Basic vs. supplementary insurance in Switzerland

28 May 2025

If you’re coming to Switzerland for your semester abroad, an internship or to work as an au pair, sooner or later, you’ll come across the issue of health insurance – and almost certainly two terms in particular: basic insurance and supplementary insurance.
 

Basic health insurance is a legal requirement in Switzerland. Everyone living in Switzerland or staying in the country for a longer period of time must be registered with a health insurance fund within three months of arriving. This will also apply if you are coming to study, complete an internship or work as an au pair, for example.

Mandatory health insurance grants benefits in the event of illness, accident and maternity. All heath insurance funds that offer mandatory basic insurance must comply with the legally prescribed scope of services and treat all policyholders the same. They are not permitted to assume or reimburse the costs of additional, voluntary services.

Overview of basic health insurance benefits:

• Doctor’s visits (e. g. in the event of illness or accident)
• Emergency hospital treatment
• Medication prescribed by a doctor and listed on the Federal Office of Public Health’s list of pharmaceutical specialties
• Maternity benefits, including prenatal care, birth, breastfeeding counselling and midwife support
• Therapies such as physiotherapy, occupational therapy and nutrition counselling (when prescribed by a doctor)
• Psychotherapy: up to 40 sessions with a psychiatrist or, if ordered by a doctor, with a psychological psychotherapist
• Transport and rescue costs
• Hospital treatment on the general ward of a listed hospital in the canton of residence
• Vaccinations in accordance with the Swiss vaccination schedule (excluding travel vaccinations)
   

If you don’t take out basic insurance on time, you will be automatically allocated to a health insurance fund by the canton. This can ultimately be more expensive, as you don’t have a choice of insurers and may receive higher premiums than you would if you were to choose your own provider.

Tip: If you’re only in Switzerland on a temporary basis, under certain conditions you may be exempt from mandatory basic insurance. This enables you to choose a cheaper private health insurance policy, such as the ones provided by coverio. However, this option is only possible if you are not living in Switzerland permanently and you submit an exemption application in good time. You can find out more about the exemption process here.

In Switzerland, supplementary insurance is voluntary and offers the option of covering services that go beyond the legally defined scope of basic insurance; it’s comparable to extended cover. Supplementary insurance policies extend the existing level of protection to include specific services, but are not necessary in all situations.

Supplementary insurance benefits vary depending on the provider. These insurance policies are commonly offered in the form of service packages made up of multiple components. There is no obligation for providers to accept those who request to join. As a result, insurers may reject certain individuals on the basis of their health or age. 
 

Outpatient supplementary insurance – extended financial benefits for health-related costs:

• Glasses and contact lenses – contributions towards vision aids
• Fitness services – contribution towards fitness subscriptions or health courses
• Supplementary dental insurance – contribution towards costs, e.g. for dental treatments or dental hygiene

Supplementary hospital insurance – increased comfort, freedom of choice and range of services for inpatient stays

• General ward – treatment in a hospital outside the canton of residence, provided it is listed for the canton in question
• Semi-private ward – free choice of hospital, twin room instead of multi-bed room, free choice of doctor in some cases
• Private ward – free choice of hospital, single room, free choice of doctor, personal care from experienced doctors
• Hospital ward flex model (general/semi-private/private) – freely selectable upon admission to hospital: combination of flexibility and cost control