Health insurance: Many want to change, few dare

Health insurance: Many want to change, few dare

The current "Health Insurance Study Switzerland", which was carried out by the consulting firm Accenture and the LINK Institute in March 2021, states that around two thirds of the Swiss want to change their health insurance. But only 6.8 percent actually dare to take this step.

The will is there, actions do not follow

In March 2021, the consulting firm Accenture had 1,052 Swiss people surveyed and wanted to find out how many people could currently imagine changing their health insurance. The respondents came from all age groups and linguistic regions in Switzerland. According to their own statements, two out of three people surveyed can imagine changing health insurance. You would even consider separating health and supplementary insurance and thus be insured with different providers. A quarter of those questioned had actually already taken this step before and had separated the two types of insurance. It is therefore no longer common practice to have both basic and supplementary insurance with the same provider.

When asked where the respective recommendation for the current health insurance came from, 43 percent of the respondents said that they had received the recommendation from family and friends. According to this, only 15.9 percent switch to a price comparison portal in accordance with the recommendations, and even fewer are those who switched to a specific health insurance company because of the recommendations by the insurance advisor or the employer or because of advertising. The changes themselves were noticeably frequent to Helsana and CSS, which were chosen by 47 percent of those who changed on January 1, 2021.

Only 6.8 percent of those questioned had actually made a change. Most people would like to switch, but shy away from the effort involved. Maybe it's a missed deadline or a certain convenience. Exactly what reasons are responsible for the low number of bills of exchange could not be answered in the course of the survey.

Insurers do not use potential

Experts assume that health insurers are not making use of the existing switch potential. Sales are particularly important here, as they have to recognize which customers want to switch. They have to be offered a product that is precisely tailored to them in order not to make the switch. In view of the low switching rates, however, the insurers may shy away from the higher expense because not so many insured people switch to other providers anyway. Nevertheless, the big task for sales should be to conduct better analyzes in order to find customers willing to switch. Because at some point there will also be a slight fluctuation!

The surveys made it clear that it was primarily the financial side that made the decision to switch. Around 67 percent of those surveyed stated that a higher price for the insurance product they selected was the most important reason they wanted to switch. In contrast, only 18 percent were responsible for the product itself or the service offered, which was classified as inadequate. If you want to change, you usually rely on the recommendations of relatives and friends. So it is not about the statements of the advertising, but actual experiences of known people from their own environment are believed.

Conclusion: where there is a will, there no change?

Even if a large number of respondents in this study stated that they would like to change health insurers, not even ten percent of people make this change. The respondents are representative of all Swiss, for whom it can be assumed that the situation with regard to the change is similar. The few insured persons who actually switch have switched to another insurance provider, mainly due to the price development of the insurance premiums. Here it is therefore important for the provider to use analyzes to make reliable statements about ways to retain the insured.

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Rising premiums: The doctor can no longer be found in the family doctor model

Rising premiums: The doctor can no longer be found in the family doctor model

Various health insurances have the family doctor model, in which the insured person has to pay fewer premiums. Conversely, it can be expensive if the doctor in question disappears from this model.

New family doctor or pay more?

Insured people are hit again and again: they suddenly receive a letter from their health insurance company stating that they have to look for another family doctor. The doctor chosen so far can suddenly no longer be found in the family doctor model. An alternative to this is to pay higher premiums, which can be 13 percent and more. If it is not just an insured person, but a couple or even a whole family, the change is money.
Many insured people would prefer to switch to health insurance because they want to stay with their doctor and still want to take advantage of the family doctor model. The health insurance companies want to prevent this and do not dismiss their members. You may offer them to switch to the phone model and then the higher premium will have to be paid. A change of health insurance is only allowed when the insurance year is over. The insurance thus excludes extraordinary termination and insists on the proper termination of the insurance contract. Very annoying for all insured persons who have to pay more money by then.

Change of health insurer legally prevented?

This raises the question of whether preventing an extraordinary termination is even lawful. After all, the performance of the health insurance changes and then the insured should be granted a right of termination! Far from it, because the corresponding conditions are in the small print. These state that by choosing the family doctor model, the insured also agree to the applicable insurance conditions and these in turn include the refusal of the extraordinary right of termination because a doctor has left the family doctor model.
The health insurers argue that there are always changes and that doctors could give up their practice or retire. Perhaps the doctor has not adhered to the applicable guidelines on quality of treatment and must therefore be removed from the list of general practitioners. If the insured were to terminate each time, it would not only be a financial disaster for the insurance company, but also in terms of administrative effort.

A common reason GPs disappear from their health insurance list is related to the costs they billed. In the eyes of the insurance company, the doctor causes excessive costs that have to be borne by the health insurance company. As a precaution, the Santésuisse health insurance association checks annually whether the doctors are not overcharging. Anyone who becomes conspicuous has to explain himself, in the worst case even a court case may be pending because of these costs. For the insurance companies, on the other hand, there is no must, they can choose who they want to put on their family doctor's list. This in turn harbors a certain risk for the insured, as Morena Hostettler Socha also knows, her character as an ombudswoman for health insurance. If a doctor is struck from the family doctor list, the insured persons concerned have to switch to the standard basic insurance, which gives them the freedom to choose a doctor. That sounds good, but the costs involved are so high that switching to another health insurance policy is worthwhile by the end of the insurance year at the latest.

Conclusion: No right to extraordinary termination if the family doctor is excluded

If the previous family doctor is removed from the list of family doctors by the health insurance, this is bad for the insured. You have to switch to the more expensive basic tariff and until the end of the insurance year you have no option to switch from one insurance to another. But they have to pay more for this, because the basic tariff is usually significantly more expensive than the family doctor model. This change will be expensive for families, but they have no legal remedy.

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Use in an emergency: who pays the rescue helicopter?

Use in an emergency: who pays the rescue helicopter?

Alois H. passed out in his garden in January 2020. The call to the cantonal hospital resulted in a helicopter being sent to take Mr H. to the hospital. Now he has to pay the stake himself. Right?

