Two types of health insurance, two different rules
In Switzerland, a medical history does not prevent you from changing compulsory basic insurance (LAMal/KVG). The Federal Office of Public Health states that every approved basic insurer must accept a person subject to compulsory insurance regardless of age or health, without a reservation or waiting period. It may not require a health questionnaire. The statutory catalogue of benefits is the same, although premiums, service, care models and provider-choice rules can differ.
Supplementary health insurance is different. It is an optional private contract governed by the Insurance Contract Act and supervised by FINMA. The insurer may ask health questions, accept the application, accept it with exclusions or reservations, or refuse it. A cheaper basic-insurance premium therefore does not require moving your supplementary contracts to the same company.
What a health questionnaire changes
For supplementary cover, answer the questions completely and accurately for the period requested. Read the wording carefully: a question about consultations, medication, symptoms, investigations or planned treatment may be broader than a list of diagnosed illnesses. If a date or diagnosis is uncertain, ask the insurer how it wants the answer documented rather than guessing. Keep a copy of the signed application, attachments and correspondence.
Do not treat a quotation, a verbal reassurance or receipt of an application as acceptance. The useful document is the insurer’s written decision, together with the policy and applicable terms. Check the exact benefits, any reservation or exclusion, the start date, premium, waiting periods and any lists of recognised hospitals, doctors or therapies. FINMA specifically advises reading the general and supplementary conditions and obtaining confirmation of cover before cancelling an existing policy.
The safe order for switching
- Separate basic and supplementary cover. List each current policy, benefit and cancellation deadline.
- Compare like with like. For basic insurance, use the official Priminfo calculator and check the model’s access rules. For supplementary insurance, compare benefits and exclusions, not only the premium.
- Apply for the new supplementary policy first and disclose the requested information accurately.
- Wait for a written decision. Understand every reservation, exclusion and condition, and confirm the effective date.
- Only then decide whether to cancel the old supplementary policy, following its own insurance year and notice rules. The FINMA notes that the insurance year is not necessarily the calendar year.
A practical example
Imagine someone who had knee surgery three years ago and now wants a lower premium. They may apply to any approved basic insurer: the past operation cannot justify a refusal, reservation or waiting period in basic insurance. A new supplementary insurer, however, may ask about the operation and decide to exclude the knee, impose another limitation or decline the application. The prudent approach is to move the basic policy if the new model suits their care needs, while keeping the existing supplementary policy until an acceptable replacement has been confirmed in writing.
Timing for a basic-insurance change on 1 January 2027
For a change effective 1 January 2027, the current basic insurer must receive the cancellation by 30 November 2026. The date of receipt—not the postmark—counts, so the FOPH recommends sending it by registered mail or A Plus by mid-November and keeping proof. Apply to the new basic insurer at the same time. A transfer can be blocked if qualifying debts remain unpaid by 31 December; the FOPH explains that this concerns debts for which a reminder was received by 30 November. Supplementary contracts follow separate contractual deadlines.
For help mapping the two layers before acting, see the website’s health-insurance overview and the detailed 2027 switching guide. A review can clarify the sequence, but only the insurer can issue a binding acceptance decision for supplementary cover.