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Health Insurance in Switzerland
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Health Insurance in Switzerland

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Health insurance is mandatory in most European countries – and Switzerland is no exception. You have to take out basic health insurance within three months of your arrival. And, as the health insurance covers all costs retroactively, the insurance starts from your date of entry into the country. This means you’ll have to pay for all three months regardless of when you sign the insurance contract, so it’s a good idea to take out insurance as soon as possible. Otherwise, you may end up paying three monthly amounts premiums at once.

Good to know: You can change your Swiss health insurer once a year, with termination due by the end of November.

Do you need more info? Click below to find out more and schedule a free call with an expert adviser, with no obligation to book.

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What you need to know about Swiss health insurance

  • Basic health insurance is compulsory for anyone living and working in Switzerland.

  • Within three months of your arrival, you have to prove that you’ve taken out basic health insurance.

  • There’s no advantage in waiting until the third month to take out a contract, because basic insurance is effective retroactively from your date of entry. So, if you wait three months until you take out basic health insurance, you’ll have to pay all three months at once.

  • Basic health insurance covers part of the costs for illness, accident and maternity. If you want higher costs to be covered or more comfort during a hospital stay, for example, you can take out supplementary health insurance.

  • If you work more than eight hours a week for the same employer, you are insured against accidents through your employer. In this case, you can remove accident cover from your basic health insurance policy.

New in Switzerland and want to know more about the Swiss health system? Or have you settled here for longer and want to optimise your health insurance? Maybe you want to know which benefits are covered in Switzerland if you’re pregnant? We’ve put together the most important information for you here.

Simple Guide to Swiss Health Insurance for New Arrivals

The Sanitas Guide tells you everything you need to know about health insurance in Switzerland.

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Getting to Grips with Health Insurance: a simple guide for expats who’ve been living in Switzerland for a while

The Sanitas Guide explains how to optimise your health insurance and highlights why it’s worth taking out supplementary health insurance.

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Pregnant in Switzerland: what You can expect from your Health Insurance

The Sanitas Guide explains what you need to know when you’re pregnant, which benefits are covered by health insurance during pregnancy and how to best insure your baby against illness and accidents.

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Any questions about Swiss health insurance?

Our experts will be happy to help you find the best health insurance solution for you.

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Headquarters:
Packimpex Ltd.
Brunnmattstrasse 5, 3174 Thörishaus/Bern, Switzerland

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