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Health insurance companies
Our healthcare system is largely based on private health companies, which offer basic and supplementary insurance.
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Basic insurance
The Health Insurance Act (KVG) stipulates that all people residing in Switzerland must have compulsory basic insurance covering all the basic healthcare services.
You can arrange basic insurance with a private health insurance company of your choice. They are obliged to accept you for basic insurance, irrespective of your age and state of health. All health insurance companies provide the services specified in the Health Insurance Act.
As an insured person, you will be required to contribute towards health costs with a monthly premium, an annual franchise threshold and a reserve of 10%. The premiums vary depending on where you live, your age and the scheme. However, the benefits of the basic insurance package are the same. The annual franchise is a threshold up to which you have to pay for your own health costs. After you cross the franchise threshold, the health insurance company pays 90% of the costs and you pay the excess of 10%. The premiums are calculated per head. A family of four pays two parents' premiums and two children's premiums.
Supplementary insurance
Supplementary insurance is voluntary and is structured differently depending on the health insurance company. A distinction is made between outpatient supplementary insurance and inpatient supplementary insurance.
Outpatient insurance includes the likes of alternative medicine, contributions towards glasses and contact lenses, dental treatment and certain non-prescription medication. Inpatient supplementary insurance covers treatment on an inpatient basis in the general, semi-private or private wards of hospitals. There are annual limits on health insurance benefits.
Supplementary insurance is also funded by premiums. As with basic insurance, you pay a certain amount every month and also contribute towards costs with the franchise threshold. However, there are no additional costs to pay.
Chart of the Swiss healthcare system
Further Information
Comparison of premiums by the Federal Department of Health
Premiums comparison by comparis
Premium Optimisation Network: Info sheets, specimen letters and useful addres
Swiss Conference of the Cantonal Ministers of Public Health
Santésuisse (inter-trade organisation of the Swiss health insurance companies)
The Health Insurance Act (KVG) stipulates that all people residing in Switzerland must have compulsory basic insurance covering all the basic healthcare services.
You can arrange basic insurance with a private health insurance company of your choice. They are obliged to accept you for basic insurance, irrespective of your age and state of health. All health insurance companies provide the services specified in the Health Insurance Act.
As an insured person, you will be required to contribute towards health costs with a monthly premium, an annual franchise threshold and a reserve of 10%. The premiums vary depending on where you live, your age and the scheme. However, the benefits of the basic insurance package are the same. The annual franchise is a threshold up to which you have to pay for your own health costs. After you cross the franchise threshold, the health insurance company pays 90% of the costs and you pay the excess of 10%. The premiums are calculated per head. A family of four pays two parents' premiums and two children's premiums.
Supplementary insurance
Supplementary insurance is voluntary and is structured differently depending on the health insurance company. A distinction is made between outpatient supplementary insurance and inpatient supplementary insurance.
Outpatient insurance includes the likes of alternative medicine, contributions towards glasses and contact lenses, dental treatment and certain non-prescription medication. Inpatient supplementary insurance covers treatment on an inpatient basis in the general, semi-private or private wards of hospitals. There are annual limits on health insurance benefits.
Supplementary insurance is also funded by premiums. As with basic insurance, you pay a certain amount every month and also contribute towards costs with the franchise threshold. However, there are no additional costs to pay.
Chart of the Swiss healthcare system
Further Information
Comparison of premiums by the Federal Department of Health
Premiums comparison by comparis
Premium Optimisation Network: Info sheets, specimen letters and useful addres
Swiss Conference of the Cantonal Ministers of Public Health
Santésuisse (inter-trade organisation of the Swiss health insurance companies)
