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Grilling on the balcony: allowed or litigation preprogrammed?

Grilling on the balcony: allowed or litigation preprogrammed?

Soon it will be spring time again and with it the time to grill. But is barbecuing on the balcony allowed or are the police at the door to protect stressed neighbors from noise and smells?

Note the rental agreement!

In principle, barbecuing is allowed on the balcony, the property management may not prohibit this. However, it may be that the type of grill is restricted: A charcoal grill may be prohibited, instead only gas or electric grills are allowed. For such a ban, however, there must be a certain objectivity, i.e. it must not be issued without reasons. A ban must always be proportionate! The private life of the tenant must be protected in any case. It is also important that the rental agreement refers to the applicable house rules. Tenants should absolutely do their duty of consideration and avoid excessive smoke development or barbecuing when everyone else is sleeping. Otherwise, the management of the house may issue a reminder. If the tenant does not adhere to it and repeatedly violates a prohibition or requirement, an extraordinary termination may threaten. Before barbecuing, you should therefore take a look at the house rules and the rental agreement. If you want to grill with a charcoal grill despite the ban, you should obtain the consent of the other tenants. Tip: The other tenants should also be informed of a planned barbecue party, which can be accompanied by a little more noise.

Important tips for grilling on the balcony

The charcoal grill may be particularly popular, but it develops strong and sometimes acrid smoke that bothers other people. It is therefore a bad choice for barbecuing on the balcony. An alternative is the gas grill, the lotus grill is also a good choice. Thanks to a battery-operated ventilation system, the charcoal heats up very quickly and all emissions are avoided.
The excessive formation of smoke can also be prevented by taking a few other measures. Grill lighter should only be used sparingly, and only as much charcoal should be used as is really needed. Otherwise, the grill is in operation for an unnecessarily long time, the charcoal first has to burn out, which in some cases causes a very long and above all unnecessary smoke development. Moist coal has no place on the grill, the smoke is particularly strong and the coal does not burn properly. Treated wood is also not a good choice, it can even produce toxic fumes.
The unpleasant smoke develops quickly from dripping fat or marinade. A drip tray under the grilled food helps!
Otherwise, the principle of mutual consideration applies: If you want to grill on the balcony, you should do everything possible not to unnecessarily disturb the neighbors and not to let loud music accompany the barbecue party in the evening. Another useful way to avoid trouble is to simply invite your neighbors along.

Conclusion: grilling allowed, but with restrictions

Everyone wants to get along well in an apartment building, so the principle of mutual consideration is of particular importance. If you want to grill on the balcony, you are generally allowed to do so, but a little consideration for the other tenants is important. The rule is that there must be no excessive smoke, odor or noise. In some cases, charcoal grills can even be banned, in which case the electric grill is certainly a good choice.

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Life insurance: scrutinizing prejudices

Life insurance: scrutinizing prejudices

Many Swiss have reservations about life insurance. The fear is great: too expensive, too inflexible, not very transparent. But not all prejudices are true.

Prejudices scrutinized

The following prejudices are common to life insurance companies, but they are not all true. In general, life insurance is part of private provision and can be found in both the 3a and 3b pillars. Those who use the 3a pillar and have life insurance with a bank invest in pure savings. Both the policyholder and the relatives are protected if one of the insured risks should occur.

Prejudice 1: Protection only exists in the event of death
The protection of life insurance can even go well beyond pure death protection. Protection against disability is just as possible as a premium waiver in the event of illness. A distinction must be made between the various types of life insurance. Pure risk insurance only pays if the insured risk occurs. Mostly death and disability are insured here. Mixed life insurance, on the other hand, combines various risks and ranges from life insurance and disability to saving for old age. Even if the insured risk does not materialize, the policyholder benefits from the premiums.

Prejudice 2: Early termination will be expensive
It is true that early termination of life insurance can be expensive, which is especially true for mixed life insurance. An early termination can sometimes mean severe losses, but this depends on the previous duration of the insurance. Because: In the first few years after the conclusion of the contract, the initial commission is amortized. After that, building up your assets can begin. This means that a termination at the beginning of the insurance leads to the fact that the costs incurred with the conclusion of the contract have not even been paid. The surrender value of such insurance is zero. Only after 10 to 15 years can there be an increase due to the early termination.

