Exemption from Mandatory Swiss health insurance

wildboar · #1 24.11.2008, 18:04

Hello,

There are certain ways you can be considered exempted from the mandatory swiss health insurance. Does anyone know about those clauses and conditions?

I would like to subscribe to an insurance for expats but not too sure if it can be accepted by swiss laws. I know for people having their family elsewhere, is accepted. I would like to get details of these exemption conditions.

Thanks in advance,
Wildboar

Greenock_Pompey_Zürich · #2 24.11.2008, 18:12

Exemptions cases are:
you are above 55
or your medical condition is as such , that it would be too complicated to be transferred to the Swiss one

there may be more ways around, but that is what I heard from Canton Zurich,
others may have different rules....

mabern · #3 24.11.2008, 19:21

I could be wrong but an international health insurance that deals with Switzerland is all you need but perhaps this doesn't work if your employer is swiss?

81joe81 · #4 24.11.2008, 19:30

Found at this address: http://www.bag.admin.ch/themen/krank...x.html?lang=en

	Quote:
	Who can be exempted from the obligation to obtain insurance in Switzerland, and what procedure should be followed?The following are exempted on request: - people who are required to have health insurance under the law of a country with which no agreement has been concluded concerning limitation of the obligation to obtain insurance, insofar as liability to Swiss insurance would impose a double burden; - people staying in Switzerland for purposes of basic or advanced training, such as students, pupils and trainees, and family members accompanying them; - lecturers and researchers staying in Switzerland for purposes of teaching or research, and family members accompanying them; - employees seconded to Switzerland who are exempted from liability to pay Swiss old-age and surviving dependents/disability insurance (AHV/IV) contributions under an international social security agreement, together with family members accompanying them; - people residing in a member state of the EU, insofar as they may be exempted from the obligation to obtain insurance under the bilateral Agreement on Free Movement of Persons and Annex II thereto; - holders of a residence permit for persons not pursuing an economic activity in accordance with the Agreement on Free Movement of Persons and the European Free Trade Agreement; - people for whom membership of a Swiss insurance scheme would entail a marked deterioration in insurance coverage or in reimbursement of expenses and who, on account of their age and/or state of health, could not obtain comparable top-up insurance or could only do so on terms that would be difficult to accept; provided that, throughout the period for which the exemption is valid, they have equivalent insurance coverage for healthcare in Switzerland. In general, the people concerned cannot reconsider their exemption or waiver of exemption in the absence of special reasons. Requests will be assessed by the competent cantonal authorities. For further information or to obtain the necessary forms, please contact the competent authority directly where you are residing/staying

Eire · #5 24.11.2008, 19:32

If you have a valid insurance that covers you in Switzerland, and you can convince your gemeinde as such then you are ok.

There are other threads on the forum about this if you have a look around you'll find a lot of info.

telandy · #6 24.11.2008, 22:38

We have learnt that if you are here in excess of two years and working, it is mandatory to have Swiss insurance. We were here for four years with BUPA from the UK and our twins were born here without any problem, Six months after their birth the Gemeinde phoned us regarding our lack of Swiss Insurance. It was pointless arguing with them, the law is that you must have Swiss insurance if you are here working on a permanent basis.

The only exception are students, au pairs and such like. Our present au pair has German au pair insurance, but we had to get a signed statement from the insurance company to say that it meets Swiss standards, with all the paragrahts listed, ie they signed we comply ... on each paragraph. We then had to get the canton to accept this insurance.

Goldtop · #7 24.11.2008, 23:39

Medical care, particularly hospitalization, is very expensive in Switzerland. So it is in your own interest to get Swiss insurance. Unless you are sure that a foreign insurance indeed covers you completely for accidents and illness.

Moreover if you do not have a Swiss insurer, then the hospital asks for an up-front cash deposit before treatment.

wildboar · #8 25.11.2008, 09:39

	Quote:	Eire
	If you have a valid insurance that covers you in Switzerland, and you can convince your gemeinde as such then you are ok.

Valid insurance that covers you in switzerland - OK
Convince Gemeinde - HOW? There should be a sufficient argument to convince them. I know that swiss insurance means extra expense for me with even a better coverage, but is it a sufficient as an argument?

wildboar · #9 25.11.2008, 09:43

	Quote:	Goldtop
	Moreover if you do not have a Swiss insurer, then the hospital asks for an up-front cash deposit before treatment.

Depends on the insurance.. I know someone who has the same insurance for France but he preferred to have a treatment in a swiss hospital and he didn't pay anything upfront.

Eire · #10 25.11.2008, 10:04

	Quote:	wildboar
	Valid insurance that covers you in switzerland - OK Convince Gemeinde - HOW? There should be a sufficient argument to convince them. I know that swiss insurance means extra expense for me with even a better coverage, but is it a sufficient as an argument?

I think this is down to the Gemeinde.