Fall with consequences

Alois H. was seriously injured in his fall in the garden in January last year. The Schaffhausen hospital called was overloaded and sent the rescue helicopter that flew Alois H. to Zurich. Alois H.'s life partner canceled the emergency call because she thought her partner was in great danger. Only in the year after that he had suffered a stroke, now there were great fears that it would be another catastrophe.
For Alois H. the flight with the rescue helicopter goes directly to Zurich to the hospital, after it could only be stabilized on site. The Air Alpine Ambulance was quickly on the spot and flew to the University Hospital in Zurich. One day later, Mr. H. was allowed to return home. But despite all the relief, the disillusionment soon came: Three invoices arrived in a row, Mr. H. was now supposed to pay the ambulance service and the emergency doctor. The costs amounted to 2,000 francs, he was supposed to pay around 1,100 francs himself. Then there was the bill for the helicopter, which was supposed to cost 5,000 francs. Alois H.'s share was 3,000 francs. In total, this is 4,100 francs that Alois H. is now supposed to pay. Unfortunately, he doesn't know how to bear the costs and believes that his own rescue has ruined him.

That's what the law says

The described case has already been fatal for many people. You were brought to the hospital for an emergency and had to dig deep into your pockets afterwards. Depending on the region, transport by ambulance alone can cost up to CHF 2,000, and health insurance usually only covers half of that. Rescue by helicopter will be a lot more expensive.
If Rega organizes the rescue itself, the costs for the rescue operation can be reduced or eliminated entirely. However, if the Alpine Air Ambulance (AAA) arrives, the costs are passed on to the patient, even if there is a Rega patronage. This only covers the costs for Air Glacier and Air Zermatt operations. Thus the present invoices are indeed a financial catastrophe for Alois H., but they were justifiably issued. Such a burden can only be avoided with additional insurance offered by health insurance companies. Under certain circumstances, the entire transport costs are covered there.

However, if the transfer to another hospital has been ordered by the treating hospital, the costs will again be covered by the basic insurance. In the case of Alois H., this means that the costs would not have been incurred if the emergency doctors had brought Mr. H. to the cantonal hospital in Schaffhausen first and only then had the transfer by helicopter occurred due to the overload. Then only the rescue costs for the emergency doctor and the ambulance would have been due, but not for the flight with the AAA. But the Schaffhausen Hospital does not declare the flight to be relocated due to overload and so Alois H. remains at his expense. The reason given for this is that Mr. H. had neurological abnormalities that would have made a transport to the university clinic necessary due to his previous history.
In the meantime, Alois H. has paid the rescue and emergency doctor's costs and has begun paying off the costs of the helicopter. Unfortunately, in the meantime, a debt collection company has been called in, which in turn would like to claim default damages and interest.

Conclusion: Take out additional insurance as a useful addition to basic insurance

One of the most important supplementary insurances to the basic insurance includes the transport costs in an emergency. Otherwise, this can mean financial ruin and there is no legal remedy to protect yourself from legitimate claims in the event of a helicopter rescue.

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Expensive supplementary insurance: will the insured soon leave?

Expensive supplementary insurance: will the insured soon leave?

There is compulsory health insurance and supplementary insurance. With the latter in particular, insurers have made good money for a long time. But now it seems as if the insured are thinking twice about whether additional insurance is really necessary.

Pay more, get less: what's the point?

Many Swiss are now taking a closer look: They pay higher premiums for additional insurance and receive fewer benefits. Even without additional insurance, it is possible that someone lies in a single room and is treated by the head doctor. The reason for the price increases in supplementary insurance is easy to explain. It is mainly about the far too high administrative costs! With normal health insurance, the administrative costs are between 3.6 and 6.4 percent, with supplementary insurance, however, between 12.7 and 20.5 percent. These are additional expenses that have to be recovered through increased premiums. In the meantime, however, customers are paying more and more out of their own pockets and are taking on numerous payments for health services that were previously covered by health insurance. Is it surprising here that the popularity of supplementary insurance is noticeably declining?

Insurers are lagging behind

When the supplementary insurance came into being, it was still about offering the insured real added value. You should be fully covered and also receive additional benefits. But the providers of supplementary insurance have hardly made any improvements, rather they have rather eased. At the same time, however, the insurers for regular health insurance have not been idle and have instead ensured that the range of health services that are covered by basic insurance has continued to grow.
According to an estimate by McKinsey, insurers are simply not ready to offer special services. It is not yet possible to shorten the minimum term of the contracts; no bundles of services can yet be offered. This in turn reduces the interest of the insured in the additional offers. Digitization is also still an obstacle and is setting insurers back. Because: Only a small percentage of insurance policies are taken out directly online, meaning that a large market share is given away.

There are still no complaints

At the moment, it does not appear that insurers have any reason to complain. You have not yet received pressure from the insured and do not have to adjust the supplementary insurance yet. Their business is still profitable. But how much longer? The example of supplementary hospital insurance clearly shows how necessary this insurance is. Because: The public hospitals are upgrading their basic care, because they are in constant competition with one another. People with general insurance get a comprehensive range of services so that it is simply no longer necessary to accept the additional premiums for the semi-private or private supplementary insurance. In addition, there are now many operations that are carried out on an outpatient basis and no longer require a stay in hospital. Then why should additional insurance be taken out for this?

The Swiss are considered lazy to change when it comes to health insurance. This means that they would rather stay with their usual insurance than switch to another provider. The providers of supplementary insurance can still take advantage of this, because although they increase the premiums and do not bring any additional benefits, they can be relatively certain that the insured will not cancel. However, this is not a way of continuing to operate as before. The Swiss could soon run out of patience and with it their financial resources. Then the providers of supplementary insurance have to be prepared for numerous terminations or quickly improve the services offered.

Conclusion: reform of supplementary insurance would be necessary

Supplementary insurance has been neglected by insurers in the past. While basic insurance is constantly being improved, this is not the case with supplementary insurance. However, this means that if the premiums are continually increased and the benefits are not increased at the same time, there is a risk that the insured will terminate the contract. If there is no improvement here, the insurers run the risk of the insured jumping off.

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Social insurance: These changes will be available in 2021

Social insurance: These changes will be available in 2021

The social security? and not just health insurance! ? has undergone extensive revisions that will take effect in 2021. In particular, the supplementary benefits have changed significantly.

