Key takeaways
- The dental insurance company doesn’t cover the dental treatments during the waiting period. Good dental insurance policies don’t have a waiting period.
- Dental insurance doesn’t cover known or existing dental diseases.
- Every dental insurance policy has a reimbursement limit period of 4 to 5 years. During this period, the insurer reimburses only a fixed amount agreed while signing the contract.
- The dental policy costs increase as you age, regardless of whether you have dental problems.
This is how you do it
- Consider getting dental insurance when you turn 35.
- Consider the insurance coverage and costs when getting a dental insurance policy. You should also check the cost over a long period. It’s because some plans might be cheaper now but can get expensive over time.
- We found Concordia (Zahn Sorglos), Deutsche Familienversicherung AG* (Exclusiv 100), Barmenia* (Mehr Zahn 100 + Mehr Zahnvorsorge Bonus), and Feather* (Advanced) among the best dental insurance plans in Germany as of Aug 2024. Feather is an insurance agent and sells Barmenia’s dental insurance plans.
Table of Contents
What are the best dental plans with no waiting period in Germany?
We considered the following while finding the best dental insurance with no waiting period.
- Customer service
- No waiting period
- Competitive insurance premium
- The insurance offers the minimum dental coverage that we recommend.
- Customer reviews on Trustpilot and Check24. We paid particular attention to the reviews where people shared their experiences claiming dental insurance benefits.
- Research from Stiftung Warentest and Finanztip.
In our research, we found
- Deutsche Familienversicherung AG* (Exclusiv 100),
- Barmenia* (Mehr Zahn 100 + Mehr Zahnvorsorge Bonus),
- and Feather* (Advanced)
among the best dental insurance plans in Germany as of 2024. You can read how we found the best dental insurance plans here.
NOTE: Feather is an insurance agent and sells Barmenia’s dental insurance policies. The benefit of taking insurance from Feather is that you can file claims and get customer support in English.
Read our guide on dental insurance plan comparison and test to learn more about how we found the best dental insurance.
Deutsche Familienversicherung Dental Insurance
- Cheaper than Barmenia and Feather.
- Up to 100% reimbursement for dentures, orthodontics, and professional cleaning (up to €200)
- Reimbursements are limited to the maximum GOZ and GÖA factor.
- No waiting period
Get Barmenia Dental Insurance via Feather
- Feather is an insurance agent that sells Barmenia’s dental insurance plans.
- Feather offers services in English.
- Feather is rated 4.9 out of 5 by around one thousand customers on Trustpilot.
Barmenia Dental Insurance
- No limit on professional cleaning and dental treatments (root canal, fillings, etc.)
- Reimbursements are limited to the maximum GOZ and GÖA factor.
- No waiting period
Dental insurance plan comparison
| Services | Deutsche Familienversicherung AG* (DFV) (Exklusiv) | 🟢 Barmenia* / Feather* (Mehr Zahn 100 + Zahnvorsorge Bonus) / (Advanced) |
|---|---|---|
| Main differences | 🟢 Cheaper than Barmenia / Feather. 🟠 The reimbursement limit applies to all treatments for the first four years. However, the limits are high enough to cover the treatment costs under the “Zahnbehandlung” category. | 🟠 Expensive than other options. 🟢 No reimbursement limit on treatments under the “Zahnbehandlung” category. |
| Cost of insurance for a healthy person | 🟢 0-20 Jahre 20,00 € 21-30 Jahre 26,50 € 31-40 Jahre 34,50 € 41-45 Jahre 41,00 € 46-50 Jahre 45,50 € 51-55 Jahre 54,00 € 56-60 Jahre 59,00 € 61-70 Jahre 64,50 € 71-80 Jahre 63,50 € ab 81 Jahre 37,00 € | 0-20 Jahre 16,30 € 21-30 Jahre 21,25 € 31-40 Jahre 34,25 € 41-50 Jahre 45,45 € 51-60 Jahre 62,15 € ab 61 Jahre 73,15 € |
| Trust Pilot rating (as of Apr 2024) | 🟢 4.2 (4292 people rated) | 3.2 (2390 people rated) |
| DENTAL TREATMENT (ZAHNBEHANDLUNG) | ||
| Professional teeth cleaning | up to 200 € per year | 🟢 No limit |
| Periodontal treatment | 100%* (Reimbursement limit period applies) | 🟢 100%* (No reimbursement limit period) |
| Plastic fillings | 100%* (Reimbursement limit period applies) | 🟢 100%* (No reimbursement limit period) |
| Root canal | 100%* (Reimbursement limit period applies) | 🟢 100%* (No reimbursement limit period) |
| DENTURES (ZAHNERSATZ) (Reimbursement limit period applies) | ||
| Inlays | 100%* | 100%* |
| Implants | 100%* | 100%* |
| Crowns | 100%* | 100%* |
| Veneers | Medically necessary | Medically necessary |
| ORTHODONTIC (KIEFERORTHOPÄDIE) (Reimbursement limit period applies) | ||
| Orthodontics | 100% reimbursement (max. 2000€) for medically necessary treatment for adults | 100% reimbursement (max. 2000€) for medically necessary treatment for adults |
| OTHER SERVICES | ||
| Bleaching | 200€ every 3 years | 🟢 200€ every 2 years |
| Anesthesia | 100% | 100% |
| REIMBURSEMENT LIMITS AND PERIODS | ||
| Period of reimbursement limits | 48 months (Insurance year) | 🟢 48 months (Calendar year) |
| Reimbursement limit in the first 4 years | 1st year: 1250 € 2nd year: 2500 € 3rd year: 3750 € 4th year: 5000 € | 🟢 1st year: 1500 € 2nd year: 3000 € 3rd year: 4500 € 4th year: 6000 € |
| Waiting period | No | No |
| The reimbursement amount is limited to the maximum GOZ and GÖA factor | Yes | Yes |
| Reimbursement of treatments not covered in public health insurance | Deduct 30% of the costs and reimburse the rest | 🟢 Deduct 20% of the costs and reimburse the rest |
| GOZ guarantee or innovation guarantee | Yes | Yes |
| Minimum contract term | 🟢 You can cancel the insurance contract anytime. Exception: If you file a claim within 24 months of the start of the contract, you cannot cancel the contract for 12 months. | 12 months |
What is a dental insurance waiting period?
