What is follow-up cost insurance for cosmetic surgery in Germany?
In short
Follow-up cost insurance for cosmetic surgery (Folgekostenversicherung) pays when complications after a purely aesthetic procedure need treatment. In Germany this matters because your public health fund must make you share those costs under section 52(2) of the Social Code Book V. It is a one-off premium of about EUR 69 to 429 for one year, depending on procedure and tariff.
One-off premiums from one published tariff in Germany, basic and premium level.
Example
Typical range
Liposuction, one procedure
about EUR 69 to 99 for one year
Eyelid lift or ear pinning, facelift
about EUR 69 to 99, facelift about EUR 99 to 149 for one year
Breast augmentation with implant
about EUR 289 to 429 for one year, about EUR 599 to 799 for five years
Tummy tuck
about EUR 169 to 249 for one year
Premiums from one published tariff, as of October 2026; other providers price differently.
The cost of the corrective operation comes from a provider's case example.
Worked example
Breast augmentation with a haematoma
Three weeks after surgery a haematoma forms, the implant shifts and a second operation is needed.
Follow-up cost insurance, one year
about EUR 289 to 429 once
Corrective operation on the shifted implant
about EUR 7,000 in a provider's case example
Share the health fund charges you
reasonable amount, no fixed figure in the law
Sick pay during treatment
can be cut in full or in part
With the policy the insurer pays the fund's share up to the agreed limit; without it you pay that share yourself.
Why the German health fund does not simply pay
If you develop an illness through cosmetic surgery that was not medically indicated, section 52(2) SGB V says the health fund (Krankenkasse) has to make you share the treatment costs. The wording leaves the fund no choice. The same rule applies to tattoos and piercings.
The law does not set a euro amount, it speaks of a reasonable share. The fund can also refuse or reclaim sick pay (Krankengeld) for the time of treatment. Follow-up cost insurance for cosmetic surgery is built to fill exactly this gap.
What follow-up cost insurance pays
Covered are complications that need medical treatment: bleeding, infection, poor wound healing, thrombosis and, with breast implants, capsular contracture depending on the policy. The insurer pays the share the health fund charges you, and some policies also pay private treatment.
In one published tariff the limits for health fund claims are EUR 150,000 to 300,000. Private treatment is capped much lower, at EUR 10,000 to 15,000.
Event after cosmetic surgery
Follow-up cost insurance
Bleeding that needs a second operation
yes, within the term
Infection or wound healing problems
yes
Capsular contracture with breast implants
depends on the policy, sometimes as an add-on
You dislike the result
no, only with a separate satisfaction option
Mistake by the surgeon
usually a matter for the doctor's liability insurance
When you do not need it
If the operation is medically indicated, for example reconstruction after an accident or cancer surgery, section 52(2) SGB V does not apply. The health fund then treats complications like any other illness, and follow-up cost insurance is not needed.
For very small procedures, weigh the one-off premium against the risk. For breast augmentation, tummy tucks or larger liposuction, the cost of a second operation is a real risk.
Before you sign
Plan the policy together with your surgery date, because cover runs from the day of the operation. Check how long it lasts and whether capsular contracture is included, as it often appears months later.
Norman Nammert arranges cover as an insurance broker (Versicherungsmakler) and compares terms for your procedure. The insurer pays the broker's commission, so the service is free for you.
Step by step
Ask your doctor to confirm in writing whether the procedure is medically necessary.
If not, take out follow-up cost insurance before the surgery date.
Choose a term that covers late problems such as capsular contracture.
Compare limits for health fund claims and private clinic treatment.
Keep surgery records and the policy together.
Checklist
Policy starts before the day of surgery
Your procedure is named in the policy
Health fund claims are covered
Capsular contracture included for implants
Term at least one year, longer with implants
Treatment abroad covered if you have surgery outside Germany
Common mistakes
Looking for cover only after the operation
Assuming the health fund pays complications in full
Confusing dissatisfaction with a covered complication
Choosing only one year of cover for implants
Questions and answers
Frequently asked
Does my German health fund refuse to treat complications?
No, it treats you,
but under section 52(2) SGB V it must charge you a reasonable share and may cut sick pay.
What does follow-up cost insurance cost?
About EUR 69 to 429 as a one-off premium for one year, depending on procedure and tariff;
longer terms cost more.
Does the rule also apply to tattoos and piercings?
Yes, section 52(2) SGB V names tattoos and piercings alongside cosmetic operations.
Will it pay if I do not like my new nose?
No, it covers complications that need treatment.
Some providers sell a separate satisfaction option.
What if the surgeon made a mistake?
Then the doctor is liable through professional liability insurance.
Follow-up cost insurance is meant for complications without fault.
