Health insurance in Switzerland

Yes. Anyone living in Switzerland must take out basic insurance within three months (Art. 3 Health Insurance Act, KVG). For new arrivals with a permit, the three months run from registration with the municipality. If you join in time, you are insured retroactively from that day and pay the premiums for the interim period.

If you miss the deadline, you are only insured from the day you join, bear the costs of the interim period yourself and may be assigned to an insurer by the canton. If the delay is inexcusable, a surcharge of 30 to 50 per cent of the premium is added, for twice as long as the delay and for at most five years.

Why it is compulsory: since the Health Insurance Act of 1996, healthy and sick people have paid into the same basic insurance. Only in this way can every insurer accept everyone without a health check and keep care affordable for all.

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Three months from registering with your municipality. Cover then applies retroactively from the day of registration, so you pay the premiums for those months afterwards. Someone who registers in January and only chooses an insurer in March receives three premium invoices at once.

If you let the deadline pass, the canton assigns you to an insurer. You then have no say over the insurer or the model, and the assigned solution is as a rule more expensive than one you choose yourself. If the delay is not excusable, the insurer also charges a premium surcharge of 30 to 50 percent.

The same deadline applies to newborns, counting from birth. If the child is registered in time, cover starts on the first day of life. With late registration the insurer may require a health check for supplementary insurance – but not for basic insurance.

In practice this means: see to it early, but without rushing. You can compare insurers calmly and join retroactively, as cover exists from the day of registration anyway. Anyone who obtains a quote before moving usually has the registration done on the first day and need not worry about back payments.

In the German sense, neither. Basic insurance is required by law and its benefits are the same at every insurer. It is provided, however, by 32 health insurers organised under private law and licensed by the federal government, which may not make a profit from it. Every insurer must accept you, without health questions.

The premium is charged per person: it depends on the insurer, place of residence, age group, deductible and model, not on income. Everyone pays their own premium, including children; there is no contribution-free family cover as in German statutory health insurance (GKV).

Only the voluntary supplementary insurances are private in the narrower sense, for example for the semi-private hospital ward or dental treatment. There the insurer may ask about your health, add exclusions or refuse you.

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Basic insurance is supervised by the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH). Under the Health Insurance Supervision Act it oversees the 32 health insurers offering basic insurance in 2027, checks their finances and reserves and approves their premiums for each canton every year; it published the 2027 premiums on 29 September 2026. Voluntary supplementary insurance, by contrast, is supervised by the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA. In disputes with an insurer, the health insurance ombudsman mediates free of charge.

Not in basic insurance. Every authorised health insurer must accept every person subject to the insurance obligation in its area of operation – regardless of age and state of health. There is no health check, no reservation and no waiting period.

The range of benefits is laid down by law and is the same at every insurer. Differences arise above all in the premium, the insurance model and the service.

It is different for supplementary insurance. It is voluntary and follows private insurance law. There the company may ask health questions, enter reservations or reject an application. Basic and supplementary insurance should therefore be considered separately.

Statutory deadlines apply to changing your basic insurance; the new insurer must accept you where the insurance obligation exists. A change is usually possible at the end of the year, and further dates apply to certain insurance models. Anyone holding supplementary insurance should check its terms and notice periods separately.

According to the Federal Office of Public Health, the average basic insurance premium in 2027 is CHF 412 a month, 5.0 per cent more than in 2026. Adults aged 26 and over pay CHF 487.60 on average (plus 4.9 per cent), young adults aged 19 to 25 CHF 338.80 (plus 4.8 per cent) and children CHF 128.10 (plus 4.6 per cent).

The average covers all deductibles and insurance models. If you choose a higher deductible or a practice, telemedicine or pharmacy model, you pay considerably less. Where you live also matters: premiums are highest in Geneva, Ticino and Basel-Stadt and lowest in Zug and Appenzell Innerrhoden. When you use benefits, the deductible and co-payment come on top of the premium.

If you want to switch basic insurer on 1 January 2027, you must cancel by 30 November 2026; the cancellation must have reached your current insurer by that day. How much premiums rise in your canton in 2027 is shown in our article Krankenkassenprämien 2027 (in German).

What you pay with which insurer where you live is shown by the premium comparison on this page.

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No health insurer is the cheapest or best for everyone: basic insurance benefits are the same everywhere, and the premium depends on place of residence, age, deductible and model. In 2027 the cheapest offer for adults aged 26 and over with a CHF 2,500 deductible and without accident cover costs between CHF 213.20 (Zug) and CHF 449.60 (Geneva) a month, depending on the canton, according to the Federal Office of Public Health. What you pay where you live is shown by the premium calculator on this page; for personal help, request free advice.

