How can I save money on my premiums? Why is my premium adjustment different to the Swiss average? Here we answer questions frequently asked by our customers in relation to premiums.
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 you’ll find a list of the key factors that drive up the costs of basic and supplementary insurance. There are often also premium regions where the basic insurance premiums remain the same or even decrease. And with supplementary insurance there are sometimes plans for which the premiums remain stable.
Factors affecting premiums:
The following video explains the key facts clearly and in brief.
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 canton. 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 claims can vary considerably as it depends 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.
How the FOPH calculates premiums
Since 2018, the FOPH has used a new figure when it communicates premiums. Instead of publishing the change in standard premium, the change in average premium is used instead. This average value is more representative, because along with the elective deductible, alternative insurance model, premium region, etc., it also takes into account 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.
Good to know: The details published by the Federal Office of Public Health refer only to the premium for basic insurance. 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 all adults in a 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 difficulties as a result of illness-related costs in the event of an emergency.
Our advertising 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 an important role in encouraging our customers to save costs: Since the launch of our online customer portal and associated communication measures, over 200,000 customers have switched to electronic – and therefore paper-free – correspondence with Sanitas. This saves paper, postage costs and is environmentally friendly.
And finally, our figures show that foregoing advertising has a negligible impact on costs, because Sanitas’ advertising expenditure makes up only a fraction of a monthly premium at less than 1 Swiss franc per month. In other words, cutting the entire advertising budget would have a negligible effect on premiums.
Did you know that, for every 100 francs you pay in premiums, around 95 are invested directly in medical services, i.e. hospital stays, therapies, lab expenses and medicines?
Sanitas works on a daily basis to keep the growth of healthcare costs as moderate as possible.
In an effort to reduce environmental pollution for the sake of our health and the climate, the Swiss federal government implemented environmental levies on pollutants in 2008. The Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) is responsible for distributing the levies to members of the public, which it does via the health insurers. In 2022, you will be refunded a total of CHF 88.20 from the revenue generated by the environmental levies (CO2 and VOC levy). Each month, CHF 7.35 will be offset against your premium. This amount is stated in your policy and premium invoices.
You will receive the official information sheet from the FOEN with your policy for 2022.
Health insurers are legally obliged to build up reserves. While some insurers pay out any excess to their customers with basic insurance, Sanitas − like the majority of health insurers − prefers to focus on offering its customers premiums that are as stable and attractive as possible in the long term.