Health insurer for immigrants to Switzerland

Frequently asked questions about SWICA

Overview

Common questions about insurance

Frequently asked questions about basic insurance, supplementary insurance and SWICA's insurance plans.

General

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.

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.
Employees who work more than eight hours a week for one employer are mandatorily insured against occupational and non-occupational accidents through that employer. If you work less than eight hours a week, you can request accident cover from SWICA by contacting your customer service or using the online form.

All about SWICA insurance

In addition to the STANDARD model (free choice of doctor), SWICA offers seven alternative FAVORIT models with varying premium discounts. This means you benefit from the best value for money and save up to several hundred francs a year. The difference with a STANDARD basic insurance plan is that the insured person can choose where to go, while the scope of the cover remains the same. The premiums for basic insurance vary depending on the model, region, age, and excess amount.

Our basic insurance plans:

SWICA's supplementary insurances enable you to extend your basic cover based on your individual needs and make you eligible for attractive contributions to health promotion and prevention measures. This means you can get additional benefits for hospitalisation, complementary medical care, fitness, vaccinations, glasses, etc. Some of SWICA's supplementary plans are available only in combination with other types of cover, thus enabling you to optimally cover your needs. With the BENEVITA bonus programme, you also can influence the premiums for your HOSPITA and COMPLETA TOP supplementary plans when you participate in the health challenges.

Our HOSPITA hospitalisation plans:

  • BestMed: Exclusive private insurance with worldwide cover
  • HOSPITA PRIVATE: Free choice of doctor and hospital in the private ward
  • HOSPITA FLEX PRIVATE: Free choice of hospital ward (general, semi-private or private) with selectable co-payment per day spent in hospital
  • HOSPITA SEMI-PRIVATE: Free choice of doctor and hospital in the semi-private ward
  • HOSPITA FLEX SEMI-PRIVATE: Free choice of hospital ward (general or semi-private) with selectable co-payment per day spent in hospital
  • HOSPITA GENERAL: Access to all general wards of SWICA contract hospitals

Other supplementary plans from SWICA:

SWICA's premium calculator provides you with a quote for first-class insurance cover quickly. It automatically suggests the most suitable package and recommends the most favourable basic insurance model. You can afterwards adapt your choice as you wish.
Furthermore, you can also easily take out basic insurance and other supplementary insurance online.

Yes. We highly recommend that you register the child before the birth so that he / she is fully insured from day one. SWICA does not require a risk assessment for prenatal registration for most supplementary insurances. Your advisor will be happy to provide you with a prenatal quote. For this, please fill in the online form.

SWICA offers you the following options for paying your premium invoices:

30 November is the termination date for switching insurance provider with effect from 1 January of the following year.

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 notice much reach SWICA by 31 March.

You can adjust your excess every year with effect from 1 January.

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.

For this, please send us a written notice of termination and confirmation of acceptance from your new health insurer by the specified termination date. Please note that the stamp date is not decisive for acceptance of termination, which is valid only if it reaches SWICA on the last working day before the termination date.
Please note that you can terminate your cover only if all premiums, co-payments, default interest or debt collection fees in basic insurance have been paid.

You can reduce or terminate your supplementary insurance at year-end. The notice periods are as follows:

  • Three months if the premium is unchanged (reach SWICA on the last working day before 30 September)
  • One month if the premium is increased (notice must reach SWICA on the last working day before 31 December)

Please note that you must give notice in writing.

Adjusting and optimising your cover

Would you like to adjust your insurance cover or optimise your premiums? Find out how and get money-saving tips here.

Adjusting your cover

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

  • To reduce the excess amount: 30 November
  • To increase the excess amount: 31 December

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

You can increase your cover always from the beginning of the following month.
Reducing your cover is possible always at year-end. The notice periods are as follows:

  • Three months if the premium is unchanged (notice must reach SWICA on the last working day before 30 September)
  • One month if the premium is increased (notice must reach SWICA on the last working day before 30 November)

Basic insurance: You can adjust the model and excess each year with effect from 1 January. For this, you must notify us in writing of the change by 30 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.

