Unpaid health insurance premiums: will my benefits be suspended?

1. What happens if you don’t pay your health insurance premiums?

If you do not pay your outstanding premiums or out-of-pocket expenses, health insurance companies can take various measures:

• The insurance company will send you at least one written reminder.

• If you do not pay outstanding invoices despite a reminder, a payment request will follow. The health insurance company must give you a grace period of 30 days and inform you of the consequences of late payment.

• If you still do not comply with the payment request, the health insurance company must send it to debt collections.

In concrete terms, this means that if you don’t pay your health insurance premiums, you incur debt.

2. Will my benefits be suspended if I don’t pay my health insurance premiums?

The health insurer covers the cost of treatments that are subject to health insurance, even in the case of outstanding premium invoices. However, some cantons have a “blacklist”. Health insurance companies only cover the cost of emergency treatment in these cantons. Since the beginning of 2021, cantons have not added minors to these lists. 

3. I can’t afford health insurance. What can I do?

Are you unable to pay your health insurance premiums? As a rule, you will then be entitled to individual premium reductions. You must apply for these reductions every year. Find out more about potential savings in the article about “saving on health insurance”.

4. Can I change my health insurance despite being behind on payments?

You cannot change your health insurance while you have outstanding premiums, cost contributions, default interest, or ongoing debt collection.

5. Who is responsible for unpaid premiums for children?

At the moment, it is not only parents who are liable for their children’s health insurance premiums and out-of-pocket expenses. Children themselves are also liable for any debts to their health insurer. Once children reach adulthood, they may have to pay for premium debts accumulated during their childhood. However, parliament has drafted an amendment to the law to remedy the situation (link available in French, German and Italian). Children should no longer pay for their parents’ health insurance debts.

6. Where can I get help with debt?

In difficult financial situations, you should seek professional help as early as possible. Unpaid health insurance premiums in particular can lead to a spiral of debt. We recommend taking advice from a professional debt counselling centre on how best to proceed. Be sure to only request assistance from reputable advice centres. You can find contact details at schulden.ch, for example (available in French and German only). Comparis gives you more tips to optimize your finances.