You made an excellent summary of this health insurance, but I just wanted to respond to this one point. Wouldn't anything that happened while participating in the sports that you list all be covered under accident insurance? I believe most people have accident insurance through their employer; many of the students that are here from other countries are PhD students, and so they are being paid by the university and would have accident insurance because of that (at least, this is the case for the PhD students that I know). Are there other ways in which a student who is not employed could get accident insurance to fill in the hole in this insurance?

You are correct in saying that anything happening while participating in sports would come under the accident insurance.
If a student is provided accident cover by the university then they have no problem. Swisscare say their cover includes accidents but, of course, it’s subject to the conditions and exclusions of their policy. If the policy is accepted by the canton then they are legal but I have to wonder if in accepting these policies the cantons realise that they are not the equivalent of a normal Swiss policy. If they were really equivalent then they would probably cost the same.
I mentioned the exclusions to bring to peoples attention the fact that they should be fully aware of what’s not covered. For example, many people may take a long walk (hike) in the mountains in the summer and it would probably never occur to them that their insurer considered this to be a dangerous sport unless accompanied by a guide.
Accident insurance is normally provided by the normal Swiss policy if it’s not provided by the employer but I do not believe that it’s available as a separate item. There is probably some sort of additional cover that could be purchased and an insurance adviser would be the best person to ask about this.

Thanks for this information (link: UK Department of Health). This is an application of the EHIC which seems to have come into being without anyone realising. Well done for finding it ! There is also another page here about its application in Switzerland.

I note that the studies abroad must not be a compulsory part of a UK course and I wonder why that is.

On the Swiss page it states:

As you have to pay any bills yourself and then reclaim the money you would obviously have to have sufficient funds available to meet any likely bills.

I don’t understand the ‘excess charge’ or ‘patients contribution’ and it doesn’t say how much this is. Under a normal Swiss police you have to pay an annual excess (deductable) of CHF 300 (minimum) so presumably its something similar but as it has to be paid for every 30 day period of treatment it would be interesting to know how much it is.

Hi
You know, I've thought of this too and I am not totally clear on the regs but I don't recall any point in the application (or approval) process whereby I had to prove I wasn't working so I think it is worth trying.
Cheers,
L

That's how I feel, too. For being discount plans, they cover more than I expected. Maybe it's because they cover students, who are usually young and healthy. I enrolled in a high-deductible plan back in the US for the same reason that I'm young.

Student Care, which was unofficially recommended by someone in the Social Information office of my university, also covers all maternity expenses. The plan's restricted to students under 30 so I'm guessing they don't get many maternity claims.

In theory, couldn't a student insured by Student Care/Swisscare/BUPA just switch to a normal Swiss insurance if he or she became a high risk suddenly? A normal Swiss insurance company can't refuse someone for basic insurance.

In theory you could do this but I don’t know what the procedure would be.

Under the normal Swiss system you arrange cover and give evidence of this to your commune. If you change insurers, which you can do by the end of June or December, you apply to a new company and serve notice on your existing one that you are leaving. Your new insurer will issue an attestation that they have assumed the risk and once your old company have this you are released from them.

If you have a policy which is outside the normal system it should have been approved by your Canton and some sort of confirmation issued. If you then apply to a normal Swiss company you would have to explain why you have been in the country without normal cover so I presume some sort of document from the canton would be necessary to show that your position has been correct.

It’s not a procedure that I have know anyone to do so I have no experience of this. If you attempted it you should contact the canton and the new insurer in plenty of time.

I’ve assumed here that you have an insurance which is outside the normal system and approved by the canton. If you were relying on one that had not been approved that would be a different matter.

