A Guide to Getting Health Insurance in Switzerland

The best way to safeguard your health and safety while abroad is to get health insurance. For most international students, this is even a part of the application requirements. 

Obtaining health insurance can be different in Switzerland. To start off, federal law governs policies to ensure fair healthcare for everyone. Meanwhile, other countries such as Canada don’t cover health insurance for foreign students. 

If you’re studying in Switzerland, you need health insurance to keep you protected. Here’s a quick guide on getting health insurance in Switzerland.

Health Insurance is Compulsory

Anyone who seeks to stay in Switzerland for more than three months must get health insurance. So if you’re studying in the country for a full-time degree, keep this in mind.

As mentioned, the law governs health insurance policies. The law called LAMal ensures that benefits are the same for everyone. But premiums may still vary depending on your age.

Regardless of where you’re from and your situation, you’re compelled to get health insurance. But you can apply for an exemption. 

For the exemption, you must show that you have health insurance with the same coverage as the compulsory health insurance from LAMal. 

Health Insurance Options for Foreign Students

Here are some health insurance options that you can apply for:

Swisscare 

Swisscare offers three types of health insurance plans to foreign students. These are the Standard Plan, Comfort Plan, and Premium Plan.

Standard Plan offers basic health insurance coverage. This would suffice to exempt you from compulsory health insurance. 

The comfort plan has the same coverage as the standard plan but with outpatient and dental perks. The premium plan extends all the benefits from each plan plus travel protection.

Academic Care

Academic Care is often offered through universities. But, some cantons such as Neuchâtel don’t accept Academic Care as an alternative to compulsory insurance.

Foreign students aged 25 and over can get Academic Care. Monthly premiums range from CHF 95 to CHF 115. Premiums also vary depending on which canton you are. 

You get the basic coverage of compulsory health insurance with Academic Care. Apart from that, you also get CHF 300,000 worth of medical insurance.

Swica

Swica offers Student Care to foreign students. This insurance is perfect to meet the mandatory health insurance requirements.

If you get the Student Care plan, you can use the Swica app to send medical bills. You can even use it to check your medical symptoms.

Foreign students aged 19 to 25 will pay monthly premiums of CHF 91 or CHF 96. Premiums may go higher in certain cantons.

Important Things To Remember

Having basic insurance doesn’t guarantee that you won’t have to spend anything. For example, you may still be charged 10% of your total medical costs.

You can also do a couple of things to reduce the costs. You can pay for the whole year instead of monthly.

Foreign students studying in Switzerland need health insurance. Read our stories here at MSM Unify to discover more things about life in Switzerland.