Prejudice 3: Only suitable for families
The coverage of life insurance is not only important for families, single people also benefit from it. Life insurance is particularly cheap for young people who do not yet have a family of their own. You can top up or adjust the insurance at a later date without having to re-examine the admission of the spouse or children. Life insurance is also important for the self-employed, because they often do not have the really important 2nd pillar for provision. In order to protect your own disability, it makes sense to take precautionary measures through life insurance.
In general, if you want to compensate for gaps in provision in the first and second pillars, you should think about a mixed life insurance policy. And that regardless of whether you have your own family or not!

Prejudice 4: Intransparent and not very flexible
The insured would like to know how the premiums are used. Allegedly, however, it is not communicated how the bonuses will be dealt with. But this is not the case, because the insurance companies must show the use of the premiums. Costs are clearly shown, and full transparency must be guaranteed on request.
Furthermore, life insurance is often seen as not very flexible, but that is also not the case. In the meantime, they have long since adapted to the needs of customers and are flexible with regard to the amount of the premiums, the times of payment and various components of the insurance.

Bottom line: life insurances are better than their reputation

There are many prejudices against life insurance, but they are not quite as bad as their reputation is. They are much more transparent and flexible, and they also represent an important provision for the self-employed. They can be adapted to the respective risk and not only offer protection in the event of death. Only the prejudice regarding the low surrender value is tenable, at least in the first 10 to 15 years after the conclusion of the contract.

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New record low: mortgage interest rates are plummeting

New record low: mortgage interest rates are plummeting

Those who bought property or who renewed their mortgage in the last year have good prospects of high savings potential. It is interesting that pension funds often offer better conditions than conventional banks.

Record low in mortgage rates

Anyone who bought a house or apartment in 2020 or who extended their existing mortgage has reason to be happy: Mortgage interest rates are at a record low. The fixed-rate mortgages are almost noticeable because they are the most popular form of loan and offer high interest savings. The savings that the Swiss were able to make in 2020 were even greater than they had been for five years. Those who negotiated well during this time were able to save between 16 and 20 percent compared to the standard rate. In the previous year, i.e. in 2019, the savings were even higher, the mortgages were around 22 percent cheaper than in 2018. The actual mortgage rates were therefore particularly low.

With smart calculations and skilful negotiations, tens of thousands of francs can be saved over ten years. It is above all the alternative providers who make particularly good offers. Pension funds and insurance companies stand out particularly clearly in comparison and offer high savings. The amounts that are possible as savings are always the comparative values to the reference rates published by the banks.
The low mortgage rates may have been at least partially decisive for the purchase, even if the prices for houses and apartments have increased significantly in the past year. Especially houses that are located away from the big cities and centers are in high demand. This is certainly not only due to the fact that the Swiss want to enjoy a little peace, but that they can also find it here in Corona times.

Big growth in pension funds

Insurance companies and pension funds are referred to as alternative providers, but they have grown steadily in the environment of permanent low interest rates. Pension funds in particular grew the most recently and were able to achieve growth of more than 36 percent between 2014 and 2019. At the end of 2019, assets under management were around CHF 18.6 billion.

The market share of the pension funds is still only 1.7 percent. The banks hold the majority, and here it is mainly the cantonal banks that hold assets of more than CHF 400 billion. But the pension funds are slowly becoming competition for the banks, because everyone with a correspondingly high income or verifiable assets can enjoy the advantages of the pension funds. They are much more flexible than the banks and offer variable mortgages in addition to fixed-rate mortgages. In some cases, it is even possible to get out of the fixed-rate mortgage free of charge, which is especially good for those who are planning to sell their property.

However, it is not possible for everyone to get a mortgage from the pension fund. The scope for granting the loans is very narrow. In some cases, the mortgages are only granted for private homes; holiday homes cannot be financed with them. But those who manage to graduate can benefit from very good conditions.
Pension funds even offer a return, so it is still worth investing in them. The risks are low.
However, experts assume that it will be years before pension funds can significantly expand their market share. In addition, many Swiss see their house bank as the bank they trust: Around 70 percent of Swiss people who want to take out a mortgage turn to their house bank first, and offers from competitors are rarely obtained.

