Basic insurance
Health insurance is obligatory for everyone in Switzerland. If you have limited economic resources, you have a right to pay a lower premium. You can check with your canton of residence whether this applies to you. You can find further information on ch.ch, a service provided by the Confederation, the canton and the municipalities.
Daily allowance insurance
Daily allowance insurance is not obligatory. As the name suggests, daily allowances cover loss of income in case of (long-term) illness. If you are an employee, you will be insured by your employer. If you are self-employed, you can take out individual insurance. Here is the key information:
You are an employee
Some employers insure loss of income in case of illness, because they would otherwise be required to continue paying your salary themselves. No social security contributions are deducted from these daily allowances for illness. If you are ill for more than a year and only receive daily allowance payments for illness and under the Accident Insurance Act, you have to register as not employed with the AHV/AVS branch in the place where you live
Important: to receive a full pension, you must pay an AHV/AVS contribution every year – from age 21 to 64 (women) or 65 (men)!
You are self-employed
If you are self-employed, you can ask with your health insurer or another insurance provider to provide an individual coverage policy. Because the level of risk differs depending on your age and profession.
But be aware: appropriate coverage for loss of income, effective from day 1, means a very high premium. If you are young and healthy, it is reasonable to bear a certain level of risk yourself and agree on a qualifying period, such as 14 or 30 days. That means that the insurance payments for loss of income are only made for example from the 15th or 31st day (at the latest on the 720th day).
Also note:
- Daily allowance insurance can be concluded to cover not just illness, but also accidents or maternity. The cheapest form of such insurance is supplementary insurance from your health insurer.
- For combinations and flexible solutions, the best approach is to enquire with several health insurers or insurance companies and compare the offers. Or you can ask one of our Ambassadors for advice.