Complementary services significantly more extensive

The supplementary benefits that came into force on January 1, 2021 were reformed in March 2019 and primarily affect the amount of benefits and their calculation. The requirements to be met have also been significantly revised:

    • Rent maximums increased
      Housing costs are taken into account when calculating the supplementary benefits. The cap on these costs has now been increased to better reflect actual costs.

    • Assets taken into account
      In the future, the assets will be added to the calculation of supplementary benefits. Only those people whose assets are less than 100,000 francs are entitled to benefits; for married couples, double the amount applies. The allowances for adults have been reduced, for children they have remained the same.

    • Refund obligation
      If a person received supplementary benefits, heirs must repay them if the inheritance is more than 40,000 francs and the deceased received these benefits within the ten years prior to death.

    • New calculation
      A person's income is now taken into account at 80 percent when it comes to calculating the supplementary benefit. When specifying the premium for health insurance, the full premium is taken into account.

    • Paternity leave possible
      For children born on or after January 1, 2021, fathers can now take paternity leave, which is paid for a period of up to ten days. It is possible to take single days as well as two weeks at a time. After that, the father can draw 14 daily allowances, which are to be financed through the income compensation scheme. In order to be able to take paternity leave, however, the father must have been insured with the AHV for the nine months prior to the birth of the child and must have been gainfully employed for at least five months. 80 percent of the previous gross income is used for the calculation, with a maximum of CHF 196 being paid per day.

Changes also in health insurance

In 2021, the contribution to health insurance will increase by around 0.5 percent, with the average premium remaining the same or even decreasing in some cantons. In the case of children in particular, the contributions tend to decrease; in the case of young adults and adults, they usually increase.

So that the health insurances are induced to calculate the premiums correctly and not to build up unnecessarily high reserves, the health supervision ordinance should be adjusted. The reserves should then be only 28 million francs in 2021 and no longer around 11 billion francs as in 2020. This in turn is intended to ensure that the premiums that have been taken in too much so far are returned to the insured. However, this new regulation is not yet in force; it will only come into force later this year.

And one more thing that is being planned: There are now two popular initiatives that deal with health insurance premiums. On the one hand, there is the initiative to brake costs (? For lower premiums? Cost brake in the health care system?), And on the other hand, the initiative? A maximum of 10 percent of income for health insurance premiums ?. In the coming years, the Federal Parliament will discuss the proposals of the initiatives and also consider counter-proposals. Then the templates are presented to the people.

Conclusion: Numerous innovations to be expected in 2021

2021 will bring numerous innovations in terms of social insurance in Switzerland, although the above are far from complete. There are also various changes in terms of continued wages for short-term absences from work for the care of relatives, the expansion of care credits and the intensive care surcharge for hospital stays, which are intended to relieve the insured. In addition, the 1st pillar pensions will also be increased from 2021. Overall, the supply is thus significantly better secured.

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SWICA - the number 1 health insurer in Switzerland?

SWICA - the number 1 health insurer in Switzerland?

What can SWICA do that other health insurers in Switzerland cannot? Quite simply, she is always there for her customers and the meanwhile more than 1.5 million policyholders appreciate that. SWICA has become one of the leading health and accident insurance companies in Switzerland and stands for optimal medical care for the insured in all insurance cases: illnesses, accidents and maternity are perfectly covered thanks to SWICA. In addition, SWICA is the only health organization that offers an integral chain of services for all health-related issues and thus provides medical care as well as support for sick people. SWICA also offers health promotion in companies.

About SWICA: important key data on one of the most popular health insurances in Switzerland

Today, SWICA is one of the leading health insurers in Switzerland and is consistently ranked first in customer satisfaction surveys. The work in the interests of the insured has a long tradition: SWICA has existed since 1992. Here is a look at the most important data on the development of these health insurance companies:

    • 1992 Merger of Eastern Switzerland Health Insurance, Swiss Health and Accident Insurance, Swiss Company Health Insurance and Panorama Health Insurance to form the SWICA health organization
    • 1994 Establishment of our own health centers
    • 1996 Introduction of comprehensive business insurance for companies
    • 1998 Development of SWICA Care Management
    • 2000 Introduction of GLOBAL CARE as health insurance for Swiss people who live abroad permanently
    • 2005 For the first time, one million insured persons are registered
    • 2008 Introduction of sante24 as telephone advice on health issues
    • 2009 Expansion of health centers, conclusion of contracts for basic care
    • 2011 From now on, SWICA health centers will be run as independent companies under the name santémed Gesundheitszentren AG
    • 2013 PROVITA is included in the SWICA Group after many years of cooperation
    • 2015 Medbase (Migros subsidiary) takes over 70 percent of santémed
    • 2016 Introduction of the pharmacy model at SWICA to contain healthcare costs
    • 2019 santé24 is granted the practice license so that job references can be issued or medication can be prescribed

This development shows how SWICA always went one step further in order to be where it is today. Everything is geared towards economic success on the one hand and satisfying the needs of the insured on the other.

This is what SWICA offers the insured

It is not for nothing that SWICA is one of the leading accident and health insurers in Switzerland, because the benefits of this health insurance are extremely extensive. For example, comprehensive insurance cover for the treatment of sick people and accident victims is offered, and compensation for lost wages is also included in the benefits.

At SWICA, private customers choose their basic insurance with individual focus, for example, on complementary medicine or on the free choice of doctor and hospital. The legally defined standard model is of course also offered as well as various alternative insurance models and optional deductibles depending on your personal determination. The basic insurance can be adapted to the individual wishes of the insured with supplementary insurance that precisely matches the needs of the insured.
With hospital insurance, too, individuality is the key here. There are different variants for every situation in life and the coverage can also be determined personally.

SWICA is not only a good choice for private customers, but also for companies, as they can take out daily allowance and accident insurance here, with the individual solutions always delivering above-average service quality. Companies are also advised by experts from SWICA on the subject of workplace health promotion.

SWICA offers a bonus program with which the insured are to be rewarded. The contributions that are paid here for preventive measures can be up to CHF 800 per year. These contributions can be used individually and can be used, for example, for membership in the fitness center, for nutritional advice, for yoga courses or for membership in sports clubs. In addition, SWICA also offers the “Benevita” health platform, which is all about personal health care. Team or individual competitions can even be held there to encourage a healthy lifestyle.

