# Swiss health insurance number: where to find it

> Swiss health insurance number: it is on your policy, and the health insurance card carries your AHV number. What the card shows and what to do if lost.

Source: https://easyall.ch/en/ratgeber/versichertennummer-versichertenkarte
Updated: 2026-11-09

**In short** (as of 09.11.2026): The insured person number (Versichertennummer) for letters to your health insurer is the insurer's own number: it is on your policy (Versicherungsausweis) and, with some insurers, also on the card. The health insurance card always carries your AHV number (756.XXXX.XXXX.XX), plus the card number, the insurer's BAG number and the expiry date, among other details (Art. 3 para. 1 VVK). If you lose the card, order a new one from your insurer.

Your health insurance card (Versichertenkarte, colloquially Krankenkassenkarte) is issued by your health insurer; doctors' practices, pharmacies and hospitals use its data for billing. This guide sorts out the numbers on the card and on the policy, explains the card's layout and chip, and says what applies if you lose the card, switch insurer or the card expires.

## Which number is the insured person number?

It is your insurer's own number under which it keeps your file: the German sample letters of the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH, BAG in German) ask for the Versichertennummer “gemäss Versicherungsausweis” (as per the insurance certificate), i.e. the one on your policy. Some insurers also print it on the card; this is not required (Art. 3 para. 1 VVK), and the name, length and position of the number vary from insurer to insurer.

The AHV number is a different one: it has 13 digits, starts with 756 and is on every card (Art. 133 AHVV; Art. 3 para. 1 VVK). Although the FOPH calls it the “Versichertennummer der Alters- und Hinterlassenenversicherung” (insured person number of the old-age and survivors' insurance, OASI), letters to your insurer need the insurer's own number.

**Which number is where?**

| Number | Where it appears | What it is for | Does it change? |
|---|---|---|---|
| AHV number (756.XXXX.XXXX.XX) | card, on the front in the “AHV-Nr.” field and on the back; every bill to basic insurance | billing of benefits | no, it stays the same for life, even after marriage, divorce or a switch of insurer |
| Card number (20 characters) | card, on the front in the “Karten-Nr.” field; every bill to basic insurance | identifies the card; used for billing and online checks | yes, with every new card |
| BAG number | card, on the front in the “BAG-Nr.” field | identifies your insurer (its identification number with the FOPH) | changes with the insurer |
| Insurer's insured person number | policy (Versicherungsausweis), with some insurers also the card | letters to your insurer, such as your [cancellation](https://easyall.ch/en/ratgeber/kuendigung-krankenkasse-musterbrief) | belongs to the insurer |

## What is on the health insurance card?

On the front, the insurer must print your surname and first name, AHV number, date of birth, sex, the insurer's name and BAG number, the card number and the expiry date (Art. 3 para. 1 VVK). At the top is the prescribed card title “Schweizerische Krankenversicherungskarte KVG” (Annex 4 VVK-EDI); the law and the ordinance call it the Versichertenkarte.

Your details are in the lower part, with each entry's label in small print underneath (Annex 4 VVK-EDI): on the left, one below the other, “Name, Vorname” (surname, first name), “Karten-Nr.” (card number) and “Geburtsdatum, Geschlecht” (date of birth, sex), next to them the “BAG-Nr.”, on the right the “AHV-Nr.” in the format 756.XXXX.XXXX.XX and below it the “Ablaufdatum” (expiry date). The chip and the insurer's name are above, in an area the insurer may design freely.

On the back is the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC, in German EKVK), with the same card number and the same expiry date (Art. 3 para. 2 VVK; Annex 1 VVK-EDI) and with the AHV number as the personal identification number. According to the FOPH, during a temporary stay in the EU, EFTA or the United Kingdom it entitles you to the medically necessary benefits in kind in case of illness, accident or maternity, depending on the type of benefit and the expected length of stay. More in the guide [Health insurance abroad](https://easyall.ch/en/ratgeber/krankenkasse-ausland-ferien).