Conclusion: take advantage of low mortgage rates now

Mortgage interest rates are lower than ever, which is particularly helpful for a planned purchase of a property, as property prices continue to rise. The offers of the pension funds are primarily of interest here, although they are not suitable for all. But it is worth taking a look at the competition from the long-established banks!

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Accidental fire alarm: who pays the effort?

Accidental fire alarm: who pays the effort?

The fire brigade has to move out because a guest in the hotel accidentally pressed the fire alarm. The guest receives the invoices for this and has to accept them both. An expensive oversight!

the initial situation

A couple has been spending their holidays in the same hotel for many years. We know each other by now and so the couple chats with the hotel manager in the hallway. The guest takes a step back and unintentionally bumps into the fire alarm, which is attached to the wall at shoulder height. The manual alarm button does not trigger the alarm in the hotel itself, but reports it directly to the nearest fire brigade headquarters. To explain: Manual alarm buttons are often to be found where a lot of public traffic is to be expected. They are equipped with an alarm button in the middle, which is secured by a glass pane. After smashing the pane, the button can be pressed.
The fire brigade was on site only a short time after the alarm was triggered in the hotel. The hotel was billed 400 francs for the false alarm. In addition, there was 500 francs for a new detector because the old one could no longer be reset to its original position. Both bills were passed on to the guest who was responsible for the fire service.

A case for insurance?

According to the guest, it was clear that he would have to pay for part of the costs, after all, the unnecessary effort was on his account. But it was too much for him to be responsible for the entire bill. So the question arises whether such a false alarm is not a matter of liability insurance. The hotel manager was of the opinion that the fault was clearly attributable to the guest, so he would also have to be liable for the damage. This is a typical liability claim for the hotel.
Liability insurance sees it differently, however, because it does not cover financial losses. She pays 300 of the total of 900 francs, with the assumption of costs being limited to the repair costs. From this, however, another 200 francs was deducted, which was agreed as a deductible. The fire brigade itself is not covered here because it was neither property nor personal injury.

Whether and to what extent the liability insurance has to be liable for the unintentionally triggered fire alarm varies. While some providers take such damage completely out of the service, other insurance companies would have covered the costs and only withheld the deductible.
The Swiss Fire Brigade Association says that it is usually common for such an unintentional use not to be charged for the first time. The reason is that this could happen to anyone and the fire brigade would prefer to be there, even if it turns out to be unnecessary. However, if such an incident happens again, costs would be charged. From the second time on, it is therefore possible that the polluter receives the invoice for the fire service. The respective municipality is responsible for the amount of the invoices.
In the present case, the fire brigade was in the hotel for the second time because the fire alarm had been triggered unintentionally. Now there was the bill and it hit the guest. Unfortunately, rightly so, as it turned out.

Conclusion: Unintentional fire alarms can be expensive

Anyone who unintentionally triggers a fire alarm must expect this mishap to cause high costs. Because the fire brigade has to go out and switch off the alarm, sometimes it is necessary to replace the fire alarm. The polluter must bear the costs for this. In the best case scenario, there is liability insurance that covers the costs, with the deductible being deducted. However, it is also possible that the insurance does not bear any costs and that the person who caused the damage has to pay for the damage alone. The municipalities are always responsible for how high the bill may be, because they set the fees for firefighting operations themselves.

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Vegetarian Diet for Pets?

Vegetarian Diet for Pets?

More and more people are becoming vegetarians and now want their pets to stop eating meat. But is it healthy to be a carnivore dog? or to feed the cat vegetarian? Different arguments speak for both sides.

Ethical reasons speak against meat

In Switzerland, the proportion of vegetarians is around 5.8 percent, which makes up around 500,000 people, and the trend is rising. It is above all the ethical reasons that move people to forego meat and not to feed themselves at the expense of other living beings. Even a vegan diet is becoming more and more important and is even being carried over to pets. Experts are of the opinion that meat is generally the wrong diet, after all around 50 percent of the global grain harvest and up to 98 percent of the soy harvest are only used to feed the livestock. Pets are then fed these farm animals and children starve to death for it. Why should pets be given a higher priority than children, who starve to death on a daily basis in developing countries?

Meat-free diet for dogs and cats?