Alternative insurance models complement SWICA's comprehensive insurance offering, so that, for example, different HMO, family doctor and list variants are available. At SWICA, conventional and complementary medicine are combined, and health insurance supports the use of alternative therapy methods.
The student insurance offered by SWICA Holding is also worth mentioning. This is intended for insured persons who are only staying in Switzerland temporarily and who are only there for training and further education. For example, if you are completing your degree in Switzerland or are in the country for your doctorate, you can take out suitable insurance that is only valid for a limited time.

An overview of the basic insurance offers from SWICA:

 

    • DEFAULT
      Associated with this is a free choice of doctor.
    • Favorite CASA
      The family doctor is always the first point of contact and coordinates all further procedures and treatments.
    • Favorite MEDICA
      The insured person can freely choose his doctor from a list of doctors. The list of doctors was drawn up by SWICA.
    • Favorite MEDPHARM
      There are SWICA partner pharmacies and santé24 to get an initial medical assessment and keep costs under control.
    • Favorite SANTE
      The SWICA partner practices are the first point of contact in the event of complaints or injuries.
    • Favorite TELMED
      An initial telemedical assessment is carried out by santé24, which is linked to an initial consultation with the insured person.

Important key figures for SWICA

SWICA publishes important key figures on its own pages, which come from the annual business report. The figures given here are taken from the 2019 annual report, as the current one for 2020 was not yet available at the time this article was written.

Here are the most important key figures for SWICA:

    • Total number of insured persons: 1'524'808
    • Total number of corporate customers: 26,828
    • Calls to santé24 in one year: 366,260
    • Calls outside of working hours: 37,258
    • Proportion of insurance premiums in administration costs: 4 % (An insurance is considered efficient if it spends less than 4.2 percent of the contributions on administration.)
    • Premium income: approx. 4.9 billion Swiss francs
    • Number of KVG policyholders: 818,403
    • Proportion of KVG policyholders with at least one additional insurance: 80 percent
    • SWICA employees: 1,929
    • Company result 2019: 123.4 million Swiss francs

A closer look at the advantages of SWICA

SWICA impresses with its numerous advantages, which are of different importance to the individual insured. Here is a look at all the advantages that SWICA offers:

    • Contributions to the promotion of sport
      SWICA is all about the health of the insured and is accordingly dedicated to health promotion. In return, it contributes up to 95 percent of the costs that an insured person has to pay to the STV gymnastics club, thereby relieving them of the membership fees. After all, it is in the interests of health insurance if the members stay healthy and are active in sports.
    • Premium discounts
      SWICA has entered into a partnership with the STV and can now offer insurance members the aforementioned premium discounts. These also apply to the supplementary insurance, whereby an age limit of 65 years has been set. If you choose alternative insurance models such as TELMED, MEDPHARM or CASA SANTE, you can get further premium discounts. These discounts can be up to several hundred euros per year.
    • First-class treatment by selected medical professionals
      The individual insurance solutions are specially adapted to the needs of the insured and offer quick and preferential access to the medical services in the country. Cutting-edge medicine in particular is highlighted here by SWICA, which is represented by a broad network of specialists and is thus intended to optimally support the recovery of the insured. The offer? BestMed? SWICA guarantees a free choice of doctor all over the world and also a free choice of hospitals. At the same time, the waiting times should be significantly shorter than usual.
    • Worldwide customer service
      Regardless of where the customers are calling from: SWICA can be reached 24 hours a day, every day of the year. Here, personal advice is offered, whereby the telemedical advice usually already provides an initial indication of the further course of action in individual cases. Anyone who has questions about their own insurance coverage can call SWICA and receive comprehensive advice. By the way, santé24 is responsible for Swiss telemedicine, where experienced doctors and medically trained specialists provide advice. All topics can be addressed and there are questions about disease prevention as well as accidents, maternity or accompanying sick people. The service can be used worldwide.
    • Personal support
      In the event of illness or an accident, good advice is often expensive and desperately sought after. With SWICA's professional Care Management, insured persons receive personal support from trained and proven care managers. They advise and support you in choosing the right treatment as well as relieve you of administrative tasks. More than 85 care managers work for SWICA within Switzerland.
      During the stay in the hospital or during a cure, the personal care service is of particular importance, as it ensures that the child or household is looked after. Support is provided by the? Home Nanny? and? Home Attendant ?.
    • No changed termination rates
      Unlike many other health insurers, SWICA does not adjust the retirement tariff, so it remains the same. The insurance wants to reward the loyalty of the insured and takes into account the duration of the insurance period when calculating the premiums due. Of course, the insurance coverage remains the same.
    • Lower cost sharing
      Only SWICA and PROVITA count the cost sharing through the basic insurance against the SWICA supplementary insurance. The maximum annual cost sharing is thus significantly reduced. Other health insurers do not do this, which has a negative impact on the costs of the insured.
    • Conventional and complementary medicine are on an equal footing
      Conventional and complementary medicine are treated equally at SWICA, and alternative therapy methods are supported here, as is conventional medicine. This means that acupuncture, Shiatsu, biodynamics, Feldenkrais, aromatherapy and many other treatment methods are also supported.
    • Benevita offers additional discount
      The bonus program? Benevita? is intended to encourage insured persons to organize their everyday life in a healthy way and to keep fit. The app used gives a discount of up to 15 percent on certain additional insurance policies. Specifically, these insurances are HOSPITA and COMPLETA TOP. In addition, the insured receive regular updates and news from the health sector.
    • Benecura with SymptomCheck
      Many people have complaints that cannot be properly assigned. With the SymptomCheck of the Benecura app, an individual recommendation for action can be given. Santé24 stands behind it with its range of telemedical services and advises insured persons around the clock. The documents can be stored using the integrated health dossier; if necessary, this can be sent to the treating doctor in accordance with the data protection regulations.
    • Digital handling of all insurance matters
      SWICA has the customer portal? MySWICA? and enables the insured to transmit all invoices digitally. In addition, insured persons receive an overview of the current insurance coverage and the tariffs that have been taken out at any time. Communication with customer service is possible via computer or smartphone, and individual adjustments and changes can also be easily made.

