A practical guide for anyone who wants to save money, optimise their coverage, or adjust their insurance model.

Why you should review your basic health insurance every year

Switching your health insurer can be worthwhile for several reasons:

• You want lower monthly premiums.
• You want better service or a model that better fits your needs (e.g., free choice of doctors, HMO, family doctor model, Telmed or pharmacy model).
• Your life situation has changed, for example due to moving, starting a family, changing jobs or retiring.

Important: Supplementary insurance policies run independently from basic insurance and often cannot be changed every year due to contract terms.

The essentials about basic insurance

Basic health insurance is mandatory for everyone in Switzerland. If you move to Switzerland, you must take out insurance within three months. Otherwise, your commune will register you automatically, and the insurer may charge a penalty premium.

All basic insurance plans offer the same statutory benefits, for example for illness, maternity, and certain outpatient or inpatient treatments. The differences lie in the premiums, the insurance models, regional price differences and the service quality, which can vary significantly between insurers.

Your premium depends on:

• your place of residence/canton
• your age group (children, young adults, adults)
• your chosen deductible (e.g., CHF 300, 500, 1'000, 1'500, 2'000 or 2'500)
• Accident insurance: If you work at least 8 hours per week, you are usually covered for accidents through your employer. In this case, you can remove accident coverage from your basic insurance and reduce your premium.

When should you review your basic insurance?

If you are already insured, we recommend checking your policy by October at the latest.

Premiums for the following year are published in early October. You must switch insurers by 30 November, and your cancellation must reach your current insurer by that date.

To avoid delays, it is best to start the process as early as possible.

You can switch directly via your insurer, through the miavita advisory team, or fully online via the miavita switching service at app.miavita.ch.

Step-by-step: how to switch your health insurance

1. Review your contract

Find your policy and check whether you have been informed about premium changes or other adjustments.

1. What is your current monthly premium?
   
2. Which insurance model do you have?
   
3. What is your deductible?
4. Is accident coverage included or excluded?

2. Calculate your annual total costs

Do not only compare monthly premiums. Look at your previous invoices to understand your health costs and determine which deductible makes most sense.

• What were your health expenses last year and this year?

Saving tip #1: If you are healthy and rarely need treatment, a deductible of CHF 2'500 is recommended. If your annual medical costs are above CHF 1'800, a deductible of CHF 300 is usually more cost-effective.

• Also consider service quality. Does your model really fit your needs, and are you satisfied with your doctor?

Saving tip #2: Free doctor choice is the most expensive model. If you want to reduce premiums, choose an HMO or Flex model. Telmed is often cheaper, but many clarifications are done by phone, which may not suit everyone.

3. Check for special situations

If you plan to move, are pregnant, change age group or change jobs, it is worth planning ahead.

• Saving tip #3:
  When moving, calculate premiums for your new region and look for a suitable GP or practice nearby.
• Saving tip #4:
  If you plan a pregnancy next year, you can keep a high deductible. From the 13th week of pregnancy until 8 weeks after birth, no deductible applies, even for treatments unrelated to pregnancy.
  Supplementary insurance is more complex, as many insurers apply waiting periods during which benefits are limited. A detailed consultation is recommended. Remember to register your baby before birth. Baby premiums are much lower than adult premiums.
• Saving tip #5:
  If you are currently not employed, include accident coverage in your basic insurance. Once you start a job with more than 8 hours per week, you can remove private accident coverage again, because your employer covers both occupational and non-occupational accidents.
• Saving tip #6:
  If you have a low or medium income, check whether you are eligible for a premium subsidy. Requirements vary by canton and depend on your taxable income, assets and family situation. You can apply online through your cantonal SVA or compensation office.
• Saving tip #7:
  If you are turning 25, plan ahead for the switch to adult premiums. From 26 onwards, premiums can increase significantly. Reviewing your situation early is advisable.

4. Choose your model and deductible

Choose between the standard model (free doctor choice) and alternatives such as family doctor, HMO, Telmed or pharmacy model.

Saving tip #8:

If you are satisfied with your service and doctor, your model may already be suitable. But depending on the insurer and canton, certain models can be much cheaper.

