Swiss health insurance,
made simple for newcomers.
Basic cover is mandatory within three months of arriving. Same legal benefits, wildly different prices. We compare every major Swiss insurer for you and explain the choice in plain English - free, independent, no obligation.
- Independent
- Free comparison & consultation
- All major Swiss insurers
Independent. Expat-focused. Genuinely free.
We're a Swiss financial intermediary - not tied to any single insurer. We compare across the entire market, translate the small print into English, and only recommend what actually fits your life in Switzerland. Both the comparison and the follow-up consultation are free and non-binding.
Independent
Not owned by an insurer. Advice you can trust.
All major insurers
We compare across every major Swiss carrier.
Always free
No fee from you - ever. Insurers pay a regulated brokerage.
Expat-focused
Explained in English, sensitive to cross-border situations.
The mandatory foundation - the same by law, everywhere
Basic health insurance under KVG/LAMal is compulsory for every person living in Switzerland - adults, children and newborns alike. You must enrol within three months of registering at your commune, and cover is backdated to your arrival date so there is never a gap.
What matters most for newcomers: the medical benefits are identical at every insurer, fixed by federal law. Insurers compete only on price, service and care model. That means choosing a cheaper carrier does not mean less protection - it simply means paying less for exactly the same legal cover.
Your monthly premium is shaped by your canton and age band, your chosen model (standard, family doctor, HMO or Telmed) and your franchise (CHF 300 to CHF 2'500). Small choices here can move your bill by several hundred francs a year.
Optional extras - where comfort, choice and travel come in
Supplemental insurance sits on top of the basic plan and is entirely optional. It typically adds semi-private or private hospital rooms, broader dental cover, alternative medicine, fitness and prevention benefits, and stronger cover for medical care while travelling abroad.
It is usually worth it when you want free choice of hospital and specialist, expect meaningful dental work, or travel frequently outside Switzerland - situations where the basic plan alone leaves visible gaps.
Unlike basic cover, VVG insurers can ask health questions and decline applicants or exclude conditions. Applying while young and healthy is meaningfully easier and cheaper, so timing matters more than most newcomers expect.
We compare all major Swiss insurers
Every carrier licensed in your canton - checked side-by-side for your postcode, age and franchise.
Six things every arriving expat should know
Short primers - tap through to the full guide when you want the detail.
Mandatory basic cover (KVG / LAMal) and the 3-month deadline
Every resident must hold Swiss basic insurance. Sign up within 3 months of registering at your commune - cover is backdated to your arrival date.
Read the guideHow premiums are set
Canton, age band, insurer, care model (standard, family doctor, HMO, Telmed) and franchise. Same legal cover - very different price.
Read the guideBasic vs supplemental (VVG)
Basic is identical everywhere; VVG adds semi-private/private hospital, dental, alternative medicine. VVG insurers can refuse - timing matters.
Read the guideChoosing your franchise
CHF 300 to CHF 2'500. High franchise only pays off for healthy adults with almost no expected treatment. Families usually stay at CHF 300.
Read the guideSwitching insurer (30 November)
You can change basic insurer once a year. Written notice must arrive by 30 November to switch on 1 January. VVG has its own, longer notice periods.
Read the guideCross-border commuters - option right
G-permit holders in the EU have a one-off Optionsrecht within 3 months of starting work. Choice is binding - the right answer depends on your family setup.
Read the guideExplore in detail
Basic insurance (LAMal/KVG)
The mandatory foundation - what's covered, deadlines, enrolment.
Supplemental insurance (VVG)
Semi-private/private, dental, worldwide cover - what's actually worth it.
Compare premiums
How premiums are built and how to find the cheapest compliant plan.
Choosing your franchise
Break-even maths for CHF 300 vs 2'500 - by profile.
Switching insurer
The 30 November deadline, the letter, and how to avoid a coverage gap.
Cross-border commuters
The Optionsrecht: Swiss KVG vs staying in your home system.
Health insurance in Switzerland - your questions, answered
Do I have to take Swiss health insurance when I move to Switzerland?
Yes. Basic health insurance under LAMal/KVG is mandatory for every person living in Switzerland - adults, children and newborns alike. You must sign up within three months of registering at your commune. Cover is then backdated to your arrival date, so there is no gap.
What is the deadline to enrol after arriving?
Three months from the day you register your residence at your commune. Miss it and the canton assigns you to an insurer automatically, back-charges the missed premiums, and you lose the chance to pick the cheapest compliant plan for your situation.
How much does Swiss health insurance cost as a newcomer?
Basic (LAMal/KVG) premiums depend on your canton, age, insurer, chosen model and franchise. As of 2025, a typical adult monthly premium ranges from roughly CHF 300 to CHF 600. Children are meaningfully cheaper and young adults (19-25) get a discount. Use the calculator above to see the exact range for your postcode.
What's the difference between basic (LAMal/KVG) and supplemental (VVG)?
Basic cover is identical by law at every insurer - they must accept you and cannot exclude pre-existing conditions. Supplemental VVG is optional and covers extras such as semi-private or private hospital rooms, dental, alternative medicine and worldwide travel. VVG insurers can refuse applicants based on health, so applying while young and healthy makes it easier and cheaper.
Which franchise (deductible) should I choose?
Adults pick between CHF 300 and CHF 2'500. Higher franchise = lower monthly premium but more out of pocket before the insurer pays. A high franchise usually pays off only for healthy adults with almost no expected treatment. For families, chronic conditions or planned care, the CHF 300 franchise is normally cheaper over the year.
Can I keep my foreign health insurance instead?
Almost never. Switzerland requires a Swiss LAMal/KVG contract. Narrow exemptions exist for short-term postings, cross-border commuters, students and some EU/EFTA constellations and require a formal request to your canton, usually within three months of arrival.
How does your free comparison work?
You share a few basics (postcode, age, franchise). We run an independent comparison across all major Swiss insurers licensed in your canton, filter for what actually matters for expats, and send you the cheapest plans that match your situation with the exact plan codes.
Is the consultation really free?
Yes. Both the premium comparison and the follow-up consultation with an expat advisor are 100% free and non-binding. We're an independent Swiss financial intermediary; if you eventually enrol through us, the insurer pays a regulated brokerage fee - never you.
Pick the right Swiss health cover - without the guesswork
Run the free comparison or book a 30-minute call. Whichever comes first, we'll take it from there.