Who enjoys which advantages at SWICA?

Above all, sporty and health-conscious people are in good hands at SWICA. The insurance company offers numerous discounts and premium shares for membership in sports clubs and contributes to the costs of prevention. Here, of course, the focus is on your own benefit, because healthy insured persons incur fewer costs than sick people or people who are injured due to a lack of training.
At SWICA, all those insured who can warm up to the possibilities of complementary medicine and who would like to take advantage of the offers are also particularly advantageous. The costs for the additional tariff for complementary medicine are low, but all offers for alternative treatments can be used.

The advantages of SWICA are also of interest to those insured who want the most comprehensive insurance coverage possible, which they can adjust again and again and who also attach great importance to ensuring that customer service is digital and accessible worldwide. Those who do not want to go to the doctor directly benefit from telemedical advice. At the same time, of course, everyone who goes straight to the doctor in the classic way when they experience an illness has the best possible insurance cover.
In this respect, SWICA is ideal for all insured persons who want all-round coverage and who attach great importance to ensuring that premiums do not rise too sharply. Because this is another point where SWICA knows how to convince: even if the premiums rise annually as usual, this increase is still moderate (contributions on average in 2018 at 524 CHF and in 2019 at 538 CHF).

10 reasons why you should switch to SWICA

There are many reasons to switch to SWICA. The following 10 are particularly convincing:

    1. Excellent customer satisfaction
      SWICA is able to convince in almost every survey and proves to be a health insurance with which the insured are particularly satisfied. Every year, different comparison portals and consumer organizations carry out corresponding surveys according to different aspects? SWICA is always at the forefront.
    2. Available around the clock
      SWICA can be reached all day and every day of the week, including on public holidays and weekends. This also applies to telemedical advice, which is offered as a special service with this health insurance.
    3. Conventional and complementary medicine are on an equal footing
      Many health insurances only grant their benefits if conventional medicine is used. Naturopathic treatments, yoga or Feldenkrais are also tried and tested means and methods to achieve good results in the treatment of illnesses or after accidents. SWICA grants its benefits for both conventional and complementary medicine and makes no distinction here.
    4. The same subscription rate for life
      Many health insurances raise the tariffs so that the reserves in old age are high enough to cover higher expenses. SWICA, however, is not increasing the final tariff, which is an enormous relief for the mostly tight old-age budget.
    5. Grants and discounts for health promotion
      SWICA wants its policyholders to stay as healthy as possible. Of course, this is in your own interest, because the healthier the insured, the lower the expenses for any treatment. The subsidies and discounts for prevention and health promotion are very high, especially since a cooperation with the STV gymnastics club has been entered into. Members are reimbursed up to 95 percent of their fees here.
    6. Personal support
      In the event of illness or accident, personal support is worth its weight in gold. This is exactly what SWICA grants. From advice over the phone to specific suggestions for treatments and recommendations for doctors and hospitals, personal support is something that not many health insurers have in their program. This aspect alone is an important reason to switch to SWICA.
    7. Ideal medical care
      Depending on the tariff, the insured can enjoy a free choice of doctor and hospital anywhere in the world or within Switzerland. You also benefit from the combination of conventional and complementary medicine as well as the possibility of individual selection of supplementary insurance. Telemedical advice is ensured by TELMED, the health insurance is available around the clock via santé24 and can give tips and recommendations on medical questions.
    8. Low cost sharing
      The franchise is freely chosen and is generally rather low. In general, it is important for SWICA that the insured have the most comprehensive possible benefits covered by the regular contributions and only have to pay a low cost contribution.
    9. Handle insurance matters digitally
      In a world in which almost everything is digital, it must also be possible to regulate matters relating to health insurance digitally. SWICA is a pioneer and with? MySWICA? the possibility of handling all insurance matters and adapting your own health insurance digitally.
    10. Digital symptom check
      Suddenly symptoms of illness appear that cannot be classified? Then the time has come for BENECURA! The digital health advice offers a SymptomCheck, after which a recommendation for action is given. The insured feels reassured and supported and knows which step should be the next. Stored data and documents can be transmitted to the treating doctor while maintaining data protection.

Overviews of customer satisfaction and bonus examples

SWICA likes to boast that it is the best and most popular health insurance in Switzerland. But is it really like that? The question can be answered very easily: Mostly it really is! Because in customer surveys, SWICA actually does as well as the latest comparisons in 2020 have shown. Here are some examples:

    • Comparison at comparis.ch
      The top score of 5.4 was achieved here, which puts SWICA in first place out of 23 health insurers in Switzerland. Above all, the service was praised here, with the competence and commitment of the SWICA employees being emphasized. In addition, the accounts are rated as particularly clear and payouts are processed quickly.
    • Survey at K-Tipp
      Here too, SWICA was able to position itself at the top. 76.2 percent of those surveyed stated that they were satisfied with SWICA and here, too, it was the customer service that was decisive for the praise. The employees were rated as very committed personally.
    • Survey by AmPuls
      In the survey by AmPuls, SWICA achieved top marks or even as the health insurance company that achieved the best result here. Customer service and company image were highlighted, whereby according to SWICA the praise should be taken as an incentive to continue to deliver the best service quality.

Finally two bonus examples:

Insured example 1

    • Data on the insured person
      Woman, residing in Zurich, 41 years old, employed
    • desired insurance
      Basic insurance plus additional? Free choice of doctor and hospital?
    • basic health insurance
      Favorite SANTE
      CHF 353.55
      Model: partner practice
    • franchise
      CHF 1,000
    • accident coverage
      No
    • supplementary
      Hospital semi-private
      CHF 110.90
    • Savings
      15 percent for additional insurance
    • Monthly charges
      CHF 394.78

Insured example 2

    • Data on the insured person
      Man, living in Zurich, 41 years old, employed
    • desired insurance
      Basic insurance plus supplement? Complementary medicine? and? glasses and contact lenses?
    • basic health insurance
      Favorite SANTE
      CHF 353.55
      Model: partner practice
    • franchise
      CHF 1,000
    • accident coverage
      No
    • supplementary
      Completa top
      CHF 29.90
    • Monthly charges
      CHF 383.45

Your savings potential: CHF 1,060 annually

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Your health partner in every situation

Because health is everything

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KPT: health insurance with special benefits for the insured

The KPT? the health insurance with the plus

In 2020, KPT once again managed to be voted one of the best health insurance companies in Switzerland. In customer surveys, KPT was once again able to place itself in one of the top ranks. It must be emphasized that this is not a one-off event, because KPT policyholders are also very satisfied with their choice in the long term. It is therefore time to introduce the KPT in more detail.

