Basic and supplementary insurance: what is the difference?

Basic insurance is compulsory in Switzerland, while supplementary insurance is optional. Basic insurance pays for the medical benefits required by law, while supplementary policies offer additional benefits and more comfort, for example for dental care, glasses or hospital stays. But which insurance do you really need?

Many people pay for several insurance products every month without knowing exactly which benefits their basic insurance already covers. Unnecessary supplementary policies can cost several thousand francs over the years.

It is therefore worth knowing the differences and reviewing your insurance cover regularly.

This guide explains what basic insurance pays for, what supplementary policies offer, when they can be useful and what to consider when taking out or changing insurance.

Basic and supplementary insurance compared

The two types of insurance differ not only in benefits but also in their legal basis, admission rules and cancellation notice periods.

The main difference: basic insurance gives you access to the benefits required by law regardless of your health. With supplementary insurance, the contract determines which benefits are covered and the conditions for admission.

What is basic insurance?

Compulsory health insurance, usually called basic insurance, forms the foundation of Switzerland’s health insurance system.

Everyone living in Switzerland must generally take out basic insurance. It protects against the financial consequences of illness, maternity and accidents where no other corresponding insurance exists.

All authorised health insurers must provide the same statutory benefits in basic insurance.

It therefore generally makes no difference whether you are insured with a large or small health insurer: the compulsory statutory benefits are identical.

However, premiums, customer service, billing processes and insurance models differ.

What benefits does basic insurance pay for?

Basic insurance pays for many medically necessary benefits covered by law.

These include in particular:

• Doctor visits: examinations and treatment by authorised doctors.
• Hospital stays: medically necessary treatment in the general ward, subject to statutory hospital choice and reimbursement rules.
• Medicines: prescribed medication where the conditions for reimbursement are met.
• Physiotherapy: prescribed treatment within the statutory benefits.
• Pregnancy and birth: statutory examinations, childbirth care and other maternity benefits.
• Psychotherapy: treatment where the legal requirements are met.
• Preventive examinations: certain prevention measures defined by law.
• Accident treatment: where no higher-priority accident insurer pays and accident cover is included.

Not every medical treatment is paid for automatically. Basic insurance only pays for benefits within the legal requirements.

How much does basic insurance cost?

Your monthly health insurance premium depends particularly on where you live, your age, your chosen deductible, insurance model and insurer.

In addition to premiums, you normally contribute to treatment costs through the deductible and co-payment.

The standard deductible for adults is CHF 300 per calendar year. You can voluntarily choose a higher deductible of up to CHF 2'500.

After reaching the deductible, you generally pay a 10 % co-payment, normally capped at CHF 700 a year for adults. A hospital contribution may also apply.

Premiums differ between health insurers. It is therefore worth comparing basic insurance every year.

Further reading: Which deductible is right for you? CHF 300 or 2,500?

What is supplementary insurance?

Supplementary policies add benefits to compulsory basic insurance that are not covered, or only partly covered, by the KVG.

Unlike basic insurance, they are optional and governed by the Insurance Contract Act (VVG).

Each provider can offer its own products with different benefits, conditions, cover limits and premiums.

There is therefore no standard supplementary policy that offers the same benefits with every insurer.

What benefits can supplementary policies pay for?

Depending on the product, the following benefits can be insured, for example:

Important: a supplementary policy does not automatically cover every benefit in a category. The specific insurance terms always determine what is covered.

For glasses, for example, a maximum amount may apply. For gym memberships, only certain providers may be recognised. And individual therapists or types of alternative therapy may be excluded.

What does basic insurance not pay for?

Misunderstandings are particularly common here. Many people assume that certain medical benefits are always included in health insurance.

In reality, there are areas where basic insurance pays only limited amounts or nothing at all.

Dental treatment

Basic insurance generally does not pay for routine dental check-ups, dental cleaning, cavity treatment or braces.

Exceptions apply to certain serious diseases of the masticatory system, serious general illnesses and other cases defined by law.

Dental injuries caused by accidents may also be covered if the responsible insurer is required to provide benefits.

Optional supplementary dental insurance is therefore one possible addition for ordinary dental treatment.

Glasses and contact lenses

For adults, basic insurance generally does not pay for ordinary glasses and contact lenses.

For children and young people up to their 18th birthday, however, a contribution of CHF 180 a year is available under the statutory conditions for prescribed spectacle lenses or contact lenses.

Certain diseases or severe visual impairments may qualify for further benefits regardless of age.

Supplementary policies can provide additional contributions towards vision aids.

Alternative medicine

Some complementary medical treatments provided by doctors are already included in basic insurance.

