How do you choose the right supplemental health insurance for your needs?
27 August 2025 | Comment(s) |
Christelle Travelletti
In Switzerland, basic health insurance (LAMal/KVG) guarantees a minimum level of cover for medical treatment. However, it does not cover many benefits that are useful in everyday life. That's where supplemental insurance comes in, allowing you to extend your health cover according to your personal needs. But with so many different products available, how do you choose the right supplemental health insurance?
In this article, we take a look at the main types of supplemental health insurance available in Switzerland, their purpose, and for whom they are particularly recommended.
Basic health insurance vs. supplemental insurance: what are the differences?
The purpose of supplemental health insurance (LCA/VVG) is to extend the cover provided by basic health insurance (LAMal/KVG), by paying for benefits that are not reimbursed or are only partially covered. Supplemental health insurance is optional, but it can be invaluable if you want more convenient care or care that is better suited to your personal health needs.
Unlike LAMal/KVG, which is governed by law and whose benefits are identical for all insurers, supplemental health insurance is offered by private insurers, with benefits, admission conditions and premiums that vary considerably from one contract to another. Underwriting criteria may include a health questionnaire and an age limit, and premiums are set according to individual risk, age, canton of residence and gender.
What is covered by supplemental insurance? Benefits covered may include, for example, free choice of doctor or hospital in Switzerland and abroad, better care in a private or semi-private room during hospitalisation, alternative medicine (such as osteopathy or acupuncture), dental treatment, the cost of glasses and contact lenses, or spa treatments.
Some supplemental health insurance plans also offer preventive services (fitness or sports club memberships), coverage for contraception, home help or specific support during pregnancy by a doula.
Let's take a look at the benefits covered by supplemental health insurance in Switzerland.
1. Supplemental hospitalisation insurance
What is it and how does it work?
Supplemental hospitalisation insurance allows you to choose your level of comfort during a hospital stay: general, semi-private or private ward. It also allows you to choose your doctor and to be treated in a hospital outside your canton of residence. This type of insurance generally provides for a waiting period of 12 months in the event of maternity, between the date on which the insurance starts and the date on which benefits become payable.
Who is it for?
- People who want greater comfort (single room, free choice of doctor).
- Patients who want to be free to choose their specialist in the event of an operation.
- People who travel frequently within Switzerland.
2. Outpatient care insurance
What is it and how does it work?
Outpatient care insurance includes comprehensive products covering services that are partially or not at all reimbursed by the LAMal, such as:
- Medicines that are limited or not covered by basic insurance
- Glasses and contact lenses
- Alternative medicine (osteopathy, acupuncture, etc.)
- Prevention (vaccinations, check-ups, fitness or sports club memberships)
- Contraception
- Dental or orthodontic treatment (with a waiting period of 3 to 12 months)
- Perinatal support from a doula
- Transport (ambulance or helicopter)
- Home help
- People who want to be adequately protected in the event of illness or accident.
- People who wear glasses or contact lenses.
- People who consult alternative medicine therapists.
- Families with children (particularly for dental and orthodontic care).
- People using contraception prescribed by doctors or requiring a medical procedure.
- Pregnant women or women planning to become pregnant.
3. Alternative medicine
What is it and how does it work? This type of supplemental insurance covers alternative therapies such as:
- Osteopathy
- Acupuncture
- Naturopathy
- Reflexology
- People who prefer a holistic approach to health.
- People who want an alternative to conventional medical treatments.
4. Dental insurance
What is it and how does it work?
Dental insurance covers routine dental treatment (scaling, cavities) as well as more complex treatments such as crowns, implants, wisdom teeth extraction or orthodontic appliances. This type of insurance generally provides for a waiting period of 3 to 12 months, between the date on which the insurance starts and the date on which benefits become payable.
Who is it for?
- Adults who are concerned about their oral health.
- Parents wishing to anticipate dental and orthodontic costs for their children.
