If you live or work in Switzerland, you have to take out health insurance, no matter what your nationality is. Even if you work in Switzerland for under three months, basic health insurance is compulsory. It is also compulsory if you are from an EU or EFTA state and work in Switzerland but are not resident in the country.

Cross-border commuters: People who live in a neighboring country and go to Switzerland to work can choose whether to take out health insurance in Switzerland or in their own country.

List of approved health insurers and reinsurers (available in German, French, and Italian - if the selected language of the website is EN the list will not appear).

There are some exceptions to this rule, even if a person is resident in Switzerland:

Anyone working in Switzerland is required to take out compulsory Swiss health insurance, as are all members of their family not in gainful employment. This rule applies to all workers from an EU or EFTA state who:

Exceptions can apply for workers domiciled in Germany, Austria, France and Italy who regularly return to their country of domicile (at least once a week) - these are considered cross-border commuters.

EU/EFTA nationals not requiring a residence permit (because they are working for less than 3 months) are required to take out Swiss health insurance from the date their employment contract commences. If they fail do so, they may automatically be enrolled with a health insurance fund, with a policy commencing on the date their employment began. Insurance cover generally ends on the day the worker’s employment ends, and in any event no later than the date of his or her departure from Switzerland or death.

EU/EFTA nationals holding an L permit lasting more than 3 months are required to take out Swiss health insurance from the day they report to the Residents’ Registration Office. They must do so within a time limit of 3 months. If they fail to do so, they may be automatically enrolled with a health insurance fund – with a premium surcharge for belated admission in the absence of an excuse for the delay – and are required to pay the costs of any medical treatment received prior to the date of admission themselves. Insurance cover generally ends on the worker’s departure date reported to the Residents’ Registration Office, and in any event no later than his or her effective date of departure from Switzerland or death.

Third-country nationals (from outside the EU/EFTA) with a short-term work permit or a residence permit valid for at least three months are required to take out compulsory Swiss health insurance.

This requirement also applies to foreign workers whose residence permit lasts less than three months (such as seasonal workers) unless they are covered by an equivalent policy which will pay for treatment in Switzerland.

Holders of an L permit lasting more than 3 months are required to take out Swiss health insurance from the day they report to the Residents’ Registration Office. They must do so within three months. If they fail to do so, they may be automatically enrolled with a health insurance fund – with a premium surcharge for belated admission in the absence of an excuse for the delay – and are required to pay the costs of any medical treatment received prior to the date of admission themselves.

Holders of an L permit lasting less than 3 months are required to take out Swiss health insurance from the date they enter Switzerland. If they fail do so, they may automatically be enrolled with a health insurance fund.

Insurance cover generally ends on the departure date reported to the Residents’ Registration Office, and in any event no later than the date of the worker’s departure from Switzerland or death.

If you want to change your health insurer, this is usually done at the end of the year. Every autumn the Federal Office of Public Health approves the premiums for the coming year. Your health insurance company will write to you by the end of October and inform you of your new premium. You then have time to terminate your policy by no later than 30 November.

If you have a standard deductible of 300 francs, you can also terminate your policy at the end of June, giving at least three months’ notice.

More information on how to terminate/change your insurance policy can be found here.