Swiss Health Insurance: Choosing Your Franchise and Model

How the deductible, 10 % co-payment and managed-care models affect your yearly cost.

6 min read · Insurance & Health

Life situations: Starting a job · Moving to Switzerland

Basic health insurance (KVG/LAMal) is compulsory for everyone living in Switzerland. All insurers must offer the same basic coverage; only price, deductible and model differ.

How costs are shared

• Premium: monthly, set per insurer, canton and region (not by health or income).
• Franchise (deductible): you pay all costs up to this amount. Adults choose from CHF 300 to CHF 2,500; children 0 to 600.
• Co-payment: 10 % on costs above the franchise, up to CHF 700 per year for adults (CHF 350 for children).
• Hospital contribution: CHF 15 per day of stay for adults.

Choosing the franchise

A higher franchise lowers your premium but raises your maximum risk. Healthy people with few doctor visits usually save with CHF 2,500. The break-even point depends on the premium difference – for many people, a yearly medical cost above about CHF 1,500–2,000 makes a lower franchise cheaper. Remember to keep cash in reserve to pay the franchise if you fall ill.

Alternative models

Family doctor (HMO) and telemedicine models reduce premiums by roughly 5–25 % in return for gate-keeping rules. Check availability near you.

Switching

You can change insurer every year; the notice must reach your current insurer by 30 November (check your insurer's rules for franchise changes). Compare prices on the federal Priminfo portal.

Plug your numbers into the franchise optimizer.