STUDENT CARE

premium
CHF 80/month
deductible
CHF 100/year
admission
until age 30, modification from age 31
coverage
illness and accident
emergencies: worldwide
complementary option for travel and Schengen visa
guarantee
unlimited
hospital expenses
100% in common division(?)
ambulance expenses
100% of actual cost (There's a distance limit, I remember when I enrolled, but one can pay an extra CHF 14 or 16/month for enhanced ambulance benefits and a longer list of covered prescription drugs.)
maternity
100% in common division(?)
dental expenses
accident
dependent on another disease
serious affection(?)
optical
maximum CHF 200 over 5 years with medical prescription
help and repatriation
50% of expenses
maximum CHF 5000/year
principal exclusions
none
psychotherapy
100% if carried out by a doctor
prevention
50% of expenses, according to contract
maximum CHF 500/year
alternative medecine
all treatments by doctors recognized by FMH
contact
Cré@ssurance
14, boulevard James-Fazy
1201 Genève
022 901 19 66/14
delia.crea@bluewin.ch


GMC

premium
CHF 96/month for up to age 25
CHF 190/month for age 26-30
CHF 230/month for those from age 31
deductible
CHF 300/year
10% of ambulance expenses
admission
maximum age 40
coverage
illness and accident
emergencies: worldwide & country of origin
guarantee
unlimited
hospital expenses
100% in common division(?)
ambulance expenses
90% of cost
maternity
100% in common division(?)
dental expenses
90% of cost
maximum CHF 360/year
optical
no coverage
help and repatriation
coverage with legal assistance
principal exclusions
check-ups
orthodontic treatments
non-emergency expenses taken without prior agreement
non-prescribed care
psychotherapy
90% if carried out by a doctor
preliminary agreement
prevention
only gynaecological control
alternative medecine
osteopathy, homeopathy, acupuncture, chiropractic
contact
A.I.F. Services Sarl
67, rue de la Servette
1202 Geneève
022 748 20 70
www.aifservice.ch


Golden Care

premium
CHF 250/trimester
CHF 499/semester
CHF 972/year
deductible
CHF 75/illness
admission
modification of insurance conditions from age 35
coverage
worldwide coverage of illness and accident
guarantee
CHF 1 million/incident
hospital expenses
100% in common division(?)
ambulance expenses
100% of cost
maternity
maximum CHF 14 000
dental expenses
only accidents
optical
no coverage
help and repatriation
100% of cost
principal exclusions
check-ups
orthodontic treatments
pre-existing illnesses
psychotherapy
100% after preliminary agreement
prevention
no assumption of responsibility
alternative medecine
100% of cost after preliminary agreement
contact
Manrisk S.A.
4, rue David-Dufour
1205 Genève
022 800 00 04
www.manrisk.com


SWISS CARE

premium
CHF 990/12 months
CHF 742.50/9 months
CHF 495/6 months
CHF 247.50/3 months
deductible
CHF 300/calendar year
admission
maximum age 40
coverage
illness and accident
emergencies: worldwide
worldwide assistance 24 hours & 7 days a week
guarantee
unlimited
hospital expenses
100% in common division(?)
ambulance expenses
100% of actual cost
maternity
100% in common division(?)
dental expenses
accident
dependent on another disease
serious affection(?)
optical
maximum CHF 200 over 5 years
help and repatriation
50% of cost
principal exclusions
orthodontic treatments
pre-existing illnesses
psychotherapy
100% if carried out by a doctor
prevention
according to LAMal (the Swiss health-insurance standards, as discussed earlier in this thread)
alternative medecine
all treatments by doctors recognized by FMH
contact
Swiss Care
91, rue de Lausanne
1700 Fribourg
084 000 10 01
www.swisscare.ch
info@swisscare.ch

Here below is the info I received from my school about insurance plans offered to students on B permits. It's a helpful spreadsheet so I thought I'd share it here. I was recommended to avoid Student Wide Cover (TradiConsult S.A.), www.studentcorner.ch, so I didn't bother translating and typing it here.