About KPT: important key data on one of the most popular health insurances in Switzerland

With its 130-year history, KPT is a health insurance pioneer. It has retained the innovative spirit of its early days to this day. The Berner Krankenkasse combines personal customer advice with modern technology and regularly generates excellent customer satisfaction in surveys.

This is what KPT offers the insured

KPT is based in Bern and employs around 600 people. It offers compulsory health insurance as well as various supplementary insurances. The basic insurance offered by KPT includes:

    • Standard insurance
      Free choice of doctor, no referral to a specialist necessary
    • KPTwin.easy
      Premium discount of up to 20 percent when using medication delivery and telemedicine
    • KPTwin.doc
      Premium discount of up to 15 percent through the family doctor model
    • KPTwin.plus
      Premium discount of up to 17 percent through the use of the health network model
    • KPTwin.win
      Premium discount of up to 8 percent through the use of telemedicine with free choice of doctor

In addition to the usual basic insurance, KPT offers various additional insurance policies:

    • Insurance for hospital costs
    • Nursing insurance
    • accident insurance
    • Traffic legal protection insurance
    • Private legal protection insurance
    • Travel and vacation insurance

Insured persons who are insured with KPT and who use the KPTnet customer portal receive their documents exclusively electronically. You will receive a five percent discount on the additional insurance policies mentioned. A further 6.7 percent discount is available for the supplementary health care plus, hospital costs and health comfort insurances, if these insurances are taken out with a minimum contract term of three years.
If women have taken out semi-private or private supplementary hospital insurance with KPT and give birth on an outpatient basis or at home, they will receive a reimbursement of CHF 1,000 to 1,250.

tip: The offer for private and traffic legal protection insurance is implemented by Coop Rechtsschutz AG. This insurance module can be booked individually and rounds off the personal insurance package.

Important KPT figures

The KPT can shine not only with very good survey results, but also with its key figures. Also with the efficiency of their administration, because only around five percent of the premiums are used for administration costs (as of November 2020). 

Here is an overview of the most important key figures for insurance:

    • Sales per year: 1.7 billion Swiss francs
    • Employees: more than 600
    • Insured: approx. 408,000 (more than 60 percent of which are KPTnet customers, according to the website)

The advantages of the KPT

KPT is not rewarded with high customer satisfaction for nothing, because the insured are offered numerous advantages here. Even if other health insurance companies try to offer a similarly good service, they do not always achieve this and therefore have to take a back seat to the KPT. The KPT is unique!

The advantages of the KPT

Probably the greatest advantage of KPT is personal advice. In customer surveys, the courteous service and easy accessibility are emphasized again and again. The insured can also count on being called back, which is even possible on Saturdays. The callback simply has to be requested on the KPT homepage. These advantages are also convincing:

    • Easy online administration
      The online administration via the KPTnet customer portal and the KPT app makes it easy to submit invoices, find documents and ask questions. This makes personal support much easier, and insurance business can be done from anywhere and at any time. It is therefore unnecessary to be bound by KPT's business hours.
    • Telemedicine at no additional cost
      It is not always necessary to go to the doctor directly; advice from the experts who can be reached via the telemedical advice service is often enough. These specialists can be called directly if you have any health questions or specific complaints. For this there are premium discounts at KPT.
    • The right insurance for every situation
      At KPT, great importance is attached to ensuring that the insurance policies are individually tailored. This means that personal insurance products are designed and used. The alternative basic insurance models offered here are tailored to suit every insured person and save time and money thanks to the use of medication delivery, telemedicine and premium discounts.
    • Pension contributions
      KPT pays up to CHF 600 per year if the insured person takes out a fitness subscription. Membership in a sports club or participation in programs on healthy eating, relaxation and more exercise in everyday life is also rewarded.
    • Chat with the doctor
      Do you have a quick medical question? A visit to the doctor's office is unnecessarily time-consuming. It is much faster and easier via WhatsApp or SMS! Thanks to DoctorChat, there is free medical advice from the expert around the clock. The big plus at KPT!

Who enjoys which advantages at KPT?

We have already explained the advantages for adults who are insured with KPT. But families and children can also benefit from extensive advantages. Here is a brief overview:

    • Family benefits
      At KPT, families are covered at a lower price in the basic insurance. You get a discount of 77 percent on basic insurance for children up to 18 years of age. Young adults enjoy a discount of between 10 and 20 percent, with the actual discount depending on the respective canton in which the person is registered. Private legal protection insurance is free and various family discounts are granted. It goes without saying that the insurance is easy to manage as always.
    • Benefits for babies and children
      Babies can be insured with KPT from the day they are born and benefit from the family doctor model. KPTwin.doc is the right insurance model here, in which the pediatrician coordinates all important examinations and therapies. Efficient treatments are therefore just as natural as generous discounts.
      Babies and children can be included in the Nursing Comfort insurance and benefit from the offers for natural medicine, vaccinations and visual aids as well as various medications, with these benefits going beyond those of the basic insurance. If the child registers immediately after the birth, 100 francs will be paid out as a welcome bonus. The eight-week travel and vacation insurance is also included.
      Hospital cost insurance is another element that benefits children. Here, the doctor, treatment and accommodation costs in the general ward in the hospital are covered, and contributions to domestic help and home care are paid. If it is necessary to stay in a hospital abroad, the insurance will cover up to CHF 20,000.
      Furthermore, an acceptance guarantee is granted. This means that children have the chance to graduate from a higher hospital class later on and do not have to take another health examination.
      KPT also insures death and disability and closes the gaps in an occupational pension plan; uncovered costs do not have to be proven separately.
      And one more point for the KPT with regard to children: If the additional dental insurance is taken out by the child's 5th birthday, no dental certificate is required for necessary treatment. For tooth position corrections, for example, up to 75 percent of the costs are covered, with a limit of CHF 10,000 per year.

