Six of the nine largest insurance companies confirm stable premium levels

According to initial surveys, six of the nine largest health insurers in Switzerland expect a stable development of the premium amount in 2020. The most important reason given by insurance companies is health care costs, which have grown exceptionally moderately in the past. 

The first insurance companies speak of a rethinking of policyholders, which is increasingly affecting the scope of services offered by health insurance companies. According to statements by Helsana chairman Schmutz, fewer and fewer policyholders are turning "at every trifle" to a doctor.

Saving money: by opting for alternative insurance models

It is also a relief for insurance companies that insureds are increasingly opting for alternative insurance models. These types of insurance are cheaper and more efficient at the same time. Dirt also mentions the Federal Council's support in the Tarmed medical tariff. This change will also benefit insurance companies and policyholders.

The financial turnaround is probably already decided

Although the Federal Council has yet to approve the health insurance premium proposals, the financial turnaround for some large health insurance companies seems to have been decided. However, while Helsana boss Schmutz speaks of a lower premium, the CSS limits the zero rounds and falling premiums to certain cantons. 

However, the health insurance companies are not yet allowed to publicly announce which cantons or regions are being discussed. This final decision will probably not be announced until the end of September after the Federal Council has approved the proposals.

Premium cuts in individual cantons: initial assumptions

Nevertheless, specialists such as Felix Schneuwly from the Comparis comparison service make a first forecast. According to his statements, premiums are likely to decrease primarily in the cantons, which have particularly moderate hospital costs. 

According to an analysis of the so-called BAG monitoring, the cantons and regions of Aargau, Appenzell, Basel-Land, Basel-Stadt, Bern, Glarus, Graubünden, Neuenburg, Nidwalden, Schwyz, Uri, Schaffhausen, Solothurn, Ticino and Valais could benefit from this forecast to be affected.

Not all insurance models are affected by the premium reduction

Currently, it can only be speculated as to which insurance models are affected by the premium reduction. But Schneuwly also makes a first forecast in this context. In his opinion, a reduction of the telemedicine, HMW and family doctor models is relatively likely. 

However, a look at the development of the total costs shows that the premiums for health insurance in Switzerland will nevertheless rise on average. In this context, the CSS has already confirmed that a slight increase of less than 1.5 percent is expected. 

Helsana goes one step further and predicts an increase in premiums of less than 1.2 percent in 2020. With these values, the cost increase for 2019 would have been undercut.

The beginning of a turnaround?

Could this adjustment of premiums for health insurance companies in Switzerland herald a turnaround? Insurance expert Felix Schneuwly has not yet assumed this. In his opinion, the supervisory law is a relatively big hurdle. 

According to Schneuwly, the supervisory law focuses on short-term cost development. In the past, these circumstances often ensured that fluctuations in premiums were much stronger than for the comparatively steady cost development.

The main reason for the price increase: the use of medical offers

As early as the summer, the comparis.ch comparison service assumed that the premiums for basic insurance from Swiss health insurance companies would increase by two to three percent in 2020. Comparis based this thesis on the fact that it is not the prices, but the use of medical services that drives up the premium. This assertion does not seem to have been confirmed now, as the current development shows.

A financial relief for families and cantons

Many policyholders from Switzerland should be particularly pleased with this price development. For many families, increased health insurance premiums represent a high financial burden, which family budgets are above average. 

This means that families are no longer able to make the premium payments. These missing payments in turn represent a high burden for the cantons. In general, cantons take on 55 percent of all services that are incurred for patients for hospital treatment in hospitals. 

In addition, the development harbors another risk. If the reduction in premiums goes hand in hand with less frequent use of medical services, the risk increases that serious illnesses of policyholders remain untreated.

Premium reduction vs. saving model

Despite the reduction in premiums, policyholders need to consider basic insurance offers carefully. Because although numerous insurance companies have announced reductions in premiums, policyholders still pay quite high fees in a direct comparison. 

For this reason, premiums from insurance companies with the highest price reductions are usually still many percentage points more expensive than offers from other insurance companies. One example is the Philos family doctor insured in Zurich with a franchise of CHF 2,500. Anyone who decides to switch to Assura in this region saves over CHF 600. 

In addition, well-known health insurance companies such as Helsana or CSS are also not among the associations with the highest premium reductions. 

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