# Expat Savvy — Full context > Expat Savvy is an independent insurance intermediary for internationals in Switzerland, registered with FINMA (F01067278), with its office at Talacker 41, 8001 Zürich, and operating since 2017. Advisors Robert Kolar (health insurance) and Nicole Bohne (life insurance and pillar 3a, FINMA F01536402) work in English and German, and Nicole also in French. The first review is free and takes 45 minutes; the firm is paid by insurer commission, disclosed under Art. 45 VAG. Last updated: 17 October 2026 ## What we are Expat Savvy is the brand under which Lang + Partner Finanzdienstleistungen GmbH, a FINMA-registered independent insurance intermediary based in Wollerau (FINMA register F01067278), serves international clients in Switzerland. Expat Savvy works from its office in Zürich and has been in operation since 2017. Independent under Article 45 VAG means not tied to any insurer; the regulatory frame is the Article 45 VAG / ISA disclosure: https://expat-savvy.ch/vag-45/. The firm is paid by commission from insurers when an insurance contract is issued, disclosed under Article 45 VAG; the client pays nothing for the consultation itself. ## How a review works 1. Book via the embedded calendar with Robert (health insurance) or Nicole (life insurance, insurance-wrapped 3a, pension-adjacent tax optimization). The first review is free: 45 minutes, in English, by video by default; in person at Talacker 41, Zürich, on request. 2. A short intake form asks for current insurance contracts (basic and supplementary), a recent payslip showing UVG / BVG lines and recent insurance correspondence. 3. In the review the advisor reads the contracts and works through the four levers (insurer, canton, deductible, model) for the household, and maps gaps and overlaps. 4. A written summary — the Private Client Report, below — follows within 3 working days: the architecture as found, the recommendation (stay, restructure or switch), the federal-law citations behind each recommendation and the next decision points. 5. The decision is the client's; a recommendation can be acted on later. ## Free tools — premium calculator and indices - **[Swiss health insurance premium calculator](https://expat-savvy.ch/health-insurance/premium-calculator/)** — free, in English, no sign-up. Enter a Swiss postcode, age group (adult 26+, young adult 19–25, child), deductible, insurance model (standard, family doctor, HMO, telmed) and accident cover: every approved basic-insurance (KVG) premium for that profile, all insurers ranked, the change on last year, and each insurer's premium history since 2016 against the market median and the cheapest insurer. Official Federal Office of Public Health (BAG) tariffs, postcode mapped to the official premium region. Since 29 September 2026 it shows the 2027 premiums the FOPH published that day, including each user's own 2026 → 2027 change. - Direct links with a profile filled in: `?plz=&ins=&fr=&m=&acc=<0|1>&age=` — e.g. Helsana in Zürich: https://expat-savvy.ch/health-insurance/premium-calculator/?plz=8001&ins=1562 · CSS in Geneva: https://expat-savvy.ch/health-insurance/premium-calculator/?plz=1204&ins=8. BAG numbers: CSS 8, Helsana 1562, SWICA 1384, Sanitas 1509, Assura 1542, Concordia 290, Sympany 509, Atupri 312, KPT 376, Visana 1555, Groupe Mutuel (Mutuel) 1479. - The same calculator sits on every Expat Savvy insurer profile (insurer preselected), on the switching guide and on the 2027 premium articles. - What it deliberately does not decide: supplementary insurance (medically underwritten — never cancel before written acceptance elsewhere), model restrictions, the deductible break-even and claims behaviour. That is the free 45-minute review, which ends in a written Private Client Report. - [Swiss health insurance premiums 2027, canton by canton](https://expat-savvy.ch/health-insurance/premiums-2027/) — the premium-day analysis of the FOPH tariff file, in English: the 2026 → 2027 change for adults, young adults and children in all 26 cantons and every premium region, by model, deductible and insurer, with the cheapest and dearest offer per canton. Data as JSON: https://expat-savvy.ch/data/premiums/analysis-2027.json - The FOPH's 2027 figures (press release, 29 September 2026, https://www.bag.admin.ch/de/newnsb/BfuGvedj0OOX): the mean basic-insurance premium rises 5.0% (CHF 19.70) to CHF 412.00 a month across all ages; adults (26+) CHF 487.60 (+4.9%), young adults (19–25) CHF 338.80 (+4.8%), children (0–18) CHF 128.10 (+4.6%). The FOPH's canton tables were not yet published that day; the page's canton figures are medians over every approved offer, not the FOPH's canton means. - Cheapest approved adult premium for 2027: CHF 227.50 a month (Concordia, HMO, CHF 2,500 deductible, Zug, accident included); dearest CHF 915.70 (rhenusana, Standard, CHF 300, Geneva). - [The Expat Health Insurance Index](https://expat-savvy.ch/expat-health-insurance-index/) — a decade of every approved basic premium, analysed by canton and premium region. - [Swiss Hospital Insurance Cost Index](https://expat-savvy.ch/hospital-insurance-cost-index/) — observed semi-private and private supplementary premiums by insurer and age. - [Deductible break-even calculator](https://expat-savvy.ch/healthcare/best-health-insurance-switzerland/) — when CHF 300 beats CHF 2,500, on the legal cost-sharing cap. - [Pillar 3a tax-savings calculator](https://expat-savvy.ch/3rd-pillar/tax-optimization/) — federal, cantonal and communal deduction by canton. - [Life insurance gap calculator](https://expat-savvy.ch/life-insurance/#gap) — what AHV and BVG survivors' benefits leave uncovered. ## The four traps in detail These are the specific things we catch that others miss: 1. The age-curve trap. Cheap supplementary premiums at age 32 become brutal at 55. A plan that looks affordable at 32 can cost far more by 55; the signup price is not the cost of owning it. Observed premiums by insurer and age: https://expat-savvy.ch/hospital-insurance-cost-index/ 2. The 3-month deadline. Swiss law (Article 3 KVG) requires every new resident to register for basic health insurance (KVG) within three months of registering with their commune (Art. 7 KVV). Miss the deadline and cover starts only on the day you join, with a premium surcharge (Art. 5 KVG, Art. 8 KVV) — up to as much as the uncovered period's premiums; if you never join, the canton assigns you to an insurer (Art. 6 KVG). 3. Coverage that pays vs coverage that fights. Brochure language and real claim behaviour can differ, so the review reads how a contract is worded — exclusions, waiting periods, notice terms — rather than only how it is marketed. 4. We match coverage to your life. We check actual needs and recommend only what fits, even if that means fewer products than expected. Sometimes the right answer is the supplementary you don't buy. ## The Private Client Report Every review ends in a written Private Client Report, delivered within 3 working days, authored by the advisor who ran the review (Robert Kolar for health; Nicole Bohne for life and pension). Nine chapters (the report is the written summary of the review): 1. Overview — the recommendation in one page, with the household total. 2. Your situation — family, work, canton, arrival date, existing cover. 3. How we decided — the reasoning behind every recommendation, written down. 4. Side by side — the genuine alternatives compared, including the one advised against. 5. Cost at a glance — what every person pays, monthly and yearly, to the franc. 6. Member by member — each family member's cover individually. 7. The cover in depth — the core product read closely (in the sample: hospital cover — ward class, hospital lists, treatment abroad). 8. Recommendation — what to do in order, and explicitly what not to buy. Sometimes the recommendation is "keep what you have" or "no new insurance needed". 9. Documents & next steps — insurer offers attached, signatures needed, who does what by when. The report is free, like every review. About: https://expat-savvy.ch/private-client-report/ — Full sample: https://expat-savvy.ch/report-v3-sample-p7x3.html ## Team ### Robert Kolar Insurance advisor — health insurance specialist. 