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| If you just arrived and are planning to stay for a few years or less, and want to keep your old health insurance, here is how you can get out of the Swiss one.
Download the form at your kanton that is based on bilateral EU exclusions, have your own insurance sign it, and then personally take it to your kanton's office. This is the hard way as not all companies sign it and not all kantons accept the signed form.
The easy way for EU citizens that can get a European Health Insurance Card is that you just show it to the same appropriate kanton's office. Under these bilateral rules, they should except the card as proof and not bother with the form.
If you have EU insurance, ask them about the card if you do not have one yet. It looks like a credit card with policy nr /name on it and the other side has the EU logo of stars in a circle. | |
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With regard to cover by the system in your home country don’t assume that you will be automatically entitled to this. If you come from the UK, for example, if you have been resident here more than three months you are no longer covered by the NHS. From the Department of Health
website -
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| Are you visiting the United Kingdom? Have you been living outside the UK for more than 3 months? Did you know that you may have to pay for hospital treatment whilst here? Hospital treatment is free to people who ordinarily live in the United Kingdom (UK). If you do not normally live here then you may be required to pay for any treatment you might need. This is regardless of whether you are a British citizen or have lived or worked here in the past. | |
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In order to obtain the benefit of the NHS you have to move your
residence back to the UK and not just visit. You can obtain emergency treatment in the UK if you have Swiss insurance and produce your Swiss insurance card.
The bilateral agreement refers to emergency treatment only while visiting a country where you are NOT resident. If you received treatment under this system you would have to pay the bill and reclaim it from your home country but, as you would not be resident there, you would probably be unable to do so
When comparing the Swiss system with insurers such as BUPA bear in mind that there is one very big and important difference. Here you are entitled to the basic insurance irrespective of pre-existing medical conditions and the insurers cannot increase your premium because of your medical condition. With supplementary insurance the insurer can consider pre-existing conditions but once you have it they cannot cancel the cover or load the premium if you develop a medical condition such as heart condition, diabetes, arthritis or asthma etc.
With companies like BUPA they do take into account pre-existing conditions and once you have the policy they can refuse renewal or impose terms because of any condition that you may have developed. See this.