Hello,

I know this has been asked before, and I have read many posts about it, but I still can't seem to find an answer to my question.

We arrived in August, and took out special international insurance for the move. Now our there months are up and we are signing on with Assura. How can I make sure I won't have to pay for the past 3 months? I don't want to pay double for this time (it's a truckload of money!).

Everywhere I read says that the insurance is automatically backdated to the month of arrival. But surely there must be some way to explain to them that I had insurance during this time (heck, I even used it!).

And who do I need to explain it to? The insurance company of the Stadt Zurich?

Thanks!
Renana

The insurance is only backdated as far as the 1st of the month during which you arrived. The month (date) when you officially entered Switzerland is the entry date given in/on your permit.
You don't need to pay for anytime before that.
Your actual physical date of arrival (i.e. if you lived here before you registered your arrival in Switzerland) is totally irrelevant.

If you wish to start paying only later than the official date, you will have to ask Assura if they can do this, i.e. waive the amount.
In exceptional circumstances, when the amount that has to be paid for months which have already gone by, the amount for the 'past' can be waived.
The reason you need to give is that the amount needed to be paid is too onerous for you (and/or your family) to pay.
Be aware that Assura may never even have had such a case where they have waived that amount.

Yes, I understand the insurance will be backdated to the beginning of the month we registered (which was just a few days after arrival). I am not worried about any time before that.
I just don't want to pay for August, September and October, when I have already been paying ~700 CHF/month for equivalent insurance! The only difference is that the insurance I was using is not recognized by Canton Zurich, which is why I am now switching.

So I understand that my communication needs to be with Assura, and not with the City of Zurich. Oy... I hope I will manage to do this. It's just so much money, otherwise I'd just bite the bullet and shut up

I would test the water first with Assura and ask them to start it November 1st for example.
The worst they can say is 'No, it's not possible'. Thereafter, if you still feel it is too much to pay, and Assura insist on billing you for Aug-Oct, you could appeal. At that stage the Gemeinde may get involved. As it is to the Gemeinde you must take your proof of being insured.

I'm quite sure I just selected a date in the application when I got insurance, but that date was in fact the correct date. You could try "acting dumb" and putting a later date in.
As I understand it, if you didn't/don't take insurance the canton will sign you up for it and you have no choice but to accept what they sign you to.
If Assura say you have to pay for the previous three months then you should be able to get the insurance with the very lowest premiums, i.e. max franchise/excess as changing your franchise is something that can normally be done at any time of the year.
I could be completely wrong about everything.

Putting the highest franchise for this year is a good idea. The monthly premiums will be the lowest possible this way.
If a lower franchise is needed this can be arranged in advance for 2016.