Under certain conditions, these include acupuncture, anthroposophic medicine, traditional Chinese medicine drug therapy, classical homeopathy and phytotherapy.

The benefits must be provided by appropriately qualified doctors.

Treatment by therapists who are not doctors is generally not included in basic insurance. A suitable supplementary policy may be an option for these benefits.

Fitness and prevention

Basic insurance does not normally pay for a standard gym membership.

Some supplementary policies contribute towards gym memberships, sports classes or prevention programmes.

Annual limits and restrictions on recognised facilities often apply.

Supplementary hospital insurance: general, semi-private or private?

Supplementary hospital policies are among the best-known supplementary insurance products in Switzerland.

They mainly differ in comfort and additional choices in hospital.

General ward

Basic insurance entitles you to statutory inpatient treatment in the general ward.

You receive medical care without having to take out private supplementary hospital insurance.

Hospital choice is possible under statutory conditions. However, treatment outside your canton without medical necessity can result in cost differences.

Semi-private hospital insurance

Depending on the contract, semi-private supplementary hospital insurance offers additional benefits such as a twin room and wider choice of treating doctors.

The specific benefits depend on the insurer, the hospital and the contractual arrangements.

Private hospital insurance

Depending on the product, private supplementary hospital insurance offers a single room and additional choice of specialists and clinics, among other benefits.

However, it can be considerably more expensive than semi-private hospital insurance.

Key point: private insurance does not automatically mean better medical treatment. The general ward also provides access to the medical care required by law.

The main added value of supplementary hospital insurance lies in additional choices, comfort and extra benefits covered by the contract.

Do I actually need supplementary insurance?

Not everyone needs supplementary insurance.

Basic insurance already provides comprehensive statutory cover. Supplementary policies are therefore mainly of interest if you specifically want certain additional benefits.

Before taking out a policy, ask yourself:

• Which additional benefits do I want to insure?
• Which of these am I actually likely to use?
• How much does the insurance cost each year?
• What limits and exclusions apply?
• Could I comfortably pay for these benefits myself?
• How important are additional choices in hospital to me?

Example: supplementary insurance with a fitness contribution

Suppose an outpatient supplementary policy costs CHF 40 a month.

That amounts to CHF 480 a year.

Among other benefits, it offers an annual fitness contribution of up to CHF 200.

If you mainly have the policy for this fitness contribution, it is not financially worthwhile: you pay CHF 480 in premiums to receive at most CHF 200 back.

However, you may be able to use other benefits in the package.

It is therefore important to consider the entire insurance cover rather than individual advertised perks.

Supplementary insurance for children

For children, supplementary dental insurance can be particularly useful if expensive orthodontic treatment is needed later.

However, cover limits, age requirements and admission conditions vary considerably.

Parents should check early which treatments are covered and whether health assessments, waiting periods or other restrictions apply.

Can supplementary insurance reject me because of an illness?

Yes. This is one of the main differences from basic insurance.

Basic insurance: mandatory acceptance

In compulsory basic insurance, a health insurer must accept every person subject to compulsory insurance within its area of operation.

This applies regardless of age, health or existing illnesses.

An insurer may not require a health questionnaire for admission to basic insurance or impose health-related exclusions on benefits.

Supplementary insurance: health assessment possible

The situation is different with supplementary insurance.

The insurer can ask questions about your health before you take out the policy.

Depending on the result, it can:

• Accept your application in full.
• Exclude certain illnesses or benefits from cover.
• Reject the application.

It can therefore be difficult to take out comparable supplementary insurance with a new provider after a serious illness.

Health questions must be answered truthfully and completely. False or incomplete information can have significant contractual consequences later.

Can I have basic and supplementary insurance with different insurers?

Yes. You do not have to take out basic and supplementary insurance with the same provider.

For example, you can:

• Have compulsory basic insurance with a cheaper health insurer.
• Keep your existing supplementary hospital insurance with another insurer.
• Take out separate supplementary dental insurance with a further provider.

This can make financial sense because providers differ in benefits and prices.

Can my health insurer cancel supplementary insurance if I switch basic insurance?

No. A health insurer may not cancel your supplementary insurance solely because you move your basic insurance to another insurer.

It may not force you to cancel both policies together either.

However, contractual administrative surcharges or other tariff conditions may apply when the policies are held separately.

Before switching, check whether the cost of your existing supplementary policy will change.

Further reading: Switching health insurer in 2027: deadlines, cancellation and steps

Take care when changing supplementary insurance

While you can generally switch basic insurance every year, you should proceed more carefully with existing supplementary policies.

The reason is that providers are not required to accept you.

