Health Insurance in Switzerland
2027 Premiums & Switching Guide
The 2027 premiums are live — and insurers moved very differently this year. Comparing is worth real money. Everyone must be insured within 90 days of arrival. Here's everything you need to know to choose wisely and save.
| Model | First contact | Premium savings | Best for | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Standard Freie Arztwahl | Any doctor, directly | — | Frequent specialist visits | Most expensive |
Family Doctor (Hausarzt) | Your chosen GP first | 10–20% | Families, older residents | Good balance |
HMO Group practice | HMO centre first | 15–25% | Urban residents near HMO | Solid savings |
Telmed / Telemedicine | Phone hotline first | 20–30% | Healthy, low medical usage | Best value |
| Franchise | Annual premium saving vs CHF 300 | Max out-of-pocket / year | Best if annual bills are... |
|---|---|---|---|
| CHF 300 | — (baseline) | CHF 1,000 | Over CHF 2,000 |
| CHF 500 | ~CHF 120/year | CHF 1,200 | Around CHF 2,000 |
| CHF 1,000 | ~CHF 480/year | CHF 1,700 | CHF 1,000–1,500 |
| CHF 1,500 | ~CHF 840/year | CHF 2,200 | CHF 500–1,000 |
| CHF 2,000 | ~CHF 1,200/year | CHF 2,700 | Under CHF 500 |
| CHF 2,500 ✓ Popular | ~CHF 1,540/year | CHF 3,200 | Under CHF 1,800 — saves even with some bills |
| Canton | Avg. monthly premium | vs. Swiss avg | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🟢 Zug | ~CHF 295 | –25% | Cheapest in Switzerland |
| 🟢 Appenzell Innerrhoden | ~CHF 305 | –22% | Very low costs |
| 🟡 Uri | ~CHF 318 | –19% | Rural, low healthcare usage |
| ⚪ Zürich | ~CHF 385 | avg. | Large city, mid-range |
| ⚪ Bern | ~CHF 398 | avg.+ | |
| 🔴 Basel-Stadt | ~CHF 480 | +22% | Highest usage, many hospitals |
| 🔴 Ticino | ~CHF 490 | +25% | High cost canton |
| 🔴 Geneva | ~CHF 530 | +35% | Most expensive in Switzerland |
| Insurer | Known for | Price | Customer satisfaction | English support |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Assura | Lowest premiums overall | Cheapest | ⭐⭐⭐ | Limited |
CSS | Broad network, solid app | Mid | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Yes |
SWICA ⭐ | Best service, wellness perks | Mid-high | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Yes |
Helsana | Largest insurer, all cantons | Mid | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Yes |
Sanitas | Digital-first, good app | Mid | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Yes |
Aquilana | Top satisfaction (Comparis) | Mid | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Limited |
ÖKK | Personalised service | Mid | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Limited |
Groupe Mutuel | French Switzerland focus | Mid | ⭐⭐⭐ | Yes (FR) |
Doctor & hospital visits
All medically necessary treatments by licensed physicians. Outpatient and inpatient. Specialists require referral in non-standard models.
Medications
Prescription drugs on the official list (Spezialitätenliste). Over-the-counter medication is NOT covered.
Maternity
Full prenatal care, birth, and postnatal care. No deductible or co-pay applies for pregnancy-related services.
Mental health
Psychotherapy covered when prescribed by a doctor. Direct access to psychologists was expanded in 2022.
Dental — mostly NOT covered
Basic insurance does NOT cover routine dental. Only accident-related dental damage is covered. Get dental supplemental insurance separately.
Complementary medicine
Certain treatments (homeopathy, traditional Chinese medicine, etc.) are covered when performed by an MD with recognised training.
Yes. Basic health insurance (Grundversicherung) is mandatory for all residents of Switzerland within 90 days of registering. If you miss the deadline, your canton can assign you an insurer automatically, and you may face a premium surcharge.
Yes, health insurance is still mandatory. However, if you're employed more than 8 hours per week with one employer, your employer covers workplace accidents (UVG). In this case, you should remove accident coverage from your health insurance plan — it saves you roughly 7% on premiums.
Once a year: your cancellation must arrive at your insurer by 30 November and coverage switches on 1 January. For 2027, that's 30 November 2026. Insurers must accept you regardless of health status for basic insurance. See our full 2027 switching guide →
Supplemental insurance (Zusatzversicherung) covers extras not in basic insurance: private hospital room, dental, vision, worldwide coverage, alternative medicine, gym reimbursements, etc. It's voluntary. Insurers CAN reject you or add exclusions based on your health. Apply early, before any conditions arise. SWICA and CSS have popular expat supplemental packages.
Yes — called Prämienverbilligung (IPV). Households with lower incomes can apply to their canton for a subsidy. Every canton has different thresholds. Apply at your cantonal office soon after arriving. Around 30% of Swiss residents receive some subsidy. See our full premium subsidy guide for how to apply.
Emergency care is covered in EU/EFTA countries (up to twice Swiss rates). Outside EU, basic insurance doesn't cover you. If you travel frequently, add international supplemental coverage or a travel insurance policy.
