Switching Swiss health insurance for 2027: deadlines, savings & traps to avoid
By Nicole Bohne
Every autumn, new Swiss health insurance premiums arrive and many internationals ask the same question: should I switch? Expat Savvy, an independent insurance advisor for internationals in Zurich, explains the deadlines, what switching really saves and where a price comparison isn’t enough.
Expats living in Switzerland can switch basic health insurance providers once a year. With the deadline to switch fast approaching, let’s take a look at the key dates and answer some frequently asked questions that internationals often have to navigate.
The 2027 switching calendar
A health insurance cancellation request must reach your current insurer by November 30, 2026, for a new policy to start on January 1, 2027. Every insurer must accept you for basic cover, and the benefits are identical by law.
Supplementary insurance is different: it has its own notice periods, a new insurer may ask health questions and it can refuse you. The most expensive mistakes happen because people treat the two as one product.
Here are the key dates you need to know this year:
|
Date (2026) |
What happens |
What to do |
|---|---|---|
|
Around September 30 |
Many supplementary contracts need 3 months’ notice to year-end |
Do not cancel supplementary cover yet unless a new insurer has accepted you in writing |
|
End of September |
The Federal Council publishes the approved 2027 basic premiums |
Compare on the official federal portal priminfo.ch |
|
By October 31 |
Your insurer must send your 2027 premium |
Check the new amount, your deductible and your model |
|
November 30 |
Your cancellation of basic insurance must have arrived at your insurer (the postmark does not count) |
Send it by registered mail, at least a week earlier |
|
January 1, 2027 |
New basic cover starts |
Keep the confirmation of your new insurer |
You cannot switch basic insurance if you have unpaid premiums, deductibles or enforcement costs outstanding on November 30. Make sure to clear these before switching.
How much does switching basic insurance actually save?
The amount that switching basic health insurance saves is typically less than most people think, and it's dropping each year. Based on every officially approved premium between 2016 and 2026, moving to the cheapest basic insurer in Zurich saved about CHF 1,074 a year in 2016.
In 2026, the same move saves about CHF 415 a year. The reality is that insurers have moved closer together on price.
The bigger savings usually come from the other three parts of health insurance in Switzerland:
- Model: a family doctor, HMO or telemedicine model saves roughly CHF 870 to CHF 1,080 a year compared with the standard model (median, reference profile).
- Deductible: a higher deductible lowers the premium, but only pays off if your yearly medical costs stay low.
- Accident cover: if you work at least eight hours a week, your employer already covers accidents. Excluding it from your health insurance saves around CHF 420 a year.
Timing also matters. For someone who arrived in Zurich and never compared health insurance, the extra cost ranged from about CHF 80 to more than CHF 1,700, depending only on which insurer happened to be cheapest in their arrival year. A short review every autumn removes that lottery.
Supplementary insurance: where switching goes wrong
Supplementary insurance, such as semi-private or private hospital cover, is a private contract. It is not bound by the same rules as basic insurance.
- Health questions start again. A new insurer can exclude or surcharge any condition you developed since you signed your current contract, or refuse you entirely.
- Age closes doors. Private hospital cover averages about CHF 144 a month at 26 and about CHF 441 at 65. Most insurers stop accepting new applicants between 65 and 70.
- Location changes the price. The same semi-private cover at age 38 costs about 1.45 times more in Geneva than in Bern, and prices within one canton can differ by a factor of three.
- The order matters. Only cancel an existing supplementary policy after the new insurer has accepted you in writing. Keeping supplementary cover with your current insurer while switching basic cover elsewhere is allowed.
Why a comparison portal is not the whole answer
Price portals are useful for the premium layer of health insurance. They cannot read your contract, see an exclusion you signed years ago, check whether your employer already covers accidents, or tell you when staying put is the safer choice. That is the difference between comparing prices and reviewing cover.
Frequently asked questions about switching health insurance
Can a basic health insurer refuse me?
No. Every insurer must accept every applicant for basic insurance, regardless of age or health, and the benefits are the same by law.
Does the postmark on November 30 count?
No. The letter must have arrived. Send it by registered mail well before the deadline.
Can I switch basic and keep my supplementary insurance?
Yes. Basic and supplementary insurance can be held with different insurers.
When are the 2027 premiums published?
The approved premiums are usually announced in the last week of September. Your insurer must inform you of your new premium by the end of October.
Expat Savvy is a FINMA-registered, independent insurance advisor in Zurich that has worked with internationals since 2017. A review works in four steps: book a free 45-minute call, fill in a short demand intake, an advisor reads your contracts and you receive a written Private Client Report within three working days. The review is free for clients; advisors are paid by insurers.
To see how premiums moved in your canton and what yearly reviews would have saved, explore the Expat Health Insurance Index and its savings simulator, or the Hospital Insurance Cost Index for supplementary cover. Ready to check your own cover before November 30?
Nicole Bohne
Tax Advisor at Expat Savvy