When should I change health insurance provider?

When should I change health insurance provider?

"I want to change my basic health insurance because I've found out that my friend pays a much cheaper health insurance premium. But I've been told that I can't change insurers at any time! Is this true?"

Judith, Acacias

The Swiss legislator has made it compulsory for anyone domiciled in Switzerland to take out health insurance within three months of taking up residence or being born in Switzerland. Contrary to its name, social health insurance provides benefits not only in the event of illness, but also in the event of pregnancy or accident. If a person required to take out insurance fails to do so in good time, the cantonal authorities will automatically affiliate them. While it is compulsory to take out insurance, there is no single insurer and each insured person is free to choose from among the health insurance companies or private insurance companies on the market. Policyholders may also change insurers, even during the year, provided certain deadlines are met.

Policyholders have the option of changing insurers at the end of half a calendar year, subject to three months' notice. This means that if you wish to terminate your insurance contract on 30 June, your insurer must receive your notice of termination no later than 31 March of the same year. It should be noted that it is not the date of dispatch that is decisive, but the date of receipt of the cancellation notice by your insurer. However, it is not possible to cancel during the course of the year if you have insurance with a deductible of more than CHF 300 or if the insurance involves a limited choice of service providers.

Each year, the insurer must notify its policyholders of the new premiums approved by the Federal Office of Public Health, at least two months in advance, and inform them of their right to terminate the insurance contract by the end of the month preceding the start of the new premium, subject to one month's notice. So if you want to change your insurance policy in January, whatever your deductible, all you have to do is send your current insurer a notice of termination as soon as you receive this communication, but before 30 November. Bear in mind, however, that the cancellation deadlines are not the same for supplementary insurance.