Hi Blonay Bear

You information is very interesting but unfortunately not all is correct. I work with Swisscare with our student organization which has average 200 foreign students insured by the http://www.swisscare.ch.

You have right concerning the company and pre existing condition and in fact, it is not exactly the Swiss heatlh insurance law because pre existing are not covered. But what you dont know, is that in Switzerland, foreign students can be exempted from the Swiss compulsory health insurance (read the web site of Swisscare) or go on the Governement website admin.ch.

The law say that students can be exempted from the compulsory health insurance if the international insurer offer an equivalent coverage. This is also required by the cantonal office.


Now concerning the coverage :

Inside of Switzerland and abroad SWISSCARE has to apply the LAMal (you can show in the GIC 100% LAMal)

If SWISSCARE do not offer the LAMAL in Switzerland, the students can be inform the authorities (Gesundheitsdirektion Zurich for example).


Concerned the company SWISSCARE, it's a SWISS company but in fact re insured by an international company. But you have right, it's not a SWISS GOVERNEMENT INSURANCE like (ASSURA - HELSANA - GROUPE MUTUEL...)

In finaly, for students, it's a good way to have an insurance which is cheap and affordable for a student life.

Now if a student need to have a perfect insurance... I think this dont exist :-)

Our organization was insured in an official SWISS GOVERNEMENT company and the premium was expensive, and a deductible very expensive CHF 2500 for a premium of CHF 212....

I think, you can find lots of companies (Swiss or non Swiss) but Swisscare is currently the most popular for foreign students.

Here other companies which offer cheap premiums :

GMC
Bupa
ACE
GoldenCare
TradiConsult
CSS
...

This companies are also accepted without problems in Switzerland which are Swiss and some re insured internationally.

See you !