## When do you have to show the card?

You must show the card when you receive benefits, whether at a doctor's practice, a pharmacy or a hospital (Art. 10 para. 1 VVK), because every bill to basic insurance must contain your card number and your AHV number (Art. 59 para. 1 KVV). If you do not show the card and this causes your insurer extra work when reimbursing benefits, it can charge an appropriate fee (Art. 10 para. 2 VVK); the ordinance does not set an amount.

The practice may check online with your insurer whether you are insured and whether the card is valid, but only with your consent and only via the card number (Art. 15 VVK). If you submit a bill you have paid yourself, check that both numbers are on it; if they are missing, the insurer can, according to the FOPH, charge a fee for the extra work. More on submitting bills in the guide [Tiers garant and tiers payant](https://easyall.ch/en/ratgeber/tiers-garant-tiers-payant).

## Lost your health insurance card: what to do?

Your insurer replaces the card; report the loss or theft to it. Medical data on the chip can only be read by someone who has an electronic healthcare provider certificate (elektronischer Leistungserbringernachweis, Art. 7 para. 2 VVK) and, according to the FOPH, also a card reader and suitable software; the FOPH therefore considers misuse unlikely. Here is how to proceed:

1. Order a new card from your insurer and ask whether the replacement costs anything and when the card will arrive.
2. If you travel to the EU, EFTA or the United Kingdom before it arrives, ask for a provisional replacement certificate: the insurer can issue one for a limited period, and it gives the same entitlements as the EHIC.
3. Medical details you had voluntarily stored on the chip are lost; if needed, have them entered again on the new card.

## When do you get a new card?

Every person required to have health insurance gets a card, including every child (Art. 1 para. 1 VVK); the exception is insured persons living abroad who can only receive benefits in Switzerland through international benefits assistance (internationale Leistungsaushilfe, Art. 1 para. 2 VVK). You get a new one after loss or theft and when you switch insurer. Before issuing the card, the insurer checks the AHV number and, if necessary, arranges for one to be assigned (Art. 5 para. 1 VVK). The Central Compensation Office (Zentrale Ausgleichsstelle) assigns the number automatically as soon as a birth is registered or someone receives a residence permit for more than four months for the first time (Art. 133bis AHVV). If your baby does not have a card yet, ask the insurer for its AHV number; more in the guides [Insuring your newborn](https://easyall.ch/en/ratgeber/neugeborene-versichern) and [Moving to Switzerland](https://easyall.ch/en/ratgeber/zuzug-schweiz-krankenkasse).

When you [switch insurer](https://easyall.ch/en/ratgeber/krankenkasse-wechseln), the new card comes from the new insurer; the AHV number stays the same, the card number changes. The old card remains the property of your previous insurer, and after your insurance ends and after the card's validity expires, you must return it on request (Art. 10 para. 3 and Art. 11 para. 1 VVK). Delete voluntarily stored data beforehand, according to the FOPH for example by cutting through the chip.

The insurer can limit the card's validity; the date until which your card is valid is in the “Ablaufdatum” (expiry date) field (Art. 11 para. 2 VVK). If an entry is wrong or your name has changed, for example through marriage, have the data corrected by your insurer (Art. 9 para. 1 VVK); the AHV number stays the same.

## What does the chip store, and is an electronic card coming?

The chip contains the mandatory printed data; in addition, the insurer may store, for example, your postal address, a special form of insurance such as the family doctor or HMO model, and the EHIC data; details of supplementary insurance, however, only with your consent (Art. 4 VVK). Likewise only with your consent, professionals such as doctors can enter medical details such as blood group, allergies or medication; you can lock these with a PIN and have them deleted at any time, and in an emergency the professionals may access them even if you are unable to consent (Art. 6, 7 and 9 VVK). The insurer may not influence your decision on this with either advantages or disadvantages (Art. 4 para. 3 and Art. 6 para. 4 VVK).

Parliament decided on an electronic card on 21 March 2025: the Federal Council can set the date from which insurers issue the card in electronic form and can provide that it is also issued in physical form on request (new Art. 42a para. 3 KVG, AS 2026 294). This provision is not yet in force, and no date has been published (as of 9 November 2026); until then, the card with chip applies (Art. 2 para. 1 VVK). Even if your insurer shows the card in an app, take the card itself with you when you travel, because the EHIC is on its back.