A new supplementary insurer can reject you because of your health, even if you have been insured with your previous provider for years without any problems.

How to change supplementary insurance safely

1. Check your existing benefits

Compare not only monthly premiums but also specific benefits, limits, exclusions and contractual conditions.

2. Apply to the new insurer

Submit your application and answer any health questions accurately.

3. Wait for written confirmation of acceptance

Do not rely on a non-binding quote. In particular, check any benefit exclusions and the insurance start date.

4. Only then cancel your existing policy

Only cancel your existing supplementary policy once you have received binding acceptance and the new cover meets your requirements.

5. Observe the cancellation notice period

Cancellation notice periods for supplementary insurance depend on the contract and the applicable VVG.

Policyholders can generally cancel a contract after three years with three months’ notice at the end of the insurance year, even if a longer term was agreed. More favourable contractual terms or special cancellation rights can provide further options.

The insurance year does not necessarily end on 31 December.

How much does supplementary insurance cost?

Supplementary insurance premiums vary considerably.

A simple outpatient supplementary policy can be relatively inexpensive. Comprehensive hospital or dental policies can have considerably higher premiums.

Depending on the product and tariff, various factors affect pricing, such as age, health, insured benefits and chosen cover.

How premiums develop over the years also matters.

A supplementary policy that looks inexpensive when you take it out can cost considerably more later.

Example: supplementary insurance over ten years

The table shows premium costs with unchanged contributions, without considering benefits or reimbursements.

It illustrates why it is useful to review the actual value of supplementary policies regularly.

Insurance is not only useful when you receive more in benefits than you pay in premiums. It can also protect against large unexpected expenses or offer additional choices that matter to you personally.

Does premium reduction pay for supplementary insurance?

No. Individual premium reduction helps people and households on modest incomes with the premiums for compulsory basic insurance.

Premiums for optional supplementary policies are not reduced by this scheme.

The conditions for entitlement to premium reduction differ by canton.

If you want to reduce your health insurance costs, first check whether you are entitled to premium reduction.

Further reading: Premium reduction

How can I save on basic and supplementary insurance?

The ways to save differ between basic and supplementary insurance.

For basic insurance

As all health insurers must offer the same statutory benefits, comparing premiums regularly is particularly useful.

For example, you can:

• Choose a cheaper health insurer.
• Choose a deductible that suits your needs.
• Use a family doctor, HMO or Telmed model.
• Exclude accident cover if you have full UVG cover.
• Check your entitlement to premium reduction.

Further reading: HMO, family doctor, Telmed or standard model: what are the differences?

Further reading: Exclude accident cover from your health insurance: how to save on premiums

For supplementary insurance

Here, you should mainly review the benefits.

Ask yourself whether you actually need certain additional cover, whether several products include similar benefits and which risks you could bear yourself.

Cancellation can save premiums. However, it should be considered carefully, as taking out a new policy later may no longer be possible.

Frequently asked questions about basic and supplementary insurance

Is supplementary insurance compulsory in Switzerland?

No. Generally, only basic insurance is compulsory. Supplementary policies are optional and add to the statutory benefits.

Is basic insurance enough in Switzerland?

Basic insurance ensures comprehensive medical care regulated by law. For many people it is sufficient. If you want additional benefits such as dental cover, hospital comfort or certain alternative therapies, you can consider supplementary insurance.

Can I take out supplementary insurance without basic insurance?

In Switzerland, you generally must have compulsory health insurance. However, your basic insurance does not have to be with the same insurer as your supplementary policy.

Can I change basic insurance and keep supplementary insurance?

Yes. Basic and supplementary insurance are legally separate. You can change basic insurance without automatically cancelling supplementary insurance.

Why can supplementary insurance reject me?

Unlike compulsory basic insurance, supplementary insurance has no general acceptance requirement. Within the legal limits, insurers may assess health and reject applications or impose benefit exclusions.

Does basic insurance pay for dental treatment?

Routine dental check-ups, dental cleaning, cavity treatment and braces are generally not covered. However, basic insurance may be required to pay in cases of certain serious illnesses and exceptions defined by law.

Does basic insurance pay for glasses?

Generally not for adults, except under certain medical conditions. For children and young people up to their 18th birthday, an annual contribution of CHF 180 is available under the statutory conditions for prescribed vision aids.

Sources

• Federal Office of Public Health – Supplementary insurance
• Federal Office of Public Health – Compulsory insurance and admission
• Federal Office of Public Health – Compulsory health insurance guide
• FINMA – Guidance on taking out and changing supplementary insurance
• Priminfo – Supplementary insurance

All guides