Delayed admission to health insurance: what can I do?
Have you registered with a new health insurer, but are still waiting for confirmation? Comparis can provide information about the reasons and your rights.
01.04.2025
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1. Common reasons for delays when changing health insurers
There may be several reasons why your registration with a new health insurer has been delayed into the new year:
Late registration with the new health insurer: if you register with the new health insurer towards the end of the previous year, this may result in your delayed admission. One reason is that the new health insurer still needs to send a confirmation of admission to the old insurer.
Late payment: If you have outstanding debts, you cannot change insurer. In this case, you and your new insurer will receive a notification from your old health insurer.
Delayed processing with your new health insurer: Processing times may be longer with your new health insurer. The new insurer might not send the notification of the change until the new year.
In the event of a delay in the change, make sure to keep all of the information you have received from both of your health insurers. This will ensure that you can understand why there were problems with the change – and, if in doubt, to assert your rights.
2. Might I not be insured?
Whatever happens, you will always have insurance. If the new health insurer has not provided confirmation of the change, your old health insurance is not permitted to terminate the relationship (Art. 7 para. 5 HIA). The change must take place without any interruptions of insurance cover.
However, in the event of administrative errors, you may be double insured. This means that you have two active basic insurance policies.
3. To which health insurer do I pay premiums?
Until you have received the confirmation of the change to the new health insurer, you will pay premiums to your old insurer. In this instance, you will have to pay the premiums currently in place for the old insurance policy.
4. If I have overpaid for my premiums, can I get the money back?
In accordance with the Health Insurance Act, you will be paid back the premium paid in excess (Art. 7 para. 5 HIA). However, this only holds true if the change is delayed due to an error made by the health insurer. This is because your new insurer will have to compensate you for the damage caused by the delay in the change.
Important: Is your new health insurer not aware of the old insurer? If so, the new health insurer will not have to pay you any compensation.
The monthly premium with your old health insurer is 335 francs. With the new health insurer, you would only pay 320 francs. You will receive confirmation of the change of health insurer in March. Your new health insurer will therefore reimburse you 45 francs.
| Costs of the old health insurer from January to March | 3 × 335 = 1,005 francs |
|---|---|
| Costs of the new health insurer from January to March | 3 × 320 = 960 francs |
| Cost difference | 1,005 – 960 = 45 francs |
5. Deductible and coinsurance: do I have to pay twice now?
In Switzerland, there is an annual deductible. This means that the deductible is restricted to the selected amount within the calendar year. At the beginning of a new year, the deductible contribution you paid will be reset back to zero. The same applies to the coinsurance.
If you change health insurer during the year, you do not have to pay the deductible and coinsurance twice. To this end, you can obtain confirmation from your old health insurer of the amount already paid.
Good to know: have you chosen a lower deductible with your new health insurer than you had with the old insurer? If so, the new health insurer will have to reimburse you if you have overpaid your cost-sharing contributions.
You have switched from a deductible of 2,500 francs to a 300 franc deductible. In January, you undergo an examination that costs 1,000 francs. You have overpaid your cost-sharing contribution by 630 francs due to the higher deductible. The new health insurer must now reimburse you for this.
| Costs with a deductible of 2,500 francs | 1,000 francs |
|---|---|
| Costs with a deductible of 300 francs | 370 francs300 francs deductible + 70 francs coinsurance (10% of 700 francs) |
| Cost difference | 630 francs |
6. What happens if I am late in registering for health insurance after moving to Switzerland?
After moving to Switzerland you must take out health insurance with a health insurer within three months (Art. 3 para. 1 HIA). If you only take out insurance after this period, you will have to pay a surcharge on your premiums as set by the Federal Council (Art. 5 para. 2 HIA).
If you do not take out insurance in time, you may not choose your own insurance. The canton will subsequently assign you an insurance policy (Art. 6 HIA).
7. What can I do to ensure that there are no problems with the change in health insurer?
Register with the new health insurer in good time. The sooner you send all documents to the new health insurer, the sooner they can complete your registration. You can also compare the premiums of different insurers in good time after they have been announced.
Comparis tip: Have you not received the policy or the insurance card with your customer number from the new health insurer in good time after having changed health insurer by the deadline?
Have the new health insurer confirm the change and the delay in writing. This way, administrative problems can be avoided in the event you fall ill.
Make sure that you pay all of your invoices on time. This way, you can prevent your old health insurer from stopping you from changing insurers.
If you're ever unsure about anything, get advice from the health insurance ombudsman. The specialists can help you with any problems you might have.
This article was first published on 27.03.2025
