Swiss Supplementary Health Insurance: How to Terminate Your Policy

Are you eligible for a different supplemental health insurance?

Health insurance providers have to accept any resident who applies for mandatory health insurance. However, when it comes to supplemental health insurance (supplemental outpatient insurance or supplemental hospital insurance), insurance providers have the right to set requirements and to accept or decline applications based on applicants’ risk profiles.

Unlike mandatory health insurance which you can get regardless of your age or health, eligibility for supplemental outpatient insurance and hospital insurance is affected by your age and medical history. Even your gender and lifestyle can play a role.

Once you have supplemental health insurance, you can keep the insurance as you age or your health declines. However, you may not be able to get additional insurance or move to a different insurance provider once you have gotten older or developed health problems.

Get a guarantee of acceptance before changing insurance providers

Because there is no guarantee that another insurer will accept your application for supplemental health insurance, it is very important that you get a guarantee of approval from your prospective new insurance provider before terminating your current coverage. Obviously, this is only necessary if you want to remain covered by supplementary health insurance and simply want to change providers.

Supplementary insurance: contract term

Supplemental health insurance differs from basic health insurance in the way a policy can be terminated. Normally, supplemental insurance policies come with a one-year term. Some insurance providers also offer multiple-year contracts, usually with a discount attached.

Termination notice periods for supplemental health insurance

The notice period for terminating supplemental insurance is typically three months on a one-year policy. Some policies require six-month’s notice ahead of the end of each calendar year. Without sufficient notice, the policy will normally be automatically extended.

Early termination when premiums go up

Special notice periods apply in the event of a premium hike.

If your health insurance provider plans to raise premiums at the beginning of a calendar year, you will have the right to terminate your policy ahead of schedule. Some insurers allow you to terminate your policy in writing right up until the end of the year. Others expect termination notices to be submitted by the end of November or even as early as one month after the premium hike is announced.

It is also possible to terminate a contract ahead of time when your age causes you to be bumped up into a higher premium bracket.

However, an early termination is not possible in the event of premium changes caused by a change of address or claim-free discounts.

When you have more than one supplemental health insurance policy from the same insurance company (dental insurance and additional hospital insurance, for example), rules as to which policies you can terminate ahead of schedule will vary between insurers. Some insurers will only let you terminated the policies which are affected by premium changes, while others will let you terminated all your policies.

Early termination when you make a claim

When you make a claim, you will have the opportunity to terminate your policy until you receive the benefit. But note that doing this can make it difficult for you to find a new insurer that will take you on.

If the claim is made during your first year as a policyholder, you may be required to continue paying premiums until the end of the first year.

Termination notice periods by health insurance provider

Supplemental health insurance policies with a termination notice period of 1 month ahead of the end of the calendar year (notice must be given by the end of November): Provita

Supplemental health insurance policies with a termination notice period of 3 months ahead of the end of the calendar year (notice must be given by the end of September): Agrisano, Aquilana, Atupri, Concordia, CSS, EGK, Galenos (additional termination opportunity at the end of June), Helsana, Klug, Kolping, KPT, ÖKK, Philos, Progrès, Rhenusana, Sanitas, Sodalis, Swica, Visana, Sympany.

Supplemental health insurance policies with a termination notice period of 6 months ahead of the end of the calendar year (notice must be given by the end of June): Assura, Groupe Mutuel.

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