How to Compare Health Insurance Plans to Get the Best Rate in Switzerland

There are several health insurance providers in Switzerland. All offer plans that are certainly not the same but are similar. All are in the same market of insurance, catering to the same populace. Expectedly, there is a cut-throat competition to grab a more significant share in the market of health insurance. From the one-upmanship of the insurance providers, it is you who can and must benefit. Your benefit lies in discounts, waivers, loyalty points, and features of the plans the insurers can offer or can be made to offer if you negotiate.

What must be the basis of health insurance comparison? Other than the features plans offer, there are various health insurance attributes typical of Switzerland. You only need to be aware and alert about these to take out health insurance that fits your budget and medical needs equally. Read on to know about them. 

How to Compare Health Insurance Plans

You must begin this exercise by identifying the features of health insurance you require and the features you can safely take off the plan. This helps you design your insurance effectively. The second step is asking insurance providers for free quotations. The third step is to sit down and study the quotations, filter the ones that align with your needs and finances, and lastly, select the one that fits the most.

What to Look for When Comparing Health Insurance in Switzerland?

The attributes of health insurance are quite a few,, and these help you get the best rate. Let’s look at them one by one.

Basic and Supplementary Insurance or Both

To decide whether basic health insurance is sufficient for you or you need supplementary insurance, you must answer a question. 

How often do you require to see doctors? 

Do you have any lifestyle disease or other ailment requiring frequent or regular medical attention and investigation? If you give aye to these questions, it is good sense to take out supplementary health insurance. While basic insurance entitles you to medical visits, medical investigations, maternity care, emergency aids, etc., from doctors available at the medical facilities, supplementary insurance privileges you to consult doctors of your choice. 

You can take out basic and supplementary insurance from a single insurer also. Most insurers make the plan more favorable for you in such a case. 

Medical Consultation Category

When making a health insurance comparison [Refer French, Italian], freeze your medical need and decide between Telmed, Health Maintenance Organization (HMO), or Standard categories. Under the Telmed category, you get a free consultation from doctors but only over the phone. No physical visits are permitted. HMO entitles you to free consultation in person from medics from the Health Maintenance Organization. The Standard category puts the choice in your hands for the doctors and hospital you want to consult and get treated in, respectively. 

Individual or Family Insurance

When comparing, this aspect of health insurance helps you bring down the premium significantly. When you plan to cover your family as a whole rather than taking out individual insurance, compare the premium amount, discounts, and loyalty points insurance providers are offering. In case you are including your parents as well,, in addition to your spouse and children, ask for possible waivers. Family expansion on the way? Include the baby and the mother to make sure you are protecting them against any medical emergency that is beyond the coverage of basic insurance.

Upfront Payment

Upfront payment is indirectly proportional to the premium amount. In the quotations from insurance providers, remember to compare this feature. Ask for a discount on premium if you wish to pay a significant amount in advance. You can pay even 100% of the amount upfront to save maximum on premium. 

Deductible Versus Premium

deductible part of health insurance is a fixed, annual cost that you must pay to the government for your treatment. The more the deductible, the lesser is the premium. The more the deductible, the lesser is the premium. Compare the quotes insurers provide you on this aspect also. Switzerland residents who are fortunate to be healthy go in for a higher deductible portion to minimize the premium. You can select from the lowest CHF 300 to the highest permitted CHF 2,500 depending on the likely frequency of your doctor visits. 

Canton Counts

Your health insurance comparison must include canton benefits. Different cantons have different laws on deductions on the premium amount. So, your canton’s laws count. This may look like a minor attribute for comparison, but doesn’t every Franc count?

Accident Coverage

Make sure you tick this attribute off the plan if you are employed for at least eight hours a week. Employers provide coverage for occupational and nonoccupational accidents. Basic insurance also includes protection against accidents. A separate expense is certainly not needed.

The time and effort you invest when comparing plans from different insurance providers prove to be beneficial in the long run.