Health Insurance Age Brackets: Does the Premium Get More Expensive?
In basic insurance, the insurance premiums depend on the age of the insured person. Three age brackets, one deadline, two tariff systems for supplementary insurance: Compando explains when the premium rises and which reference values apply.
1. Which age brackets exist at the insurer?
According to the Health Insurance Act (Art. 61 KVG), there are three age brackets in basic insurance in the Swiss health insurance system.
Age bracket | Age | Monthly reference value |
|---|---|---|
Children and adolescents | 0 to 18 years | CHF 100 to 130 |
Young adults | 19 to 25 years | CHF 280 to 360 |
Adults | from 26 years | CHF 400 to 480 |
The exact premium additionally depends on your premium region, the insurer, the chosen insurance model and the deductible.
- Children and adolescents: All insurers must offer a lower premium for insured persons up to 18 years. With insurers for families, there are often additional discounts from the second or third child.
- Young adults: Insurers may offer a reduced premium for 19- to 25-year-olds but do not have to. The tariff for young adults is set by each provider itself.
- Adults: From 26 years, the age discount lapses. Premium reductions remain possible, however, through the choice of the insurance model or the deductible.
Premiums for your age bracket
The benefits of basic insurance are legally regulated and identical at all insurers. The premiums, however, differ between insurers. Compando compares all Swiss providers for your place of residence and your profile.
2. When do I switch into the next age bracket?
The switch into the next age bracket does not take place on the birthday, but in each case on the 1 January of the following year. Decisive is the age on the deadline.
Birthday in the previous year | Level change applies from |
|---|---|
18th birthday | 1 January → young adults |
25th birthday | 1 January → adult tariff |
Example: For a birthday in December, the adult tariff begins already from the following January. For a birthday in January, the reduced tariff is retained for almost a full year longer.
Good to know: The level change is the suitable occasion for an insurer switch. With the jump into the next tariff level (19th or 26th year of age), you check model, deductible and provider at the same time and save in premium saving several hundred francs per year additionally. The switching deadline ends on 30 November, independent of the age bracket date. With low income, additionally check the premium subsidy in your canton of residence.
3. Which age brackets apply to supplementary insurance?
For supplementary insurance, a distinction is made between life and entry age. Unlike in basic insurance, the insurers set the gradations themselves; there are no uniform legal levels. Both tariff systems can also occur in mixed forms.
Tariff system | Premium at conclusion | Development in age |
|---|---|---|
Life-age tariff | low | rises significantly |
Entry-age tariff | higher (fixed) | moderately rising |
Mixed form | variable | contract-dependent |
Life-age tariff
The premiums are age- and thus risk-dependent. Younger and healthy insured persons benefit from low entry premiums. With increasing age, the premiums rise significantly. This variant makes sense with short planned contract duration and high willingness to switch.
Entry-age tariff
The premium depends on the age at contract conclusion. The age risk is distributed over the entire expected insurance duration. In young years, this leads to higher premiums than with the life-age tariff; later, the premiums rise only moderately. This variant makes sense with long-term commitment to the insurance.
Mixed form
Up to a defined age (often 30 or 40 years), the life-age tariff applies; afterwards the entry-age tariff. Anyone who takes out supplementary insurance late or switches lands quickly at high premiums with the life-age tariff. A comparison of the tariff systems before conclusion pays off.
Supplementary insurance in age comparison
For supplementary insurance, the insurers set the age brackets themselves, unlike in basic insurance. With the same age and same benefits, the premiums can deviate by several hundred francs per year. Here the comparison pays off particularly.