-Ben

----------------------------------------

STUDENT CARE

premium
CHF 80/month
deductible
CHF 100/year
admission
until age 30, modification from age 31
coverage
illness and accident
emergencies: worldwide
complementary option for travel and Schengen visa
guarantee
unlimited
hospital expenses
100% in common division(?)
ambulance expenses
100% of actual cost (There's a distance limit, I remember when I enrolled, but you can pay an extra CHF 14 or 16/month for enhanced ambulance benefits and a longer list of covered prescription drugs.)
maternity
100% in common division(?)
dental expenses
accident
dependent on another disease
serious affection(?)
optical
maximum CHF 200 over 5 years with medical prescription
help and repatriation
50% of expenses
maximum CHF 5000/year
principal exclusions
none
psychotherapy
100% if carried out by a doctor
prevention
50% of expenses, according to contract
maximum CHF 500/year
alternative medecine
all treatments by doctors recognized by FMH
contact
Cré@ssurance
14, boulevard James-Fazy
1201 Genève
022 901 19 66/14
delia.crea@bluewin.ch


GMC

premium
CHF 96/month for up to age 25
CHF 190/month for age 26-30
CHF 230/month for those from age 31
deductible
CHF 300/year
10% of ambulance expenses
admission
maximum age 40
coverage
illness and accident
emergencies: worldwide & country of origin
guarantee
unlimited
hospital expenses
100% in common division(?)
ambulance expenses
90% of cost
maternity
100% in common division(?)
dental expenses
90% of cost
maximum CHF 360/year
optical
no coverage
help and repatriation
coverage with legal assistance
principal exclusions
check-ups
orthodontic treatments
non-emergency expenses taken without prior agreement
non-prescribed care
psychotherapy
90% if carried out by a doctor
preliminary agreement
prevention
only gynaecological control
alternative medecine
osteopathy, homeopathy, acupuncture, chiropractic
contact
A.I.F. Services Sarl
67, rue de la Servette
1202 Genève
022 748 20 70
www.aifservice.ch


Golden Care

premium
CHF 250/trimester
CHF 499/semester
CHF 972/year
deductible
CHF 75/illness
admission
modification of insurance conditions from age 35
coverage
worldwide coverage of illness and accident
guarantee
CHF 1 million/incident
hospital expenses
100% in common division(?)
ambulance expenses
100% of cost
maternity
maximum CHF 14 000
dental expenses
only accidents
optical
no coverage
help and repatriation
100% of cost
principal exclusions
check-ups
orthodontic treatments
pre-existing illnesses
psychotherapy
100% after preliminary agreement
prevention
no assumption of responsibility
alternative medecine
100% of cost after preliminary agreement
contact
Manrisk S.A.
4, rue David-Dufour
1205 Genève
022 800 00 04
www.manrisk.com


SWISS CARE

premium
CHF 990/12 months
CHF 742.50/9 months
CHF 495/6 months
CHF 247.50/3 months
deductible
CHF 300/calendar year
admission
maximum age 40
coverage
illness and accident
emergencies: worldwide
worldwide assistance 24 hours & 7 days a week
guarantee
unlimited
hospital expenses
100% in common division(?)
ambulance expenses
100% of actual cost
maternity
100% in common division(?)
dental expenses
accident
dependent on another disease
serious affection(?)
optical
maximum CHF 200 over 5 years
help and repatriation
50% of cost
principal exclusions
orthodontic treatments
pre-existing illnesses
psychotherapy
100% if carried out by a doctor
prevention
according to LAMal (the Swiss health-insurance standards, as discussed earlier in this thread)
alternative medecine
all treatments by doctors recognized by FMH
contact
Swiss Care
91, rue de Lausanne
1700 Fribourg
084 000 10 01
www.swisscare.ch
info@swisscare.ch

To change health insurance, one must cancel it by registered letter three months before the contract's expiration.

I am a PhD student in Vaud currently insured with a recognised (and expensive) Swiss health insurer. Can I ask for an exemption and get cheaper insurance ? Has anybody tried this ?

