Supplementary Insurance for Glasses in Switzerland: Costs and Tips
Glasses and contact lenses are only covered in basic insurance in exceptional cases. Compando shows benefits, costs and tips for the suitable supplementary insurance for glasses.
1. Does the insurer pay for glasses and contact lenses?
Glasses cost in Switzerland quickly CHF 400 to 1'500. With progressive lenses, high-quality frames or sports glasses, the price is higher. Basic insurance covers no costs in principle. Exceptions apply only in medically justified cases. These are laid down in the List of Means and Items (MiGeL) of the Federal Office of Public Health.
When does basic insurance pay
- Cataract operation: first glasses or contact lenses after the operation
- Children up to 18 years: up to CHF 180 per year with prescribed vision correction, in special cases up to CHF 850 per year
- Severe eye diseases: such as keratoconus or other corneal diseases
For ordinary vision corrections, an outpatient supplementary insurance is needed. It usually covers glasses and contact lenses together with further benefits, such as complementary medicine, fitness subscription or prevention.
2. Glasses supplementary insurance: does it exist individually?
In Switzerland, there is no separate glasses supplementary insurance. Instead, various outpatient supplementary insurance products offer this coverage in the package with further benefits:
- Visual aids: glasses, contact lenses, partly also laser eye surgery
- Complementary medicine: alternative medicine such as acupuncture, homeopathy or osteopathy
- Prevention and wellness: fitness subscription, health checks, vaccinations
- Preventive care: cancer early detection, gynaecological examinations
Which supplementary insurance is sensible depends on personal need and life situation.
3. Which benefits does the glasses supplementary insurance cover?
Glasses benefits are reimbursed as limited contribution per glasses or contact lens pair. Amount and reimbursement cycle differ significantly between providers.
Typical glasses benefits comprise:
- Glasses lenses and frames: single vision, multi-vision and progressive lenses up to the maximum amount of the tariff
- Contact lenses: daily lenses, monthly lenses, special lenses, with some tariffs also cleaning agents
- Vision tests and adjustment: appointment at the ophthalmologist or optician, visual acuity measurement
- Sports glasses and sunglasses with correction: co-insured with some premium tariffs
Reimbursement ranges 2026 (CHF per glasses):
Tariff | Contribution | Cycle |
|---|---|---|
Basis | CHF 150–300 | every 2–3 years |
Comfort | CHF 300–500 | annually |
Premium | CHF 500–1'500 | every 1–3 years |
Per tariff, the supplementary insurance covers 50 to 100 % of the glasses costs up to the chosen maximum amount. Binding in any case are the General Insurance Conditions (AVB) of the chosen product.
Good to know
With some supplementary insurance, the unused annual contribution can be saved up over several years and used in bundle for a more expensive pair of glasses. This saves own costs above all for progressive glasses or high-quality frames.
Compare glasses tariffs of the Swiss providers
Which benefits are contained in supplementary insurance differs depending on provider and chosen package. Therefore compare different offers and find the best supplementary insurance for you.
4. What does a glasses supplementary insurance cost?
The monthly premium depends on age, place of residence, scope of benefits and health condition. An outpatient supplementary insurance with glasses contribution is partly available from under CHF 15 per month. Premium packages with comprehensive coverage reach CHF 60 to 100 per month.
Premium ranges 2026 (CHF per month):
Age | Basis | Premium |
|---|---|---|
18–30 | CHF 10–25 | CHF 25–40 |
31–45 | CHF 15–35 | CHF 35–55 |
46–60 | CHF 25–45 | CHF 45–70 |
Example calculation: A 35-year-old person pays CHF 35 per month (CHF 420 per year) for a comfort supplementary insurance. In the same year, they use new glasses for CHF 800 (reimbursement CHF 300) and several sessions of acupuncture (reimbursement CHF 400). The annual premiums of CHF 420 face reimbursements of CHF 700. With that, the person saves CHF 280 per year.
Glasses loss or damage
Loss or damage of the glasses are usually not covered by supplementary insurance. Such risks are covered by household contents insurance. The supplementary coverage "simple theft away from home" protects against theft outside the home, for example in the restaurant or in the fitness centre. An all-risk coverage complements the protection for self-caused damage such as breakage, fall or loss.
5. What to note before taking out a glasses supplementary insurance?
Five points facilitate the conclusion and create the basis for full insurance protection.
- Note waiting period. With many supplementary insurance products, a waiting period of 3 to 12 months applies. In this time, the provider does not yet pay benefits. Therefore conclude before the glasses need becomes acute.
- Have glasses passport and prescription ready. For the first reimbursement, most providers require the current glasses passport and the ophthalmological prescription of the optician. Obtain both documents before the application.
- Check several providers in case of rejection. A rejection by one provider does not mean the end. Every insurer assesses health risks differently. An offer at several providers increases the admission chance.
- Conclude early. With good health, the admission conditions are best. The older you become, the more likely are policy restrictions or stricter conditions.
- Fill out health questionnaire carefully. At the application, most providers require a health questionnaire. Answer all questions completely and correctly. This is under VVG Art. 6 a prerequisite for full insurance protection.
With the suitable supplementary insurance, glasses, complementary medicine and further outpatient benefits are covered in one package. Which combination best fits is shown by the direct provider comparison.
Glasses supplementary insurance matching the need
Compando compares all Swiss providers by glasses contribution, reimbursement cycle and additional benefits such as fitness or complementary medicine.
