Why splitting your health insurance makes sense

Rising healthcare costs are a cause for concern, especially in light of the average premium hike of 9% in 2024, with further increases in the years to come. In such challenging times, many people in Switzerland are seeking ways to minimize their financial burden. This is where "splitting" comes into play - the option to divide your health insurance among different providers. But why might it be worthwhile to take out basic and supplementary insurance with different health insurers?

The benefits of splitting

There are numerous potential advantages to splitting your health insurance, including:

• Optimizing insurance premiums: By strategically dividing your insurance, you can benefit from the standardized coverage of basic insurance, which is the same with all providers, while selecting the most cost-effective provider.
• Individual supplementary insurance: This approach offers you the freedom to choose supplementary insurance that precisely aligns with your personal needs and provides additional protection at a fair price. This approach allows you access to the most attractive offers across the entire insurance industry, rather than being tied to a single provider.
• Premium stability: While basic insurance premiums are regularly increased due to inflation and rising healthcare costs, supplementary insurance costs tend to remain stable.
• Flexibility in premium increases: If your basic insurance provider significantly raises prices, you have the flexibility to switch to a more affordable provider and optimize your expenses.

What Is the administrative effort?

The idea of having two different insurances with different providers may initially seem complex, but in practice, it is quite straightforward. When you are admitted to a hospital, you simply inform the hospital which insurer you are covered by. The hospital then takes care of the entire administrative process, from obtaining cost approval to invoicing the respective companies. As a patient, you will ultimately receive separate invoices from each insurer.

It is important to note that even if you cancel your basic insurance and switch to another health insurance company, insurers are not allowed to terminate your supplementary insurance. This provides you with the assurance that your individual supplementary coverage remains unchanged.

Reimbursement process for medical costs with separate health insurances

If you have basic insurance and supplementary insurance with different health insurers, follow these steps to get your healthcare costs reimbursed:

1. Create a backup copy of your documents before submitting them.

2. Submit your medical invoices to the health insurance company where you have your basic insurance. Specify that you have supplementary insurance with another provider. They will review the submitted documents and then send you an invoice. Nowadays, many health insurers offer convenient digital solutions such as apps or online portals for handling reimbursements. Often, a picture or scan of the invoice is sufficient.

3. After receiving the invoice from basic insurance, send it along with a copy of the original medical invoice to the health insurance company where you have your supplementary insurance.

4. You may receive two original invoices. In this case, forward each invoice to the respective health insurer.

How do I initiate splitting?

The last quarter of the year is the ideal time to switch health insurance providers and benefit from splitting. Expat Services Switzerland is here to provide you with personal assistance and offer tailor-made insurance solutions that perfectly suit your needs.

To kick-start the splitting process, we'll help you discover the best options for your healthcare. Contact us now.