• If you are healthy and rarely visit a doctor: choose CHF 2'500 to maximise savings.
• If your medical costs exceed CHF 1'800 per year: choose CHF 300.
• Deductibles in between are generally not cost-effective.

5. How to compare premiums

Use trusted comparison tools, independent brokers, or the miavita premium calculator miavita.ch/premium-calculator. Once you find the right option, complete the switch through app.miavita.ch or with your preferred advisor.

• Saving tip #9:
  Calculate premiums for your entire household, including expected changes such as moving, a new baby, job changes or future health costs.
• Saving tip #10:
  Look at both price and service quality. If you hold both basic and supplementary insurance with the same insurer, your overall experience is often smoother.

6. Apply for the new insurance & cancel the old one

Submit your application with your chosen deductible, model and start date. Many insurers will cancel your old policy for you upon request.

You can make the process easier by using the miavita switching service at app.miavita.ch.

Important deadlines:

• Basic insurance: by 30 November, ideally before 20 November
• Basic + supplementary insurance together: by 30 September

7. Cancelling correctly

If you cancel yourself, do it in writing, on time, and keep proof.

8. Review supplementary insurance separately

Supplementary insurance requires a health questionnaire, and insurers may decline applications or exclude conditions. Complete the form carefully, ideally with support from a miavita expert.

9. Check your coverage

Once you receive your confirmation and insurance card, ensure all details are correct.

10. Keep your documents

Store all documents, confirmations and cancellations safely.

If you used the miavita switching service, create your free account to track your insurance documents and updates.

How it works:

1. Create an account at app.miavita.ch/register.
2. Upload your policies.
3. Each year, or whenever a policy expires, you automatically receive new offers to save money, improve benefits, or both.

If you have a claim, miavita experts will support you to ensure everything runs smoothly and you receive the benefits you are entitled to.

What to watch out for

Common mistakes that can cost money:

• Missing the cancellation deadline → contract renews automatically
  
• Missing your special cancellation right after a premium increase
  
• Forgetting to update your address after moving, even within the same canton
  
• Accident coverage not updated → paying twice
• Focusing only on the lowest premium instead of considering deductible, model flexibility and service quality

Low-risk ways to save

• Alternative models (HMO, family doctor, Telmed, pharmacy model) often offer substantial discounts, but the service should suit your needs.
  
• The highest deductible only makes sense if your annual health costs stay below CHF 1'800.
  
• Check for family discounts or cantonal premium subsidies.
  
• If you are insured for accidents through your employer, exclude accidents from your basic insurance.
  
• Keep supplementary insurance you truly need – it can be difficult to obtain again.
• Always compare total annual costs, not just the premium.

Practical example

A family in Zurich had a mixed setup. The wife was insured with a Telmed model at one insurer; the husband was with another insurer in a family doctor model. He had a mid-range deductible with relatively high premiums and still paid a lot out of pocket. Each time he needed care, he had to schedule an appointment, wait in the waiting room and pay part of the treatment before anything was done.

The wife had a more efficient solution. Whenever she had symptoms, she first called the Telmed line, clarified everything by phone and received prescriptions electronically. She only had to pick up the medication at the pharmacy—no appointments, no waiting room, and fewer costs affecting her deductible.

After seeing these advantages, the husband decided to switch to the same Telmed insurer. He increased his deductible to CHF 2'500 with confidence, paid lower premiums and had fewer overall costs. He even receives sick leave certificates by email without needing to visit a doctor in person.

Result: lower premiums, fewer costs, no waiting times, more flexibility and simpler processes—all from one provider.

Short checklist for switching

• Review your contract
  
• Review your past 5 years of health history: If you are healthy, consider reviewing supplementary insurance too. If you have serious ongoing conditions, plan carefully and seek expert advice
• Calculate total annual costs
• Choose your model and deductible
• Compare offers
• Submit your application
• Send or confirm your cancellation
• Review supplementary insurance separately
• Keep all documents safe

Conclusion

Switching your health insurance is often easier than you think and can save you a significant amount of money. The key is good planning, respecting all deadlines, and making a realistic cost comparison.

If you need help comparing options or submitting your application, miavita—an independent digital insurance broker helping Swiss policyholders with AI-powered insights—is happy to support you. We guide you step by step to ensure you find the solution that truly fits your needs.