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Retirement guide

Health insurance when you retire: what you should adjust

Retirement also brings several changes to your health insurance: accident cover has to go back into basic insurance, your costs shift and the budget is often tighter. You should check these points in good time.

1. Checklist: what changes when you retire

  1. About 3 months beforeNotify your health insurer of your retirement date and include accident cover from the end of the extended cover.
  2. In the autumn before the year you switchCompare the new premiums, check your model and deductible. Your cancellation of basic insurance must reach the insurer by 30 November; you switch on 1 January.
  3. Premium reductionCheck whether, with your lower pension income, you are entitled to a premium reduction from the canton, and submit the application on time.
  4. Supplementary insuranceCheck which benefits you really need. It is better to adjust than to cancel, because taking out new insurance in old age is difficult.
  5. Travel plansIf you travel a lot or live abroad for part of the year, check your cover for emergencies abroad and your travel insurance. More about travel & abroad

2. Reinstating accident cover

As long as you are employed for at least 8 hours a week, you are insured against accidents through your employer (UVG). That is why most people in work have excluded accident cover from their health insurance. This protection ends when you retire.

The deadline: 31 days

Your employer's non-occupational accident insurance continues for 31 days after your last working day with pay. Accident cover with your health insurer must start immediately afterwards. Depending on the insurer, the additional premium amounts to a few percent of the basic insurance premium. Report the change in good time: the premium is owed from the end of the extended cover, even if you report it later.

You can use our sample letter “Reinstating accident cover”. If you continue to work after retirement for at least 8 hours a week for the same employer, your accident insurance through the employer remains in place.

3. Saving on premiums in retirement

Compare insurers

Basic insurance benefits are the same everywhere, but premiums often differ by several hundred francs per year. Switching is possible at any age without health questions. Go to the premium calculator

The right deductible

Healthcare costs often rise with age. A low deductible can then pay off, even though the premium is higher. Go to the deductible calculator

Choose a model

With the family doctor model you usually pay less and keep your trusted family doctor as your first point of contact. A good solution for many pensioners.

Premium reduction

If your income is lower, the canton pays part of the premium. Anyone receiving supplementary benefits to the AHV receives a contribution towards the basic insurance premium.

Retiring soon? We review your basic and supplementary insurance with you, free of charge and without obligation.
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4. Supplementary insurance in old age

  • Do not cancel too hastilySupplementary insurance is governed by the VVG. A new insurer may ask health questions, add exclusions (reservations) or reject you. Once you have cancelled something, you often cannot get it back in old age.
  • Adjust instead of cancellingIf your hospital insurance becomes too expensive, switching from private to semi-private or to a flex model is often the better solution. Hospital insurance guide
  • Separate basic and supplementary insuranceYou can switch your basic insurance to a cheaper insurer and keep your supplementary insurance with your current insurer. Some insurers grant a discount if both are insured with them. That discount then no longer applies, so factor it in.
  • Benefits that become important in old ageBasic insurance pays nothing or only part of the cost of glasses, hearing aids, dental treatment, home help after a hospital stay or health cures. Compare supplementary insurance benefits

5. Frequently asked questions about health insurance when you retire

Do I have to include accident cover when I retire?

Yes. Your employer's accident insurance ends 31 days after your last working day with pay. From then on, accident cover must be included in your basic insurance. Inform your insurer in good time; you owe the premium from the end of the extended cover in any case.

Can I still switch insurer as a pensioner?

For basic insurance, yes, on the usual dates, regardless of age and health. Every insurer must accept you. It is different for supplementary insurance: a new insurer may ask health questions and reject you. So in old age, only cancel supplementary insurance once the new one has been confirmed in writing.

Which deductible makes sense in old age?

That depends on your healthcare costs. For adults, the CHF 300 deductible often pays off from around CHF 2'000 of costs per year; below that, the highest deductible does. Work it out with your own figures in the deductible calculator.

Am I entitled to a premium reduction?

Possibly. Because income often falls after retirement, some pensioners become entitled for the first time. Each canton sets its own rules, income limits and deadlines. Anyone receiving supplementary benefits to the AHV (old-age pension) receives a contribution towards the basic insurance premium.

I am moving abroad after retirement. What applies?

When you leave Switzerland, compulsory insurance in Switzerland ends. However, if you move to an EU/EFTA state and only receive a Swiss pension, you generally remain covered by Swiss health insurance. Have your situation checked before you move; the rules depend on the country and on your pensions.

Should I keep my supplementary insurance?

Think carefully before cancelling anything. Supplementary insurance that you have cancelled often cannot be taken out again in old age. Instead of cancelling, it is often worth switching to a cheaper option, for example from private to semi-private or to a flex model.

Premium alert: we will remind you in the autumn

The new premiums are announced at the end of September. We will then send you a short email so that you can compare at your leisure and cancel before 30 November. Free of charge, once a year, unsubscribe at any time with a short reply.