For adults aged 26 and over, basic insurance costs CHF 487.60 a month on average in 2027, per person and without any contribution from the employer. Choosing a higher deductible and a practice, telemedicine or pharmacy model brings the cost down considerably: the cheapest offer with a CHF 2,500 deductible and without accident cover costs CHF 213.20 to 449.60, depending on the canton. Households on low incomes also receive a cantonal premium reduction.

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In 2027, basic insurance under the Health Insurance Act (KVG) pays for the same statutory benefits at all 32 health insurers: medical treatment, therapies prescribed by a doctor such as physiotherapy, hospital stays in the general ward of a listed hospital, around 3,000 medicines on the list of pharmaceutical specialities, maternity and certain vaccinations and screening examinations.

Ordinary dental treatment, glasses for adults and the semi-private or private hospital ward are not covered. Voluntary supplementary insurance is available for these.

You contribute to the costs yourself: with a deductible of CHF 300 to 2,500 a year, then a 10 per cent co-payment up to a maximum of CHF 700, plus CHF 15 a day in hospital. Leaving the hospital contribution aside, adults with the ordinary CHF 300 deductible therefore pay at most CHF 1,000 a year themselves.

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The benefits catalogue is set out in the Health Insurance Act and in the Health Care Benefits Ordinance of the Federal Department of Home Affairs, supplemented by the list of pharmaceutical specialities for medicines, the list of analyses for laboratory tests and the list of aids and appliances. In 2027 it applies equally to all 32 health insurers; no insurer may pay more or less in basic insurance. Only what is effective, appropriate and cost-efficient is included. One example: basic insurance pays CHF 180 a year towards lenses for children up to 18.

In 2027 only basic insurance is compulsory, with the same benefits catalogue at all 32 health insurers; any supplementary insurance is voluntary. It makes sense if you want cover for dental treatment, glasses, the semi-private or private hospital ward or a free choice of doctor in hospital. Unlike in basic insurance, the insurer may ask health questions, add exclusions or refuse you. It is therefore best to take it out while you are healthy.

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In 2027 basic insurance pays a fixed contribution of CHF 180 a year towards glasses and contact lenses only for children up to 18; adults receive something only for very severe visual impairment or certain eye diseases. It does not pay for ordinary dental treatment such as fillings and braces, only for treatment needed because of a serious disease of the masticatory system or a serious general illness. Both can be covered with supplementary insurance.

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In 2027 adults pay a hospital contribution of CHF 15 a day on top of the deductible and co-payment. With the ordinary CHF 300 deductible, deductible and co-payment together are capped at CHF 1,000 a year; the hospital contribution comes on top. The remaining costs of the general ward are shared between the canton of residence, which bears at least 55 per cent, and the health insurer. The semi-private or private ward is paid only by supplementary insurance.

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Anyone who moves from Germany to Switzerland and lives here must take out basic insurance with a Swiss health insurer within three months of registering with the municipality. German statutory or private insurance does not, as a rule, replace it.

Compulsory insurance in Germany generally ends when you move away; your health insurer will clarify the details. People with private insurance can keep their contract as a dormant policy (Anwartschaft) so that they do not have to go through a health check again if they return.

There are few exceptions: posted workers with an A1 certificate remain insured in Germany for up to 24 months. Pensioners with statutory insurance who receive only a German pension stay with their German insurer using form S1. Anyone who continues to live in Germany and works in Switzerland has a right of choice as a cross-border commuter; more on this on the page Health insurance for cross-border commuters.

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Swiss basic insurance costs CHF 412 a month per person on average in 2027, regardless of salary. German statutory health insurance (GKV), by contrast, charges a percentage of income shared between employee and employer, and covers spouses and children without their own income free of charge. In Switzerland everyone pays their own premium, and the employer does not contribute. Unlike the GKV, basic insurance does not pay for ordinary dental treatment.

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The deductible is your annual share of the costs: up to this amount you bear insured treatment costs yourself. After that basic insurance contributes to the remaining costs; in addition a retention fee of ten per cent generally applies up to the statutory maximum.

For adults the ordinary deductible is CHF 300; depending on the insurer, higher deductibles up to CHF 2’500 can be chosen.

A higher deductible generally leads to a lower premium, but raises the amount you initially bear yourself when you claim. With a lower deductible the premium is usually higher, but the deductible amount you bear yourself is smaller. Which variant is financially better depends on the specific premium and the health costs actually incurred.

Different deductible amounts apply to children. The deductible can be changed with effect from the beginning of a calendar year. Our comparison shows the premiums for the deductible you have selected; no personal recommendation is associated with it.

In 2027, besides the standard model with free choice of doctor, there are four groups of savings models: practice models (family doctor and HMO), telemedicine, pharmacy models and flexible models. They determine whom you contact first when you are ill, and in return the premium falls.

In the family doctor model you choose a fixed practice that treats you and refers you if necessary. In the HMO model a particular group practice or network of doctors is your point of contact. With telemedicine you first describe your problem by phone, app or video and are told whether and where to go.

