Supplementary Insurances

A supplementary health insurance helps you cover your expenses. Bear in mind that health services are deductible for tax purposes.
In Italy, nearly 15 million citizens benefit from some form of supplementary health care. However, many retirees and professionals – working as employees, freelancers or in craft undertakings – are not aware of the fact that their professional activity already gives them access to a supplementary health insurance and its benefits.

Categories of members
In most cases, it is very easy to determine whether you have access to the benefits of a supplementary health insurance.

Are you an employee?
In your pay check, verify if there is any reference to deductions that are paid into the national health fund or health insurance scheme..
Alternatively, ask the personnel office or the workers’ representatives in your company for further information.

Are you a registered freelancer?
Ask your professional association for information or visit their website.

Are you retired?
Contact your former employer or the workers’ representative to check the benefits connected to your past work contract; in some cases, the supplementary health insurance you had access while still employed can be extended into retirement.

WHAT IS A SUPPLEMENTARY HEALTH INSURANCE?

A supplementary health insurance is a form of protection which can complement and/or replace the national coverage in the field of healthcare services. It can be taken out autonomously, be granted by an employer to all of his employees or be included in the rights listed in the national collective bargaining agreements (in Italian: CCNL), the complementary company-level agreements as well as the rules of the various professional associations.

Direct and indirect reimbursement
A supplementary health insurance guarantees a total or partial reimbursement of the expenses many of the expenses related to services provided by health facilities. However, the terms of reimbursement vary according to the insurance company and policy as well as the existence of an agreement between the healthcare provider and the selected GVM facility.

If there is a valid agreement > the reimbursement is direct
If there is no agreement > the reimbursement is indirect

For instance, if you purchased a standard or supplementary health insurance policy with Generali Assicurazioni, all physiotherapy and healthcare services are directly reimbursedsince there is an agreement in place with the Health Centre of the Castrocaro Thermal Resort,