In Switzerland, it is mandatory to have health insurance, and that too without any break. It makes sense, therefore, to take out one in time. By doing so, you draw twice the benefit. One, when you perform a comparison between the different insurance companies that not just matches your health insurance needs but also your budget, you lap up a win-win deal. Two, you get covered for all your medical conditions, which gives you a huge sense of security.
To get affordable health insurance, you must make a note of the following points.
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How Much Medical Coverage Do You Need?
The answer to this question drives the premium of your health insurance. Simply put, your medical need is directly proportional to the premium. To understand this better, it is essential to know that there are two types of health insurance in Switzerland, basic and supplementary. Basic health insurance entitles you to all necessary medical services, like accident care and emergency services, maternity care, psychiatric care, and vaccinations. Supplementary health insurance helps those who visit medics frequently for medical reasons like lifestyle diseases, neurological abnormalities, cancer, cardiovascular ailments, etc. Assess your medical needs before you decide to take out supplementary health insurance.
Do You Need Coverage Against Accidents? Take Away Accident Cover to Reduce the Premium
Exercise this option with caution! Exclude this component only if your employer covers you for occupational and nonoccupational accidents. For this, you must be employed for a minimum of eight hours a week with the same employer.
Should You Keep Deductible Less or More?
How thoughtfully you design your supplementary health insurance decides if your insurance is cheap or costly. Deductible and Premium are two parts of this category of insurance. A deductible is a fixed cost for the medical treatment you pay annually, the lowest being CHF 300. Here lies the catch! A higher deductible lowers the premium. Residents with good health go for a higher deductible, bringing the premium in a budget-friendly range. There is a cap on it, though. The highest deductible is CHF 2,500.
Have You Invested Time in Health Insurance Comparison
Different insurers offer varied features and plans. Some link basic insurance with supplementary insurance. Some package exclusive features but mark up the premium. Hence, it is wise to patiently make a systematic health insurance comparison of plans and deals offered by the insurers before you settle for one.
Are You Particular About the Doctors You Want to Go To?
Basic insurance does give you ample healthcare facilities but does not give you a choice of doctors you may wish to go to. To keep your insurance cheap and sustainable in the long run, you may want to stick to basic insurance and not opt for supplementary insurance, which raises your entitlements for doctors, hospitals, and wards of your choice.
Should You Cover Your Family in One Insurance?
When you make a comparison, do look out for supplementary insurance plans that allow covering you along with your family members. You bring down the premium significantly this way. Protecting yourself, your spouse, parents, and children under a single plan rather than individually helps. Also, if you are on the family way, including the baby and the mother assures you of protection against any untoward medical emergency which may not be included under basic insurance. For instance, if, unfortunately, your baby arrives in the world with medical conditions, he or she is not likely to be allowed add-on insurance. Here, a family plan proves beneficial.
Will Paying Lump Sum Help You Make Your Insurance Cheap?
Yes, indeed it will. When studying the plan, ask the insurer if they accept 100% payment in advance or semiannually. If your income permits, go for this payment term to lower the premium considerably. There are many health insurance comparison websites in Italian available.
Do Your Canton Laws Work in Reducing the Premium?
The health insurance system is not centralized in Switzerland. Cantons, or states, have their regulations on health insurance. Premium amounts for the same insurance may differ in different cantons. So, when taking out insurance for yourself or your family, ask the insurer to share the canton-specific premium rates for you to benefit from them.
The factors that can take your health insurance expense upward or downward are many, but they are not complex to understand and apply. It is your own money that determines the quality of medical care you get entitled to. Invest your money wisely so that you derive maximum gains from the health insurance you take out.
