Monthly care allowance BonusMed Care Plus: DKV expands its range of products in company health insurance

With immediate effect, DKV (Deutsche Krankenversicherung AG) is introducing its new monthly care allowance product BonusMed Care Plus – an innovation in the German health insurance market. The fully funded, sustainable monthly care allowance is generally available to companies in virtually every sector with at least 25 employees. All employees are covered and the employer is responsible for paying the premiums. For its part, DKV is waiving the requirement for medical checks and has applied no exclusions. This means that all employees can have insurance cover from day one. There is an entitlement to benefits for all degrees of nursing care – for both home care and inpatient care.

The need for nursing care changes lives – for those affected, their family members and their employers. On top of the growing psychological burden it brings, affecting both those requiring care and the family members who provide it, there are frequently financial concerns. This is because basic statutory insurance is generally insufficient to cover the actual costs – particularly if nursing home care is required. Now, for the first time, DKV is offering a module within the framework of company health insurance that facilitates excellent long term care protection for all employees, regardless of their age or health condition.

“The BonusMed Care Plus monthly allowance is an ideal way to supplement statutory long term care insurance. With our new service offering – something that is unique in the market – we are adding an extremely attractive product to our company health insurance portfolio,” explains Ursula Deschka, member of the Board of Management of ERGO Deutschland AG with responsibility for the health segment.

A special feature of the cover is that ageing reserves are established over the term of the contract. When employees retire or change their employer, they can then continue to finance the product themselves. Ageing reserves are credited according to the person’s age and the length of time they have been insured. In this way, the employer supports employees at an early stage in preparing to make personal provision for long term care. “This is both fair and sustainable, and could even reduce the burden on our social insurance systems,” Ursula Deschka points out.

Customised models for companies with more than 25 employees

With the company long term care insurance product, BonusMed Care Plus, both state-insured and privately insured employees have the security of knowing they will receive a monthly care allowance. The entitlement applies for both care at home and inpatient care – even for those in long term care grade 1.

Employers can choose between two different levels for the monthly allowance. As insurance is mandatory for all employees, there are no waiting times and no health check is required. All employees have immediate cover in the fully agreed scope from day one – something that will be a great relief for employees with existing conditions, who are normally unable to obtain private long term care insurance. This group can now be insured with the DKV product, even if they have already been classified in a long term care grade.

Simplified health check for family members

At their own expense, insured employees may increase the amount of the BonusMed Care Plus monthly allowance, or extend cover to include family members. With just a few clicks of an online application form involving a streamlined health check, they can extend the contract for themselves and their family members.

“By taking out our monthly care allowance plan, employers can demonstrate that their employees are important to them, and that they are prepared to take responsibility for them over and beyond the duration of employment,” says Ursula Deschka.