Health insurance and gym memberships: which health insurers pay for a gym membership?
Some supplemental insurance policies reward customers with up to 900 francs if they do something to stay fit. How much do different health insurance companies pay? Find out with the comparison tool from Comparis.
10.01.2024
iStock/miodrag ignjatovic
1. Does my supplemental insurance contribute to gym membership costs?
Many health insurance companies contribute to gym membership costs. However, this only applies if you have taken out a supplemental outpatient insurance policy. Compulsory basic insurance does not pay anything towards your membership.
Depending on the supplemental insurance, health insurers may also cover part of the costs of fitness courses and health promotion schemes. This includes: aerobics classes, ante-natal exercise classes or general preventive classes. Certain supplemental insurance policies also grant premium discounts if you use fitness trackers.
How much your premiums cost and how much the insurer will contribute to your your gym membership vary widely. This means it’s worth comparing supplemental insurance options.
2. Which health insurers pays towards gym memberships, and how much?
Depending on the supplemental insurance policy, health insurers pay a maximum of 150 to 900 francs per year towards fitness costs. In addition to this maximum amount, many insurance companies limit the payment to a maximum of 50-75% of your annual fitness costs.
Insurers pay these amounts per calendar year if you have a supplemental insurance policy:
| Health insurer | Contribution in CHF |
|---|---|
| Atupri | Max. 200 to 300, depending on your policy |
| Axa | Max. 200 to 300, depending on your policy |
| Concordia | Max. 200 |
| CSS | Max. 500, depending on your policy |
| EGK | Max. 360 |
| Glarner | Max. 150 |
| Groupe Mutuel | Max. 200 to 500, depending on your policy |
| Helsana | Max. 200 |
| KPT | Max. 200 |
| ÖKK | Max. 300 |
| Rhenusana | Max. 500, depending on your policy |
| Sanitas | Max. 300 to 400, depending on your policy |
| SLKK | Max. 300 |
| Sumiswalder | Max. 100 to 300, depending on your policy |
| Swica | Max. 300 (900 with the combi model) |
| Sympany | Max. 200 to 300, depending on your policy |
| Visana | Max. 350 |
3. Which gyms and fitness centres are approved by health insurers?
Supplemental insurance may not cover all gyms. Many health insurers only contribute to costs if the centre has a quality seal. Well-known quality labels include Qualitop, Qualicert and Fitness-Guide. Before taking out a policy, check whether your health insurer recognizes your gym.
Gyms and fitness centres compared
Are you still looking for a suitable gym? With the Comparis fitness comparison tool, you’ll find gyms that have at least five locations in Switzerland.
4. Do I have to provide proof of my training?
Supplemental insurance providers require proof of gym membership. Depending on the insurer, you must submit your membership confirmation and sometimes also a receipt and a copy of the contract.
Good to know: supplemental insurance can include a waiting period for the reimbursement of benefits such as gym costs. This means that if you take out insurance today, you can only sign up for a gym membership after a defined period of time. Therefore, make sure you take out your insurance in good time.
5. Is it worth taking out supplemental insurance just to cover the costs of a gym membership?
Taking out supplemental outpatient insurance just to cover gym costs is usually not worthwhile. However, insurers often also contribute to corrective eyewear, preventive examinations or alternative treatment methods. Supplemental insurance may be useful in view of these benefits.
Health insurers require new customers to undergo a medical check-up. As a rule, you should therefore only terminate an existing supplemental insurance policy once you have been accepted by the new insurer.
Would you like to reduce your gym costs with supplemental insurance and benefit from further preventive healthcare offers? Health insurers’ premiums and benefits vary greatly in some cases. You can find Switzerland’s biggest health insurance comparison tool here.