Thanks for all the information. My wife is a Post-Doc researcher and was interested in Swisscare after reading about it on here. I'm not sure it's the best idea though, as I'd rather she was definitely covered by a Swiss approved insurer, and to be honest I can't be bothered with the hassle of trying to get my canton to approve it.

We live in Zurich. Has anyone gone with one of these cheaper insurers here and run into trouble? In particular:

- trouble getting it accepted by canton
- trouble getting a claim processed
- trouble when changing from cheap insurer to standard Swiss one

I'm fortunate that my company will pay for my health insurance, so I'm going with a normal Swiss one. It seems from the discussion on here that to make sure my wife doesn't have a disproportionate level of cover that I'm best getting her a normal Swiss insurance too.

Any advice/experiences of the above would be gratefully received.

My girlfriend is insured by GoldenCare. She is doing her PhD at ETH. She had claims twice recently, and both paid without questions or issues. She only had to pay the 75 Sfr deductable per case.

I don't think she had any problem getting the insurance accepted by the Kanton.

Ozgur

Hi, I have a doubt: I will be starting a 6 months internship for a company in Baden, so they sent me the exemption form from the Canton of Aargau (for student, trainees, researchers, scientists), but I read on the website of SwissCare that this Canton doesnt't accept exemptions...Who is right and who is wrong?
Also, could I use my EHIC as a replacement for health insurance? Keep in mind that I come from Italy, and I will not have residence anymore there for 6 months once I start the internship...
Thanks

I had swica, the worst insurance agency ever. they refused to pay an emergency hospital bill and blood transfusion i had in turkey, a $5,000 medical bill from a doctor i had seen in the US, and even a $600 bill from a swiss doctor. with turkey and the US they claimed i needed to go to a swiss doctor first and only he could give me permission to see a doctor or go to the hospital in a foreign country. lol i wonder how i should travel back to switzerland needing an emergency blood transfusion. thats the craziest request i ever heard.

the same reasoning why a US based Medical Insurer would not cover you in Switzerland, unless you had taken out additional premium cover ? Thats what travel insurance is for.

lol actually my US insurance covered everything! including the doctor in switzerland... sorry but from personal experience US insurance is way better than Swiss.

well thats all right then ... problem solved.

I read on the Swisscare website that you can apply for their student insurance plan if you are a language student. Now, as I will soon start working on a very part time bases (2 h per week as a language teacher) and that will not be enough to pay a regular health insurance, I was thinking about enrolling in a language course (that I won't mind at all) but i could not find any detailed information about it: how many hours per week has to be, how long for, whether i can work in the mean time, whether it is gonna be accepted (Basel), etc. Anybody has a clue? thanxs

I remember last year when I went with my Swiss boyfriend (with a regular Swiss insurance that should cover travel expenses too)... he had a very bad infection and had to be urgently brought to the nearest hospital where he stayed for two nights. Once back he had a lot of trouble to get the ca. 1500 USD bill remboursed by the company, they claimed he should have contacted them first and they would have sent him to a partner hospital in Thailand. Unfortunately he was uncounscious, 40 degrees of fiver and in another country... I wonder how the hell he could travel with the road conditions of Cambodia all the way to Thailand and to that hospital. And, if you are at the other side of the world in a place as Cambodia and your boyfriend suddently starts talking randomly and his forehead boils what would you do? I was so scared that the only think I could do was to organise a tuck-tuck very quickly to the hospital! At the end he got the bill paid but I seriously think that sometimes those people working in insurance compamies should have a closer look at the geographic atlas!

I'm a postdoc and have signed a contract with Tradiconsult (Student world wide cover). There was a 860 CHF for the first year offer in January 2008. Also my fiancée got insured by Tradiconsult (although they normally insure students, I got the impression that in the end they are happy with anyone with a B permit). The first 300 CHF a year (each) we will need to pay ourself. We thought that Tradiconsult is a good choice, as their office is walking distance here in Lausanne. I will let you know if we have trouble claiming expenses!