If you have decided for yourself to live as a vegetarian or vegan, you may not want to have any meat in your house at all and as a result you can feed your pets completely meatless. In the case of some animals, it can even be useful if there is an allergy to certain types of meat. If this allergy cannot be put to an end by using other types of meat or insect food, switching to a vegetarian diet can make sense. After all, most meat-eaters, like dogs and cats, are basically omnivores. Wild animals would also eat blackberries and herbs if they were in the prey's stomach! But this is exactly where the rabbit is in the pepper for opponents of vegetarian pet nutrition. The wild animals would only eat plant components in addition and not as a substitute. It has been shown that it would take a dog's digestive tract around 60 years to completely switch from a carnal to a plant-based diet. But no dog gets that old, so the experts are of the opinion that switching to a mere diet with plants is not a good idea. Proponents of vegetarian feeding, on the other hand, see a healthy diet as one that provides the animal with all the nutrients it needs. Allegedly this can also be done by vegetarian food.

Better usable proteins in animal food

There are some nutrients that must be in every food if your dog and cat are to stay healthy. Laypeople should not experiment with whether and when they give certain nutrients, as this can lead to deficiency symptoms in animals. Experts in animal nutrition, on the other hand, see this as critical, because animal proteins are much easier to use for dogs and cats than vegetable proteins. These experts see the ethical rather than the health reasons to feed an animal a vegetarian one. Cats, on the other hand, are pure carnivores and should by no means only be fed purely plant-based. That would lead to deficiency symptoms within a short time. Unlike dogs, they have not adapted to human nutrition and can at least partially digest starch. In addition, a deficiency is not immediately apparent; it is often only noticeable because diseases occur that can even cause irreparable damage.

Whether a diet is species-appropriate or not can only be judged on the basis of the nutrients it contains, which must be in a suitable ratio to one another. A good complete feed is sufficient in most cases. It can also be useful to consult the vet regularly to find out via a blood analysis whether there is a deficiency or whether the diet is balanced enough. If necessary, adjustments must be made.

Conclusion: It is better not to feed pets a vegetarian diet

At this point, it should be noted that dogs and cats should not be fed a vegetarian diet alone, but that the food should always have a balanced ratio of meat and plant proportions. The digestive tract of the animals is not adjusted to a purely plant-based diet. Anyone who still has a guilty conscience towards the farm animals should fall back on meat and feed in organic quality, here at least species-appropriate husbandry and animal-friendly slaughter are ensured.

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Fitness centers withhold the right to reimbursement

Fitness centers withhold the right to reimbursement

Fitness centers have been closed for a few weeks, the prescribed lockdown is forcing them to do so. The members who actually have a fitness subscription now sweat on the mat at home or go jogging to keep themselves reasonably fit. However, video exercises are not the same as on-site training. Are customers entitled to a refund?

Online training as an alternative?

Many fitness centers try to keep their customers happy and offer them the opportunity to at least sweat online. Video offers are made, which are also used in many cases. People stand in front of the screen at home and try to follow the instructions, but receive no feedback as to whether they are doing the exercises correctly, which is ultimately not possible to a sufficient extent. In the meantime, the fitness subscription continues, it costs money without being able to be used. The Swiss Foundation for Consumer Protection sees exactly this as a problem, because most fitness centers do not even mention or consider the right to reimbursement. The customers are deliberately left in the dark.

No statements about possible refunds

For a long time, the customers of the fitness center tolerated the current situation and accepted that they would not get any financial compensation for the time of the lockdown. It is believed that the gyms themselves are not doing well. But slowly the patience of the people is exhausted and they too see the money that flows unused into the fitness subscription for them. The days of compassion for the fitness center seem to be over. The law actually provides that the customers of the center would have to be reimbursed part of the subscription costs. The general principle of performance and consideration applies here: If no performance is provided, it does not have to be paid for. If you don't get the service promised in the contract, you actually have to get your money back. Information on this can often be found in the small print of the contracts, but such regulations are not legal. You cannot simply overturn the applicable law and make other stipulations that are detrimental to the customer.