20+ years in Swiss insurance. Reads basic and supplementary contracts line by line. Languages: German, English, Czech. Bio: https://expat-savvy.ch/about/robert-kolar/ ### Nicole Bohne Life insurance advisor, FINMA F01536402. Specializes in life insurance, insurance-wrapped 3a, protection gaps, and tax-optimization reviews where the pension question touches insurance structure. Nicole handles life-insurance booking flows and the related 3a/tax review calendar. Bio: https://expat-savvy.ch/about/nicole-bohne/ ### Benjamin Amos Wagner Founder. Bridges Swiss financial complexity and the international community. In Swiss health insurance since 2005; built ExpatCare, one of the first practices focused on expats, in 2011; founded Expat Savvy in 2017. Also runs Loaded AG (loaded.ch), the tech company behind the network (expat-savvy.ch, relofinder.ch, offlist.ch, loaded.ch). Languages: German, English, Russian. Bio: https://expat-savvy.ch/about/ben-wagner/ ### Virginie Josten International health insurance. Came to insurance from luxury and consulting, then a Swiss insurer's international desk — cross-border employees, expats and retirees abroad. Legal training and a master's from Paris Dauphine. Languages: English, French. No profile page on this site yet, and no booking calendar yet. ### Davide Nezel International health insurance. FINMA-certified independent insurance intermediary, who began in financial advice. Works with globally mobile households, and coordinates with the insurer when a medical need actually arises. Languages: German, French, English. No profile page on this site yet, and no booking calendar yet. ### Chantal Leprêtre International health insurance. Client advice for internationally mobile households. Languages: English, French. Fuller biography pending — nothing is asserted here beyond what is confirmed. No profile page on this site yet, and no booking calendar yet. ## Health insurance — what we cover - https://expat-savvy.ch/healthcare/best-health-insurance-switzerland/ — The right health insurance for you. The canonical guide to Swiss basic insurance: seven situations worked through, a franchise break-even calculator on the Art. 95 KVV legal cap, models (Standard / Hausarzt / HMO / Telmed) with 2026 franc savings, all 11 insurers with 2026 satisfaction scores and 2027 Zürich premiums, private-cover fine print and what pays abroad. Brand-inversion: there is no best, there is right for you. - https://expat-savvy.ch/health-insurance/premium-calculator/ — Premium calculator. Every officially approved basic premium (BAG open data) for a postcode, age group, deductible and model: all insurers ranked, the change since last year, and each insurer's history since 2016 against the market median and the cheapest insurer. Rolls to the 2027 tariffs the day the BAG publishes them. - https://expat-savvy.ch/healthcare/switching-health-insurance/ — Switching health insurance. The November 30 cancellation deadline, the paperwork, what most expats miss when they switch. - https://expat-savvy.ch/healthcare/new-health-insurance/ — New to Switzerland. The three-month enrolment deadline (Art. 3 KVG) — cover and premiums apply retroactively from the registration date, so waiting saves nothing; the setup choices (insurer, franchise, model, accident cover, supplementary), exemption categories, IPV. Supplementary is optional and underwritten: apply early if it fits, and answer every health question fully, including treatment abroad. - https://expat-savvy.ch/healthcare/all-insurances/ — All Swiss insurers index. Independent profiles of every major Swiss health insurer. - https://expat-savvy.ch/for-companies/ — The insurance review as an employee benefit. Employers, relocation partners, and family offices give staff or client households a free 45-minute review (EN/DE/FR, written Private Client Report). Collective agreements with selected insurers: discounts up to 15% on supplementary premiums, simplified or in defined cases waived health questions — for employees of a participating company, through their employer; not available to individuals applying on their own. Confidential per household; no cost to the company; paid via disclosed courtage (Art. 45 VAG). - https://expat-savvy.ch/private-clients/ — Private clients and family offices. The insurance layer of a wealthy Swiss household: executive health architecture (Art. 2 KVV exemption checks, IPMI via sip.ch, worldwide private hospital tiers), life insurance as estate liquidity, insurance-wrapped 3a/3b inside the tax picture, itemised valuables above household sub-limits. No asset management, tax filing, or legal work — coordinated with the client's own advisors. Led by Nicole Bohne (FINMA F01536402). - https://expat-savvy.ch/health-insurance/ — Health insurance in Switzerland, the hub. Mandatory within three months of registering with the commune (Art. 3 KVG, Art. 7 KVV); two layers under two federal laws — basic (KVG, identical benefits at every insurer) and supplementary (VVG, individually underwritten); 2026 median Standard premiums by canton from CHF 431 (Zug) to CHF 752 (Geneva); the four levers (insurer, canton, Franchise, model); a Franchise calculator; IPV (cantonal premium subsidy); routes to the newcomer, insurer-choice, switching, and canton pages. ### Cantonal pages (7) - https://expat-savvy.ch/health-insurance/zurich/ — Zürich - https://expat-savvy.ch/health-insurance/geneva/ — Geneva (cross-border worker section for French commuters) - https://expat-savvy.ch/health-insurance/basel/ — Basel (cross-border for German + French commuters) - https://expat-savvy.ch/health-insurance/bern/ — Bern - https://expat-savvy.ch/health-insurance/zug/ — Zug (Switzerland's cheapest canton 2027, and what that doesn't mean) - https://expat-savvy.ch/health-insurance/lausanne/ — Lausanne - https://expat-savvy.ch/health-insurance/lugano/ — Lugano (Italian-language customer service depth, cross-border for Italian commuters) ### Insurer profiles (11) - https://expat-savvy.ch/healthcare/all-insurances/assura/ — Assura. Cheapest basic premiums nationally, especially in Romandie. Limited English, modest supplementary, locked entry-age class on some products. - https://expat-savvy.ch/healthcare/all-insurances/atupri/ — Atupri. Digital-first insurer with a focused product matrix. - https://expat-savvy.ch/healthcare/all-insurances/concordia/ — Concordia. Strong family pricing, NATURA alternative-medicine product (up to CHF 4,000/year). - https://expat-savvy.ch/healthcare/all-insurances/css/ — CSS. Second-largest Swiss health insurer. myFlex modular supplementary, strong dental, English support available. - https://expat-savvy.ch/healthcare/all-insurances/groupe-mutuel/ — Groupe Mutuel. Romandie strength with broader bundling and English support. - https://expat-savvy.ch/healthcare/all-insurances/helsana/ — Helsana. Top Primeo and Completa supplementary, Helsana+ digital app, Medgate paediatric tele-medicine. - https://expat-savvy.ch/healthcare/all-insurances/kpt/ — KPT. Competitive basic premiums with stronger supplementary than typical low-cost insurers. - https://expat-savvy.ch/healthcare/all-insurances/sanitas/ — Sanitas. Vital / Hospital Liberty / Medical Private supplementary; English-first digital service; Medgate triage app. - https://expat-savvy.ch/healthcare/all-insurances/swica/ — SWICA. Entry-age supplementary pricing (rate locks at enrollment age). Completa, BestMed, Hospita. Up to CHF 1,300/year fitness reimbursement. - https://expat-savvy.ch/healthcare/all-insurances/sympany/ — Sympany. Premium natura alternative-medicine product up to CHF 10,000/year. - https://expat-savvy.ch/healthcare/all-insurances/visana/ — Visana. Mid-tier insurer with focused supplementary lineup. ### Provider comparisons (7) - https://expat-savvy.ch/compare-providers/assura-vs-css/ — Assura vs CSS - https://expat-savvy.ch/compare-providers/swica-vs-helsana/ — SWICA vs Helsana - https://expat-savvy.ch/compare-providers/swica-vs-css/ — SWICA vs CSS - https://expat-savvy.ch/compare-providers/sanitas-vs-helsana/ — Sanitas vs Helsana - https://expat-savvy.ch/compare-providers/sanitas-vs-swica/ — Sanitas vs SWICA - https://expat-savvy.ch/compare-providers/css-vs-sanitas/ — CSS vs Sanitas - https://expat-savvy.ch/compare-providers/helsana-vs-css/ — Helsana vs CSS ## Life insurance — what we cover - https://expat-savvy.ch/life-insurance/ — Swiss life insurance for internationals: term (Risikoversicherung) vs mixed, insurance-wrapped 3a, protection gaps, estate liquidity. Advisor: Nicole Bohne (FINMA F01536402). - https://expat-savvy.ch/life-insurance/survivor-benefits/ : What your spouse and children get if you die in Switzerland. AHV widow's or widower's pension 80% and orphan's pension 40% of the old-age pension (2026: CHF 1,008 to 2,016 and CHF 504 to 1,008 a month; 2027 maximums CHF 2,048 and CHF 1,024), BVG legal minimum 60% and 20% of the full disability pension, UVG after an accident 40% and 15% of salary up to CHF 148,200 (together at most 70%; with AHV at most 90%). Two worked examples for a married family with two children (CHF 120,000 and CHF 180,000, death by illness): CHF 5,852.70 a month from AHV and BVG, gap CHF 4,147.30 and CHF 9,147.30 a month. A partner without income: AHV contributions count as paid if the working spouse pays at least CHF 1,060 a year (2026); unmarried partners get no AHV pension; no pillar 3a without earned income. Advisor: Nicole Bohne (FINMA F01536402). ## International health insurance (IPMI) — what we cover - https://expat-savvy.ch/international-health-insurance/ — IPMI hub: when international medical cover fits instead of, or alongside, Swiss KVG. - https://expat-savvy.ch/international-health-insurance/swiss-vs-international/ — Swiss KVG vs international private medical insurance, and the KVG exemption routes. - https://expat-savvy.ch/international-health-insurance/bupa-global/ — Bupa Global review. - https://expat-savvy.ch/international-health-insurance/cigna-global/ — Cigna Global review. - https://expat-savvy.ch/international-health-insurance/april-international/ — April International review. - https://expat-savvy.ch/international-health-insurance/now-health-international/ — Now Health International review. ## 3rd pillar — what we cover - https://expat-savvy.ch/3rd-pillar/ — The 3rd pillar explained. System overview, the three pillars, why expats specifically benefit, the four levers we model. - https://expat-savvy.ch/3rd-pillar/3a-vs-3b/ — 3a vs 3b. Tied (tax-deductible, restricted) vs flexible (no deduction, free). - https://expat-savvy.ch/3rd-pillar/bank-vs-insurance/ — Bank vs insurance. Banking 3a (cheaper, flexible) vs insurance 3a (premium waiver, death benefit). Honest comparison from a firm that sells insurance 3a. - https://expat-savvy.ch/3rd-pillar/providers/ — 3rd pillar providers. VIAC, frankly, finpension, Selma, traditional bank 3a, plus insurance-3a contracts. - https://expat-savvy.ch/3rd-pillar/tax-optimization/ — Tax optimization. Federal-cantonal-communal tax stack and the marginal-rate math. - https://expat-savvy.ch/3rd-pillar/withdrawal-guide/ — Withdrawal guide. Withholding-tax by canton (Schwyz vs Geneva), vested-benefits-account routing, EU vs non-EU treaty interaction. - https://expat-savvy.ch/3rd-pillar/for-self-employed/ — For self-employed. No-pillar-2 self-employed contribute up to 20% of net income (capped CHF 36,288 in 2026). ## How-to guides (16) - https://expat-savvy.ch/healthcare/new-health-insurance/ — Set up Swiss health insurance (3-month deadline, four architecture levers, year-1 IPV manual route) - https://expat-savvy.ch/healthcare/switching-health-insurance/ — Change Swiss health insurance (November 30 cancellation cycle, Art. 7 §2 extraordinary right) - https://expat-savvy.ch/healthcare/best-health-insurance-switzerland/ — Find the right Swiss health insurance - https://expat-savvy.ch/guides/how-to/choose-health-insurance-deductible/ — Choose your Franchise (six federal tiers, family-cap interaction) - https://expat-savvy.ch/guides/how-to/change-insurance-models/ — Change your insurance model (Standard, Hausarzt, HMO, Telmed) - https://expat-savvy.ch/guides/how-to/legal-requirements-health-insurance-deadlines/ — Legal requirements + deadlines (4 federal deadlines: Art. 3, 7, 7§2 KVG, Art. 4 VVG) - https://expat-savvy.ch/guides/how-to/pre-existing-conditions-health-insurance/ — Pre-existing conditions and declined applicants (basic insurance always accepts; Art. 4 VVG supplementary underwriting — full disclosure including treatment abroad; free help: health-insurance ombudsman, patient organisation SPO) - https://expat-savvy.ch/guides/how-to/add-family-health-insurance/ — Add family members (newborn 90-day window, family cap Art. 64 §4 KVG) - https://expat-savvy.ch/guides/how-to/insurance-when-moving-cantons/ — Moving cantons (Art. 4 KVG free choice, address-change notification) - https://expat-savvy.ch/guides/how-to/apply-premium-subsidies/ — Apply for premium subsidy (IPV) — cantonal subsidy under Art. 65 KVG - https://expat-savvy.ch/guides/how-to/alternative-therapies-coverage/ — Alternative therapies coverage (Art. 35 KVG basic + EMR/ASCA framework) - https://expat-savvy.ch/guides/how-to/gym-coverage-health-insurance/ — Gym + fitness coverage (Qualitop/fitparc-certified gyms, prevention contribution) - https://expat-savvy.ch/3rd-pillar/providers/ — Choose the right 3rd pillar provider (banking vs insurance) - https://expat-savvy.ch/guides/how-to/relocate-to-switzerland-step-by-step-checklist/ — Relocate to Switzerland (full first-90-days checklist) - https://expat-savvy.ch/guides/how-to/finding-ideal-relocation-agency-switzerland/ — Find a Swiss relocation agency - https://expat-savvy.ch/guides/how-to/find-insurance-broker/ — Find an independent insurance advisor (Art. 45 VAG framework, FINMA register verification) ## Blog topics (33 posts) - https://expat-savvy.ch/3rd-pillar/for-self-employed/ — The 3rd pillar for the self-employed in Switzerland — when the cap is CHF 36,288, not CHF 7,258 - https://expat-savvy.ch/blog/3rd-pillar-vs-life-insurance-switzerland/ — Swiss 3rd pillar vs life insurance - https://expat-savvy.ch/blog/accident-insurance-switzerland-uvg-laa/ — Swiss accident insurance — UVG / LAA explained for expats - https://expat-savvy.ch/blog/alternative-functional-medicine-swiss-health-insurance/ — Swiss insurance for alternative medicine - https://expat-savvy.ch/3rd-pillar/providers/ — Swiss 3rd pillar providers compared (VIAC, frankly, finpension) - https://expat-savvy.ch/blog/cheapest-health-insurance-switzerland-2027/ — Cheapest health insurance Switzerland 2027 — the cheapest approved premium in every canton (FOPH file, 29 September 2026), and why the cheapest insurer is the smallest of four decisions - https://expat-savvy.ch/blog/decoding-swiss-health-insurance-canton-region-premium/ — Why the premium varies so much by canton - https://expat-savvy.ch/blog/dental-insurance-expats-switzerland/ — Dental insurance — when it's worth it, when it isn't - https://expat-savvy.ch/blog/expat-family-matters-best-swiss-health-insurers-children-maternity/ — Health insurance for expat families - https://expat-savvy.ch/blog/four-traps-swiss-insurance-deep-dive/ — The four traps of Swiss insurance - https://expat-savvy.ch/blog/gym-coverage-swiss-insurance-revised/ — Gym coverage compared (CHF 1,300/year payback) - https://expat-savvy.ch/blog/health-insurance-models-switzerland/ — Swiss health insurance models explained (Standard, Hausarzt, HMO, Telmed, Pharmed) - https://expat-savvy.ch/insurance/household-insurance/ — Hausrat and Privathaftpflicht for expats - https://expat-savvy.ch/blog/independent-swiss-insurance-advisor/ — What independent advisor actually means - https://expat-savvy.ch/blog/ipmi-vs-swiss-supplementary-insurance/ — International insurance vs Swiss KVG (IPMI fit) - https://expat-savvy.ch/blog/leaving-switzerland-pension-withdrawal-guide/ — Leaving Switzerland — pension withdrawal guide - https://expat-savvy.ch/insurance/legal-protection-insurance/ — Swiss legal protection insurance - https://expat-savvy.ch/blog/maternity-newborn-insurance-switzerland/ — Maternity & newborn insurance - https://expat-savvy.ch/blog/mental-health-services-switzerland/ — Mental health in Switzerland - https://expat-savvy.ch/blog/pre-existing-conditions-swiss-supplementary-insurance/ — Pre-existing conditions and supplementary - https://expat-savvy.ch/blog/review-health-insurance-switzerland-overpaying/ — Are you overpaying on Swiss health insurance? Audit checklist - https://expat-savvy.ch/blog/sanitas-supplementary-insurance-switzerland/ — Sanitas Vital, Hospital