Health insurance premiums to increase by 4,4 percent in 2026

Health insurance premiums are set to rise once again in Switzerland in 2026. Premiums will increase by an average of 4,4 percent, a slightly smaller rise compared to 2024 and 2025. 

Swiss health insurance premiums to rise by 16,60 CHF 

The federal government has announced that health insurance premiums in Switzerland will rise by an average of 4,4 percent, or 16,60 Swiss francs, in 2026. This is a smaller increase compared to the past two years, which saw average rises of 8,7 percent in 2024 and 6 percent in 2025.

According to the government’s press release, health insurance will cost an average of 393,30 Swiss francs a month in 2026. The average premium is determined by adding all health insurance premiums together and dividing them by the number of insured people in Switzerland.

In which canton will people pay the most for health insurance in 2026?

Unfortunately for some, health insurance premiums vary by age and canton. For adults, the average health insurance premium will rise by 4,1 percent (or 18,50 Swiss francs) to 465,30 Swiss francs per month. 

Young adults (people aged 18 to 25) will pay 4,2 percent more on average (or 13,30 Swiss francs) at a rate of 326,30 per month. Children’s health insurance premiums will rise the most by 4,9 percent on average (or 5,70 Swiss francs) to a total of 122,50 Swiss francs per month.

The amount that health insurance premiums are set to change also varies by canton. Canton Ticino will see the biggest increase of 7,1 percent on average (or 20,80 Swiss francs). Health insurance premiums will drop in Canton Zug by 14,7 percent on average (or 45,60 Swiss francs) because residents are reimbursed 99 percent of inpatient hospital costs, according to SRF.

People who live in Ticino, Geneva and Basel-Stadt will pay the most, on average, per month for health insurance. In contrast, people in the cantons of Uri, Appenzell Innerhoden, and Zug will pay the least, on average.

Swiss federal government wants to “contain health costs”

The federal government attributes rising health insurance costs to several factors. Healthcare costs in general rose by 4,6 percent in Switzerland when comparing June 2024 and June 2025, due to longer life expectancy and new treatments and medications.

The federal government recognised that rising health insurance premiums are a “burden for many households”. In the past 10 years, the Federal Council said that it has saved at least two billion Swiss francs in the healthcare system, and wants to continue to “contain health costs” in 2026.

In 2024, Swiss voters rejected two proposals on health insurance premiums. The Premium Relief Initiative and the Cost Break Initiative would have capped the cost of health insurance and linked health insurance increases to salaries, respectively. 

Counterproposals to both initiatives will help the federal government continue to address rising premium costs, according to the government’s recent statement. Cost targets will limit compulsory health insurance growth in 2026, and cantons will be required to make minimum contributions to premium reductions.

A recent study by CSS found that the Swiss population is overwhelmingly tired, lonely and sick, making healthcare all the more important as the years go by. Yet health insurance isn’t the only expense rising in Switzerland, with rental costs, car insurance and even the price of groceries like chocolate also going up.