Health insurance premiums forecast for 2027: 3.7% increase
Comparis health insurance expert Felix Schneuwly predicts that health insurance premiums will increase by 3.7% in 2027.
12.05.2026
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1. Smaller premium increase than in the last three years
From 2023 to 2026, health insurance premiums rose sharply. For 2027, Comparis health insurance expert Felix Schneuwly predicts a further increase – this time by 3.7%. This means the increase is less pronounced than in previous years and continues to move towards cost transparency.
According to Schneuwly the sharp increase from 2023 to 2025 was not due to strong cost growth. After a politically enforced reduction in reserves and excessively low premiums between 2019 and 2022, the health insurers had to build up their reserves again.
Comparis forecast for the rise in health insurance premiums
Every May, Comparis health insurance expert Felix Schneuwly makes a forecast of how health insurance premiums will change in the coming year.
The prediction is based on the forecast for the increase in total healthcare costs as well as on the cost development of medical services covered by basic insurance. According to Comparis and the ETH Economic Research Centre (KOF), they will have risen by 3.7% in 2025. For 2026, the forecast is for an increase of 3.6%, and for 2027, of 3.5%.
Compare and save on your premiums
The predicted premium increase of 3.7% does not mean that your premium will rise by the same amount. Depending on where you live, health insurance model and deductible, your premium may also change more or less.
If you compare different health insurers, you can control the amount of the increase yourself. By changing health insurer, you can sometimes save several thousand francs – even if your premium does not increase, but you are currently with an expensive health insurer.
In the Comparis health insurance comparison tool, you can see premiums and customer satisfaction with different providers in the overview – and can thus easily choose the right health insurance.
2. Overview: how health insurance premiums have been changing in Switzerland
The chart shows the changes in health insurance premiums since 2018 with the average value for the whole of Switzerland and for adults.
The table provides an overview of the development of health insurance premiums since 2016.
| Year | Change compared to previous year |
|---|---|
| 2026 | 4.4% (FOPH model calculation; definitive figure not yet known) |
| 2025 | 5.7% |
| 2024 | 8.1% |
| 2023 | 5.4% |
| 2022 | -0.5% |
| 2021 | 0.4% |
| 2020 | 0.2% |
| 2019 | 1.1% |
| 2018 | 3.7% |
| 2017 | 4.8% |
| 2016 | 4.8% |
Source: FOPH overview, FOPH media release 2025
The Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) calculates the average premium using the following formula: all premiums paid in Switzerland, divided by the total number of insured people. This means that to calculate the actual average premium, the FOPH needs to know how much the insured persons paid in the premium year.
The average premium increase announced when the premiums are announced is a prediction. This is based on the insurers’ estimates of changes in the number of insured persons. If these changes turn out differently than expected, the amount of the increase will also change.
This means that the premium change announced on the FOPH day change in premiums announced compared to the previous year does not usually correspond to the actual change. With higher increases, for example, more people adjust their health insurance. As a result, the effective increase in premiums is lower.
3. Uncertainties in the capital markets and the Tardoc transition
The global economic situation can also pose a risk to the development of premiums. The investment income from the funds invested by health insurance companies are important for premiums.
Despite the uncertain global political situation, last year’s returns of 5.4% or CHF 807 million were above the average of around 1.6% over the last ten years and could deteriorate rapidly.
Since 1 January 2026, the new Tardoc tariff system for outpatient services, which replaces the Tarmed is replacing it. The statistical data for 2026 is currently not yet conclusive because many hospitals are only now sending bills to health insurers.
Due to the cost neutrality the new doctors’ fees should, however, not trigger a major hike in costs. This is because the Federal Council has stipulated that costs may not rise by more than 2.5% without plausible reasons. Plausible reasons include new benefits, for example. If costs rise more sharply without a reason, tariffs must be reduced.
4. Reasons for changes in premiums
According to FOPH cost monitoring costs have risen for all benefit types. The costs of Spitex organisations rose the most last year, by 13%. This is followed by psychotherapeutic services with an increase of almost 10%.
In addition, the catalogue of basic insurance benefits is constantly being expanded. This also means that health insurance premiums are rising faster than healthcare costs.
In contrast, hospitals have in recent years been a main factor in curbing cost growth. They were able to partially reduce or eliminate their deficits.
Because, due to inflation, more expensive purchased goods and higher wages lead to higher tariffs with a delay, the deficits are reduced. At the same time, costs are rising. The shift from inpatient to outpatient care continues to have a cost-reducing effect. The implementation of the care initiative will drive costs up.
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This article was first published on 27.09.2016