The waiting period is the time during which the dental insurance provider doesn’t cover the dental treatment costs.
The waiting period starts after you sign the contract. It can last from 3 to 6 months, depending on your contract.
However, good dental insurance policies don’t have a waiting period. They have the reimbursement limits instead.
What is the dental reimbursement limit in Germany?
The dental reimbursement limit is the maximum amount your dental insurance policy will cover in the initial years after signing the contract.
Dental insurance companies divide dental coverage into three parts.
- Dental treatment (Zahnbehandlung): Fillings, Root canals, Periodontal diseases, etc.
- Dentures (Zahnersatz): Implants, Inlays, Crowns, Bridges, etc.
- Orthodontics (Kieferorthopädie)
The insurers put different reimbursement limits on each category.
For example, with Barmenia, you can claim 100% of the costs for treatments under the “dental treatment” category (Zahnbehandlung) from day one.
On the other hand, Barmenia limits the maximum amount it’ll reimburse in the first four years for treatments under the “dentures” category (Zahnersatz).
Suppose you find out that you need an implant, and it will cost you around 1700 €. You thought, why not quickly take dental insurance to cover these costs?
However, dental insurance doesn’t work like this. If they did, they would be out of business or charge high premiums.
This is why dental insurance contracts don’t cover existing or known dental problems and have a reimbursement limit for a certain period.
The reimbursement limit lasts 3 to 4 years, depending on your policy. Here is the reimbursement limit for the dental insurance plans we mentioned in this guide.
| Dental Plan | 1st year | 2nd year | 3rd year | 4th year | 5th year |
| Barmenia / Feather (Calendar year) | 1500 € | 3000 € | 4500 € | 6000 € | no limit |
| Deutsche Familienversicherung (Insurance year) | 1250 € | 2500 € | 3750 € | 5000 € | no limit |
Suppose you get a dental implant in the first insurance year that costs 1700 €. In this case, Deutsche Familienversicherung will reimburse only 1250 €, and Barmenia will reimburse 1500€.
The dental insurance providers we found waive the reimbursement limits if you need treatment because of an accident. There are also no or high enough reimbursement limits on preventive dental care, such as professional cleanings.
Does supplementary dental insurance pay immediately?
Yes, if you develop a dental problem the day after getting dental insurance, the company will cover the costs. However, dental insurance companies don’t cover known or existing dental problems.
If your dentist has already told you about the treatment, you can no longer insure it. The same applies if treatment is ongoing.
You cannot lie about your existing dental problems. This is because dental insurance companies check your patient file for recommended and ongoing treatments.
Moreover, if the insurer finds out you lied about your dental health at the time of taking the insurance, they can cancel the contract. Additionally, the insurer may add an entry about you in the central database that other insurers can access.
Hence, it will be difficult for you to get dental or other insurance plans in the future.
Does dental insurance premium increase with age?
Yes, most dental insurance plans have staggered premiums. This means your insurance premium increases as you enter the next age block. However, this has nothing to do with your dental health.
Your dental health is considered only at the time of taking the dental insurance. This is why, it’s beneficial and cheaper to get dental insurance when you have no dental problems.
Here is how dental insurance costs increase with age.
| Age group | Deutsche Familienversicherung (Exklusiv 100) | Barmenia / Feather (Mehr Zahn 100 + Zahvorsorge Bonus) |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to 20 years old | 20 € | 17.5 € |
| 21 to 30 years old | 26.5 € | 23.6 € |
| 31 to 40 years old | 34.5 € | 34.25 € |
| 41 to 45 years old | 41 € | 45.45 € |
| 46 to 50 years old | 45.5 € | 45.45 € |
| 51 to 55 years old | 54 € | 62.15 € |
| 56 to 60 years old | 59 € | 62.15 € |
| 61 to 70 years old | 64.5 € | 73.15 € |
| 71 to 80 years old | 63.5 € | 73.15 € |
| 81 and above | 37 € | 73.15 € |
Suppose you took the dental insurance plan from Deutsche Familienversicherung when you were 36. You’ll pay 34.5 € per month till you are 40. As soon as you turn 41, you’ll pay 41 € per month.
NOTE: Compare the dental insurance services and price before deciding. Also, consider the price over the long term as you usually don’t cancel or change your dental plan after a few years.
The dental plan from DFV* is cheaper in the long run than Barmenia*. With DFV, you can save up to 1962€ over time.
There are many ways to save on dental costs in Germany. One is to deduct dental insurance and treatment costs from taxes.
Read our guide on deducting dental insurance costs from taxes to learn more.
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