Double health insurance: what to do and how to avoid it?
Is double health insurance allowed in Switzerland? Comparis explains how you can avoid double insurance.
17.11.2025
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1. What is double insurance?
Double insurance means that you are insured against the same risk with two insurance policies. For example: if you have two supplemental insurance policies that pay for medicines not included in the list of pharmaceutical specialties.
2. I am double insured: what can I do about it?
In principle, you can only be insured with one provider of compulsory health insurance in Switzerland (Federal Supreme Court ruling 130 V 488). This is intended to prevent double insurance in compulsory health insurance.
However, several thousand people each year receive premium bills from two health insurers. This means that they are effectively double insured.
This is usually due to an administrative error when switching health insurers. These examples illustrate how this can happen:
If you still have outstanding bills from your previous health insurer, you cannot change your health insurance (Art. 64a para. 6 HIA). In this case, your previous health insurer must inform the new health insurance company that you cannot switch.
If your previous health insurer fails to notify the new insurer, this can lead to double insurance in practice. This happens if the new health insurer enters into an insurance relationship with you as it was not informed that you cannot switch.
The new health insurer often takes care of terminating the current policy. If it fails to do so, you will continue to be insured with your current health insurer. If you take out insurance with a new health insurance company without properly terminating the previous insurance, you will be double insured.
Basic insurance: how do I avoid double insurance?
These tips will help you reduce the risk of double insurance:
Cancel your current basic insurance yourself. The Comparis cancellation letter template can help you with this.
Pay all of your bills on time.
Request a written confirmation of cancellation. With this confirmation, you can legally take out a new basic insurance policy.
Is double insurance an offence in Switzerland?
For policyholders, double insurance under basic insurance is not an offence. If the double insurance is not your fault, you do not have to worry about any additional costs.
This is because, if you are double insured due to an error by the health insurers, one of the insurers must compensate you for the damage incurred – i.e. the difference in premiums (Art. 7 para. 5 and 6 HIA).
However, if the double insurance is your fault, none of the insurers have to reimburse you for anything. For example, the fault lies with you if you have failed to cancel your old health insurance policy. This is also the case if you have instructed the new health insurer to cancel the old policy.
Basic insurance: what can I do if I am double insured?
If you are double insured, you aren’t obligated to pay your new health insurer. Your previous insurance is still valid. The new insurance policy must be cancelled.
However, this also means that you must continue to pay premiums to your old health insurer – even if these premiums are higher than those of the new one.
3. I have double accident insurance: what can I do?
Double insurance is relatively common with accident insurance. This is because policyholders can opt for accident insurance with their basic health insurance. However, they are often already insured through their employer.
Accident insurance: how can I avoid being double insured?
Do you work for the same employer for eight or more hours per week? If so, your employer already insures you against occupational and non-occupational accidents. If you have also taken out accident cover in your basic insurance, you are double insured against accidents.
Good to know: if you terminate an employment contract with accident insurance cover, you are insured for a further 31 days. You can extend the length of cover with interim insurance.
Accident insurance: what can I do if I am double insured?
Check your insurance cover with your health insurer and employer. Making an adjustment is then simple: if you are already insured against accidents through your employer, you can exclude accident cover in your basic insurance.
Request the adjustment directly from your provider of compulsory health insurance. The change comes into effect at the end of the requested month. According to the Federal Ordinance (link not available in English), you can expect a reduction in premiums of up to 7% after excluding accident cover.
4. I have double supplemental insurance: what can I do?
If you already have supplemental insurance, taking out another supplemental insurance policy will lead to double insurance. However, you can take action before double insurance occurs.
The table below shows an example of double insurance in supplemental hospital insurance:
| Type | Insurance 1 | Insurance 2 | Solution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supplemental hospital insurance | General ward | Semi-private supplemental hospital insurance | Cancel the insurance policy for the general ward. This is included in semi-private supplemental insurance. |
Supplemental insurance: how can I avoid being double insured?
Check notice periods: check the notice period of your previous insurance before applying for new supplemental insurance. Most supplemental insurance policies last at least one year. The notice period for cancelling is usually three months. Often, you can only cancel at the end of a year while observing the notice period.
