Benefits of supplementary hospital insurance
As part of basic insurance, insured persons in Switzerland have been free to choose which hospital they want to go to since 2012. The prerequisite is that it is on the hospital list in your canton of residence.
However, if the treatment ultimately costs more than in a hospital in their canton of residence, insured persons have to pay this difference out of their own pockets. That is why there is the supplementary insurance "Spital Allgemeine Schweiz" that covers these costs.
The most important advantages of supplementary insurance at a glance:
- Free choice of doctor and hospital for the insured with the insurer-hospital collective agreement
- Entitled to a single or twin room
- Chief physician or senior physician treatment
- Extras like quick appointments with specialists
- Dates of your choice
- Comfort privileges: large menu, massages etc.
How do I take out supplementary insurance?
Where basic insurance is compulsory in Switzerland and insurance is forced to take on the changing, the admission process for supplementary insurance is different. There is often a health check in advance and insurance companies reserve the right to refuse admission without stating a reason. The insurers can also make reservations such as later suffering.
The cost of supplementary hospital insurance increases with age. Statistics show that the cost of supplementary hospital insurance after 30 years can amount to up to CHF 125,000. Hospital stays in a private or semi-private ward have an impressive price, which in some cases can be twice what it costs for basic insured persons.
Don't forget your written offer
The anticipated costs should therefore be clarified with the hospital beforehand (if possible). This should be done between the treating doctor and the health insurance company and should be recorded in a written offer. In the best case, you can request a written and detailed credit note from your cash register.
A change of room should also be agreed in advance, because experience has shown that few hospitals are interested in changing. Flexible insurance offers from the health insurance companies offer room upgrades for their insured. However, these Flex offers are not available in every canton and are usually very expensive. In the long run, you should first calculate whether an entry would be financially worthwhile.
Semi-private or private supplementary insurance?
The question is as old as the offer of supplementary insurance: What are the advantages of semi-private and private supplementary insurance?
semi-private | Private |
? Entitlement to an inpatient stay in a twin room ? Treatment by the senior doctor ? free choice of hospital in Switzerland ? Additional costs for double rooms and senior doctor treatment through supplementary hospital insurance | ? pays the difference between the cost of hospitalization in the general ward in the canton of residence ? pays the private ward of a hospital of your choice ? Single-claim ? Chief physician treatment (in some private clinics, treatment by the chief physician may be excluded) |
The premiums for semi-private insurance are often very high. In addition, most of the hospitals in Switzerland already have double rooms, so that the costs of the additional insurance for the hospital would only be limited to the treatment of a senior doctor.
Private insurance is the most expensive option, but it can be checked whether you can limit the premiums with a deductible or a bonus system. Limiting the number of hospitals that can be chosen can also cut costs.
Conclusion: How useful is supplementary hospital insurance now?
In the end, everyone has to decide for themselves to what extent additional hospital insurance comes into consideration. But the fact is that policyholders enjoy some privileges that are withheld from patients without additional insurance.
But where there is sun, there is also shadow. Potential policyholders should also be aware of these possible disadvantages. If you still choose Police, you won't regret this choice. An example is the amount of the premiums, which insurers set individually at their own discretion.
The age and gender of policyholders are important components that affect the level of premiums. If you want to save money, you should compare the conditions of individual insurance companies.
Click on the health insurance comparison to find the best supplementary hospital insurance!
