Frequently asked questions about SWICA

Basic insurance is mandatory for all residents of Switzerland and ensures that everyone has access to basic medical care relating to illnesses, accidents and maternity.

Supplementary insurance, on the other hand, is voluntary and provides benefits that basic insurance (mandatory cover) does not cover or only partially covers. When it comes to complementary medical care, fitness, vaccinations, dental treatment and glasses, among other things, supplementary insurance from SWICA not only enables you to extend your cover to suit your needs but also makes you eligible for attractive contributions towards health promotion and prevention measures.

There is a basic distinction between two categories of supplementary insurance: Supplementary outpatient health insurance and supplementary hospitalisation insurance.

A hospitalisation policy provides supplementary cover that, depending on the plan, offers you more choice in the hospital or the doctor who treats you and provides additional comfort and preferential access to top-quality medicine.

• What hospitalisation insurance does SWICA offer?

As basic insurance is mandatory in Switzerland, every resident must have such a policy and insurers are obligated to accept anyone who applies for basic cover.

Unlike in the case of basic insurance, health insurers can choose who to accept into the supplementary insurance. In order to be accepted for supplementary insurance, prospective insured persons must complete a health questionnaire. This makes it possible for the health insurer to decide whether to accept, reject, or accept conditionally an application for supplementary cover (e.g. as in the case of pre-existing conditions). Important: Do not terminate your contract with a previous insurer until you have received confirmation of acceptance from the new insurer.

No. In principle you can have basic and supplementary cover from different health insurers. However, there are advantages to combining both types with SWICA.

SWICA is the only health insurer that applies co-payments from basic insurance to those of its supplementary insurance, which means the annual co-payments will be much lower when compared to other health insurers.

Basic healthcare insurance includes benefits as laid out in the Federal Health Insurance Act (KVG). Accordingly, all health insurers in Switzerland must offer the same basic insurance benefits.

The benefits for supplementary insurance are subject to the Federal Insurance Contract Act (VVG), which prescribes only the basic aspects of the cover but not the individual benefits. Therefore, benefits will vary from insurer to insurer.

Yes, provided you are registered with the unemployment insurance fund. In this case you are insured with SUVA against occupational and non-occupational accidents. If this is not the case, you must contact your SWICA customer service for a personal consultation.

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Part-time employees who work less than eight hours a week at a single employer are not insured by that employer against non-occupational accidents. Hours from multiple workplaces are not counted together. In these cases, employees must add accident cover to their mandatory basic insurance by contacting their SWICA Customer Services team or completing the online form.

Generally speaking, you are insured through your employer's group daily sickness benefits insurance. If you have any further questions, please get in touch.

• Contact us

You can define a new excess amount to come into effect at the beginning of a calendar year. This means observing the following deadlines:

• Reducing your excess: no later than 17:00 on the last working day in November
• Increasing your excess: no later than 17:00 on the last working day in December

Please note that the instruction to reduce your cover must reach SWICA on the last working day before the specified date.

• Change your excess online

You may apply to increase your insurance at any time. Following positive results from a risk assessment, this can be completed as of the 1st of the following month. The following deadlines apply when reducing your insurance cover:

• If the premium is changing: notice of cancellation to be received by SWICA no later than 17:00 on the last working day in December
• If the premium remains unchanged: notice of cancellation to be received by SWICA no later than 17:00 on the last working day in September

Please note: For a premium change made via BENEVITA, no extraordinary notice of termination applies.

• Request advice

You can adjust the model and excess each year with effect from 1 January. Inform us of the change in writing by 17:00 on the last working day in November.

Switching from the STANDARD model to a SWICA FAVORIT model or from one FAVORIT model to another is possible during the year, effective from the first day of the following month. If you change your place of residence, you can also adjust your plan during the year.

• Request advice

Various deadlines apply. You can find full details below:

Basic insurance

• Accident exclusion: from the day after the day on which the request is received. Retroactive exclusion is not possible.
• Accident cover: possible on the same day, including with retroactive effect.

Supplementary insurance

• Accident exclusion: possible on the same day, retroactive effect not possible.
• Accident cover: from the day after the day on which the request is received/notification is made. Retroactive cover is not possible.

If you wish to make a change, please contact your customer service team or use the the online form.

The cancellation deadline for a switch on 1 January is the end of November. Send notice of cancellation in writing, by post or email or within mySWICA, by the specified cancellation date. Please note that the postmark date is not decisive for acceptance of cancellation.

Notice of termination shall be valid if it is received by SWICA by 17:00 on the final working day in November, there are no outstanding premiums, co-payments, default interest or debt collection fees, and the new health insurer has confirmed continuity of cover.

You can also terminate your STANDARD basic insurance with a CHF 300 deductible, as well as STANDARD basic insurance for children without an annual deductible, effective 30 June. In this case, the deadline to cancel is by 17:00 on the last working day in March.
 
If you change your place of residence, you can adjust your basic insurance model during the year, effective from the first day of the following month. This also applies to changes to one of the FAVORIT plans from SWICA or within a FAVORIT plan.

• Request advice

You can cancel your supplementary insurance at the end of each year. The notice periods are as follows:

• If the premium remains unchanged: Notice of cancellation to be received by SWICA no later than 17:00 on the last working day of September
• If the premium has changed: Notice of cancellation to be received by SWICA no later than 17:00 on the last working day of December

Notice of cancellation must be sent in writing by post, email or within mySWICA.

If you are doing military service for more than 60 consecutive days, you will be fully exempt from paying the basic insurance premium for this period. Please submit a copy of your marching orders (military service) or your appointment (national service).

• Hand in document of proof

To enable us to terminate your mandatory healthcare insurance, we need confirmation of deregistration from your municipality and the completed "Questionnaire on your deregistration from Switzerland". You will find the questionnaire for your deregistration on the Downloads page under "General - Forms".

Before you deregister or leave the country, please stop by at a SWICA office nearby or give us a call. We would be pleased to show you an insurance plan that offers you financial security and the best medical care abroad.

• Request advice

• Our employees are there for you at the toll-free number +41 58 800 99 33 around the clock (24/7).
• You can also contact our customer service by using the contact form.
• SWICA chat: Our IQ chatbot will be happy to provide information if you have any questions about SWICA products or services. If the answers from IQ are insufficient, you can ask for a customer advisor.

If you would like personal advice, please feel free to contact our customer service or your nearest SWICA location.

• Ask for advice

SWICA customers benefit from professional local advice, thanks to our approximately 50 locations throughout Switzerland.

• Find the SWICA location near you

The santé24 telemedicine centre team of doctors and medical specialists will answer your questions about prevention, illness, accident and maternity on 365 days of the year. This consultation is free of charge for SWICA customers (santé24 is also free of charge for you if you are insured with SWICA through your employer).

• Phone +41 44 404 86 86
• Contact form
• Learn more about santé24