I have been here three years now (this time) and still have my Irish Global Insurance. When I registered I said I had insurance and I think I showed them my insurance card (can't remember exactly). They haven't come after me yet for Swiss insurance. In my case I was on an L-Permit at first, but changed to a B this year. I was a bit concerned when I changed to the B that they would ask me about health insurance again but they didn't. I'll keep going with the Irish one until they tell me I absolutely can't anymore.

dakman · #11 25.11.2008, 11:43

I know that you can be exempted if you can prove that your Expat insurance covers everything in the Swiss Basic Insurance. Though, this will probably involve alot of work if you do it on your own, sending copies of the insurance, and letters etc.

Anjela · #12 25.11.2008, 12:36

Going into a Swiss hospital using an insurance that isn't actually "swiss" (frontaliers for example) usually required you to produce a certificate from the insurance company saying that they'll cover you up to *"% CHF.
If it's an emergency admission they'll ask that you provide a certificate as soon as possible.
Sometimes you'll need permission from the company to arrange treatment in Switzerland as certain things aren't covered (or only partially covered), dental work for example.
In the case of doctors, pharmacy bills etc. you normally pay them when you get the bill, submit the bill to the insurance and wait to be reimbursed.
If you're using BUPA or some other similar company, wouldn't they be able to tell you if you can continue using their cover?

Eire · #13 25.11.2008, 14:00

My insurance provides a membership card with a 24 hour contact hotline. In an emergency they can contact that number they can get the go ahead for the treatment.

If its an accident though its not your health insurance that pays anyway but you accident insurance which you have regardless if you work more then 8 hours a week for the same employer.

wildboar · #14 01.12.2008, 10:36

	Quote:	dakman
	I know that you can be exempted if you can prove that your Expat insurance covers everything in the Swiss Basic Insurance. Though, this will probably involve alot of work if you do it on your own, sending copies of the insurance, and letters etc.

Usually Expats contracts are time limited. Is it also a factor for exemption? My case is that I have been subscribed to Swiss insurance as soon as I came here. Now I want to switch back to the Expat insurance but I don't know if I can be granted this exemption now. I don't have any duration on my work contract either.

Goldtop · #15 01.12.2008, 11:04

	Quote:	wildboar
	Usually Expats contracts are time limited. Is it also a factor for exemption? My case is that I have been subscribed to Swiss insurance as soon as I came here. Now I want to switch back to the Expat insurance but I don't know if I can be granted this exemption now. I don't have any duration on my work contract either.

Your town hall (Gemeinde) decides on exemption. If you have an open-ended work contract, how can you persuade them to exempt you from Swiss health insurance?

Goldtop · #16 01.12.2008, 11:08

	Quote:	Eire
	My insurance provides a membership card with a 24 hour contact hotline. In an emergency they can contact that number they can get the go ahead for the treatment. If its an accident though its not your health insurance that pays anyway but you accident insurance which you have regardless if you work more then 8 hours a week for the same employer.

It is not always clear what is an accident! (Topic is discussed on another thread)

The law says that Swiss residents must have Swiss health insurance. You are running the risk that some bureaucrat decides that you must pay Swiss health premiums retrospectively from date of arrival.

wildboar · #17 01.12.2008, 11:09

	Quote:	Goldtop
	Your town hall (Gemeinde) decides on exemption. If you have an open-ended work contract, how can you persuade them to exempt you from Swiss health insurance?

If your family is elsewhere, it can be proved that the center of interest is elsewhere.

Not enough for me, so just trying to seek out any other case.. Thanks anyways!

Karlnmik · #18 01.12.2008, 11:27

	Quote:	mabern
	I could be wrong but an international health insurance that deals with Switzerland is all you need but perhaps this doesn't work if your employer is swiss?

International health insurance does work, even if your employer is swiss..
We have it through Previnter in France www.Previnter-mb.com

MaZo · #19 18.01.2009, 11:08

I arrived in Switzerland in May 2008, and received a letter about the mandatory health insurance not so long after. I had 3 months to either get myself a Swiss health insurance, or prove that I already had one that covered me while being in Switzerland.

I am still registered in Holland, and therefore also obliged to have a health insurance (like it is here). The one I have includes worldwide covery, so I sent in a copy of my European health insurance card, etcetera.

Recently I received another letter asking for proof again (this time from the government, instead of the city of Zürich), but this time including a form that needed to be filled in by my Dutch health insurer. This is a mission impossible (once send, I'm sure I will never get back a filled in form), so I sent them even more proof (copy of the policy), but without the filled in form. Fingers crossed...

telandy · #20 18.01.2009, 11:17

If you are living and working in Switzerland full time and not here as a student or someone similar then it is law to have Swiss health Insurance. My partner was here with UK insurance for four years and we had twins born here with UK insurance. No problems. Then the Kanton authorities stated that we had to have local insurance and there is no way round it, its law.

The exeptions are students, au pairs and the like who are here for a temporary period of time, before returning to their home country.