Save on health insurance premiums: top tips

If you work at least eight hours a week for the same employer, you are covered for both occupational and non-occupational accidents through your employer. You can therefore exclude accident cover from your basic insurance and save 6.9% on your premium. You can easily manage your accident cover in the Sanitas Portal.

In addition to the standard Free Choice of Doctor model, Sanitas offers alternative models with discounted premiums. Depending on the model, you contact a family doctor or telemedicine centre first if you fall ill. They will coordinate your treatment and refer you to a specialist if necessary.

All insurance models

The deductible is the amount you contribute towards treatment costs each calendar year. If you increase the deductible on your statutory basic insurance – for example, from CHF 300 to CHF 2,500 – you can save up to CHF 1,540 a year on your health insurance premiums. You can easily increase your deductible for the following year in the Sanitas Portal by 31 December, or contact us by 30 December.

Important: Only increase your deductible if you expect your healthcare costs (e.g. visits to the doctor, medicines) to be low. You should have the amount of your chosen deductible and the maximum copayment of CHF 700 available in case of an emergency.

How the premium is calculated

Health insurance premiums are typically paid monthly. However, you can pay your premium in advance for a full year or half a year. You’ll receive a 1% discount for a full year and a 0.5% discount for half a year. You can easily amend your payment frequency in the Sanitas Portal.

If you choose generic medicines, you will generally only pay a 10% copayment. For original medicines, the copayment is 20%. Find out now whether a generic version of your medicine is available in Switzerland:

Generic drug finder

Order your medicines online and have them delivered to your door free of charge. Thanks to our partnership with MediService, you can enjoy a range of benefits while saving time and money. There’s no need to worry about payment either: the pharmacy invoices Sanitas directly.

MediService

Not sure whether you need to see a doctor? Contact the telemedicine centre for an initial assessment or second medical opinion. Many health concerns – plus prescriptions and certificates of incapacity for work – can be handled cost-effectively via telemedicine. You’ll find the number on your insurance card. 

Important: Telemedicine consultations are only completely free for customers with the TelMed Plus basic insurance model. For everyone else, the costs are billed as if you were visiting a medical practice. If you are insured under the Family Doctor model, please always contact your chosen family doctor practice first. 

When you change doctors or are referred to a specialist, you may have to undergo duplicate and therefore unnecessary examinations, such as X-rays of the same joint taken in quick succession by different doctors.

Good to know: Medical images – whether from an X-ray, MRI or CT scan – and all other test results (such as laboratory results) belong to you. Request copies and take them to your next doctor’s appointment. This can quickly save you a lot of money and effort.

We offer a wide range of services to support a healthy lifestyle. Earn rewards for staying active, look after your heart, sleep better and strengthen your mental well-being. After all, prevention is always better than cure.

To the offers

Our award-winning app offers plenty of ways to save. Before an examination or treatment, use the Cover Check to find out whether the costs are covered by your Sanitas insurance. Our invoice translator helps you check your invoices after treatment. Do they only include services that you actually received? This is another way to help reduce costs.

In Switzerland, people with limited financial means may be entitled to a premium subsidy. If your income and assets fall below a certain threshold, the relevant authority in your canton of residence (SVA) will pay part of your health insurance premiums. Eligibility and the amount of the premium subsidy vary from canton to canton. Contact the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) to find out which office is responsible for premium subsidies in your canton of residence.

If you do military or civilian service for more than 60 consecutive days, you can suspend your basic insurance with your health insurer. This means your health insurance is paused during this time, and you don’t pay any premiums. Throughout your military or civilian service, military insurance covers you against accident and illness and any associated economic consequences. Download the suspension form.

In certain cases, you can also suspend your supplementary insurance and save 70% on your premium – for example, if you move your place of residence abroad, stay abroad for longer than three months or do military training for more than 60 days.

Important: Once you’ve suspended your insurance, you're no longer able to claim benefits.

At the start of the year, we send you a statement for your tax return. It shows the premiums you paid and any costs you paid yourself in the previous year. You can enter the total amount on your tax return, which may help reduce your tax bill. If you have significant healthcare costs (more than 5% of your net income), you can also claim a tax deduction in almost all cantons. These costs may include dental treatment, operations, care costs such as Spitex home care, vaccinations, treatments by doctors or natural health practitioners, and prescribed medicines. You must be able to provide evidence of the relevant costs. ​