The questions people ask us
26 questions, 26 answers. Each carries a figure from the official premiums or a precise legal reference — never an “it depends”.
Which is the cheapest health insurer in Switzerland?
There is no single one: 9 different insurers are the cheapest in at least one of Switzerland’s 42 premium regions. The country’s lowest adult premium is CHF 335.10 a month, in Baar.
How much does health insurance cost in Switzerland?
For an adult, the country’s lowest premium is CHF 335.10 a month and the national average CHF 534.59, with a 300-franc deductible and accident cover included.
How much does health insurance cost for a child?
Switzerland’s lowest child premium is CHF 20.50 a month. A child pays roughly a fifth of what an adult pays in the same region.
When can I change health insurer?
Once a year for basic insurance: your termination must have arrived at your insurer by 30 November at the latest, for a switch on 1 January.
Can a Swiss health insurer refuse you?
No. For basic insurance, all 34 Swiss insurers must accept anyone resident in their operating area, whatever their age or health.
Are the benefits the same at every insurer?
Yes. The catalogue of basic insurance is set by law and identical at all 34 insurers. Only price and service differ.
Which deductible should I choose?
The maximum 2 500-franc deductible saves a median of CHF 1'539.60 a year on the premium. It stops paying off beyond CHF 1'839.60 of medical costs in the year.
Does the family doctor model really save money?
Yes: a median of CHF 609.60 a year against free choice of doctor, at the same deductible and cover.
Can I remove accident cover from my health insurance?
Yes, if your employer already insures you against accidents — which applies from eight hours of work a week with the same employer. The saving is about CHF 358.50 a year.
What is the difference between the deductible and the co-payment?
The deductible is the share you pay in full before the insurance steps in. The co-payment is the 10 % you keep paying beyond it, capped at 700 francs a year for an adult.
Why does my neighbour pay less than me?
Because the premium depends not on the municipality but on the premium region: Switzerland has 42 of them, and two neighbouring municipalities can fall into two different ones.
Why do premiums rise every year?
Because they must cover the coming year’s health costs. Since 2015, Switzerland’s lowest premium has risen by 179.3 %.
How do I cancel my Swiss health insurance?
By registered letter, arriving at your insurer by 30 November at the latest, stating your insured number and termination as of 31 December.
What happens if I do not pay my premium?
You stay covered for emergency care, but the insurer starts debt collection. In several cantons your name can go on a list that suspends coverage of non-urgent care.
Do I have to insure a newborn, and when?
Yes, from birth — and better still before it: registration is compulsory within three months, and cover then applies retroactively from day one. The lowest child premium is CHF 20.50 a month.
How many health insurers are there in Switzerland?
34 insurers are authorised to offer basic insurance. There were 59 in 2015: 25 have disappeared in 11 years.
How long do I have to get insured when arriving in Switzerland?
Three months from taking up residence, backdated to the first day. The lowest adult premium in the country is CHF 335.10 a month, in Baar.
Does my employer insure me against accidents?
From eight hours a week with the same employer, yes — including non-occupational accidents. You can then suspend the accident cover on your health insurance and save around CHF 358.50 a year.
What happens to my insurance if I move to another canton?
Your premium changes, because it depends on the region and not on the municipality: Switzerland has 42 premium regions for 2'114 municipalities. A move opens a right to cancel with effect from the end of the preceding month.
What happens to my insurance if I lose my job?
Basic cover continues unchanged — nobody can exclude you. But the employer’s accident cover ends thirty days after the employment relationship does: you then have to reactivate it with your health insurer, which costs around CHF 358.50 a year.
Is personal liability insurance mandatory in Switzerland?
No. No federal law requires it. But most tenancy agreements make it contractually compulsory, and under Swiss law your liability is not limited to what you own.
Is household insurance mandatory in Switzerland?
Not at federal level. It is BUILDING insurance that is compulsory in most cantons — and it concerns the owner, not the tenant.
Partial or comprehensive casco: which one?
Partial covers what you do not cause — theft, hail, glass breakage, animal collision. Comprehensive adds your own damage, including your own fault. Comprehensive stops paying off the day the accumulated premiums exceed the vehicle’s residual value.
Should I report a small claim to my car insurer?
Not always. One claim pushes your bonus level up several steps at once, and the effect is paid for over years: compare the cost of the repair with the cumulative premium increase before reporting.
Can a supplementary policy be cancelled together with basic insurance?
No. They are two contracts of different natures: basic cover ends on 31 December if the letter arrives by 30 November; a supplementary policy follows the deadlines of ITS own contract, often three months before the annual expiry.
Is buying into your pension fund worth it?
In tax terms it is the most powerful instrument in the system: the payment is fully deductible from taxable income. But it locks the money away until retirement, and a buy-in made in the three years before a capital withdrawal forfeits the tax advantage.
Source: Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH), official premiums.