1. Be aware of your rights
The basic insurance for the Swiss is with everyone Health insurance right away. It covers all statutory medical services. Therefore, regardless of your health status, you will be admitted to any health insurance company. Prerequisite: You adhere to the notice period.
2. Note notice period!
basic health insurance | November 30 (last working day) |
supplementary | usually September 30th |
You should send cancellations by registered mail, as only timely receipt can lead to a legally valid cancellation.
3. Compare, but correct
To find out which health insurance is the cheapest for your region, you have to use a comparison calculator. Make absolutely sure that you use a neutral computer, otherwise you base your decision on the data you have bought. Always combine the results with the information on the pages of the individual health insurance companies.
4. Consider switching even if you are ill
Even if you suffer from a chronic illness, the health insurance companies are legally obliged to guarantee you basic insurance. Take out a policy with the lowest franchise level of CHF 300 if you are going to have expensive treatments in 2019.
5. Change from standard model to alternative model
Without a change of health insurance, insured persons can sometimes save 40% of the premium if you increase the franchise amount to the maximum amount of CHF 2,500 and switch from the standard model to an alternative insurance model. Ask your health insurance company.
6. Register the whole family with an insurer
Although group discounts are prohibited in Switzerland, it is worth taking a look at the child premiums, because the premium levels are graded according to three age groups.
- children
- young adults up to 26
- Adults from 26
Discounts increase with several children and there are also many family discounts with supplementary insurance.
7. Pay insurance premiums annually instead of monthly
A savings option that fewer Swiss people use: Many health insurance companies offer a discount for once or twice a year premium payments that are higher than interest on a savings account. If you can afford to pay not every month but every six months, or for the whole year at once, you should accept this savings offer.
8. Premium reduction
The canton and the income from the tax return are decisive for the premium reduction. Check this by contacting your cantonal tax administration. Around two million Swiss nationals are already taking advantage of these premium reductions.
9. Check additional insurance
Supplementary insurance should be applied for and taken out in good health, as the insurers are not obliged to take you on. A look at a Flex product can also be useful to be flexible when changing in later years. Find out from your insurers at an early stage.
10. Check other discount options
For many people there is the possibility to claim a company, association, club or community discount for supplementary insurance. It is helpful to check memberships and offers. The discounts vary and offer enormous savings potential, since they can be concluded without a new health check.
There are many ways to help you save money when you switch to health insurance. For example, if you are employed by a single employer for more than eight hours a week, you can have your accident costs covered by your employer.
Small details like this offer you enough savings. You should also keep in mind that the medical benefits for basic insurance in Switzerland are all required by law. Accordingly, in case of doubt, you can also choose an insurance company from which you can obtain the services at favorable conditions.
If you heed tips like this, switching to another insurance company certainly offers great savings potential.
Have you already saved CHF 1,000? Then it's time for you Thinking about health insurance comparison!