Currently, most fitness centers are still keeping a low profile and mostly offering credits. Allegedly, the lost time can be made up after the opening of the center. The fact that there is a legal right to reimbursement has so far been wisely concealed. The requests made by customers to the fitness center have simply been rejected so far. Some providers stand out particularly negatively. They have changed their terms and conditions and not officially, but quietly and secretly in the small print of the contracts. This does not affect old contracts, but anyone who signed a contract between the two lockdowns is confronted with the new regulations. The terms and conditions at the time the contract is concluded always apply. A change after the conclusion of the contract does not have to be accepted by the customer. Should a fitness center even cancel its customers, they can assert their right to at least partial reimbursement of their expenses.

Conclusion: fitness centers are fighting for survival? sometimes with unfair means

It is understandable that the fitness centers are struggling to survive in the face of ongoing closings. It is not evident that they are fighting this battle on the customer's back. Customers have the right to a reimbursement of their costs if they cannot use their fitness subscription, but most of them are not aware of this. It is also often unknown that they do not have to accept subsequent changes to the terms and conditions and that an exclusion of reimbursements in the small print is not legally valid. Here it is worthwhile to take a closer look and to know your own law. If necessary, through a lawyer, who will write a corresponding letter to the fitness center.

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Only a few neutral comparison portals on the market

Only a few neutral comparison portals on the market

The Swiss comparison sites on the Internet are happy to use them to find out about loan conditions. But the number of neutral comparison providers is dwindling and has now shrunk to a few well-known ones. The supposedly transparent comparisons are no longer as transparent as they should be.

Landing pages with empty promises

Programming landing pages has its justification in terms of search engine optimization. People who search for a term, product or service on Google and Co. are taken to a provider via this page. But it is not uncommon for these landing pages to lure with empty promises and deliver significantly less than they actually say. Sham comparisons are nothing new, especially when it comes to personal loans. These come from companies that have been specially commissioned, or from brokers and credit providers themselves. They only have the goal of selling their own product well and therefore advertise it as the winner in the alleged comparison. Often it is also search engine specialists who look after hundreds of pages on the Internet and provide suitable content to ensure that their customers are found. Nothing is neutral here anymore! Comparisons relating to loans, telephone contracts and health insurance are often affected because they are about a lot of money for the customer. It is understandable that people want to secure themselves and have a comparison made, because comparing all the little things yourself would take a lot of effort. The alleged comparisons then lure the Swiss to the pages where they can find nothing more than made up or embellished comparisons. It is not uncommon for the links under which an inquiry is supposedly possible to lead not to the providers themselves, but to brokers who earn money by selling the products in the sales pitch. Often not even the products that the prospective customer has asked for, but in the conversation they recommend completely different ones that are significantly more expensive or less favorable for the customer because of the conditions.

Own comparisons are shown

Telephone providers and insurance companies, as well as banks and lenders, often offer comparisons that they themselves suggest are the best choices. Then other providers are portrayed as worse, and it is not untruths that are claimed. Rather, the weighting of individual criteria is different, so that a different ranking must result naturally. If some providers for personal loans then fall out of the shortlist, the searchers will also later remember that the provider? Was not good in the previous comparison ?. If you try again, this provider will no longer be shortlisted, although its offer doesn't have to be really bad.
Today, many comparison portals no longer receive optimal results from customers; products or services that are far too expensive are suggested. There are now only a few comparison portals that are really neutral, including neotralo. Here at neotralo, those searching can rely on the fact that there is no broker lurking at the other end who is only interested in the commission and does not always act in the interests of the customer. In the case of neutral providers, the comparison result is not falsified by the fact that a provider pays for its better placement. Rather, the optimal results are displayed for each comparison.

Conclusion: Only a few neutral comparison portals on the net

Many people rely on comparison portals before they take out a personal loan or even think about taking it out. It's just stupid if these comparison portals don't work properly and offer bogus offers via landing pages or suggest the lenders who pay the most for good presentations. Customers should be able to rely on the fact that they only get neutral comparison results and that they actually end up where they wanted to go when they receive a request and that they do not find themselves forwarded to brokers. Neotralo is one of these neutral comparison portals on the Internet and will continue to be a reliable partner when it comes to credit comparisons.

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IT security: This is important for Swiss SMEs

IT security: This is important for Swiss SMEs

The corona crisis has also brought numerous changes for Swiss companies. Among other things, more people than ever work in the home office. This entails security gaps that have to be closed with the right product.

