Deductible: per insured event or per year

The three reference periods

Per insured event means the amount may arise again for each individual claim. Per calendar year means the amount relates to the period from 1 January to 31 December.

Per insurance year means the amount relates to the contract year starting on the inception date. Insurance year and calendar year are therefore not the same thing.

• Per insured event: related to the single event.
• Per calendar year: related to the period January to December.
• Per insurance year: related to twelve months from the start of cover.

Simple arithmetic examples of the mechanics

Example A: with a deductible of EUR 100 per insured event and three separate claims, the deductible can arithmetically arise three times, i.e. EUR 300.

Example B: with a deductible of EUR 300 per year, the amount can arithmetically be reached once within the reference period, regardless of the number of claims. These examples serve solely to explain the arithmetic. No statement is made here about which variant is better or more suitable.

Provider information on the reference period

The following overview only reproduces which reference period the provider's published self-pay amount relates to. No amounts are shown here; the relevant insurance terms and provider pages are decisive.

Questions about this page

Is a lower deductible better?

This page does not evaluate that. It only explains what a deductible relates to and how it works arithmetically.

Is the insurance year the same as the calendar year?

No. The insurance year starts on the inception date and runs for twelve months; the calendar year runs from January to December.

Where to verify this authoritatively

Exact amounts and reference periods are set out in the insurance terms (AVB) and on the provider's product pages.

General explanations of the German health insurance system are published by the Federal Ministry of Health.