Supplementary Insurance Pregnancy: Benefits and Waiting Period at a Glance

1. Do I need a supplementary insurance for pregnancy?

For pregnancy, basic insurance covers the pregnancy benefits: check-up examinations, birth in the hospital in the general ward and breastfeeding consultations. A supplementary insurance is not mandatory. It offers more comfort such as single or family room and free choice of doctor as well as additional benefits such as breastfeeding allowance, household help or alternative healing methods.

2. Which supplementary insurance is worthwhile for pregnancy?

Several Swiss insurers offer supplementary insurance that include maternity benefits. Two are particularly important: the outpatient supplementary insurance and the hospital supplementary insurance. Which supplementary insurance is sensible depends on personal need and birth plan.

A hospital supplementary insurance (semi-private or private ward) enables:

• free choice of doctor at the birth
• elective caesarean section without medical indication
• occupancy of a 1- or 2-bed room
• birth in a private clinic, outside the cantonal hospital list or the canton of residence
• extra bed for the partner
• birth in the private birth centre

The choice between semi-private and private depends on your birth plan, your desired clinic and your comfort needs. Providers also differ significantly in waiting periods and admission conditions.

3. Tips on supplementary insurance for pregnancy

Four tips help expectant parents in the choice of a supplementary insurance. Unlike basic insurance, supplementary insurance is voluntary and regulated under private law (VVG).

1. Check already existing supplementary insurance. Maternity must be expressly included in the hospital supplementary insurance. Otherwise it pays nothing for semi-private or private comfort at the birth. Check the General Insurance Conditions (AVB) of the policy before signing.
2. Comparison of supplementary insurance. Benefits packages, waiting periods and admission conditions differ significantly between providers.
3. Switch during pregnancy. Generally possible, but waiting periods can start running anew. Pronounce the termination of the old policy only after written acceptance of the new one.
4. Prenatal registration of the baby. The child can already be registered with the insurer before birth. The prenatal registration also secures supplementary insurance for the baby without health questionnaire.

4. Which waiting periods apply for supplementary insurance in pregnancy?

In basic insurance, maternity benefits are covered without waiting period (KVG Art. 64). For supplementary insurance, this is different: almost all have a waiting period (also called waiting period) for maternity benefits. Usual are 9 to 12 months, depending on the provider up to 24 months. If the pregnancy begins within this period, the supplementary insurance does not pay maternity benefits.

Providers do not have to accept applications. They can reject an application or restrict benefits (so-called policy restrictions). Couples with a desire to have children should therefore plan the conclusion or switch early, best before the first pregnancy.

Which policy suits depends on the birth plan, on the hospital and on the family situation. Anyone who wants to bypass waiting periods best plans the conclusion before the desire to have children.

This article was first published on 14/02/2026