Switching health insurance in Switzerland: deadlines, letter and documents

Switching health insurance is one of the simplest ways to reduce your premiums in Switzerland. But the process is governed by strict deadlines: a letter that arrives too late, and you stay with your current insurer for the whole of the following year. This guide covers the key dates, a template letter and the documents you should keep.

At a glance

• The basic health insurance (LAMal/KVG) can be cancelled effective 31 December, with a letter received by your insurer no later than 30 November (receipt date, not postmark).
• Basic benefits are identical at every insurer: only the price changes.
• Supplementary insurance (VVG/LCA) has its own cancellation conditions, often requiring more notice.
• Compare premiums on the official portal priminfo.admin.ch before signing up elsewhere.

What you need to understand

In Switzerland, basic health insurance (LAMal/KVG) is compulsory and the catalogue of benefits is defined by law. Whether you are with Helsana, CSS, Assura, SWICA or any other insurer, the basic reimbursements are the same. What actually differs is the monthly premium, the quality of customer service and how quickly claims are reimbursed.

Three factors influence your basic premium:

• The annual deductible (franchise) you choose (from CHF 300 to CHF 2,500 for adults).
• The insurance model (free choice of doctor, family doctor, HMO, Telmed, etc.).
• The canton and municipality where you live on 31 December.

Supplementary cover (private room, dental, alternative medicine) is different: each insurer sets its own conditions and cancellation deadlines (often 3 months before year-end) and may refuse to accept you.

What to do

Steps for a smooth switch:

1. Compare 2027 premiums as soon as they are published (end of September 2026) on priminfo.admin.ch.
2. Check your supplementary cover: its cancellation deadline is different, and a new insurer may refuse to take you on for supplementary policies.
3. Send your cancellation to your current insurer by registered post, to be received no later than 30 November.
4. Sign the contract with your new insurer before 31 December.
5. Keep a copy of the cancellation letter, the postal receipt and the confirmation from the new insurer.

Never cancel until you have received written confirmation of acceptance from the new insurer: without it, you risk being left without cover from 1 January.

Template cancellation letter

Dear Sir or Madam,

I hereby cancel my compulsory health insurance contract (LAMal/KVG) effective 31 December [current year], in accordance with Article 7 LAMal.

Policy number: [your number] Surname, first name, date of birth: [...] Address: [...]

Please send me written confirmation of this cancellation.

Yours sincerely,

[Signature]

Send it by registered post and keep the receipt. Without a receipt proving delivery before 30 November, the cancellation is invalid.

Documents to keep

• Your current insurance card (until you receive the new one).
• The signed cancellation letter and the postal receipt.
• The cancellation confirmation sent by your former insurer.
• The signed contract with the new insurer and the acceptance confirmation.
• Your last 12 months of benefit statements (useful if a dispute arises).

Key deadlines

• End of September: publication of 2027 premiums by the Federal Office of Public Health.
• 30 November: deadline by which your cancellation letter must be received by your current insurer.
• 31 December: end of the current contract.
• 1 January: start of the new contract.
• Changing your deductible or model with your current insurer: also possible for 1 January, with a request to be submitted before end of November.

Common mistakes

• Confusing the sending date with the receipt date. Only receipt by the insurer counts. Send no later than mid-November to give yourself a margin.
• Cancelling before being accepted elsewhere. A new insurer cannot refuse a basic insurance application, but it can take its time. Wait for the written confirmation.
• Mixing up LAMal and supplementary cover. Supplementary policies have different rules and are not cancelled at the same time.
• Switching purely for the premium. Also check service quality, reimbursement speed and processing times.
• Forgetting the children. A cancellation applies to one person. Remember to cancel separately for each family member insured with the same provider.

Official and useful comparison tools

• Official FOPH comparator: priminfo.admin.ch (the only independent and comprehensive comparator).
• General FOPH information: bag.admin.ch · Health insurance.
• Citizen overview: ch.ch · Health insurance.
• Swiss Consumer Protection Foundation (SKS) for disputes with an insurer: konsumentenschutz.ch.

How Admini can help

Switching insurer also means managing several documents against tight deadlines. Admini helps you:

• Centralise your health insurance policies, benefit statements, invoices and tax certificates.
• Receive a reminder every autumn before the 30 November deadline.
• Instantly retrieve a tax certificate or benefit statement whenever you need one.
• Prepare a clean dossier to submit when switching insurer or applying for a premium subsidy.

The goal is not to compare insurers on your behalf — use priminfo.admin.ch for that. The goal is to make sure your documents are in the right place at the right time.