Not only will you enable your child to undergo potential orthodontic treatment during childhood, but you'll also ensure that his or her dental costs are covered as fully as possible in adulthood, by avoiding medical exclusions on certain teeth.
As an adult, take out such insurance as long as your teeth are in good condition, or opt for outpatient insurance that also covers part of your dental treatment, as the latter sometimes do not require a dental questionnaire.
5. Insurance for medical costs abroad
What is it and how does it work?
This supplemental insurance covers medical expenses and hospitalisation in the event of an emergency abroad, search and rescue in the event of an accident, and repatriation for medical reasons.
Some insurances also cover vaccinations required before leaving for a country with a high health risk.
Who is it for?
- Regular travellers.
- Students abroad who remain resident in Switzerland.
6. Prenatal insurance
What is it and how does it work?
This refers to taking out insurance for a baby before it is born to cover it from birth, without a medical questionnaire, and to anticipate the costs associated with maternity and infant care. Of course, the premium only has to be paid from the day of birth.
Who is it for?
- Parents-to-be who want immediate, comprehensive protection for their child.
7. Insurance for older people
What is it and how does it work?
At a certain age, people's health needs change: they need to recover for longer periods, they need more help at home, or they need aids. Some supplemental insurances are specifically designed to meet the needs of older people:
- Hospitalisation
- Spa and convalescence treatments
- Domestic help after an illness or accident
- Medical transport
- Regular check-ups
- People who want to anticipate the effects of ageing on their health.
8. Loss of earnings, pension amounts and lump-sum insurance
What is it and how does it work?
These policies offer financial compensation in the event of illness or accident, in the form of annuities or one-off payments. It is a supplement to the loss-of-earnings insurance that most salaried employees have.
Who is it for?
- Self-employed people or people without loss of earnings cover.
- People who want to protect their income and standard of living in the event of a sudden hardship.
Our advice: Some people, particularly those with a high excess on their basic insurance (LAMal/KVG), want to protect themselves financially against the high costs of hospitalisation. Some companies offer supplemental insurance policies that pay the policyholder a lump sum in the event of hospitalisation lasting more than 24 hours, so that they can deal with such a situation with peace of mind.
How do I choose the right supplemental health insurance?
Here are a few practical tips to help you make the right choice:
- Evaluate your personal needs: what benefits could be of interest to me in the event of a health problem or in terms of prevention?
- Compare benefits and premiums: some combined policies may be more advantageous. You should also consider deductibles.
- Anticipate future needs: children, travel, hospitalisation.
- Take out supplemental insurance while you're still in good health: to avoid being refused cover or having limited cover that excludes your pre-existing conditions.
- Ask for advice: Groupe Mutuel advisers can help you create a tailor-made cover.
Deadline for terminating supplemental insurance
In Switzerland, people taking out supplemental insurance usually sign up for an initial period of three years, after which the insurance is renewed from year to year. The termination date for supplemental insurance is generally 30 September.
This means that to terminate your contract at the end of the year, your letter of termination must reach your insurer by this date at the latest (three months' notice). We strongly recommend that you send this letter by recorded delivery, as the date of receipt by the insurer is decisive.
Key points to remember
- Supplemental insurance in Switzerland (LCA/VVG) is an essential tool for improving your health cover. They allow you to benefit from services tailored to your needs, while keeping your budget under control.
- Supplemental health insurance covers what basic health insurance (LAMal/KVG) will not or only partially cover.
- Groupe Mutuel offers a comprehensive and flexible range of solutions, which you can discover and personalise according to your profile.
- The termination deadline for changing supplemental insurance at the end of a calendar year is generally 30 September.
- To qualify for supplemental insurance, you need to complete a health questionnaire. On this basis, you may be refused insurance or accepted with limited cover depending on your state of health. So make sure you are fully accepted by your new supplemental insurance before terminating your old one.
- Don't wait for the unexpected to happen: investing in supplemental insurance means investing in your peace of mind.
