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Private health insurance

More than basic care — private supplementary insurance for your health and well-being.

What is private health insurance?

Private health insurance in Austria supplements statutory health insurance with important additional benefits. It allows a free choice of doctors and hospitals, shorter waiting times, a stay in the special class (Sonderklasse) and access to alternative treatments. It is supplementary insurance — the statutory compulsory insurance remains unchanged.

Why do you need private health insurance?

Statutory health insurance provides solid basic care. In many areas, however, there are clear limits:

  • Shorter waiting times — specialist appointments and operations often within days instead of weeks or months
  • Free choice of doctor — you can see a specialist you trust even if they have no contract with the health insurance fund
  • Special class in hospital — single or double room, treatment by the senior consultant and more privacy
  • Dental insurance — implants, crowns and orthodontic treatment are barely covered by the health insurance fund
  • Alternative treatments — osteopathy, homeopathy and other therapies are reimbursed

What does the insurance cover?

Special class in hospital (Sonderklasse)

Stay in a single or double room, treatment by the senior consultant and free choice of hospital throughout Austria.

Private doctor insurance (Wahlarzt)

Reimbursement of visits to doctors without a health insurance contract — free choice of doctor without financial limits.

Dental insurance

Covers dental treatment, implants, crowns, bridges and orthodontic services.

Alternative treatments

Reimbursement of osteopathy, physiotherapy, psychotherapy and complementary medicine.

Cover abroad

Medical care and repatriation in case of illness or accident abroad.

Preventive check-ups

Covers extended preventive check-ups, screenings and health checks.

Private health insurance modules at a glance

Private health insurance works like a set of building blocks: you choose the modules that suit you – individually or combined.

  • Sonderklasse (inpatient treatment) – a hospital stay in the special class – depending on the tariff in a double or single room –, free choice of the treating doctor in hospital and often shorter waiting times for planned operations. In contract hospitals the hospital settles directly with the insurer; in other hospitals you pay first and are reimbursed up to the maximum amount in your tariff.
  • Private doctor / Wahlarzt (outpatient treatment) – reimbursement for doctors without a health insurance contract – depending on the tariff also medication, physiotherapy, psychotherapy, aids, glasses and alternative medicine. The order matters: first submit the bill to the statutory insurance (Sozialversicherung) and only then to the private insurer – with many tariffs the costs are then reimbursed 100% up to the annual maximum. If the bill goes straight to the private insurer, only 80% is reimbursed. If the statutory insurance refuses to pay, the private insurer also reimburses 80%. Bills can be sent conveniently by email, via the online portal or the insurer’s app.
  • Daily hospital benefit (Spitalgeld / Taggeld) – a fixed amount for every day in hospital – to use as you wish, e.g. for childcare or lost income. A cheaper alternative if you want to stay in the general class in hospital.
  • Krankengeld for incapacity for work – a daily payment if you are completely unable to work after an agreed waiting period – especially important for the self-employed.
  • Teeth – contributions towards dentures, implants and, depending on the tariff, orthodontics – usually with annual limits and in part with waiting periods (see FAQ).
  • Abroad – many tariffs also apply during stays abroad; for travel it is worth having travel insurance as well.

The excess as a lever: with an excess (Selbstbehalt) – usually a percentage for outpatient care and a fixed amount in hospital – the premium falls. Choose it so that you can cover it from your own funds if needed.

Benefits and names vary by insurer and tariff – we compare them for you.

Who is it especially important for?

Private health insurance is particularly worthwhile for:

  • Health-conscious people — who value free choice of doctor and short waiting times
  • Families with children — children’s policies are often particularly affordable and offer broad cover
  • The self-employed — no employer contribution, so private supplementary insurance is especially valuable
  • Older people — the need for medical care increases with age

Which documents are needed?

What we need for an offer

  • Name
  • Date of birth
  • Address
  • Your statutory insurance (e.g. ÖGK, BVAEB or SVS)
  • Occupation and employer – for possible group discounts
  • Desired scope of cover (e.g. Sonderklasse, private doctor, teeth)

To take out the policy, a completed health questionnaire is also required.

For a fair, comparable offer

These details determine the premium: age, place of residence, health and pre-existing conditions, chosen benefits (e.g. special class, doctor, dentist), territorial scope (e.g. Austria, Europe or worldwide) and excess. Having them to hand means you get an offer that can really be compared more quickly.

Why accurate information matters: an offer is only as good as the information it is based on. Anyone who omits or misstates chronic illnesses, ongoing treatment or medication, you risk the insurer withdrawing from the contract or refusing to pay in the event of a claim (§§ 16 ff. VersVG). That is why we prefer to calculate on the basis of complete information — the offer may then not be the cheapest, but you can rely on it.

Frequently asked questions

In principle, no: once you have the policy and the first premium is paid, you are insured. Exceptions apply to some benefits:

  • Childbirth: usually a 9-month waiting period. With some insurers there is no waiting period – but the child must also be insured.
  • Dentures: most insurers apply a waiting period. Some companies, however, offer denture cover with no waiting period at all – in some cases only from age 18; with some, the waiting period only applies to orthodontics for children.

With pre-existing conditions, the insurer may also exclude the condition from cover, charge a risk surcharge or apply a waiting period. We check which insurer offers the best terms in your situation.

As of October 2026 – tariff conditions may change.

Anyone who answers the health questions untruthfully or incompletely takes a big risk:

  • No benefit: if you fall ill, the insurer may refuse to pay.
  • End of contract: the insurer may withdraw from or terminate the contract (§§ 16 ff. VersVG).
  • Premiums lost: premiums already paid are generally not refunded.
  • Hard to start again: anyone whose contract has been cancelled in this way is not easily accepted by other insurers – and any illnesses that have arisen in the meantime come on top.

Our advice: answer the questions completely and have your medical records to hand – better one detail too many than too few. We will gladly help you fill them in.

The order matters: submit the bill first to the statutory insurance (Sozialversicherung) and only then to your private health insurance – with many tariffs the costs are then reimbursed 100% up to the annual maximum.

  • If the bill goes straight to the private insurer, only 80% is reimbursed.
  • If the statutory insurance refuses to pay, the private insurer also reimburses 80%.

Bills can be sent conveniently by email, via the online portal or the insurer’s app.

With pre-existing conditions, this is possible. We check without obligation with several insurers which has the most favourable acceptance rules in your situation.

Yes, that depends on the chosen tariff — from special class with a single room to contributions towards outpatient visits, many things can be combined.

Dentures and major dental treatment are often only covered by a separate module or supplementary tariff — we will gladly show you the options.

For longer stays abroad, it is worth taking out additional travel medical insurance, as the cover of private health insurance abroad may be limited.

Content reviewed by: Agnieszka Valenta, insurance broker · As of October 2026

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