Hi everyone,
I'm new to posting on this forum but have been exploring it with interest the past few weeks. I'm moving to Zurich to work as an au pair at the end of February.

My question is to do with this confusing health insurance. If i purchase a years worth of health/travel insurance here in New Zealand will that qualify as being covered for the swiss authorities or do i have to sign up with a swiss provider?

Thanks for your help.

There are possibilities in using foreign health insurance if you can prove that it carries the same level of cover as the Swiss policies. This can be a drawn out procedure, though, and you would have to pay up at treatment time and then claim the money back from your insurer.

Sometimes employers can guarantee the costs of health insurance but this is high risk and unlikely to be provided by an individual. As an au pair, though, it could be that your employer pays the medical insurance as part of your deal.

Thanks for that,
The family is going to pay half my insurance costs but we'd both just assumed that would be half of the travel insurance cost. Any more ideas?

The family is your employer. One of the hurdles they have to get over in obtaining your work permit is the provision of medical insurance. They should know that.

Other au pairs may correct me, but I think it is usual for the employer to pay the medical insurance and then deduct a % from the pay check.

I do not think that travel insurance will be enough.

Are you sure your NZ travel/health insurance would cover you for a single travel and for 12 months full time travel? Normally they only cover for up to 3 months for single travel. I'd be careful there. I have looked for full time travel / health insurance as we travel full time. It's impossible to find at a good price - usually around $4,000 each a year. Not even a Platium Credit Card will cover you full time.

The easiest solution is to buy health insurance here. Mine cost me 134.00 per month with AZZURA with a deductable of 1,500. Seeing your employer pays half, it's a bargain. Probably there is a cheaper one this year. You can check it on www.Comparis.ch

Ok, so from what I have heard from most people, is that it is hard to prove to the authorities here that your foreign insurance is good enough. Plus, if there is a time when you need it, you usually pay upfront and get reimbursed by your insurance either. That increases the risk of them not paying for some things as well then.

What I did is just to get here. No need to worry about your insurance. Once here, go to www.comparis.ch and find a plan. They are not that much. Mine was sfr200, that is sfr50 less than what my family allotted me. (Therefore letting me keep the extra.)

You have 3 months to sign up and prove it to the authorities. I would not wait more than a few weeks to get one though. And not to worry about accidents. Swiss law says that coverage backdates to the second to you step foot on Swiss soil. Your entry date.

Something to note, if you intend to leave the country, do not forget to get the abroad coverage. It's an option you must check or else you are not covered on many plans.

i am an au pair and i have to pay for all of my health insurance.. the family pays nothing on it.....

i looked into travel insurance because it is so much cheaper and there are plans that you can get for six months and then extend it but i was too late when looking into it..... and i have no idea if the swiss laws would have even allowed it.

the insurance is the biggest thing i pay every month.... over ten percent of my salary.

Can anyone explain about the difference between health and travel insurance...
I need to sign up in health insurance for my parents can you explain the process involved in that..
Thanks...
.....................

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