A French-style percentage of a reimbursement base is not a universal European concept. The useful comparison is the real annual cost to you after statutory cover, private insurance and contractual limits.
Start with the national system
First identify what the public or statutory system already covers where you live. Then separate genuinely supplementary insurance from duplicate private access or optional benefits.
Translate the policy into euros
For each service you actually use, write down:
- provider price;
- public or statutory contribution;
- deductible or excess;
- co-payment;
- private insurer payment;
- annual or per-treatment limit;
- amount left for you.
A large percentage is meaningless if you do not know the base to which it applies.
Check networks and authorisation
Private health policies may restrict reimbursement to contracted providers, require referrals or prior approval, or apply different terms outside the network.
Hospital, dental and optical need separate checks
Hospital cover can involve room limits, specialist fees and authorisation. Dental and optical benefits frequently use annual allowances or sub-limits rather than one global percentage.
Compare annual cost, not one treatment
Add the yearly premium to the expected out-of-pocket cost under a realistic set of treatments. Insurance is primarily protection against financial risk, not a guarantee that every year's reimbursements exceed the premium.
Further reading
Your Europe — healthcare systems and treatment abroad. Health-insurance rules differ materially by country, so always read the national and contractual terms.