Supplementary insurance: You can reduce your cover or terminate your contract at the end of the year. The notice periods are as follows:

  • Three months if the premium is unchanged (notice must reach SWICA on the last working day before 30 September)
  • One month if the premium is increased (notice must reach SWICA on the last working day before 30 November)

Increased or extended insurance cover is possible from the beginning of the following month.
You can always include or exclude accident cover effective from the first day of the following month. Contact your customer service or use the online form.

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. In this case, please submit proof of the days of service.

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.

Optimise your cover and save money

Persons in modest financial means are eligible for premium discounts. Individual premium reductions are handled differently from canton to canton. Please therefore contact the compensation fund of your municipality.

SWICA's 'aktuell' customer magazine publishes an overview of the modalities of premium reductions in the individual cantons. You will find the list here (German version).

Choosing an alternative basic insurance model allows you to benefit from attractive premium discounts. In addition, you can further reduce your premium by choosing a higher excess amount. SWICA also offers family discounts for children and young adults, among other optimisation options.


Savings tip: SWICA offers a 0.5 percent discount if you pay your premiums annually. This discount applies to any basic or supplementary insurance plans that you have taken out with SWICA. You can adjust the frequency of your payments in the mySWICA customer portal, or call us on 0800 80 90 80.

You can reduce your premium by increasing your co-payments, or you can get additional discounts by opting for a HOSPITA FLEX model. With the BENEVITA bonus programme, you also can influence the premium for your HOSPITA and COMPLETA TOP supplementary plan by participating in the health challenges.

Savings tip: SWICA offers a 0.5 percent discount if you pay your premiums annually. This discount applies to any basic or supplementary insurance plans that you have taken out with SWICA. You can adjust the frequency of your payments in the mySWICA customer portal, or call us on 0800 80 90 80.

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.

By basing its rates for supplementary insurance on your age when you join, SWICA factors the time you have been insured into the premium calculation, rewarding you for your loyalty. The premiums that most health insurers charge for supplementary cover increase noticeably every five years.

Thanks to partnerships with numerous businesses and associations, their employees and members enjoy group discounts on supplementary insurance plans and annual sports contributions of up to 600 francs. SWICA covers 90% of the costs under your COMPLETA FORTE supplementary plan, up to 300 francs per calendar year.
COMPLETA PRAEVENTA covers an additional 50% of the costs up to CHF 300 per calendar year. OPTIMA supplementary insurance additionally covers 90% of the cost exceeding this amount, up to 300 francs per calendar year. This can result in prevention contributions of up to 900 francs per year.

Ways to get in touch and offers for customers

SWICA offers complete customer service and can be contacted at any time of day (including from abroad) if you have any medical questions or in emergencies. With SWICA, you also enjoy many other fantastic advantages.

Customer service and contact in emergencies

  • Our employees are there for you at the toll-free number 0800 80 90 80 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.

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

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).
Call the emergency medical service in your municipality or the santé24 telemedicine centre at +41 44 404 86 86 (you can also contact santé24 for an emergency abroad).

Why choose SWICA?

SWICA is more than just an insurance company because it provides personal and competent support throughout your life. SWICA is your health partner and supports you in every life situation – from health promotion, to dealing with illnesses, all the way to questions about living well, including having to live with health restrictions.

SWICA has regularly been ranked No. 1 among Swiss health insurers for customer satisfaction and image in independent surveys, including those carried out by K-Tipp, bonus.ch and amPuls. These distinctions further spur our commitment to providing outstanding client services and best quality care.

Learn more

SWICA customer service is there for you at the toll-free number 0800 80 90 80 around the clock (24/7), 365 days a year.

You can also get medical help around the clock from santé24 (centre of telemedicine). Its doctors and medical specialists will be happy to advise you on +41 44 404 86 86.

Our IQ chatbot (SWICA chat) provides you with information around the clock if you have questions about SWICA's products and services or insurance in general. If the answers from IQ are insufficient, you can ask for a customer advisor. Chat with IQ now

All SWICA customers enjoy the following services free of charge.

SWICA offers you the right insurance cover in every life situation. SWICA customers who take out supplementary insurance can benefit from the following additional services, depending on their plan.

Personal consultation

Would you like more information on SWICA or a personal consultation? Client Services would be happy to assist. Call us on 0800 80 90 80 or send us a message using the contact form below.

Request a personal consultation