Corona influences SME decisions in terms of IT security

For a long time, the issue of IT security was seen as important, but it did not receive the necessary attention. However, since more and more employees have been working from home, the number of hacker attacks has also increased. These try to gain access to sensitive data via the networks and the more people work outside of their actual company location from anywhere in the world, the greater the security gaps. No wonder, then, that the survey now shows that SMEs feel influenced by Corona and, accordingly, purchasing decisions with regard to IT security products are made more consciously. In Switzerland, around 84 percent of companies are now of the opinion that they will be influenced by Corona in terms of IT security. For comparison: in Germany only around 50 percent of SMEs feel that their IT security is threatened by Corona. The purchase decisions for IT security products are not made by the company bosses, but in most cases by the IT managers. Around 68 percent of the companies pursue the so-called single vendor strategy, in which all products are bought from one provider.

No cloud-based security required

In Switzerland, in contrast to the other countries in the DACH region, no cloud-based security solution is required. Or rather not a pure cloud-based solution, because only around 18 percent of companies want to know something about it. On-premises solutions are also only asked by 22 percent. What is desired, however, are managed service providers, here Switzerland is the absolute front runner and depends on Germany and Austria. However, Austria will catch up, at least this is what the SMEs suggest, who take part in surveys on relevant questions and express themselves in this way.

How should IT security be?

IT security products are selected according to very specific criteria. The main thing is that they should be easy to use, because hardly any employee in the company should need a long introductory period for a new product. Rather, the products should be installed and provide their service without any restrictions or massive innovations being associated with them. Ease of installation is already an important point that is taken into account when choosing IT products. Many Swiss orientate themselves on test reports and are not only guided by the name of the respective product. The SMEs or those responsible in the company read the reports and recommendations of the resellers and only then make a decision. Last but not least, the price plays a role for the choice, because even a very good IT product that is offered at high sums is not likely to be chosen if it is perceived as too expensive. Conversely, however, it is not the very cheap products that are referred to as first choice, here a lack of benefit is often assumed.

Conclusion: Swiss SMEs are increasingly relying on IT security

Times have become uncertain and this is not just about security, which is no longer so self-evident due to Corona. SMEs in Switzerland also have to struggle with a lack of security, because cyber attacks are becoming more and more frequent. It is even assumed that the number of hacker attacks has increased to over 200 percent compared to 2019. The topic of IT security is therefore becoming particularly relevant and receiving more attention than ever. The companies rely on well-known products that are easy to install and easy to understand, that have performed well in test reports and that are not too expensive. A fair price-performance ratio is particularly important for SMEs in Switzerland.

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Despite Corona, it goes to these travel areas

Despite Corona, it goes to these travel areas

The Easter holidays are approaching and with them the perfect travel time. Is it finally getting warm and the short trip abroad lures you? The Swiss will also travel in Corona times. These travel areas will be particularly popular.

Popular destinations for the (Easter) vacation 2021

The corona numbers are decreasing worldwide and the countries are loosening their lockdown measures again. But air traffic will also be restricted this year and will determine the Easter business above all. Since Switzerland made it mandatory to carry out PCR tests on entry and return journeys, the number of inquiries from travel companies has decreased even further. Now it is possible to go abroad and especially Tanzania, the Maldives and Egypt are heavily booked areas.
The Dominican Republic and Mexico are also at the top of the list of popular holiday destinations for 2021. In addition to the Swiss mountains, which will probably again be the travel destination for many Swiss this year. Individual holidays in a holiday home in Switzerland seem to be the current trend, because here the guests spend their vacation almost without any physical contact with other people. Especially if self-catering is also required.

Would you rather book at short notice?

Because of the constantly changing location, travelers now tend to make short-term decisions. This gives them the chance to react to a changing situation at any time and can really start the holiday trip. With a long-term booking, there is a risk that a cancellation will be necessary because the corona situation has suddenly changed. At Easter, the travel companies are therefore mainly counting on short-haul vacation trips that are booked and confirmed shortly before the start. Mallorca, Greece, the Canary Islands and Cyprus will become popular travel destinations. As long-haul destinations, Thailand, Canada and the USA come into question, as has already been the case in recent years. Basically, however, there is a trend towards flights within Europe, the demand for intercontinental flights has so far been rather poor. In summer, the Mediterranean and Eastern Europe in particular could be the most popular travel destinations. In addition, city trips will probably come into question more often, London or Berlin are already the winners in the race for the most popular city as a travel destination.

