How can I save on my premium? Why does my premium adjustment differ from the Swiss average? Here you’ll find the answers to questions often asked by Sanitas customers.
There are a number of ways to reduce your premium, which we’ve listed below. We’re also happy to advise you personally.
Switzerland has one of the best healthcare systems in the world. This first-class care comes at a cost, which is reflected in the health insurance premiums. Below we’ve listed some of the key factors that drive up the costs of basic and supplementary insurance. Please note that there are premium regions in which the premiums for basic insurance don’t rise regularly and in which the premiums for supplementary insurance remain stable.
Factors affecting premiums:
Our video “Why are premiums increasing?” explains the key facts simply and clearly in no time at all. Watch now
The average values for basic insurance communicated in the media usually have no bearing on your individual premium. There are a number of reasons for this:
Benefit costs in your region: The Federal Office of Public Health stipulates that premiums must cover the costs in each region. Premiums primarily reflect the benefit costs of a health insurer, which is the costs they pay out for doctors, therapists, hospital stays and drugs. The cost of benefits can vary considerably depending on a number of factors, including the structure of a health insurer’s customer base and the insureds’ place of residence. That’s why the premium of 44-year-old Mr M. living in canton X differs from the premium of 44-year-old Mr B. living in canton Y.
New premium calculation by the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health
The Federal Office of Public Health uses a new key figure for premium communication: Instead of the change in standard premium, the change in average premium is now introduced. The average premium is more representative and in addition to the elective deductible, alternative insurance model, premium region, etc., takes into account in particular the lower premiums for young adults.
Your premium can vary if you’ve
Supplementary insurance: If you’ve taken out one or more supplementary insurance plans, bear in mind that the information published by the Federal Office of Public Health refers only to the basic insurance premium. When comparing this figure with your policy, refer only to your basic insurance premium and not the ones for supplementary insurance.
The Swiss healthcare system attaches great importance to the concept of solidarity for basic insurance. This means that all adults in a single premium region pay the same premium for basic insurance regardless of whether they are sick or healthy, old or young, male or female. You’re one of the lucky ones who are in good health. However, it’s worth bearing in mind that you won’t have to pay a higher premium if you happen to fall ill at some time in the future.
This principle of solidarity is an integral part of the Swiss health insurance act. It gives you the security that you won’t face financial ruin as a result of huge illness-related costs in the event of an emergency.
That’s not necessarily true. Our promotional activities are designed primarily to communicate information about innovative products and services and thus attract new customers to Sanitas. Winning new customers each year is a crucial factor in maintaining the stability and security of a health insurance company. Ultimately, this benefits all Sanitas customers.
Advertising can also play a key role in improving the cost-awareness of our customers. Since the launch of our online customer portal and the associated communication measures, some 200,000 customers have switched to electronic – and paper-free – correspondence with Sanitas. This saves paper, postage costs and is environmentally friendly.
Last but not least, our figures show that foregoing promotional activities has little impact on cost-savings, because the advertising expenditure makes up a very small amount of the monthly premium at Sanitas, amounting to less than 1 franc of an average monthly premium. In other words, cutting the entire advertising budget would have a negligible effect on premiums.
And did you know that, for every 100 francs you pay in premiums, around 95 are invested directly in medical services, i.e. hospitalisation, therapies, lab expenses and medicines?
Sanitas works on a daily basis to keep the growth of healthcare costs as moderate as possible.
We review up to 500,000 invoices each month in order to identify unjustifiably high invoices or uninsured benefits and thereby reduce costs.
Our case management team supports and advises customers experiencing difficult health situations. Proper coordination between doctors, therapists and other involved parties plays a crucial role in optimising the recovery process.
Working together with our independent partner Medgate, we offer our customers free medical advice around the clock. This service is particularly useful at night or at the weekend, because it puts your mind at ease and enables you to postpone any necessary visit to the doctor to regular practice opening hours, thus avoiding expensive emergency costs.
In the interests of our customers, we hold fair but rigorous tariff negotiations with healthcare providers, for example with hospitals and networks of physicians.
It has been proven that alternative insurance models help reduce costs. Sanitas offers various alternative insurance models for basic insurance.
The Swiss government levies climate charges on pollutants which cause carbon and volatile organic compounds to be released into the atmosphere. These charges are linked to usage: those who use more, pay more. This means both private individuals and organisations are encouraged to be more environmentally friendly.
It is a duty levied for a purpose - not a tax, which means two-thirds of the duties levied will be directly redistributed to the population and organisations. This redistribution is undertaken by health insurers and the AHV/AVS office. In 2019, each person will receive a reimbursement of CHF 76.80 via their health insurer.
One third of the duty will be used by the Swiss government to develop measures to help improve the environment.