10 reasons why you should switch to KPT

KPT is convincing all along the line. Here are 10 more reasons why you should switch to KPT (or stay with the health insurance company if you are already insured here):

  • High premiums when using telemedicine and sending medication
  • Easy management of documents via the KPT app or the KPTnet customer portal
  • Personal advice with a callback service
  • Individual insurance packages comprising basic insurance and additional insurance
  • First-class offers for families
  • Adjustment of insurance benefits depending on age and life situation
  • High reimbursements for individual services
  • Generous contributions to health care, fitness and wellbeing.
  • Only minor premium adjustments in recent years
  • It is possible to cover the costs for alternative treatments

The ten reasons mentioned are already enough to seriously consider changing health insurers. If you are not sure yet, just call KPT and get advice. It becomes clear how comprehensive the advice is and that it is primarily a matter of finding an individual insurance solution. This also applies to families, for whom it is difficult to calculate the premiums online. One phone call is all it takes to see how low the rewards really are for the entire family. Of course, these also depend on the supplementary insurance you choose.

Overviews of customer satisfaction and bonus examples

The KPT can assert itself again and again in the various customer ratings and closes every year with a very good grade in terms of customer satisfaction. This is how the major comparison portals rated KPT:

Comparison portalrating
neotralo.chGrade: 5.3
comparis.chGrade: 5.4
bonus.chGrade: 5.1
moneyland.chScore: 8.2
20 minScore: 8.1
blick.chGrade: 5.3

The grades were given in the surveys with the values 1 to 6, thus showing that the KPT can certainly come up with very high values. Only the portals 20min and moneyland.ch awarded points of a maximum of 10, and here too, KPT proves to be far ahead.

The following table shows premium examples for different policyholders and age groups for the Zurich region:

InsuredBasic insurance (CHF per month)insurance
Child (0 to 18 years)Standard model: 123.75 (without franchise)Semi-private hospital cost insurance: CHF 26.60
 1. easy: CHF 97.65Nursing comfort insurance: CHF 12.60
 2nd plus: 101.55 CHF 
 3rd doc: CHF 104.15 
 4th win: 117.35 CHF 
   
Young adults (19-25 years)Standard model: 285.85 (deductible of 2,500 CHF)Semi-private hospital cost insurance: CHF 54.10
 1. easy: CHF 227.25Nursing comfort insurance: CHF 21.80
 2nd plus: 236.05 CHF 
 3rd doc: CHF 241.85 
 4th win: CHF 262.35 
   
Adults (from 26 years)Standard model: 389.55 (deductible of 2,500 CHF)Semi-private hospital cost insurance: CHF 132.40
 1. easy: CHF 310.25Health care comfort insurance: CHF 34.90
 2nd plus: CHF 322.15 
 3rd doc: CHF 330.05 
 4th win: CHF 357.85 
   
Family (two adults, two children)Up to 77 percent discount on basic insuranceFamily discount based on an individual offer

Families with three children are offered additional discounts that affect the level of premiums in basic insurance. In addition, there are supplementary insurances, which are selected individually and which differ in price depending on the age of the individual to be insured. In general, the KPT convinces with its low premiums, which apply to insured persons of all ages, as well as the individual additional services.

Have you become curious and convinced of the services of KPT? Then you can order an offer here

Your savings potential: CHF 1,060 annually

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The right insurance for you

The health insurance with the plus

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Health insurance: Can the health insurance company say no?

Promised assumption of costs for an operation by health insurance: Can the health insurance fund? No? say?

An example: patient A. has to be operated on on her knee and receives a rejection of the cost credit from her health insurance company. The reason: Allegedly, the insurance company does not have a contract with the hospital. A look at the insurance conditions clarifies whether this is legal.

Basic insurance pays a flat rate per case

The health insurance covers 45 percent of the flat-rate costs if the doctor operates patient A.'s knee in a hospital that is on the hospital list of the canton where A. lives. The canton of residence then pays the remaining 55 percent. Basic insurance often requires a patient to undergo preliminary examinations at the doctor's or in the hospital, and these examinations are then borne entirely by the health insurance company. This then sends a confirmation of costs before the operation. After the operation, the outpatient services will be offset, and the agreed deductible will also be offset. An additional 15 francs are added per day for meals; this is known as the hospital surcharge.

The supplementary insurance covers other benefits

If the doctor operates on patient A.'s knee outside the canton in which she is registered and lives, the canton of residence pays 55 percent of the flat rate for hospitals outside the canton. The difference must then be borne by A. himself if she does not have a corresponding additional insurance for the? General department throughout Switzerland? has completed.

Important to know: Not all health insurers conclude the usual contracts with all hospitals, because they are no longer allowed to agree arbitrarily high hospital and doctor tariffs. The decisive factor for a possible reimbursement of costs is always your own contract, which in our example must be available for patient A. Corresponding exclusions can be found in the general insurance provisions. Some policies are designed in such a way that they guarantee that costs will be covered throughout Switzerland, while this is not or no longer the case with other contracts. The costs that are not covered by the additional insurance are ultimately borne by the patient.

If the policy is based on a hospital list, the insurance must cover the agreed benefits. However, only if the hospital in which the insured person is to be operated is actually on the hospital list. If this is not the case, the health insurance does not have to cover the costs. Important tip: Before the operation, the health insurance company gives the cost credit. In any case, this should be waited for before a non-urgent operation is promised. If the health insurance company does not grant the confirmation of costs, the costs for the surgery will be charged to the patient.

Conclusion: Always wait for the cost approval first!

In accordance with these considerations, it is absolutely right for the health insurance company to refrain from assuming the costs for an operation or other treatment. If the services are based on a hospital list or if only the services in hospitals that are on the list for the respective canton of residence are paid for, a free choice of hospital is not advisable. If the operation is not urgent and cannot be postponed, the insured should therefore always ask the health insurance company for the confirmation of the costs and only then make an appointment for the operation. This avoids having to bear the costs yourself.

