Supplementary insurance
Semi-private ward, complementary medicine, dental care, glasses: these covers complement basic insurance, and deserve careful selection, since the insurer may decline them.
Two minutes is all it takes: tell us who you are and what needs covering. We come back with compared quotes.
The essentials
Basic insurance reimburses a catalogue of benefits defined by law, identical with every insurer. Everything else falls to supplementary insurance: a semi-private or private hospital ward, free choice of doctor in hospital, complementary medicine, dental care, glasses, transport and rescue. These contracts are private, each insurer freely designs its products, conditions and rates.
The difference from LAMal is contractual. Before accepting you, the insurer may require a health questionnaire, apply exclusions for certain conditions, or even decline the application. That is why these covers are best taken out young and in good health: once the contract is concluded, the insurer can in principle no longer cancel it against your will.
Our role as a broker is to separate the useful from the superfluous. Many contracts overlap or cover risks you could carry yourself. We compare offers across the market, check the consistency between basic and supplementary cover, which can perfectly well sit with two different insurers, and negotiate terms suited to your situation.
What this insurance covers
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Semi-private or private hospitalisation
A two-bed or single room, free choice of doctor and hospital throughout Switzerland, including outside your canton of residence.
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Complementary medicine
Osteopathy, acupuncture, therapeutic massage and other recognised methods, according to each insurer’s list of approved therapists.
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Dental care
Treatment, dentures and children’s orthodontics, which basic insurance barely covers, a prior dental examination is often required at the time of application.
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Glasses and contact lenses
A contribution towards lenses, frames and contact lenses, whereas the contribution from basic insurance remains very limited, especially for adults.
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Transport and rescue
Ambulance, mountain rescue, repatriation: basic insurance only covers a capped share of these costs, quickly exceeded in an emergency.
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Prevention and health promotion
Depending on the product, contributions towards gym memberships, health check-ups or prevention courses recognised by the insurer.
Who it is for
- Healthy young adults who want to lock in cover before a health problem puts it out of reach.
- Families with children: orthodontics, glasses and complementary medicine recur regularly in a family budget.
- People who value free choice of doctor and a comfortable room in the event of hospitalisation.
- Users of complementary medicine whose sessions are not covered by basic insurance.
- Policyholders who have accumulated contracts over the years and want to sort overlaps from genuine gaps.
How we support you
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Analysing your risks
What you have, what is missing, what overlaps: an honest assessment.
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Competitive tenders
Several insurers approached against a precise specification, compared item by item.
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Long-term follow-up
Set-up, renewals, claims: a single point of contact, year after year.
Frequently asked questions
Can an insurer decline supplementary insurance?
Yes. Unlike basic insurance, supplementary cover is governed by private law: the insurer reviews your health questionnaire and may accept, apply an exclusion for certain conditions, or decline. Answer it accurately, an omission can allow the insurer to withdraw from the contract later on.
Can I hold basic and supplementary cover with two different insurers?
Yes, the two contracts are legally independent. You can switch basic insurer every year to optimise the premium while keeping your supplementary cover elsewhere. This combination is often advantageous; we then make sure the two covers remain properly aligned.
How do I cancel a supplementary insurance policy?
The deadlines are not those of LAMal: they are set out in the policy conditions, most often cancellation at the annual renewal date, subject to a notice period. The golden rule: never cancel supplementary cover before you have the new insurer’s written acceptance without exclusions, otherwise you risk being left without cover, with no guarantee of finding it again.
Is semi-private hospital cover worth it?
It mainly brings free choice of doctor, access to private clinics and a two-bed room. Some products also let you choose the ward at the time of hospitalisation, in return for a contribution. The right choice depends on your age, budget and priorities, we set the options side by side before deciding.
Also worth exploring
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Jules Rossier, non-tied insurance intermediary within the meaning of Art. 45 of the Insurance Supervision Act (ISA), registered with FINMA under no. F01581788.