# Health insurance for families: saving on premiums, deductibles and supplements > Health insurance for families: children's premiums, deductible 0–600, premium subsidies, supplements for children — practical saving tips and all deadlines. Source: https://easyall.ch/en/ratgeber/krankenkasse-familie-sparen Updated: 2026-11-08 For many families, health insurance premiums are among the biggest fixed costs — yet several ways to save are right there: low children's premiums when you compare, the right children's deductible, premium subsidies from your canton of residence and the right timing for supplementary insurance. This guide brings together the most important saving tips for parents — from newborns to young adults in education. ## 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](https://easyall.ch/en/ratgeber/junge-erwachsene-praemien) 19–25, adult from 26), deductible, model and [accident cover](https://easyall.ch/en/ratgeber/unfalldeckung-krankenkasse). 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](https://easyall.ch/en/ratgeber/praemienverbilligung) (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](https://easyall.ch/en/ratgeber/zahnversicherung-kinder), 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](https://easyall.ch/en/ratgeber/brille-kontaktlinsen-krankenkasse); outpatient supplements typically pay CHF 100–300 per year. - Hospital: if taken out before birth, a [hospital supplement](https://easyall.ch/en/ratgeber/spitalversicherung-vergleich) 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](https://easyall.ch/en/ratgeber/neugeborene-versichern). ## 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. ## FAQ ### Is there a family discount on health insurance? From the third child onwards, many insurers grant additional discounts. Bigger levers, however, are comparing — the benefits of basic insurance are identical everywhere — and premium subsidies of at least 80% on children's premiums for low and middle incomes. ### Which deductible makes sense for my child? Children have a deductible of CHF 0 to 600 and a co-payment of at most CHF 350 per year. Because children's premiums are low, the saving from a higher deductible is small — for babies and frequent doctor's visits, CHF 0 is usually the obvious choice. ### Do all family members have to be insured with the same insurer? No. Each person can be insured with a different insurer, with their own deductible, model and supplementary cover. In the easyall calculator you can still enter the whole family in one comparison and submit it in one application. ### Do young adults in education also get premium subsidies? Yes — for low and middle incomes, the cantons must reduce their premiums by at least 50%. In addition, the hospital contribution of CHF 15 per day does not apply to young adults in education. Your canton of residence is responsible. ## Sources - [Federal Health Insurance Act (KVG), SR 832.10 – official text in German](https://www.fedlex.admin.ch/eli/cc/1995/1328_1328_1328/de) – Fedlex, Classified Compilation of Federal Legislation - [Health insurance costs and premium reductions](https://www.ch.ch/en/health/health-insurance/health-insurance-costs/) – ch.ch, Confederation, cantons and communes - [Priminfo: premium calculator 2027 (in German)](https://www.priminfo.admin.ch/de/praemien) – Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH)