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Independent insurance advisor for expats in Switzerland

New to Switzerland or reviewing your coverage? We read the Swiss insurance contracts so you don't have to. We spot the traps sales agents won't mention. We match you with what you actually need — not what someone's trying to sell.

Book your first Swiss insurance review

Free · 45 minutes · In English · With Robert or Nicole

Not ready to book? See how a first review works
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2,500+ expat households
advised since 2017

45 minutes with Robert. Free.

In English · With or

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We'll send you a short intake form so we understand your needs before we speak.

Your details

You're booked

Check your email for a calendar invite and a video call link.

What a review covers

One advisor, every layer — and the trap that hides in each.

Most people meet Swiss insurance one product at a time, sold by whoever called first. A review reads the whole stack in one sitting, in the order that matters.

  1. 01Privathaftpflicht · Hausrat

    Liability & household

    The layer nobody thinks about until a landlord asks for proof — or a flooded floor becomes a bill. We check the cover amount, gross negligence, and whether a bank or card bundle already covers it.

    The trap here

    The layer you pay for twice.

    Two policies for the same risk is the most common thing we cancel — and usually the cheapest fix on the whole list.

  2. 02KVG · re-checked every October

    Basic health insurance

    Identical benefits at every insurer by law, so this layer is pure price and fit: model, franchise, premium region. We re-run it against the newly approved tariffs each autumn.

    The trap here

    The three-month deadline.

    New residents must register within three months of arrival. Miss it and cover is assigned to you, backdated, with penalty surcharges on top.

  3. 03VVG · read, not switched

    Supplementary cover

    Outpatient extras, dental, and the hospital layer — ward class, hospital lists, what is paid abroad. This is where contracts genuinely differ, and all of it is underwritten: the door narrows with every birthday and every diagnosis.

    The trap here

    The age-curve trap.

    A premium that looks generous at 32 can triple by 55 on the same contract. We model the whole curve before you sign, not after.

  4. 04Disability · life · mortgage

    Income, life & family

    What happens to the household if income stops — the gap between IV and your pension fund, cover for a mortgage or a partner who isn't earning.

    The trap here

    Coverage that pays vs coverage that fights.

    Every brochure reads generously. We have filed claims with these carriers and know which turn a straightforward case into a case-manager dispute.

  5. 053a · 3b · the tax effect

    3rd pillar, pension & tax

    3a and 3b, bank against insurance, and what each actually saves at your income and canton — including the parts that only make sense once you know how long you plan to stay.

    The trap here

    The policy sold as savings.

    An insurance-wrapped 3a locks you into decades of premiums with a surrender value that can sit below what you paid in. Sometimes right — rarely by accident.

Five layers, five traps — and one pattern that is ours.

We match coverage to your life. We recommend only what fits — sometimes fewer products than you expected, and often the sentence keep what you have. Then every October, for as long as you are with us, the whole file is read again.

See how a first review runs

Case notes

Some of the people we've advised.

Three reviews from the last two years. First names only, shared with permission. Every number is the real number.

Illustrated portrait of Priya

Priya

Dubai → Zürich, 2022

Priya arrived with the basic insurance her employer's HR had suggested. On review, her franchise was wrong for her usage, and she was one month from the end of the window to add supplementary coverage without a health check. We switched her basic plan and added supplementary before the deadline. She saved CHF 84/month on the change and kept her future options open.

"They spent forty minutes talking me out of switching to the plan I thought I wanted. It was the right call.
Illustrated portrait of Rohan and family

Rohan & family

Mumbai → Zürich, 2019

Four years in, two kids at the ICS, first house in prospect. Rohan was paying into a bank pillar 3a at 1.1% fees and unaware his canton allowed a second deduction for his wife's employer-sponsored plan. We moved the pillar 3a to a lower-fee option and filed the TOU recalculation for two prior tax years. The family recovered CHF 11,400 in overpaid tax.

"We thought tax was a solved problem. It turns out it was just an unreviewed one.
Illustrated portrait of Lucía

Lucía

Madrid → Zürich, 2018 · freelance, three currencies

Self-employed documentary producer with income in CHF, EUR and USD, and a UK-based pension from an earlier life. Her accountant was treating the UK pension as inaccessible; a comparison site had offered her the maximum supplementary plan. We restructured her 3rd pillar, kept her existing KVG basic, and connected her accountant with a cross-border specialist for the UK pot. Total extra coverage bought: none.

"The first time an insurance conversation has ever felt like a conversation.

We compare 11 Swiss health insurers — CSS, Helsana, Swica, Sanitas, Concordia, Atupri, Sympany, Visana, Assura, Groupe Mutuel, KPT. See the profiles

Where do you stand?

Three situations, three different first moves.

415CHF/yr

the cost of not choosing — median payer vs cheapest, identical cover, Zürich 2026

cheapest477/mth
median512/mth

The registration clock is already running.

Three months from arrival to register — miss it and the canton assigns you an insurer, back-dated, with penalty surcharges. And because basic cover is identical by law, the whole decision is price and model: the difference above is for exactly the same insurance. Observed premiums, adult, standard franchise.

Set it up right the first time·See the decade of premiums, below·The full index

3× from 26 to 65 — both tiers

the median premium on the same contract roughly triples with age: semi-private ×3.3, private ×3.2. At 65 the eight insurers span CHF 187–362 semi-private and 296–603 private — same rooms.

144167294466 80110167260 private semi-private 26385365

CHF per month, median of the eight insurers’ observed premiums. Every insurer’s own curve, 26–80

Abroad, the same tier differs wildly: Concordia semi-private pays nothing outside Switzerland, KPT is full-cost in Europe, SWICA contributes CHF 100 a day. Who pays what abroad

The question isn’t the ranking — it’s the fit.

The cover you need is built around your demands, not a ranking: the ward class you’d actually want, the hospitals you’d choose, what happens when you’re treated abroad — and the age curve you’ll ride, because supplementary cover is underwritten and the door narrows with every birthday. Both tiers are drawn to one scale on the left — same contract, and the price roughly triples by 65. We read that layer against your life; basic, identical by law, just gets one price check every October.

The October switch, explained·The full hospital cost index

9'435CHF/mth

the gap no statutory scheme pays if you died of illness — married, two children, six years in Switzerland

AHV survivors BVG minimum the gap

If your salary stopped, most of it stops with you.

Every figure from the official Skala-44 tables and the BVG legal minimum — drag the salary and watch the state’s share shrink. Savings belong at a bank or app; the risk belongs at an insurer, and we check your case with the insurers before you ever apply. We tell you which franc does which job.

Size it properly — every assumption yours·3a: bank vs insurance

Layer one · basic insurance (KVG) · from our 2026 index

New here, or here for years? The basic layer needs one look every autumn.

Basic insurance is identical by law at every insurer, so only the price differs — and it is re-set every autumn. That is why we optimise the two layers separately: the basic layer follows the price, the supplementary layer follows your contracts. Slide to your arrival year, pick the insurer you actually signed with, and see what a decade of never looking cost — on the officially approved tariffs.

250 350 450 550 1617181920212223242526 CHF/mth you arrive
—

more than the yearly review, cumulated since arrival

—

what the median payer gave up over the same window — the cost of never comparing at all

—

switches your strategy made — each one is one letter before 30 November

The lottery of your arrival year — cost of never reviewing, per cohort

Whether "never looking again" cost you CHF 82 or CHF 1'766 depends on which insurer happened to win your arrival year — pure luck, only visible in hindsight. The yearly review removes the lottery.

Simulation on the officially approved tariffs of the 27 insurers present in Zürich region 1 for the whole decade (every year's cheapest is among them). "Review" = move to the cheapest at your cadence, hold in between; the yearly path is the same with cadence one. List prices, reference profile.

This is the part we take off your hands — permanently. Every October we re-run this comparison for our clients against the newly approved tariffs, for as long as they are with us. The goal is the same each year: never pay more than necessary for coverage the law makes identical, while the cover that isn't identical stays the best available for your life. If a switch pays, we prepare the letter; if it doesn't, we say so — and staying put is a frequent, honest outcome. An app that keeps this layer optimal on its own is in final testing (iPhone first); the supplementary layer stays with a human, on purpose.

Read the full Expat Health Insurance Index — regions, insurers, inflation, and who is the biggest

How a review works

What a first review looks like — and what you get in writing.

Setting up Swiss insurance for the first time, or reviewing what you already have — the process is the same, in this order.

1

The demand intake

Right after booking, we email you a short intake form — just arrived or years in Switzerland, your situation, any cover you already hold, what's ahead. So the 45 minutes start prepared, not with paperwork.

2

We evaluate your situation

Not policies first — your life first. New to Switzerland? We map everything you need to set up, starting with basic health insurance (KVG) inside the three-month deadline. Already settled? We read your lifestyle, plans and expectations against the cover you have. We don't quote anything yet.

3

The consultation

We answer every question you bring, in plain English. We compare all Swiss insurers on how they'll behave in your situation — age curves, underwriting windows, claim behavior — and if you already hold contracts, we read them line by line. No product pitch.

4

Your Private Client Report

Within 3 working days you receive your Private Client Report — a written, in-depth analysis: your situation, how we evaluated it, costs at a glance, and our recommendation with the reasoning behind each choice. What to set up, what to keep, where you save — including on tax. For those already covered, sometimes it says "keep what you have." The report is yours either way.

45 minutes. By video or in our Zürich office. Free. No obligation to change anything.

Independent by law, not by claim. A FINMA-registered non-tied intermediary, F01067278 — no exclusive arrangement with any insurer, paid a regulated commission disclosed under Art. 45 VAG and verifiable on the FINMA public register.

Book your first Swiss insurance review

Health is the loud layer. Pension, 3rd pillar (3a / 3b), life cover and the tax effect are the quiet ones — usually settled once the health layer is right. How we handle those

The team

The people who'll review your situation.

Specialists by topic. Robert handles health insurance; Nicole handles life insurance, 3rd pillar, and tax optimization; and three colleagues cover international health insurance for the years before Switzerland and after it.

Illustrated portrait of Robert Kolar

Robert Kolar

Health insurance

Over twenty years of experience reviewing Swiss basic and supplementary plans. Speaks German and English. Has personally navigated the Swiss system from the outside in.

Book with Robert
Illustrated portrait of Nicole Bohne

Nicole Bohne

Life · 3rd pillar · Tax

Former Basler Versicherung and Zurich Insurance specialist. FINMA F01536402. Nicole reads life-insurance and insurance-wrapped 3a decisions against the household, the BVG, and the tax effect.

Book with Nicole
Illustrated portrait of Virginie Josten

Virginie Josten

International health insurance

Came to insurance from luxury and consulting, where the clients were demanding and the work was international. Then a Swiss insurer's international desk — cross-border employees, expats and retirees abroad. Legal training and a master's from Paris Dauphine. English and French.

Illustrated portrait of Davide Nezel

Davide Nezel

International health insurance

FINMA-certified independent insurance intermediary, who began in financial advice at Swiss Life. He works with globally mobile households, and coordinates with the insurer when a medical need actually arises — which is where a policy is finally tested. German, French and English.

Illustrated portrait of Chantal Leprêtre

Chantal Leprêtre

International health insurance

Client advice for internationally mobile households. English and French. Her fuller biography follows shortly — until it does, this card carries only what we can stand behind.

What clients say.

4.8 from 57 reviews on Google
She assisted and guided me through the entire process of obtaining my Swiss pension refund.
Ryan K.2026
Illustrated portrait of a Scandinavian client.
What I appreciated the most is that she was trying to help me solve my problem, not simply sell me an insurance policy.
Thomas P.2026
Illustrated portrait of an American client.
Illustrated portrait of a South Asian client.
After several bad experiences with other brokers, working with Mr. Robert Kolar was a completely different experience.
Dragos H.2026
Illustrated portrait of a Slavic client.
Robert is the best person to partner with if you need to do difficult things such as relocate.
E. Burke-Murphy2026
My session with Robert was one of the most efficient consultation sessions I'd ever had.
Milad F.2025
Illustrated portrait of a client.
I was looking to change a supplementary insurance plan, and Robert guided me with professionalism and patience.
Diana M.2025
Illustrated portrait of an East Asian client.
Illustrated portrait of a Central European client.
After returning to Switzerland from abroad, Robert was a tremendous help consulting me about all the changes.
Steven2025
Illustrated portrait of a Latin American client.
Highly recommend consulting Expat Savvy before making any online insurance comparisons.
Zendaya B.2025
Working with Ben was great. Very prompt and responsive. Would highly recommend to anyone.
Michele2025
Illustrated portrait of a European client.
Illustrated portrait of a Middle Eastern client.

Common questions

Questions expats actually ask.

Do I actually need Swiss health insurance?

Yes. Swiss law requires every resident to hold basic health insurance (KVG) within three months of arrival — whatever your nationality and whatever cover you held abroad. The basic benefits are identical at every insurer; what changes is the price, the service quality, and the supplementary options you can add on top.

What happens if I miss the three-month deadline?

Your canton assigns you to an insurer and you face a back-dated penalty surcharge — often as expensive as the premiums for the months you weren't covered. The clock starts on your registration date, not your move-in date, so it's easy to lose track. If you're close to the deadline, talk to us before it passes.

Is the consultation really free?

Yes — every consultation with Expat Savvy is free, not just the first one. 45 minutes, in English, with no obligation. Advice is paid on a courtage basis: the insurer pays a percentage of the premium when a policy is placed, disclosed under Article 45 VAG. There's no fee for your review, your Private Client Report, or any follow-up conversation.

Who are the Expat Savvy advisors?

Every Expat Savvy advisor is FINMA-registered (the Swiss financial regulator — our registration is F01067278, verifiable on the public register), and the team holds Certified Financial Planner (IAF) and Swiss federal insurance qualifications. That means supervised, independent advice — legally required to serve your interest, not tied to any single insurer.

Can one advisor handle health, pension and tax together?

Yes. Most expat situations connect — your health cover, your 3rd pillar (3a / 3b) and your tax position all interact. In one 45-minute review we look at all three together, so you're not stitching advice together from three separate places.

Ready for a calm conversation about Swiss insurance?

A first review is free, 45 minutes, in English, with Robert or Nicole. We'll listen first. We'll tell you what we'd do in your situation. You decide what happens next.

Book your first Swiss insurance review

Or send us a WhatsApp at +41 76 364 88 88 — we reply within the working day.