Don’t submit multiple applications at the same time: if both insurers accept your application, you will be bound to the new policies and have double insurance.
Exercise your right of withdrawal: a right of withdrawal was introduced in 2022 (Art. 2a IPA). If you discover you have double insurance for certain benefits after taking out a new insurance contract, you can withdraw from the new contract within 14 days. It’s best to send your cancellation to the insurer by registered post. You then have reliable evidence in any legal dispute. The date the letter is stamped counts as the day of withdrawal. It’s not possible to withdraw from an application or insurance contract after the deadline has expired.
Good to know: if you apply for supplemental insurance, it’s legally binding for 14 days (Art. 2 IPA). If a medical examination is necessary for the application, the health insurer may take up to four weeks. After this period, you are no longer bound.
What can I do if I am double insured with supplemental health insurance?
If you are double insured due to missing a cancellation period, you generally have to pay both premiums. However, the law offers a way out of unintended double insurance in the case of supplemental insurance.
If you find that you are actually double insured without having previously realized, you can cancel the most recent insurance policy taken out within four weeks of you noticing it (Art. 46b para. 2 IPA). You must also inform both insurers about the double insurance (Art. 46b para. 1 IPA).
Important: did you know before concluding the contract that you would be double insured? If so, you may not terminate the insurance policy early.
Cancellation of double insurance: always send your cancellation letter by registered post to your health insurer. The date on which the health insurer receives the cancellation letter is the effective date. The postmark does not count.
Supplemental insurance: what can I do if I fail to meet the four-week deadline?
If you don’t cancel your new insurance policy within four weeks of discovering you are double insured, you will be bound by both contracts.
The new insurance company may agree to suspend or terminate the contract by mutual agreement. However, you are not legally entitled to this. If the insurance company doesn’t agree to your wishes, you may only terminate one of the supplemental insurance policies according to the applicable terms of the contract.
Pay attention to the minimum contract term
Does the minimum term of the two insurance policies not end on the same day? If so, you should cancel the insurance policy with the minimum term that ends earlier.
If the earliest termination dates are identical, it’s worth cancelling the insurance policy that has the least favourable contractual conditions. For example, consider the scope of cover and the cost of premiums.
Good to know: since 2022, you can by law terminate insurance contracts after three years at the latest – regardless of the individual agreements in the contract. You must, however, adhere to the notice period.
5. Conclusion: can I be double insured in Switzerland?
Double insurance is generally not possible with basic insurance. However, administrative errors can lead to situations where you seem to be double insured. In this case, those affected receive bills from two health insurers. However, you only have to pay the bills of one health insurance company.
If you work at least eight hours a week for an employer, they will provide your accident insurance. You can then exclude accident insurance cover from your basic insurance. This way, you avoid double insurance.
Double insurance is possible with supplemental insurance. Policyholders can cancel an application for supplemental insurance within 14 days. What if you miss the cancellation period and become unintentionally double insured? In this case, you can cancel the new insurance policy within four weeks of discovering that you are double insured.
Good to know: if you are unable to agree with your health insurer, contact the health insurance ombudsman. They can advise and help you.
It’s always worth comparing premiums
The costs for basic insurance and supplemental insurance can vary greatly. With Comparis, you can easily compare premiums and plan to change health insurance companies.
6. FAQs on double insurance in Switzerland
A refund is possible with basic insurance. Are you double insured due to an error by a health insurer and paying too much in premiums? In that case, you will receive a refund of the premium difference.
For accident and supplemental insurance, no refund is given in the event of double insurance.
Double insurance is not permitted with basic insurance. However, double insurance is possible with accident and supplemental insurance.
If you are double insured with basic insurance, you do not have a special right of termination. Instead, the more recent contract will be cancelled. You will continue to be insured with the old health insurer.
You can exclude accident insurance from your health insurance with effect at the end of the month.
In the case of supplemental insurance, different deadlines apply for early termination. You also have a withdrawal period of 14 days after the health insurer has accepted the application. If you only notice the double insurance later, you have a four-week notice period.
This article was first published on 23.08.2022