In the pharmacy model a partner pharmacy is the first point of contact; in the flexible model you choose between several first points of contact, such as a practice, telemedicine or a pharmacy. From 2027 the Federal Office of Public Health groups family doctor and HMO models together as practice models.

The key point: the scope of benefits is the same in all models. Only the first step is restricted, not what is paid. Emergencies are excluded, and with many tariffs ophthalmologists and gynaecologists too. How much you save depends on the insurer and the specific tariff.

A word on commitment: if you do not keep to the agreed first step, you risk the insurer reducing its payment. The model is therefore not a suggestion but part of the contract. You can switch at the end of each year. If your circumstances change, for example through a move or a chronic illness, it is worth reviewing your choice.

Your cancellation must reach your current insurer by 30 November; you are then covered by the new one from 1 January. What counts is the date of receipt, not the postmark, so the Federal Office of Public Health recommends sending the letter by registered post in mid-November.

1. Compare premiums and choose the new insurer.
2. Register with the new insurer and cancel the previous one in writing – both by 30 November.
3. The new insurer confirms uninterrupted cover to the previous one. Only then does the old membership end.

The same deadline applies if you stay with your insurer and only want to lower your deductible or change your insurance model. A higher deductible can still be reported by 31 December, and you can move into a model with restricted choice of doctor at any time of year.

Supplementary insurance runs separately. It falls under the Insurance Contract Act, has its own deadlines set by the contract – often three months to the end of the year – and nobody may force you to cancel it together with the basic insurance. The reverse also holds: every insurer must accept you for basic insurance, but not for supplementary insurance.

As long as premiums or cost shares that have been formally reminded remain unpaid, a change is blocked.

You have a one-off right of option between Swiss basic insurance and the insurance of your country of residence. It must be exercised within three months of starting work and then applies, as a rule, for the entire duration of your employment in Switzerland.

Anyone who does not come forward automatically becomes subject to the insurance obligation in Switzerland. A later change is possible only on particular events – a change of residence or a longer interruption of employment, for example.

The decision does not concern you alone: family members who are not gainfully employed are frequently included. Because premiums, benefits and tax effects differ markedly between the countries, it is worth calculating both variants before the deadline expires.

A common misunderstanding: the right of option concerns health insurance only, not the rest of social insurance. Pension and accident insurance continue to follow the Swiss place of work; unemployment benefit for cross-border commuters, however, is paid by the country of residence. Anyone opting for their country of residence also needs a certificate from the competent authority – without it the employer will register you in Switzerland.

Children up to 18 pay considerably less than adults – depending on canton, insurer and model roughly a quarter to a third of the adult premium.

Important for those arriving from Germany: there is no contribution-free family insurance in Switzerland. Every child receives its own policy and its own premium, from the first day of life. For a family of four this adds up accordingly.

There is relief, however. Many insurers grant sibling discounts from the second or third child, and the cantonal premium reduction applies far more often to families than to single people. Children also have their own scale of deductibles from CHF 0 to 600; choosing CHF 0 is common, because children see the doctor more often.

By comparison with Germany: there family insurance is free of contributions, whereas in Switzerland every family member pays their own premium. Depending on canton and model, a family of four quickly reaches a four-figure monthly amount. When comparing salaries between the two countries, this is the item most often overlooked.

The cantons reduce the premium for households in modest economic circumstances. It is financed by the Confederation and the canton; payment usually goes directly to the health insurer, so your invoice is reduced accordingly.

The rules differ considerably from canton to canton – in the income thresholds, the scope and the procedure. Some cantons check on their own initiative using tax data and write to you, others require an application of your own, often with a deadline in spring for the following year.

For newcomers this is a frequent gap: anyone without a Swiss tax assessment in their first year is not covered by the automatic check and has to take action themselves. A look at your canton’s website is therefore worthwhile right after registering.

The scale is considerable: depending on canton and household the reduction can amount to several hundred francs a month, and more for families with children. It is not charity but a fixed part of the system – around a quarter of everyone insured in Switzerland receives it. An application is therefore worthwhile even if you are not sure whether you qualify.

For emergencies during a temporary stay abroad, basic insurance covers at most twice what the same treatment would have cost in Switzerland.

In countries with high treatment costs that is often nowhere near enough; the rest is left to you. For plannable treatment abroad, basic insurance does not pay at all as a matter of principle.

Within the EU and EFTA the European Health Insurance Card helps: with it you receive medically necessary treatment on the terms of the country you are staying in. For anything beyond that – worldwide cover, repatriation, free choice of clinic – there is supplementary insurance. It is voluntary and not part of basic insurance.

One particularity applies to cross-border commuters: anyone insured in Switzerland who wishes to be treated in their country of residence needs a certificate of their own for this – as a rule the S1 form. Without it, treatment in the country of residence may go unpaid. It is best to settle this when taking out the policy, not once you fall ill.