Which Supplementary Insurance Is Worthwhile in Switzerland?
Dental, hospital, complementary medicine or travel: the range of supplementary insurance is large; the benefit very personal. Compando compares which building blocks pay off for your life situation and where savings potential lies.
1. What do I have to note for supplementary insurance?
Voluntary supplementary insurance complements mandatory basic insurance. Unlike with basic insurance, the Insurance Contract Act (VVG) applies to supplementary insurance. This means: significantly more leeway for the insurer and fewer automatic protection guarantees.
Four points make the decisive difference:
- No acceptance obligation: Insurers can reject applications or insure with policy restrictions.
- Health questionnaire: Before conclusion, you usually fill out a health questionnaire.
- Contract duration: Some contracts run up to three years. Note the notice periods of supplementary insurance.
- Waiting periods: Waiting periods of 0 to 12 months apply. Treatments before are not covered.
Basic and supplementary insurance you may take out with different providers. This splitting brings advantages in price and service.
Find the suitable supplementary insurance
Benefits and premiums differ strongly. The comparison shows which building blocks suit your life situation.
2. Which outpatient supplementary insurance is worthwhile?
Outpatient supplementary insurance extends basic insurance with alternative treatments, glasses, medications, dental care or travel. These are the nine most frequent building blocks:
You can combine most outpatient benefits as a package. The premium differences between providers reach with comparable coverage several hundred francs per year.
3. Which hospital supplementary insurance is worthwhile in Switzerland?
Basic insurance covers the stay in the general ward of the canton of residence. For an extra-cantonal hospital, more comfort or free choice of doctor, you bear the difference yourself. A hospital supplementary insurance extends the selection in four stages, from the general ward Switzerland-wide to the private treatment with single room.
4. Is accident coverage in supplementary insurance necessary?
Many supplementary insurance products usually cover only benefits in case of illness. With an accident coverage, the agreed benefits also apply in case of accidents: home care, household help, cures, hospital stay in semi-private or private as well as transport and rescue costs going beyond basic insurance.
Accident coverage is sensible for:
- Persons with elevated accident risk (sport, physically demanding professions)
- Families with children
- Self-employed persons without protection through mandatory accident insurance (UVG)
- Persons with comfort wish for a private room in the hospital after an accident
Important: The accident coverage of supplementary insurance is independent of mandatory accident insurance (UVG) of the employer. Even with UVG protection, supplementary benefits after an accident take effect only if the supplementary insurance includes accidents.
5. Conclusion: Which supplementary insurance is worthwhile?
Supplementary insurance | When is it worthwhile? |
|---|---|
Families with children or adults with high dental costs | |
Young and healthy persons with low hospital risk | |
Desire for comfort and free choice of doctor, also for families | |
Maximum comfort with single room and chief physician treatment | |
Persons in border regions or with preference for specialist clinic | |
Trips to high-price countries such as USA, Canada, Japan or Australia | |
Regular use of osteopathy, acupuncture, TCM or other methods | |
Chronic tensions or regular sports load | |
Desire for non-KVG-recognised specialist or without medical prescription | |
Single persons, families with small children or planned operations | |
Chronic rheumatic complaints or regular healing cures | |
Frequent glasses change or children and adolescents | |
Consistent use in fitness studio or with yoga and Pilates |
Find the suitable building blocks
The range is large; the needs personal. Compare benefits packages individually and choose only building blocks that suit the actual use.
