Supplementary dental insurance: what your health fund pays and what you pay yourself

A crown, a bridge or an implant can quickly become expensive. Here you can read what statutory health insurance covers, what changes from 2027 and what matters in supplementary dental insurance (Zahnzusatzversicherung).

Uygar Vural, SIGNAL IDUNA insurance in Cologne · Updated: 14 October 2026

What your health fund pays for dentures and crowns

For dentures, crowns and bridges (Zahnersatz), statutory health insurance pays a fixed subsidy (Festzuschuss). It is based on the so-called standard care (Regelversorgung), that is, the simple, adequate solution for your diagnosis. Until the end of 2026, the health fund covers 60 percent of these costs without a bonus booklet. From 1 January 2027 it will only be 50 percent.

If you choose higher-quality treatment, for example an implant or a crown fully veneered in ceramic, the subsidy still stays the same. You pay the extra costs yourself. Your own share can quickly add up to several hundred, sometimes even thousands of euros.

The bonus booklet pays off

If you go for check-ups regularly and have them entered in your bonus booklet (Bonusheft), you get more from your health fund:

• after 5 years of uninterrupted check-ups, 70 percent of standard care, from 2027 60 percent,
• after 10 years, 75 percent, from 2027 65 percent.

Adults need one check-up per calendar year for this. If a year is missed, the count usually starts again from zero. So have every visit entered. If your income is low, ask your health fund about the hardship rule (Härtefallregelung).

What changes from 2027

Under a new law, subsidies for dentures and crowns will fall by ten percentage points on 1 January 2027. What matters is when your health fund approves your treatment and cost plan (Heil- und Kostenplan). If it is approved in 2026, the current rates apply. However, the approval is only valid for a limited time, usually six months. If you need dentures or crowns, talk to your dentist about it.

What supplementary dental insurance pays

Depending on the tariff, supplementary dental insurance covers a large part of your own share. Many tariffs also pay for treatment that statutory health insurance does not cover or only partly covers, for example professional teeth cleaning, high-quality composite fillings or certain root canal treatments.

What to look out for

• Reimbursement: what percentage does the tariff pay for dentures and crowns, and does that also apply to implants and inlays, that is, custom-made fillings made of ceramic or gold?
• Limits at the start: many tariffs only pay up to a maximum amount in the first years. Some also have a waiting period.
• Ongoing treatment: anything your dentist has already planned or recommended is usually not covered. Taking out a policy early is therefore worthwhile.
• Cleaning and fillings: are these included, and how often per year?

How I can help

I will show you which SIGNAL IDUNA tariff suits your teeth and your budget. Before you apply, I will explain what each health question means. That way you can answer them completely and correctly.

This article gives a general overview. Exactly what is covered is set out in the terms and conditions of the plan. I am a tied insurance agent (gebundener Versicherungsvertreter) and exclusively arrange products of the SIGNAL IDUNA Group.