know: According to the Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (Bafin), the provider of hearing aid insurance does not pay if the insured person can take out another insurance policy – such as liability or household goods.
Deductible in the event of an insurance claim
If damage or loss occurs, the insured often have to assume part of the costs. “Such a deductible is provided for in most tariffs,” says consumer advocate Böhne. From their point of view, this also raises the question of whether taking out hearing aid insurance is worth it.
According to Bafin, the insurer often only pays once per damage category within the contract period. This means: If the hearing aid breaks twice within the contract period of, for example, three years, the insurer will not pay for the second case in case of doubt. In principle, the policy does not pay for manufacturing defects. Customers can then claim the statutory warranty.
If customers decide to take out insurance, one thing is fundamentally important: “Customers should always agree with the provider on replacement value compensation for the hearing aid in the event of loss – and not current value compensation,” advises Böhne.
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