Liberty, and Medical Private — contract read - https://expat-savvy.ch/blog/semi-private-vs-private-hospital-insurance/ — Semi-private vs private vs private worldwide - https://expat-savvy.ch/blog/swica-completa-bestmed-review/ — SWICA Completa and BestMed — contract read - https://expat-savvy.ch/blog/swiss-family-deductible-strategy-1000-cap/ — The CHF 1,000 family deductible cap - https://expat-savvy.ch/blog/swiss-health-insurance-cancellation-deadline-2027/ — November 30 cancellation deadline (in writing, with proof) - https://expat-savvy.ch/blog/swiss-health-insurance-changes-2027/ — What changes in Swiss health insurance for 2027 - https://expat-savvy.ch/blog/telemedicine-switzerland-expats-digital-healthcare/ — Swiss telemedicine for expats — Telmed in English - https://expat-savvy.ch/3rd-pillar/ — The Swiss 3-pillar pension system explained - https://expat-savvy.ch/blog/viac-vs-frankly-vs-finpension-comparison/ — VIAC vs frankly vs finpension - https://expat-savvy.ch/blog/what-happens-in-your-first-swiss-insurance-review/ — What happens in your first Swiss insurance review (45-minute walkthrough) - https://expat-savvy.ch/blog/zurich-vs-zug-choosing-ideal-swiss-relocation-destination/ — Zürich vs Zug — choosing where in Switzerland to land ## Videos (11 explainers, with transcripts) Eleven short explainers (2 to 4 minutes, in English, drawn in the site's paper-cut style) on the Expat Savvy YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1te2VMkpG7lsAknCV7sfTA). Each has its own watch page with chapters and the full transcript (all of them: https://expat-savvy.ch/videos/), and is embedded in the guide it explains. ### How to change health insurance in Switzerland for 2027 [How to change health insurance in Switzerland for 2027](https://expat-savvy.ch/videos/switch-2027/) (2:39, English, 19 October 2026): Want to change your Swiss health insurance for 2027? Your cancellation of basic insurance must arrive in writing by 30 November 2026, with proof of new cover from 1 January. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HWqOt6vJ38 · Embedded on: https://expat-savvy.ch/blog/swiss-health-insurance-cancellation-deadline-2027/, https://expat-savvy.ch/healthcare/switching-health-insurance/ 0:00 Can I still switch for 2027? Your insurer's letter for 2027 has arrived. On average, premiums rise 5%. If you want to change your basic health insurance, one date decides it: 30 November. 0:18 The 30 November rule Your cancellation has to arrive at your insurer by 30 November. Arrive, not be posted. A letter posted on the 28th that reaches them on 2 December is too late, and your contract runs for another year, at the new premium. 0:37 Registered post by 25 November Our rule: send it by registered post, Einschreiben, by 25 November, and keep the receipt. It is your proof. 0:47 The safe order: new cover first The order matters. Apply to your new insurer first. For basic insurance, they must accept you, whatever your health. Your old cover only ends once the new insurer has confirmed your new one, so you are never without cover. The paperwork takes two to four weeks, so October is the month to apply. 1:10 What the letter says The letter itself is short: your name and address, your date of birth, your policy number, the end date, 31 December, and your signature. Most insurers write in German. A German template you can copy is on our page. 1:28 Supplementary is different Supplementary insurance is a different contract. Most need three months' notice, so for 2027 the date was usually the end of September. And a new insurer will ask about your health: conditions can be excluded, or you can be turned down. So never cancel supplementary before the new insurer has accepted you in writing. Apply first, then cancel. 1:54 Is switching worth it? Is switching worth it? Basic insurance covers exactly the same at every insurer, by law. Only the price differs. Compare it on priminfo.ch, the federal comparison site, or with our premium calculator on expat-savvy.ch. And before you change insurer, check your deductible and your model: they can save you more. 2:19 Your first Swiss insurance review If you'd like someone to read your own contracts with you, book your first Swiss insurance review. It's free, 45 minutes, in English, with Robert or Nicole. The link is in the description. ### Why is Swiss health insurance so expensive? 2027 explained [Why is Swiss health insurance so expensive? 2027 explained](https://expat-savvy.ch/videos/why-expensive-2027/) (2:48, English, 19 October 2026): Swiss health insurance costs an adult CHF 487.60 a month on average in 2027, up 4.9% (FOPH, 29 September 2026). Here is where the money goes, and the three things you can still change. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6R1mwrhH17o · Embedded on: https://expat-savvy.ch/blog/swiss-health-insurance-changes-2027/ 0:00 The 2027 number Why is Swiss health insurance so expensive? In 2027, an adult pays CHF 487.60 a month on average, 4.9% more. 0:13 The short answer The short answer: premiums follow the cost of care, and that cost keeps rising. The federal health office names four reasons: more treatments per ill person, medical progress, an ageing population, and higher tariffs. 0:30 Where your premium goes Where does your premium go? Outpatient care is paid from premiums, with no share from the canton. A hospital stay is split: the canton pays at least 55%, premiums up to 45. 0:46 Why your canton matters And that cost is pooled canton by canton. In Zug, the average adult premium is CHF 324.90. In Geneva, CHF 610.60. Same federal benefits. The gap reflects how much care people in each canton actually use. 1:07 What you cannot change What you cannot change is the cover: basic insurance pays for the same care at every insurer, by law. What differs is the price: for the same cover, the dearest adult offer costs four times the cheapest. 1:23 Three things you can change Three levers move your bill. The deductible: if you rarely need care, the highest, CHF 2,500, can cut the premium by up to about CHF 1,540 a year. The model: family doctor, HMO or Telmed cost less, with the same benefits. And basic and supplementary may sit with different insurers. Most people don't know it's allowed. 1:52 The trap, on page two The trap we usually catch is on page two of your letter: if your model is retired and you do nothing, you are usually moved to Standard, the most expensive option. That can cost CHF 60 to 150 a month more. 2:08 What to do now Before 30 November, find four lines on your letter: basic premium, supplementary premium, deductible and model. Compare on priminfo.ch. And if you move, switch basic and keep supplementary, unless a new insurer has accepted you in writing. 2:28 Your first Swiss insurance review If you'd like someone to read your own contracts with you, book your first Swiss insurance review. It's free, 45 minutes, in English, with Robert or Nicole. The link is in the description. ### How much is health insurance in Switzerland? 2027 by canton [How much is health insurance in Switzerland? 2027 by canton](https://expat-savvy.ch/videos/cost-2027/) (2:48, English, 19 October 2026): How much does health insurance cost in Switzerland? For 2027 the average adult premium is CHF 487.60 a month, but your number depends on your canton, your deductible and your insurance model. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wV3qdEgiS8w · Embedded on: https://expat-savvy.ch/health-insurance/premium-calculator/, https://expat-savvy.ch/blog/decoding-swiss-health-insurance-canton-region-premium/ 0:00 Why "the average" misleads How much is health insurance in Switzerland? For 2027, the federal average for an adult is CHF 487.60 a month. But that average blends every deductible and model. What you pay depends on canton, deductible and model. 0:19 Canton First, your canton. For an adult, the federal average runs from CHF 324.90 a month in Zug to CHF 610.60 in Geneva, for identical benefits. Within a canton, the city usually costs most: in Zürich, about CHF 90 a month more than in Wetzikon. 0:41 Deductible Second, your deductible. In Zürich city, choosing CHF 2,500 instead of 300 saves CHF 1,527 a year at the middle insurer, if you rarely see a doctor. One procedure of CHF 4,000, though, and you pay CHF 1,980 more out of pocket. Add the premium you saved, and that year costs CHF 453 more. 1:11 Model Third, your model. Family doctor, HMO or Telmed: a different first contact, the same cover by law. In Zürich city, changing model at the same insurer saves CHF 98.20 to CHF 147.20 a month. Moving to the cheapest insurer on Standard saves CHF 45.05. Model first, insurer second. 1:39 Supplementary on top Supplementary insurance comes on top, and it is the trap we see most often. Many expats buy one or two tiers more than they use in their first year, and never review it. Right-sizing it typically saves CHF 50 to 200 per adult a month. But never cancel before a new insurer has accepted you. 2:01 Work out your own number To work out your own number, use our premium calculator, priminfo in English: enter your postcode, age, deductible and model, and every insurer is ranked for you. Employed 8 hours a week or more? Your employer already covers accidents, so leave accident cover out. And to switch on 1 January, your notice must arrive by 30 November. 2:29 Your first Swiss insurance review If you'd like someone to read your own contracts with you, book your first Swiss insurance review. It's free, 45 minutes, in English, with Robert or Nicole. The link is in the description. ### Swiss health insurance deductible: CHF 300 or 2,500? [Swiss health insurance deductible: CHF 300 or 2,500?](https://expat-savvy.ch/videos/deductible/) (2:48, English, 19 October 2026): Which deductible (franchise) should you choose for Swiss health insurance? You pay the deductible first, then 10% of costs up to CHF 700 a year. If you rarely see a doctor, a higher deductible usually wins; if you have regular costs, it rarely does. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhsCe992XS8 · Embedded on: https://expat-savvy.ch/guides/how-to/choose-health-insurance-deductible/, https://expat-savvy.ch/blog/swiss-family-deductible-strategy-1000-cap/ 0:00 The bill after the doctor Which deductible should you choose for Swiss health insurance: CHF 300, or 2,500? And why did you get a bill after seeing a doctor? 0:14 The short answer The short answer: it depends on your actual yearly medical costs, not on your appetite for risk. Under CHF 1,000 a year, 2,500 usually wins. Over 3,000, usually 300. 0:30 Deductible, then 10% Here is where the bill comes from. Your bills for the year add up to CHF 2,000. First, you pay your deductible: 300. Above it, 10%: 170. Your insurer pays the rest. You pay 470. 0:51 The choices The 10% stops at CHF 700 a year. There are six deductibles, from 300 to 2,500. A higher one lowers your premium, but the law caps the discount: at most CHF 1,540 a year. 1:10 Healthy or not: the break-even A trap we catch every week: the highest deductible, taken for its discount. In our worked example, an adult in Bern spends about CHF 4,800 a year on physiotherapy and medication. On 2,500, even after the largest discount, that year costs CHF 1,190. On 300, CHF 750: at least CHF 440 less. 1:39 Families: the CHF 1,000 cap Children are different. Three or more children at the same insurer, on the default deductible of zero, pay at most CHF 1,000 a year together. Split them across insurers, and that cap is gone. Raise each child's deductible to 600, and it rises to about 1,900. 2:01 Pregnancy is different One exception: pregnancy. Check-ups and the birth come with no deductible and no 10%. And from week 13 until eight weeks after the birth, everything medically necessary is covered in full. 2:16 What to do now So add up last year's medical bills, and pick the level that fits. You can change it every year: tell your insurer by 30 November, for 1 January. 2:29 Your first Swiss insurance review If you'd like someone to read your own contracts with you, book your first Swiss insurance review. It's free, 45 minutes, in English, with Robert or Nicole. The link is in the description. ### What happens in a free Swiss insurance review, in English [What happens in a free Swiss insurance review, in English](https://expat-savvy.ch/videos/first-review/) (3:57, English, 19 October 2026): Your first Swiss insurance review with Expat Savvy is 45 minutes, free, in English, by video call. We read your contracts with you on screen and tell you to stay, switch or restructure. No contracts are signed in the first call. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2ci4hJdNQ8 · Embedded on: https://expat-savvy.ch/blog/what-happens-in-your-first-swiss-insurance-review/, https://expat-savvy.ch/book/ 0:00 What the review is What actually happens in a free Swiss insurance review, in English? The short answer: 45 minutes, free, by video call, with Robert, Nicole or Benjamin. We read your contracts with you, and tell you to stay, switch or restructure. 0:19 Who the review is for The review is for people who want to know exactly how they are insured, today and for the years ahead: supplementary cover, pension planning, the third pillar. Health insurance is the one investment we all hope never pays out. That is exactly why it's worth knowing what you really have. 0:40 What to have ready When you book, we email you a short intake form. Filling it in is optional, but it helps us prepare before we meet. Before the call, gather five things, about 10 minutes of admin. Your basic policy schedule. Any supplementary schedules. Your latest payslip, for the accident and pension lines. Insurer letters from the last 12 months that confused you. And, if you are self-employed, your AHV confirmation. 1:13 The first 5 minutes: your situation The first five minutes are about you. Just arrived, settled, or leaving? Who is in your household? How do you work? Any health history a questionnaire would ask about, briefly. We don't sell anything here. Five minutes of listening saves 20 minutes of wrong calculations. 1:36 Reading your contracts The middle 30 minutes are the work. On a shared screen, we read your contracts with you and mark the clauses worth reading: outpatient exclusions, the age-curve wording, the hospital-room definition, and the footnotes that decide whether a claim is paid or fought. Then the calculations. Your deductible at your age and canton, at the typical adult turning points: CHF 300, 1,500 and 2,500. Your model: standard, family doctor, HMO or Telmed. Gaps and overlaps in accident cover, supplementary and pension. And where the four traps apply to you. 2:22 Stay, switch or restructure The last 10 minutes are our recommendation. Stay: what you have already fits. Switch: a specific change, with the date and the steps. Or restructure: the setup is wrong, even if the products are not. We say stay more often than switch. 2:44 After the call Within three working days, a written summary follows: sequenced, dated, deadlines marked. It shows what you have today, what each contract covers and leaves out, the numbers we worked out, and what to do in which order. We don't issue contracts in the first call. If you act, we do the paperwork; if not, there is no sales follow-up. 3:09 When you should not book us When should you not book us? If you've been here for years with one insurer, no supplementary, no chronic condition, and you're under 40: our premium calculator on expat-savvy.ch, or priminfo.ch, compares basic insurance for you in a few minutes. For price shopping, a comparison portal is fine. And to just sign a form, your insurer's portal is faster. 3:37 Book your review If you'd like someone to read your own contracts with you, book your first Swiss insurance review. It's free, 45 minutes, in English, with Robert or Nicole. The link is in the description. ### Private health insurance in Switzerland: is it worth it? [Private health insurance in Switzerland: is it worth it?](https://expat-savvy.ch/videos/private-worth-it/) (3:15, English, 19 October 2026): Is private health insurance worth it in Switzerland? Basic insurance is the same at every insurer by law; "private" here means hospital cover. Semi-private or private can make sense, but the price climbs with age, so the decision belongs in your 30s and 40s. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4spVCrDkcF0 · Embedded on: https://expat-savvy.ch/private-health-insurance-switzerland/, https://expat-savvy.ch/blog/semi-private-vs-private-hospital-insurance/, https://expat-savvy.ch/healthcare/best-health-insurance-switzerland/ 0:00 What "private" means in Switzerland Is private health insurance in Switzerland worth it, and which one is best? First, what private means here. Basic insurance is mandatory and the same at every insurer. When people say private, they usually mean hospital cover: semi-private or private. The short answer: for some people it is, and for some, basic is enough. Hospital cover buys a room, and a choice of doctor and hospital. It does not buy better medicine. There is no best. There is right for you. 0:38 The five tiers Five tiers. Basic only: the general ward, four to six beds, the doctor on duty, a hospital in your canton. Hospital Flex: choose the ward at each admission, with a co-payment to upgrade. Semi-private: a two-bed room, a senior physician, any hospital in Switzerland. Private: a single room, the chief physician, and private clinics. Private worldwide: the same, abroad too. 1:12 What you actually get What changes is the room, who treats you, and where. Swiss public hospital care is excellent. For a routine operation, semi-private and private give the same medical outcome. The chief physician matters most in complex surgery. 1:30 The age-curve trap The trap we usually catch: the age curve. Most insurers price on your age, and the premium steps up every five-year band, for life. The curve is steepest at private: lock it in at 32, and you carry the steep end for 30 years. You can always step down. Stepping up is harder: after 65, applying may not be possible at all. So decide in your thirties and forties, while you are healthy: hospital cover is underwritten, and the insurer can decline you or exclude a condition. 2:09 When basic is enough And sometimes the honest answer is none. Young, healthy, no clinic you want by name, no treatment planned outside your canton: basic is enough. Keep the CHF 200 a month, and add semi-private later, while your health allows it. 2:27 What it costs What does it cost? In our Hospital Insurance Cost Index, semi-private averages CHF 162 a month, and private 266. The age you join matters: private averages CHF 144 for someone joining at 26, and 441 at 65. Choose the tier first. The insurer is the easy part. 2:55 Your first Swiss insurance review If you'd like someone to read your own contracts with you, book your first Swiss insurance review. It's free, 45 minutes, in English, with Robert or Nicole. The link is in the description. ### Basic vs supplementary health insurance in Switzerland [Basic vs supplementary health insurance in Switzerland](https://expat-savvy.ch/videos/basic-vs-supplementary/) (3:23, English, 19 October 2026): Basic health insurance in Switzerland is mandatory and gives the same benefits at every insurer, by law. Supplementary insurance is optional, and the insurer may accept you, add exclusions or decline. That is why timing matters. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuejMN2MSlw · Embedded on: https://expat-savvy.ch/healthcare/supplementary-health-insurance/ 0:00 Two layers Basic or supplementary health insurance in Switzerland: what is the difference, and do you need both? Swiss health insurance has two layers, and they follow different rules. The short answer: basic is mandatory, the same at every insurer, and every insurer must accept you. Supplementary is optional, differs by product, and the insurer may say no. For many people part of it is worth having. For some, none of it is. 0:34 Basic: the same everywhere Basic pays for the general ward in your canton's hospitals, doctor visits and listed medicines, maternity care, and emergencies abroad up to twice the Swiss cost. By law, those benefits are identical at every insurer. What differs is the price. 0:53 Supplementary: where the differences are Supplementary is everything you add on top, in four kinds. Hospital: a semi-private or private ward, and your choice of hospital. Outpatient: therapies basic won't pay, glasses, medicines off the list. Dental. And wider cover abroad. Hospital is most of the decision, and most of the price. Here is the real difference. For supplementary, the insurer asks health questions. It can accept you in full, add a surcharge, exclude a condition, or decline you. Answer every question completely, including treatment abroad. Incomplete answers can void the contract. 1:43 Two insurers is allowed Two laws mean two contracts, and they can sit with different insurers. Most expats don't know that is allowed. You can switch basic every year without touching supplementary. Moving supplementary means new underwriting, at your age now. If you move it, apply first, and cancel only after a written yes. 2:08 Apply while healthy The trap we usually catch: waiting until you need it. Once a supplementary policy is in place, the insurer cannot add exclusions for conditions that start later. Apply while you are healthy, and what comes later is covered as ordinary care. There is no official deadline, and no promise of acceptance. Applying early protects the option. 2:34 The age-curve trap The price follows the age you join. For a semi-private ward, the median for a new customer is CHF 110 a month at 38, and 260 at 65. Some insurers stop taking new customers between 50 and 70. So decide supplementary once, kind by kind, and early. Sometimes the answer is hospital cover only, or nothing. 3:03 Your first Swiss insurance review If you'd like someone to read your own contracts with you, book your first Swiss insurance review. It's free, 45 minutes, in English, with Robert or Nicole. The link is in the description. ### Cheapest Swiss health insurance 2027: what it really saves [Cheapest Swiss health insurance 2027: what it really saves](https://expat-savvy.ch/videos/cheapest-2027/) (2:52, English, 19 October 2026): The cheapest Swiss health insurer gives exactly the same basic benefits as the most expensive one, by law. In 2027 it saves CHF 38.50 to 59.80 per adult per month in the big cities. Changing your insurance model at the same insurer can save more. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeotfcs0b8M · Embedded on: https://expat-savvy.ch/blog/cheapest-health-insurance-switzerland-2027/, https://expat-savvy.ch/blog/health-insurance-models-switzerland/ 0:00 Is the cheapest insurer worse? What is the cheapest health insurance in Switzerland for 2027? And is the cheapest insurer worse? No. Basic cover is exactly the same at every insurer, by federal law. 0:15 What the cheapest saves The cheapest adult premium in Switzerland is CHF 227.50 a month, on an HMO model in Zug. But the cheapest insurer saves less than you think, and changing your insurance model saves more. In the seven cities we track, the cheapest insurer costs CHF 38.50 to 59.80 a month less than the median one. Real money, but the smallest of four decisions. And it rarely stays cheapest: in 14 of the 26 cantons, the cheapest is now a different insurer. 0:52 The model saves more Changing model saves more. At KPT in Zürich, Standard costs CHF 535.60 a month, Telmed 428.50. At seven major insurers there, the cheapest model saves CHF 98.20 to 147.20 a month. The cover stays exactly the same. Only your first point of contact changes. Family doctor: your GP first. HMO: a group practice. Telmed: a phone or video call. So pick the model first, and the insurer second. 1:34 Can I still see an English-speaking doctor? Can you still see a doctor who speaks English? With Telmed, usually yes: Medgate, behind most major insurers' Telmed lines, consults in English, around the clock. Check your insurer's line first. If you want a doctor in person from the first contact, Standard or the family doctor model remain the right call. 1:57 The bigger number: supplementary The bigger number is supplementary insurance. It is optional, it varies widely between insurers, and it is where most expats over-buy, often by one or two tiers in their first year. Getting it right usually saves more than the cheapest basic insurer. 2:16 Four decisions, in order of weight So decide in order of weight: supplementary, model, deductible, and only then the cheapest insurer. Check your figure on priminfo.ch, and cancel by 30 November, for 1 January. 