Basic health insurance (LAMal)
Identical legal cover everywhere, yet premiums vary widely: deductible, care model and switching insurer are your three levers for savings.
Two minutes is all it takes: tell us who you are and what needs covering. We come back with compared quotes.
The essentials
Basic health insurance is compulsory for everyone resident in Switzerland: you must join within three months of birth or of arriving in the country. The catalogue of benefits is set by law and strictly identical from one insurer to the next, and every insurer must accept your application, with no exclusions and no health questionnaire.
Since the benefits are the same, only the premium and the service make the difference, and the premium varies markedly by insurer, region and chosen model. Raising the deductible, opting for a family doctor, telemedicine or designated pharmacy model, then comparing every autumn: these three levers often lighten the bill without removing any cover.
Switching insurer is decided each autumn, as soon as the new premiums are announced: your notice of termination must reach your insurer before the end of November. In the canton of Vaud, a cantonal subsidy also reduces the premium for households whose income does not exceed certain thresholds, reviewed each year, an entitlement too often overlooked.
What this insurance covers
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Outpatient medical care
Medical consultations, recognised treatments and examinations, throughout Switzerland, under the rules of the chosen model.
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Hospital stays in the general ward
An inpatient stay in the general ward, in principle in a listed hospital in your canton of residence.
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Prescribed medication
Cover for prescribed medication on the official list of specialities, after deduction of the deductible and the co-payment.
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Maternity
Pregnancy check-ups, childbirth and post-natal care: specific maternity benefits are exempt from the deductible and the co-payment.
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Emergencies abroad
Emergency treatment outside Switzerland, reimbursed within the limits set by law, often insufficient outside Europe, hence the value of travel cover.
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Prevention
Certain measures defined by law: recommended vaccinations and screening examinations according to age and risk factors.
Who it is for
- Parents of a newborn choosing their child’s first insurer, deductible and model.
- New arrivals in French-speaking Switzerland facing the choice of their first insurer.
- Families wanting to adjust the deductible and model for each member, children included.
- Healthy policyholders whose deductible no longer matches how much care they actually use.
- Vaud households whose income could qualify them for a cantonal subsidy.
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
When can I switch health insurer?
For the end of the year: your notice of termination must reach the insurer no later than the last working day of November, the date of receipt counts, not the postmark. With the minimum deductible and the standard model, a switch is also possible for the end of June, with three months’ notice. The new insurer must accept you unconditionally.
Which deductible should I choose?
The law provides optional deductibles from 300 to 2,500 francs a year for adults. The higher the deductible, the lower the premium. If you rarely see a doctor, the highest deductible is often worthwhile; with regular treatment, the minimum deductible is generally the better choice. On top comes a co-payment of 10 percent of costs, capped by law. We run the calculation with you, based on your actual expenses.
Do all insurers reimburse the same benefits?
Yes, for basic insurance: the catalogue of benefits is defined by law and does not vary from one insurer to another. What changes is the premium, the quality of service, the speed of reimbursement and the alternative models on offer. Differences in cover only arise in supplementary insurance, which is a separate contract.
Am I entitled to a subsidy in the canton of Vaud?
The canton of Vaud reduces the premium for people whose income does not exceed certain thresholds, reviewed each year. Applications go through the social insurance agency for your region, and the subsidy is not always granted automatically. A change of circumstances, a drop in income, a birth, becoming self-employed, justifies a fresh application. We check this point in every analysis.
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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.