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Whether skiing, snowboarding or sledding? So you will come home safely

Whether skiing, snowboarding or sledding? So you will come home safely

The ski season has started and numerous winter sports fans are drawn to the mountains again. Whether for skiing, snowboarding, cross-country skiing or sledding? there is something for everyone. So that you get home safely, you shouldn't do without proper preparation! 

Proper preparation for fun in the snow

Maybe it's been a few years since you last stood on the board. This makes physical preparation for the coming season all the more important. Often skiing, snowboarding or sledging is underestimated and thus leads to accidents. Especially during the Corona period, even more people than usual are looking to escape to the mountains. Several thousand visitors quickly come together and the slope is full of beginners to professional skiers. As a result, great attention and consideration should be given.    

In order to arrive safely back in the valley, it is worthwhile to train your endurance, strength and flexibility. Since the muscles also play an important role in snow sports, you should do strength and stretching exercises once or twice a week. Especially now that the possibilities for physical movement have been restricted, it is important to prepare as well as possible for the winter sports days.

The following are suitable for this:

    • to jog
    • A long walk
    • Home workout

In addition to the physical preparation, a quick look at the equipment before departure doesn't hurt. In what condition is your ski or snowboard equipment? It is recommended that you have your equipment checked in a specialist shop for the best driving experience on the slopes. Helmet, ski goggles, back armor and, if necessary, wrist guards are a must on the slopes. It is better to try on the clothing again before use so that you can ensure that the protection of 100% can be guaranteed. A helmet that is too big does not provide protection in the event of a fall.

On the slopes? finished ? Come on!

Before the first ride, it is advisable to warm up to avoid any strains. Adapt your driving speed to the snow and weather conditions so that you are not suddenly surprised by a fork or lose control. If this is your first time on the slopes, it is worth attending a course. Taking a break when you feel weakened will reduce the risk of injury.

Insurance tips:

So that you are well insured not only on the slopes, but also off the slopes, it is worth checking your insurance cover again before leaving.

health insurance

How are you covered in the event of a skiing accident? For people who do not work more than 8 hours a week, it is important that accidents are included in the health insurance, otherwise you will have to pay for all costs yourself. To avoid this, find out about your current insurance coverage in advance.

Would you like to optimize your health insurance? click here and compare all health insurances without obligation and free of charge.

travel insurance

A week's skiing holiday in a hotel in the mountains was planned. Shortly before departure, a family member fell ill and the vacation had to be canceled. In such cases, travel insurance is very helpful.

Don't know if you own one or are interested in travel insurance, then compare here Your travel insurance without obligation and free of charge.

Household insurance

After a few trips, treat yourself to a short lunch break in the restaurant. You leave your skis in the ski depot and when you return from your lunch break, was it gone? the ski was stolen. Now the question arises, are you insured against theft abroad?

If you are unsure whether this is included in your package or if you do not have any household insurance at all, click here and compare all home contents insurances without obligation and free of charge.

Personal Liability Insurance

It is slowly getting dark and you are on your final journey. The fog covers the slope more and more and makes visibility worse. Further down you overlook a fork and the snowboarder coming from the right. They lose control in shock and collide. At the same moment the snowboard breaks. The snowboarder insists that you pay for the damage incurred. This is where your personal liability insurance comes into play.

If you do not yet have personal liability insurance or would like to compare your current insurance with other insurances, then click here.

Conclusion: Safe driving is twice as much fun

Numerous ski areas have reopened their slopes and attract several thousand visitors. The whole thing is to be enjoyed with caution. With good preparation, nothing stands in the way of you. On the slopes? finished ? Come on!    

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Premium money: Not all health insurance companies are economical

Premium money: Not all health insurance companies are economical

So far, the health insurance companies were not very economical in terms of premium money. However, according to new surveys, they are now handling the contributions more efficiently, even though the differences between the insurers are still very large.

Higher premiums due to greater administrative effort?

How efficiently a health insurance works is usually measured by the amount of its own administration costs. How much money does the health insurance company need for its employees and their salaries, how much does their own property cost and what is the annual amount for advertising and marketing? Exactly these costs make a big difference between different health insurances. While some are very economical, others drive up their own costs. True to the motto: What does the world cost?

However, current findings show that higher administrative costs do not necessarily mean that the health insurance in question is less efficient. The decisive factor is how the expenses are used and what premium income is offset by the expenses. In addition, higher administrative expenses do not necessarily mean that the premiums also have to be high, because they are only partially used to pay the administrative costs. A very small part, because at most health insurers the share of administrative costs does not even reach 4.5 percent, which are paid by the premium money.

Big differences among health insurers

A comparison shows that the differences between the individual health insurances are quite considerable. Here are two examples:

    • Visana
      With this health insurance, the insured pay around 3,700 francs per year. The administrative costs per person are around 127 francs, provided that this person is included in the basic insurance.

    • Helsana
      Here the average premium for an insured person is around 4,100 francs per year. However, the administrative costs for a person in the basic insurance are significantly higher and amount to around 212 francs.

Helsana tries to justify itself and declares that around 94 cents flow back to the insured person in the form of a benefit, and that for every franc that is paid in as a premium. This means that the real administrative costs are significantly lower and only amount to six cents per premium franc.

Don't see costs as a sign of quality

Experts assume that the expenditure that a health insurance company makes for its own purposes and which therefore falls within the scope of administrative costs cannot necessarily be seen as a good or poor quality health insurance. Cash registers that offer a very good quality of service are not represented per se with higher administrative costs. At the same time, not every cash register that has low costs for its own administration can offer poor service.

However, one thing is noticeable and this is common to all health insurances: the costs for your own administration have fallen by around 50 percent in recent years. However, the administrative costs are only seen in connection with the premiums or put in relation to them. Nevertheless: The differences between the individual health insurance companies still exist and it remains to be seen that the insurance companies work with different levels of efficiency. While some have only minimal costs, others make full use of what ultimately says nothing about the service offered.

Conclusion: Not every health insurance company saves on administrative costs

Some health insurance companies are constantly striving to keep their own costs as low as possible and allocate these lower costs to the premium money. Others are anything but efficient and thus increase health insurance contributions. However, the administration costs say nothing about the service of the cash register.

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