## FAQ

### Where do I find my health insurer's insured person number?

Your health insurer's insured person number is on your policy (Versicherungsausweis); some insurers also print it on the health insurance card. This is the number to use in letters to your insurer, for example in your cancellation. The AHV number, which starts with 756 and is on every card, is a different number.

### Lost my health insurance card: what should I do?

Report the loss to your health insurer and order a new card; ask at the same time whether the replacement costs anything. For a trip to the EU, EFTA or the United Kingdom in the meantime, your insurer can issue you a provisional replacement certificate valid for a limited period, with the same entitlements as the European Health Insurance Card.

### Do I have to show my health insurance card at the doctor's?

Yes, you must show your health insurance card when you receive benefits, because practices, pharmacies and hospitals bill using your AHV number and the card number (Art. 10 para. 1 VVK; Art. 59 para. 1 KVV). If you do not show it and this causes your insurer extra work, it can charge an appropriate fee (Art. 10 para. 2 VVK).

### What happens to my old card when I switch insurer?

The new insurer issues you a new health insurance card; the old one remains the property of your previous insurer, and you must return it on request (Art. 10 para. 3 and Art. 11 para. 1 VVK). Delete voluntarily stored data beforehand, according to the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) for example by cutting through the chip; your AHV number stays the same.

### Where can I find my AHV number without my health insurance card?

The AHV number is also on every bill to basic insurance (Art. 59 para. 1 KVV), and your health insurer can tell you the number, even for a newborn without a card. On request, your compensation office (Ausgleichskasse) will issue you an AHV insurance certificate showing the number (Art. 135bis para. 1 AHVV).

## Sources

- [Frequently asked questions (FAQ) on the insurance card (PDF in German)](https://www.bag.admin.ch/dam/de/sd-web/0Yfu7kv4Fhsz/faq-versichertenkarte.pdf) – Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH), 29.06.2023
- [Treatment abroad for policyholders resident in Switzerland](https://www.bag.admin.ch/en/treatment-abroad-for-policyholders-resident-in-switzerland) – Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH)
- [Guide "The compulsory health insurance system" (PDF)](https://www.bag.admin.ch/dam/en/sd-web/eW3bxVwcU0qg/BAG_Ratgeber_Obligatorische_KV_e.pdf) – Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH)
- [Information on the documents for the EU, EFTA and the United Kingdom (PDF in German)](https://www.kvg.org/wp-content/uploads/informationen-zu-den-dokumenten_2023.pdf) – Common Institution under the Health Insurance Act, 17.08.2023
- [The OASI number (in German)](https://www.bsv.admin.ch/de/ahv-nummer) – Federal Social Insurance Office FSIO
- [OASI number in Switzerland](https://www.ch.ch/en/work/old-age-pension/oasi/how-to-find-your-oasi-number/) – ch.ch, Confederation, cantons and communes
- [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
- [Federal Health Insurance Act (KVG), amendment of 21 March 2025 (cost containment, package 2), AS 2026 294 – official text in German](https://www.fedlex.admin.ch/eli/oc/2026/294/de) – Fedlex, Official Compilation of Federal Legislation
- [Health Insurance Ordinance (KVV), SR 832.102 – official text in German](https://www.fedlex.admin.ch/eli/cc/1995/3867_3867_3867/de) – Fedlex, Classified Compilation of Federal Legislation
- [Ordinance on the Insurance Card for Compulsory Health Insurance (VVK), SR 832.105 – official text in German](https://www.fedlex.admin.ch/eli/cc/2007/101/de) – Fedlex, Classified Compilation of Federal Legislation
- [FDHA Ordinance on the Technical and Graphic Requirements for the Insurance Card (VVK-EDI), SR 832.105.1 – official text in German](https://www.fedlex.admin.ch/eli/cc/2008/228/de) – Fedlex, Classified Compilation of Federal Legislation
- [Ordinance on Old-Age and Survivors' Insurance (AHVV), SR 831.101 – official text in German](https://www.fedlex.admin.ch/eli/cc/63/1185_1183_1185/de) – Fedlex, Classified Compilation of Federal Legislation