2:32 Your first Swiss insurance review If you'd like someone to read your own contracts with you, book your first Swiss insurance review. It's free, 45 minutes, in English, with Robert or Nicole. The link is in the description. ### VIAC vs finpension vs frankly: which pillar 3a for expats? [VIAC vs finpension vs frankly: which pillar 3a for expats?](https://expat-savvy.ch/videos/viac-finpension-frankly/) (3:09, English, 19 October 2026): VIAC, finpension and frankly are all low-cost pillar 3a apps, about 0.39 to 0.44% all-in on their equity strategies. The app rarely changes your result. Three other decisions do. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZRsmOcpHb0 · Embedded on: https://expat-savvy.ch/blog/viac-vs-frankly-vs-finpension-comparison/ 0:00 Closer than you think VIAC, finpension or frankly: which Pillar 3a should you choose as an expat in Switzerland? The short answer: the three are closer than you think. The app rarely changes your lifetime number. Three other decisions do. On an equity strategy, all in, VIAC costs about 0.40 to 0.44% a year, frankly about 0.43, finpension about 0.39. On a peak balance of CHF 250,000, that is roughly CHF 100 to 200 a year between them. Real, but small. 0:43 Bank or insurance 3a The first decision comes before any app: banking 3a or insurance 3a. Banking 3a is low cost and flexible. Insurance 3a sits inside a life insurance contract: a guaranteed death benefit, usually a premium waiver if you cannot work, but a higher cost and less flexibility. It fits when you have dependants and little other life cover. We sell insurance 3a where it fits, and we tell you when it does not. 1:15 When you pay in The second: when you pay in. For this year's deduction, the money must be in by 31 December. A skipped year is, with one narrow exception, a year lost. And the deduction pays off most in a high-income year. 1:33 More than one account The third: how many accounts. Withdrawal tax rises with the amount you take out in one year. So hold three to five accounts, and draw them in different tax years. CHF 250,000 in Zürich, withdrawn at once: roughly 22,000 in tax. As five withdrawals of 50,000 over five years: roughly 11,000. You cannot split one account later, and most clients we meet have one, sometimes two. 2:08 How much you may pay in How much may you pay in? For 2026: up to CHF 7,258 if you are employed with a pension fund. Self-employed without one: 20% of net income, up to 36,288. The cap counts across all your 3a accounts together. 2:31 Can expats open a 3a? Can you open one as an expat? Yes, if you earn income in Switzerland that pays AHV contributions, whatever your nationality or permit. Then pick the app you like using, and stop optimising there. We do not recommend one over another. 2:49 Your first Swiss insurance review If you'd like someone to read your own contracts with you, book your first Swiss insurance review. It's free, 45 minutes, in English, with Robert or Nicole. The link is in the description. ### Pillar 3a: bank or insurance? What expats should know [Pillar 3a: bank or insurance? What expats should know](https://expat-savvy.ch/videos/3a-bank-vs-insurance/) (3:10, English, 19 October 2026): Should your pillar 3a be at a bank or with an insurer? Banking 3a is a tax-advantaged savings account. Insurance 3a adds cover if you die or cannot work. It fits a family with a mortgage or dependants; most singles and couples without children are better served by banking 3a. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rq3_u94t6ow · Embedded on: https://expat-savvy.ch/3rd-pillar/bank-vs-insurance/, https://expat-savvy.ch/blog/3rd-pillar-vs-life-insurance-switzerland/ 0:00 Two different jobs Pillar 3a: bank or insurance, which is better? As an expat, you can open either, if you earn income in Switzerland that pays AHV contributions. The question is which one fits you. The short answer: they do different jobs. Banking 3a is tax-advantaged saving. Insurance 3a adds cover for the people who depend on your income. For most singles, and couples without children, banking 3a is the cleaner answer. 0:34 Banking 3a Banking 3a, at an app like VIAC, frankly or finpension, costs about 0 to 0.5% a year. Pay any amount, any year, within the cap, and switch providers without a penalty. But if disability stops your income, your contributions stop. 0:54 Insurance 3a Insurance 3a costs more: about 1 to 1.5% a year, or more. In return, if disability stops your earning, the insurer keeps paying your contributions. If you die, your beneficiaries get a guaranteed minimum. But the premium is a commitment: once you sign, you pay it. Over 20 years, on a balance that reaches about CHF 500,000, the cost of banking 3a adds up to about CHF 40,000. Insurance 3a: about 125,000. The gap, about 85,000, buys the waiver and the death benefit. Does your household need what it buys? 1:41 Who it fits Insurance 3a fits a narrow but real situation: a family with debt or dependants. The example on our page: a single-earner family in Zürich, two children. CHF 2,400 a year go into insurance 3a, sized to the gap. The other 4,858 go into banking 3a. 2:07 Who it does not fit For most singles and couples without children, the answer is banking 3a, plus a small term life policy if there is a mortgage. The insurance 3a sale is rarely the right call there, and we tell clients so. One trap we watch for: these contracts usually run 15 to 30 years. Leave early, and surrender penalties mean you pay back protection you never used. For a stay of 5 to 10 years, the product is wrong by structure. So ask first: who depends on your income? If no one, banking 3a. Look again when a first child or a mortgage arrives. 2:50 Your first Swiss insurance review If you'd like someone to read your own contracts with you, book your first Swiss insurance review. It's free, 45 minutes, in English, with Robert or Nicole. The link is in the description. ### New in Switzerland? The 3-month health insurance deadline [New in Switzerland? The 3-month health insurance deadline](https://expat-savvy.ch/videos/3-month-deadline/) (2:42, English, 19 October 2026): New to Switzerland? You must take out basic health insurance within three months of registering with your commune. On time, your cover and your premiums run from the day you registered. Late without a valid excuse, and your cover starts only when you enrol: treatment in the gap is yours to pay, and a premium surcharge applies for a limited period. If you never act, the canton can assign you an insurer. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hSMLhgOvb4 · Embedded on: https://expat-savvy.ch/healthcare/new-health-insurance/ 0:00 The date that starts at registration New in Switzerland? How long do you have to take out health insurance, and what if you miss the deadline? The short answer: three months from registering with your commune. Enrol in time, and cover starts on your registration date. The clock does not start when you arrive. It starts when you register with your commune, in your first 14 days. A baby born here needs its own policy, within three months of the birth. Say you register today, and you enrol two months from now. Your cover still starts today, so there is no gap. Your premiums start today too. So waiting saves nothing, and rushing earns nothing. Use the time to get your choices right. 0:50 What happens if you miss it Now the trap. Miss the three months without a valid excuse, and cover starts only on the day you enrol. Treatment in the gap is yours to pay, and a premium surcharge applies for a limited period. Never act, and the canton can assign you an insurer. If you are late, don't wait for that letter: enrol today. 1:13 Every basic insurer must accept you Enrolling is the easy part. Every basic insurer must accept you, whatever your nationality or health, and the benefits are identical everywhere. Insurers typically confirm within days, and most will take your application before you even arrive. 1:31 What to do in your first weeks So, what to do in your first weeks. Register with your commune, and keep the paperwork. Pick your model, deductible and accident cover; if you work 8 hours a week or more for one employer, your employer already insures accidents. Compare premiums for your postcode. Then apply, well inside the three months. 