German private insurance customers have experienced a high rise in fees, according to figures from the country’s Federal State Office.
The Local reports figures from Germany’s Federal Statistical Office for March of this year show payments for private health insurance were 5.3% higher than in March 2020.
The figures also show that in January 2021 contributions were 4.9% higher than in December 2020 – well above the level of the previous turn of the year – from December 2019 to January 2020 when there was a 2.6% rise. A year earlier the increase was 1.7%.
The Federal Statistical Office attributed to the trend to growing healthcare costs, the adverse effects of the coronavirus pandemic and a permanently low interest rate level – which is causing problems for private insurers.