Basic insurance with accident coverage
Mandatory health insurance (basic health insurance) with accident coverage covers treatment costs in case of illness and accidents. The policyholder is entitled to treatment, room and board in the general ward of the nearest hospital. The policyholder is required to pay part of the benefits out of pocket as is the case in the event of illness. If emergency treatment abroad is necessary, basic health insurance will cover up to twice the amount the same treatment would have cost in Switzerland. Accident insurance is compulsory for children. They are insured against accident risks with the health insurance provider.
Buy health insurance without accident coverage and lower your premiums
If you work for the same employer for at least 8 hours per week, you are automatically entitled to accident insurance (i.e. insured according to the Federal Accident Insurance Act, UVG). This means you can buy health insurance without accident cover without hesitation. Depending on your insurer, this will decrease your premium by up to 10 percent. Accident insurance provided by employers (UVG) covers both occupational and non-occupational accidents, i.e. also during your time off. You must notify your health insurance company as soon as you are no longer insured against accidents through your employer. Accident cover then comes into effect with a resulting rise in premiums.
Those receiving unemployment benefits are insured from SUVA against accidents. Insurance cover ends 30 days after the end of the claim for unemployment benefits. The policyholder has the possibility of extending the insurance cover by up to 180 days by taking out interim accident insurance. For this, the policyholder must contact the SUVA agency in charge before the regular insurance cover expires.
Note: accident coverage according to UVG offers much better protection than accident insurance according to KVG (i.e. basic health insurance including accident cover). Benefits covered by UVG accident insurance are not subject to any out-of-pocket payments. There are also additional benefits in case of serious accidents such as a daily allowance for salary loss, disability and survivor's pensions, integrity and attendance allowances and partial payment of funeral costs.
Supplemental insurance with accident cover
If you want the right to semi-private (2-bed room) or private (1-bed room) hospital treatment after an accident, or you wish to choose the hospital or doctor yourself, you must buy supplemental insurance with accident cover if this is not already provided by your employer (UVG).
If you do not wish to forgo additional outpatient services such as non-medical psychotherapy or naturopathic treatment after an accident, you need to buy supplemental outpatient's insurance with accident cover if this is not already provided by your employer (UVG).
