- The threshold: about 2'000 francs of medical costs a year. Below it, the 2'500 deductible is the cheapest.
- It saves you up to about 1'500 francs a year, and costs you at worst about 660 francs in a bad year.
- To lower your deductible, your request must arrive before 30 November.
The calculation with your costs
A high deductible lowers your premium, but you pay more out of your own pocket when you are ill. Choose your medical costs in a normal year (your insurer shows them in your online account): the calculator compares the 2'500-franc deductible with the 300-franc one, with the maximum discount allowed by law.
The risk is limited: in the worst year, the high deductible costs you at most 660 francs more. In a year without major care, it saves you more than a thousand francs.
The 6 adult deductibles
The higher the deductible, the bigger the premium discount, but the law caps it.
| Deductible | Maximum premium discount per year | The most you pay in the year |
|---|---|---|
| CHF 300 | Reference | CHF 1'000 |
| CHF 500 | CHF 140 | CHF 1'200 |
| CHF 1'000 | CHF 490 | CHF 1'700 |
| CHF 1'500 | CHF 840 | CHF 2'200 |
| CHF 2'000 | CHF 1'190 | CHF 2'700 |
| CHF 2'500 | CHF 1'540 | CHF 3'200 |
Maximum discount allowed: 70% of the extra deductible (KVV / OAMal). "The most you pay in the year" = deductible + 10% co-payment, capped at CHF 700. Your insurer's real discount may be lower: check on priminfo.admin.ch.
Which deductible for which profile
- Healthy adult, rare doctor visits: the 2'500-franc deductible.
- A few appointments and medicines a year: between 1'500 and 2'500, do the calculation.
- Regular treatment or chronic illness: the 300-franc deductible.
- Planned pregnancy: often the lowest, because maternity is only exempt from the 13th week.
Keep at least 3'200 francs available for a year with high costs. Without that reserve, the high deductible exposes you to a bill that is hard to absorb.
Just arrived in Switzerland?
Basic health insurance is compulsory: you have 3 months from your arrival to take it out, and it then covers you back to your arrival date. You also pay the premiums from that date. Enrol later and you are only covered from the day you sign up, possibly with a premium surcharge. The basic cover is the same at every insurer: only the premium, the deductible and the model change.
Change in 3 steps
- Add up your costs for the last 2 or 3 years in your insurer's app or online account.
- Compare premiums for each deductible on priminfo.admin.ch, the federal comparison site.
- Write to your insurer: before 30 November to lower your deductible, usually until 31 December to raise it.
It is also the time to compare insurers: same cover, very different premiums. See choosing your health insurer.
Going further
Employed? Remove accident cover. If you work at least 8 hours a week for the same employer, you are already insured against accidents through them. Ask your insurer to suspend accident cover in your basic insurance: the premium drops by a few percent, and you lose nothing.
Add an alternative model. Family doctor, health network or telemedicine: these models add a discount that comes on top of the deductible discount.
Supplementary insurance is a separate contract. It is optional, and the insurer can refuse you based on your health. Never cancel it before you have been accepted elsewhere: unlike basic insurance, nobody has to take you.
The official premium comparisonAll insurers, all deductibles, for your canton.
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Frequently asked questions
Which deductible should I choose?
If your medical costs stay below about CHF 2'000 a year, the CHF 2'500 deductible is cheaper. Above that, the CHF 300 one. Look at your statements from the last 2 or 3 years.
How much do I save with a CHF 2'500 deductible?
At most CHF 1'540 of premium a year compared with the CHF 300 deductible: the law caps the discount at 70% of the extra deductible. The real discount depends on your insurer and your canton.
Until when can I change my deductible?
To lower your deductible, your request must arrive before 30 November, for 1 January. To raise it, you can usually do so until 31 December. No medical reason is required.
I just arrived in Switzerland: how long do I have to get insured?
Three months from the day you take up residence. If you enrol within that period, you are covered back to your arrival date, and you pay the premiums from that date. Later than that, you are only covered from enrolment and may pay a surcharge.
Does the deductible apply to emergencies?
Yes, to all basic insurance benefits: emergencies, hospital stays, medicines. Exceptions: maternity from the 13th week of pregnancy, some screenings and some vaccines.
And for children?
Children under 19 have deductibles from CHF 0 to 600, and a co-payment capped at CHF 350 a year. The logic of the calculation is the same.
Sources: KVG / LAMal art. 3, 5, 61 and 64 ; KVV / OAMal art. 93 to 95 (optional deductibles and maximum discount) ; KVG / LAMal art. 8 (suspending accident cover) ; FOPH, compulsory health insurance for people resident in Switzerland ; priminfo.admin.ch, official premium comparison. ViaVest calculations.