How to switch Swiss health insurance (without a coverage gap)
Switching your basic insurer is your right - and the easiest way to stop overpaying for identical cover. The main deadline is 30 November. Here's how to switch cleanly, with a step-by-step checklist.
- Independent
- Free advice
- Tailored to expats
Your right to switch
Every resident can change their basic health insurer at least once a year, and the new insurer must accept you.
Swiss basic insurance is regulated so competition happens on price and service, not on selection. Every insurer licensed in your canton must accept every applicant for basic cover - regardless of age, gender, nationality, occupation or medical history. There are no health questions, no waiting periods and no way to be turned down.
Because the benefit catalogue is set by federal law, moving between insurers changes nothing about your medical cover. You keep the exact same rights to see a doctor, get medication, be admitted to hospital and be reimbursed. Done in the right order, a switch is completely seamless - no gap, no paperwork with your doctor, no re-underwriting.
The one thing that isn't guaranteed is supplemental insurance (VVG). Those policies are medically underwritten and stay with the insurer that issued them. Treat them as separate - see below.
The deadlines that matter
The standard rule is simple: give notice by 30 November and your new cover starts on 1 January.
Your written cancellation must arrive at your current insurer by 30 November - not be posted on the 30th. That's why practically everyone sends it by registered post, keeps the receipt, and does it in mid-November at the latest. Miss that date and you're locked in for another calendar year.
If your insurer announces a premium increase for the coming year, you usually get an extraordinary right to terminate at shorter notice. The insurer's letter has to explain that right; in practice you have until roughly the end of November following the announcement to switch effective 1 January, even if you'd otherwise be tied in.
There's also a mid-year window: if you're on the minimum franchise (CHF 300 for adults, CHF 0 for children) and the standard model (free choice of doctor), you can switch effective 30 June with notice by the end of March. In every other case, plan for the end-November deadline.
How to switch, step by step
Always get accepted by the new insurer before you cancel the old one.
- Compare for your postcode. Premiums vary by canton and premium region, so run the numbers where you actually live - compare premiums. Shortlist the best two or three options.
- Apply to the new insurer for basic cover starting 1 January. Include your postcode, date of birth, chosen franchise, accident inclusion and care model. Because acceptance is guaranteed, this is a formality.
- Wait for written acceptance. Only once you have it in hand, send a registered cancellation letter to your old insurer so it arrives by 30 November. Reference your insured number and the effective end date (31 December).
- Keep any supplemental policy separate and untouched, unless you already have a confirmed replacement. Supplemental is medically underwritten and doesn't move automatically with your basic cover.
- Check the dates line up exactly. Old cover ends 31 December, new cover starts 1 January - no overlap, no gap. File both letters together.
Tick off your switch, step by step
Work through the five steps in order. Keep the key dates in view.
Common mistakes to avoid
Most switching problems come from cancelling in the wrong order or hitting the wrong policy.
- Cancelling the old policy before the new one accepts you. Even though acceptance is guaranteed, wait for the written confirmation. If a paperwork issue delays the new policy and the old one is already terminated, you could face administrative hassle at exactly the wrong moment.
- Missing the registered-letter deadline. "Postmarked by 30 November" isn't the rule - it must arrive by then. Send it well before the last week of November and keep the tracking receipt.
- Accidentally cancelling underwritten supplemental cover. Supplemental policies are separate contracts. If you cancel and later reapply, you'll be re-underwritten and may be refused or excluded for conditions you've since developed.
- Forgetting to sort accident cover. If you're employed 8+ hours a week for a Swiss employer, UVG covers accidents and you can drop accident from basic insurance. If not - students, freelancers, non-working spouses - keep accident cover on when you switch.
Want us to handle the switch for you?
Tell us a little about your situation - an expat advisor will come back within one business day.
- 1Situation
- 2Interests
- 3Your details
Who is this for?
Related guides & tools
Health Insurance hub
Overview of Swiss health cover for expats.
OpenCompare premiums
See the cheapest compliant plan for your postcode.
OpenBasic insurance (KVG/LaMal)
What the mandatory foundation covers.
OpenChoosing your franchise
CHF 300 vs 2,500 - the break-even maths.
OpenSupplemental insurance (VVG)
Where extra cover actually earns its keep.
OpenCross-border commuters
The Optionsrecht: Swiss KVG vs staying at home.
OpenSwitching questions, answered
When can I switch health insurer?
For most people the deadline is 30 November, with new cover starting 1 January. If your insurer raises your premium, you usually get an extraordinary right to switch at shorter notice.
Can a new insurer refuse me?
Not for basic insurance. Acceptance is guaranteed and your health is never asked about. Only supplemental insurance can be refused.
Will there be a gap in my cover?
No, if you do it in the right order. Get written acceptance from the new insurer first; your new cover then starts exactly when the old one ends.
Should I cancel my supplemental insurance too?
Usually not. Keep it separate. Because supplemental is medically underwritten, only move it once you have replacement cover confirmed - otherwise you may not get it back on the same terms.
How do I actually cancel?
Send a registered cancellation letter to your current insurer so it arrives by the deadline - but only after the new insurer has accepted you.
Can I switch in the middle of the year?
Sometimes. If you're on the minimum franchise and standard model you can switch effective 30 June with notice by the end of March, and a premium increase triggers a special termination right.
Switch smoothly - and start saving
Compare live premiums for your postcode, or have an independent expat advisor handle the switch paperwork for you - free, in English, no obligation.