Signing Up for Mandatory Health Insurance

Switzerland does not have a tax-funded health service. Instead, every resident must buy their own basic health insurance from a private company, and the responsibility falls on you, not your employer. For newcomers this feels unfamiliar, but the system is well organised and your coverage is identical no matter which insurer you choose. What differs is the price and the service.

The three-month rule

You must take out Grundversicherung (basic health insurance) within three months of arriving, under the federal KVG law. Crucially, once you sign up, coverage backdates to your arrival date, so you are never uninsured. Miss the deadline and the canton can assign you a policy and add a penalty surcharge, so do not let it drift.

Guaranteed acceptance

No insurer can refuse you basic cover or ask health questions, regardless of age, nationality or pre-existing conditions. Benefits are defined by law and are the same everywhere, which means a doctor visit is covered identically by every company. You are simply choosing a billing partner, so focus on premium, service quality and the model that suits you.

Choosing your deductible (Franchise)

You select an annual Franchise (deductible) between CHF 300 and CHF 2,500. A higher deductible lowers your monthly premium but means you pay more out of pocket before cover kicks in. If you rarely see a doctor, the CHF 2,500 tier saves money; if you expect regular care, the CHF 300 tier is safer. Recalculate this choice each year.

Insurance models that cut costs

Beyond the standard plan, alternative models trim 10 to 18 percent off premiums. The Hausarzt (family-doctor) model routes you through a chosen GP, the HMO model uses a health centre, and the Telmed model starts every issue with a phone consultation. The care is the same; you just agree to a first point of contact in exchange for a discount.

What it costs in Zurich

The 2026 national average adult premium is about CHF 393 per month, and Zurich sits broadly in that range depending on insurer, model and deductible. Children and young adults pay far less, and lower-to-middle-income households can apply for Prämienverbilligung (premium subsidy) through the canton, which around a third of residents receive.

How to compare and sign up

Use the official calculator at priminfo.ch to compare every insurer for your postcode and age. Decide on your deductible and model first, then pick the cheapest reputable provider, since the basic benefits are identical. Consider any supplementary cover (dental, private hospital) separately, and apply for that within your first 30 days for the smoothest underwriting.

Health insurance is one of the larger fixed costs of Zurich life, but it buys genuinely excellent care and you are never turned away. Spend an hour on the comparison tool, lock in your choice within the three-month window, and you can stop thinking about it for the rest of the year.