Difficulties for hotel operations

The hotels as well as the entire gastronomy now lack planning security, because a trip that is booked at short notice can hardly be planned and there is always the risk that the guests will be absent. Tour operators are also skeptical about the future, because they cannot rely on the bookings that will fail if the pandemic flares up again. It is assumed that it will not be Rhodes and Crete that will be booked this year. Perhaps you prefer Paros and Corfu as more individual destinations? Large hotel complexes will also be the losers of the crisis, because in all likelihood vacationers will be more likely to rely on smaller hotels and holiday homes.

Conclusion: the difficult travel year 2021

Things are not looking good for tour operators, hotels and the hospitality industry in general in 2021 either. The reason is still the corona pandemic, which means that vacations are no longer necessary and many people are more likely to stay in Germany than to travel abroad. Long-haul flights are likely to be avoided, people tend to stay within Europe or rely on the Swiss mountains as a proven holiday destination. The uncertain travel situation is still causing reluctance and will above all lead to short-term bookings.

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Rising premiums: The doctor can no longer be found in the family doctor model

Rising premiums: The doctor can no longer be found in the family doctor model

Various health insurances have the family doctor model, in which the insured person has to pay fewer premiums. Conversely, it can be expensive if the doctor in question disappears from this model.

New family doctor or pay more?

Insured people are hit again and again: they suddenly receive a letter from their health insurance company stating that they have to look for another family doctor. The doctor chosen so far can suddenly no longer be found in the family doctor model. An alternative to this is to pay higher premiums, which can be 13 percent and more. If it is not just an insured person, but a couple or even a whole family, the change is money.
Many insured people would prefer to switch to health insurance because they want to stay with their doctor and still want to take advantage of the family doctor model. The health insurance companies want to prevent this and do not dismiss their members. You may offer them to switch to the phone model and then the higher premium will have to be paid. A change of health insurance is only allowed when the insurance year is over. The insurance thus excludes extraordinary termination and insists on the proper termination of the insurance contract. Very annoying for all insured persons who have to pay more money by then.

Change of health insurer legally prevented?

This raises the question of whether preventing an extraordinary termination is even lawful. After all, the performance of the health insurance changes and then the insured should be granted a right of termination! Far from it, because the corresponding conditions are in the small print. These state that by choosing the family doctor model, the insured also agree to the applicable insurance conditions and these in turn include the refusal of the extraordinary right of termination because a doctor has left the family doctor model.
The health insurers argue that there are always changes and that doctors could give up their practice or retire. Perhaps the doctor has not adhered to the applicable guidelines on quality of treatment and must therefore be removed from the list of general practitioners. If the insured were to terminate each time, it would not only be a financial disaster for the insurance company, but also in terms of administrative effort.

A common reason GPs disappear from their health insurance list is related to the costs they billed. In the eyes of the insurance company, the doctor causes excessive costs that have to be borne by the health insurance company. As a precaution, the Santésuisse health insurance association checks annually whether the doctors are not overcharging. Anyone who becomes conspicuous has to explain himself, in the worst case even a court case may be pending because of these costs. For the insurance companies, on the other hand, there is no must, they can choose who they want to put on their family doctor's list. This in turn harbors a certain risk for the insured, as Morena Hostettler Socha also knows, her character as an ombudswoman for health insurance. If a doctor is struck from the family doctor list, the insured persons concerned have to switch to the standard basic insurance, which gives them the freedom to choose a doctor. That sounds good, but the costs involved are so high that switching to another health insurance policy is worthwhile by the end of the insurance year at the latest.

Conclusion: No right to extraordinary termination if the family doctor is excluded

If the previous family doctor is removed from the list of family doctors by the health insurance, this is bad for the insured. You have to switch to the more expensive basic tariff and until the end of the insurance year you have no option to switch from one insurance to another. But they have to pay more for this, because the basic tariff is usually significantly more expensive than the family doctor model. This change will be expensive for families, but they have no legal remedy.

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