One of the most beautiful countries in the world, right in Europe, is Switzerland. Good lifestyle to live, and on average a handsome earning. Switzerland is the most sought-after country to live in, primarily due to, in comparison to, better living standards, healthy lifestyle, nice weather, and multi-cultural environment. Not only the people living in Switzerland are happy, but this country also is one the most sought-after countries to move in.
One of the most critical factors directly linked with happiness is health. If you are healthy and all your health care needs are well-taken care of, you would be one of the happiest. Switzerland has an excellent health care system. Here, all are health insured, and no one can escape it, though it is on a self-payed basis. There are various companies offering health insurance in Switzerland with varying premiums. So, let’s have a quick look at how to make the right choice for your health insurance in this country.
Types of Health Insurance in Switzerland
Health insurance is available in two forms, basic insurance, and supplementary insurances. Basic insurance is compulsory insurance to be taken by all, whether living permanently or temporarily in Switzerland. A few short visit cases get exempted, but you must check it out and apply for the exemption. For the rest of the cases, whether coming for a job, business, studies, or even visiting for a longer duration, everyone has a legal mandate to have basic health insurance for themselves and their family members in Switzerland.
All basic health care needs are by government-directed basic health insurance. All types of illness, basic hospitalization, pre-hospitalization and post-hospitalization expenses, generic medicines, doctor fees, etc., all are covered.
However, if you want additional coverages beyond basic insurance, you can opt for supplementary health insurance available from various insurance companies in Switzerland. It depends on your needs and comfort level if you want additional supplementary insurance. We will discuss various plan features in just a little while.
Note: Basic health insurance is compulsory to take even if you are going for supplementary health insurance. This is your first step, and no insurance company in Switzerland can legally refuse to provide it to you.
Factors that Control Premium
Though it is well-designed, has good coverage health insurance programs, and is appreciated globally, the flip area is the premium cost and its increment every year—the premium increases by around four percent from the past few years. Premiums are pretty costly, requiring your attention for all the factors that control them.
Deductibles, Co-pay or Co-insurance, Coverage of Medicines, doctors, and hospitals coverage are a few of the crucial factors directly affecting the premium cost. Let us give you a quick overview of all of them and how you can save on the premium.
Advance Payment of Premium
Paying your premium in advance is the simplest way to reduce your premium amount. You could save around 2% if you pay your yearly premium in advance.
Deductible
The deductible is your share of the amount you will need to pay first in any health care insurance claim. You can save a significant amount on the premium by increasing it. Your minimum compulsory deductible is 300 CHF, and you can increase it up to 2,500 CHF to get a discount of up to 70%. But you must be careful while selecting it in case of any medical claims, and you will need to pay the increased amount (which you have selected) first every time before your insurance company disburses your claim.
Note: After you reach your deductible limit in a calendar year, then from there on, you will pay a fixed 10% of your healthcare-related cost.
Type of Insurance Models
Switching your insurance model can save you on your health insurance premium. There are various options available, and you need to read them carefully. In some, you get your choice of doctors, but at the cost of the increased premium, and on the other hand, you have to first consult a set of qualified doctors over the phone and get a discounted premium. Such an option is called Telmed, which works on the concept of telemedicine. You can save from 8% to 14% on your premium by opting for this option.
Other models are like a free choice for doctors, the family doctor option, HMO option apart from the Telmed option. It is worth studying them, no matter how small is the savings.
The Best Way to Save on Your Health Insurance Premium
Once you are comfortable and aware of the above pointers, the best way is to go online and compare the health insurance plans of all the insurance companies available in Switzerland. This way, you will get comparisons of all the available insurance plans with premiums, discounts, and features just at a click of the button from all over Switzerland. Fill in all the details with different combinations to suit your requirements, and then see the difference all by yourself. There are many insurance companies available in Switzerland. Visiting online to compare health insurance plans is one of the best ways to save money on your premium and enjoy more benefits—happy surfing and savings.