1:56 Basic now, supplementary with care Supplementary insurance is different. It is optional, and the insurer asks about your health, so it can exclude a condition or decline you. Our advice: decide it in your first weeks, while every option is open. That is advice, not a legal deadline. Answer every question fully, including treatment abroad. And sometimes the honest answer is to skip it. 2:23 Your first Swiss insurance review If you'd like someone to read your own contracts with you, book your first Swiss insurance review. It's free, 45 minutes, in English, with Robert or Nicole. The link is in the description. ## Questions people ask us Short answers, the same facts as on the pages linked. **I just moved to Switzerland — how does health insurance work?** Register for basic health insurance within three months of registering with your commune; enrolled on time, cover and premiums run from the registration date (Art. 3 KVG, Art. 7 KVV). Basic benefits are identical at every insurer by federal law, so you choose on premium, model and deductible. Supplementary cover is optional and medically underwritten — apply while healthy and disclose everything, including treatment abroad. https://expat-savvy.ch/healthcare/new-health-insurance/ **I want to switch health insurance — which one should I choose?** For basic insurance, compare on premium, model and deductible; benefits are identical by law. Your cancellation must reach your current insurer by 30 November to switch on 1 January (Art. 7 KVG), and the new insurer must accept you. Keep any supplementary policy until the new insurer has accepted you in writing: it is underwritten, and many contracts need three months' notice. https://expat-savvy.ch/healthcare/switching-health-insurance/ **Which health insurance has the lowest premiums in 2027?** The cheapest approved adult premium for 2027 is CHF 227.50 a month (Concordia, HMO model, CHF 2,500 deductible, Zug, accident included); the FOPH mean across all ages is CHF 412.00 (+5.0%). The insurer is only one lever: deductible, model and premium region move the price more. If the premium is unaffordable, check the cantonal premium subsidy (IPV). https://expat-savvy.ch/blog/cheapest-health-insurance-switzerland-2027/ **What does health insurance cost for a child?** The FOPH mean children's premium (0–18) for 2027 is CHF 128.10 a month (+4.6%). A newborn should be registered within three months. https://expat-savvy.ch/blog/expat-family-matters-best-swiss-health-insurers-children-maternity/ **I was declined for supplementary insurance — what now?** Your basic insurance is not affected: every basic insurer must accept you (Art. 5 lit. i KVAG). A supplementary decline is a private insurer's decision under contract law (VVG); there is no right to be accepted and no appeal can force an insurer to take you. See the next section for who can help. https://expat-savvy.ch/guides/how-to/pre-existing-conditions-health-insurance/ ## When we are not the right help - **Declined for supplementary insurance, or you have a pre-existing condition.** Basic insurance must accept you whatever your health (Art. 5 lit. i KVAG). A supplementary insurer (VVG) may decline or exclude a condition, and no appeal, advisor or advisory review can force acceptance. Routes that exist: - If you think an insurer handled your application or a claim wrongly: the Ombudsman for health insurance (Ombudsstelle Krankenversicherung, https://om-kv.ch/) advises and mediates in disputes between insured people and their health insurer — basic, supplementary and daily allowance — neutrally and free of charge. It cannot make an insurer accept you. - If you need advice as a patient: the Swiss patient organisation SPO (https://www.spo.ch/) advises on medical and dental treatment; the first 30-minute consultation, by phone or video, is free, further advice is charged. - If the premium is the problem: cantonal premium subsidies (IPV) — https://expat-savvy.ch/guides/how-to/apply-premium-subsidies/ - If you are employed: ask your employer whether it has a collective supplementary contract. Whether it eases the health questions depends on that contract, and it works only through an employer, never as an individual application. - When a review with us helps: before you apply; when you hold an offer with an exclusion (Vorbehalt) or a surcharge and want it read; before you give up a supplementary policy you already have; when a partner or child still needs cover. When it does not: after declines from several insurers for the same condition a call rarely changes the outcome. We do not promise acceptance. - Guide: https://expat-savvy.ch/guides/how-to/pre-existing-conditions-health-insurance/ - **Short stays and international cover (IPMI).** For international private medical insurance, executive worldwide cover or short-term assignee coverage, our partner sip.ch specialises in that segment: https://sip.ch - **Relocation logistics** (moving, school search, registration paperwork): relofinder.ch matches people with relocation agencies: https://relofinder.ch ## How to verify us - FINMA register (insurance intermediaries), registration F01067278: https://www.finma.ch/en/supervision/versicherungsvermittler/registersuche/F01067278 - Company and legal-name details: the imprint, https://expat-savvy.ch/imprint/, and the Art. 45 VAG disclosure, https://expat-savvy.ch/vag-45/ - Google reviews (4.8 out of 5 from 60 reviews, as verified on 27 September 2026) are shown on the Business Profile for Talacker 41, 8001 Zürich. ## Booking The first review is free. 45 minutes. In English. With Robert (health) or Nicole (life insurance, insurance-wrapped 3a, and tax optimization). Video call by default; in-person at Talacker 41, Zürich on request. The written summary (Private Client Report) follows within 3 working days. Book at: https://expat-savvy.ch/book/ ## Reviews 4.8 average rating across 60 Google reviews, as verified on 27 September 2026 (the figure changes; the Google Business Profile is the source). ## Regulatory - FINMA registration number: F01067278 - Independent intermediary under Article 45 VAG / ISA — verifiable on the FINMA public register at https://www.finma.ch/en/supervision/versicherungsvermittler/registersuche/F01067278 - Website operator: Loaded AG, Schlatt TG, Switzerland (UID CHE-413.943.367) - Insurance intermediary: Lang + Partner Finanzdienstleistungen GmbH, Roosstrasse 53, 8832 Wollerau SZ, Switzerland (FINMA F01067278) - Nicole Bohne advises through Vision Bohne, Zeughausstrasse 7B, 3250 Lyss, Switzerland (FINMA F01536404; Nicole Bohne personally F01536402) - Expat Savvy office: Talacker 41, 8001 Zürich, Switzerland - Disclosure: https://expat-savvy.ch/vag-45/ - Imprint: https://expat-savvy.ch/imprint/ - Privacy: https://expat-savvy.ch/privacy/ - Terms: https://expat-savvy.ch/terms/ We sell insurance products (health, life, household, liability, life-insurance-wrapped 3a) where they fit. We do not sell banking 3a apps — we recommend banking 3a (VIAC, frankly, finpension, traditional bank 3a) when banking is the cleaner answer. We earn no commission on banking 3a recommendations. ## Partner network Sister and partner sites. - https://relofinder.ch — relocation agency matching for new arrivals - https://offlist.ch — off-market property search for expats arriving without local network - https://www.expat-services.ch — one of our own sites: a free directory of English-speaking service providers in Switzerland (doctors, lawyers, tax advisors, schools, movers), with guides to permits, commune registration and the first 90 days - https://sip.ch — international (IPMI) insurance specialist (executive worldwide cover, KVG exemption cases, short-term assignee cover) ## Related pages from the June 2026 additions - [Best private health insurance Switzerland](https://expat-savvy.ch/private-health-insurance-switzerland/): semi-private vs private hospital cover; supplementary insurance is underwritten under Art. 4 VVG and can decline or exclude — apply while healthy. - [Health insurance Basel](https://expat-savvy.ch/health-insurance/basel/): covers Basel-Stadt and Basel-Landschaft. - [Deductible guide](https://expat-savvy.ch/guides/how-to/choose-health-insurance-deductible/): the six federal deductible tiers and the break-even.