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Switzerland · Insurance

Insurance in Switzerland — health, travel, and digital-nomad cover, what is mandatory, and how to choose a plan.

AI-drafted, editorially reviewed. Confirm specifics with the official authority.

Switzerland's social insurance rests on three named parts: old-age and survivors' insurance (AHV/AVS), disability insurance, and occupational pensions — with contributions shared with your employer. That occupational-pension layer is the piece newcomers most often overlook, since it sits alongside the state scheme rather than inside it. Motor third-party liability insurance is mandatory for vehicles, and basic health insurance is separately compulsory. Insurers and financial markets are supervised by FINMA.

Switzerland's social-insurance system includes the old-age and survivors' insurance (AHV/AVS), disability insurance and occupational pensions, funded by contributions shared with the employer. Beyond compulsory health insurance, motor third-party liability insurance is mandatory for vehicles. Insurers and financial markets are supervised by FINMA.

  • Social insurance includes AHV/AVS (old-age & survivors), disability insurance and occupational pensions.
  • Motor third-party liability insurance is compulsory; basic health insurance is also mandatory (see Healthcare).
  • Insurers and financial markets are supervised by FINMA.

  1. 1

    Identify the three social-insurance parts

    Social insurance includes AHV/AVS for old age and survivors, disability insurance, and occupational pensions. Naming all three tells you what your deductions are actually funding.

  2. 2

    Do not overlook the occupational pension

    Occupational pensions sit alongside the state scheme rather than inside it. This is the layer newcomers most often miss, so find out which arrangement applies through your employer.

  3. 3

    Expect the employer to share contributions

    Contributions are shared with the employer. That distinguishes these from the health premium, which is a direct personal cost rather than a payroll split.

  4. 4

    Insure the vehicle, and note health is separate

    Motor third-party liability insurance is mandatory for vehicles, and basic health insurance is compulsory under its own rules. Two separate mandates, so track them separately.

  5. 5

    Verify the provider with FINMA

    Insurers and financial markets are supervised by FINMA. One supervisor spans both, so it is the single place to check whoever you are buying from.

  • AHV/AVS contributions identified
  • Disability insurance component noted
  • Occupational pension arrangement confirmed with employer
  • Employer contribution share understood
  • Motor third-party cover in place for any vehicle
  • Basic health insurance tracked as a separate mandate
  • Provider confirmed as FINMA-supervised

Frequently asked questions

What does Swiss social insurance include?

Old-age and survivors' insurance (AHV/AVS), disability insurance and occupational pensions, with contributions shared with your employer. The occupational-pension layer is the one newcomers most often overlook, since it sits alongside the state scheme rather than within it.

Is Swiss health insurance part of social insurance contributions?

No — basic health insurance is compulsory under its own rules and is a direct personal cost, whereas social-insurance contributions are shared with your employer. They are two separate mandates worth tracking separately.

Who supervises insurers in Switzerland?

FINMA supervises insurers and financial markets alike. Because one supervisor spans both, it is the single place to verify whoever you are buying an insurance or financial product from.

How to choose cover

Which cover you need is decided by your residence status and how long you are staying, not by price. Most people end up in one of three situations — and the wrong one is usually chosen by buying travel cover for what is actually a residence, or paying twice for cover the statutory scheme already provides.

Statutory or employer cover — if you live and work here

Once you register as a resident or start a local job, enrolment is usually mandatory and often automatic through payroll. This is the cheapest and broadest cover available to you, so check whether you qualify before buying anything private — see what is mandatory in this country above.

Private or top-up cover — to fill what the statutory scheme leaves out

Dental, vision, prescriptions, private rooms and shorter waiting times commonly sit outside the statutory scheme, and employers often provide a top-up policy. Read what your statutory cover excludes first — buying a full private policy when you only need a top-up is the most expensive mistake here.

International, travel or nomad cover — for short stays and the gap before enrolment

This is the right product in three cases: you are staying too briefly to become a resident, your visa requires proof of cover before arrival, or the statutory scheme has a waiting period after you arrive. It is a bridge, not a substitute — once you are enrolled locally, most people drop it.

Check before you pay

  • Does it satisfy the visa or residence requirement? If a permit asks for proof of cover, the policy must meet that authority's stated minimum — not merely exist.
  • Where does it cover you? Check whether your home country and any country you transit are included — many international policies exclude your country of citizenship or limit it to a few weeks a year.
  • How are pre-existing conditions handled? This is the most common claim refusal — look for the definition, the look-back period and whether a declaration is required.
  • Outpatient or hospital-only? Cheap policies often cover hospitalisation but not GP visits, tests or prescriptions — which is most of what you will actually use.
  • Direct billing or reimbursement? If the insurer does not pay the hospital directly, you need the cash up front and the paperwork afterwards.
  • Is the insurer licensed to operate here? The country's financial regulator — listed in the official authorities below — publishes the register. An unlicensed policy can be unenforceable locally.
  • What happens at renewal? Check age limits, whether premiums rise after a claim, and whether cover ends the day your visa status changes.

International providers people commonly use

Richbay is not an insurer or a broker and does not assess your circumstances. These are widely used international providers, listed for the third case above — check eligibility, the terms in the list above, and whether the provider is licensed where you are going.

  • SafetyWing

    Subscription travel-medical cover aimed at remote workers and long trips; monthly rolling rather than a fixed trip length.

  • Genki

    Monthly international health cover for nomads and expatriates, with a longer-term plan for people who stay abroad indefinitely.

  • Cigna Global

    Full international private medical insurance — modular, aimed at people relocating rather than travelling, and generally priced accordingly.

General information, not insurance advice. Cover, eligibility and legal requirements differ by country, visa type and personal circumstances — confirm with the authority and the insurer before relying on any of this.

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