Health insurance for families: saving on premiums, deductibles and supplements

Children's premiums: same benefits, separate rate

Children up to 18 pay considerably lower premiums than adults — with basic insurance benefits that are identical by law. For children too, comparing premiums in the right model therefore pays off; from the third child onwards, many insurers grant additional discounts.

No family member has to be insured with the same insurer: each person has their own premium, depending on place of residence, age group (child 0–18, young adult 19–25, adult from 26), deductible, model and accident cover. For children, accident cover must be included — they have no accident cover through an employer.

Children's deductible: 0 to 600 francs — low is often right

Children have no ordinary deductible: levels from CHF 0 to 600 can be chosen. After that, a 10% co-payment applies, up to CHF 350 per year; the hospital contribution of CHF 15 per day does not apply to children at all.

Since children's premiums are considerably lower, the saving from a higher deductible is correspondingly small. For babies, with their frequent check-ups, CHF 0 usually makes sense, and the same goes for regular doctor's visits. Submit all invoices, including those below the deductible — this is the only way the deductible balance is recorded correctly.

Premium subsidies: the biggest lever for families

The law obliges the cantons to grant an individual premium reduction (IPV) to insured persons of modest means (Art. 65 KVG). For families this matters most: with a lower or middle income, the canton has to cut a child's premium by 80% or more and that of a young adult in education by 50% or more (Art. 65 para. 1bis KVG). Families with middle incomes in particular are therefore often entitled without knowing it.

Your canton of residence is responsible; the cantonal compensation office (Ausgleichskasse) or the tax office can provide information. Entitlement is not checked automatically everywhere — if in doubt, ask. Entitlement also depends on your income, not on your insurer: in many cantons the amount is based on cantonal reference premiums — if you switch to a cheaper insurer, you keep the subsidy and save twice.

Supplementary insurance for children: timing is everything

Supplementary insurance under the VVG is voluntary: the insurer may ask health questions, impose reservations or reject applications. The most important tip is therefore not an amount but a point in time: if you register your child before birth, you secure acceptance without a health check — after that, the earlier the better.

• Dental: basic insurance does not pay for check-ups, fillings or braces. Our partner insurers' dental supplements typically cover 50 to 75% of the costs up to an annual maximum; most include orthodontics, with widely varying annual limits. Take out cover before orthodontic treatment is needed, and note any waiting periods.
• Glasses: basic insurance reimburses children up to 18 CHF 180 per calendar year towards spectacle lenses or contact lenses; outpatient supplements typically pay CHF 100–300 per year.
• Hospital: if taken out before birth, a hospital supplement also applies without reservations — regardless of how the birth goes.
• Commitment: many products have minimum terms, often three years. Every supplementary health insurance can be cancelled at the latest as of the end of the third year (revVVG Art. 35a, three months' notice, in text form).

Registering a newborn: the short version

For newborns, compulsory insurance applies from birth: registration must take place within 3 months, and cover and the obligation to pay premiums apply retroactively from the date of birth. Every insurer operating in your region must accept the child without a health check (Art. 5 let. i KVAG), so you can take your time to choose an insurer by premium and model.

From the 13th week of pregnancy until 8 weeks after the birth, the mother pays no cost sharing for general benefits and nursing care in the event of illness (Art. 64 para. 7 KVG). You will find all the details on taking out cover before birth in our guide to insuring newborns.

Family check: dates and procedure

This is how to get your family check through the season in a structured way:

• Take stock: gather the premiums, deductibles and supplementary cover of all family members.
• Check premium subsidies with your canton of residence — including the deadlines for the application.
• Supplementary insurance: at most insurers, the cancellation must arrive by 30 September; only cancel your old cover once you have the new insurer's written acceptance confirmation.
• Basic insurance: the cancellation must arrive by the end of November to switch as of 1 January; report a lower deductible by the end of November; most insurers accept a higher one until the end of December.
• In the easyall calculator you enter the whole family in one comparison and one application — health questions only where necessary; children do not sign.