Premium reduction subsidies can save you thousands of Swiss francs on health insurance in Switzerland. Find useful information in this guide.
Anyone who lives in Switzerland, or has in the past, can confirm that Swiss health insurance premiums are very high. Premiums can easily add up to several thousand francs per year and person, and take a serious bite out of your wallet. This is especially true if you do not have a very high income.
To help residents cope with the high cost of compulsory health insurance, cantonal governments offer health insurance premium subsidies to individuals and families whose incomes and wealth fall beneath certain thresholds. These subsidies are known as individual premium reductions.
Individual premium reductions are widely used in Switzerland. Around 2.26 million residents – approximately 25.7 percent of the population – received premium reductions in 2022.
Can I benefit from individual premium reductions?
The sizes of premium reductions and eligibility requirements are set by each canton individually. A detailed overview of the different systems and requirements by canton is available from the Swiss Conference of the Cantonal Ministers of Public Health, and can be found on their website (in French and German only).
Premium reduction eligibility requirements with regard to taxable income and wealth also vary between cantons. If you are unsure whether or not you are eligible, consider asking the relevant cantonal authority using the contact details provided below.
How can I claim individual premium reductions?
In some cantons, reductions are automatically paid out based on your tax declaration. In other cantons, you are automatically sent a premium reduction application after your tax returns are processed if you are eligible, but you must complete and submit the application to claim premium reductions. Some cantons do not automate the process at all, and you must apply of your own initiative if you meet eligibility requirements for premium reductions.
How are individual premium reductions paid out?
Premium reduction subsidies are paid directly to your compulsory health insurance provider by the relevant office of the canton that you reside in. As a general rule, the actual compulsory health insurance premiums you pay have no effect on the size of your premium reductions. You generally will not receive higher premium reductions if you use a more expensive health insurance policy. If you use a very affordable health insurance provider and/or a very high deductible, your health insurance premiums may be lower than the subsidies paid to your health insurance provider. In that case, your full health insurance premium will be covered by the premium reductions.
How can I apply for premium reduction subsidies?
You can get information from and submit applications to the office that handles individual premium reductions in your canton.
Aargau
Sozialversicherungsanstalt (SVA) des Kantons Aargau
Telefon: +41 62 836 81 81
Website
Appenzell Innerrhoden
Gesundheitsamt des Kantons Appenzell Innerrhoden
Telefon: +41 71 788 94 52
Website
Appenzell Ausserrhoden
Ausgleichskasse des Kantons Appenzell Ausserrhoden
Telefon: +41 71 354 51 51
Website
Bern
Amt für Sozialversicherungen
Telefon: +41 844 800 884
Website
Basel-Landschaft
Sozialversicherungsanstalt des Kantons Basel-Landschaft
Telefon: 061 425 25 25
Website
Basel-Stadt
Amt für Sozialbeiträge
Telefon: +41 61 267 87 11
Website
Fribourg
Caisse de compensation du canton de Fribourg
Telefon: +41 26 305 45 01
Website
Geneva
Service de l’assurance-maladie
Telefon: +41 22 546 19 00
Website
Glarus
Kantonale Steuerverwaltung
Abteilung IPV
Telefon: +41 55 646 61 65
Website
Grisons
Sozialversicherungsanstalt des Kantons Graubünden
Telefon: +41 81 257 41 11
Website
Jura
Caisse de compensation du canton du Jura
Telefon: +41 32 952 11 11
Website
Lucerne
Ausgleichskasse Luzern
Telefon: +41 41 209 01 51
Website
Neuchâtel
Office cantonal de l'assurance maladie OCAM
Telefon: +41 32 889 66 30
Website
Nidwalden
Ausgleichskasse Nidwalden
Telefon: +41 41 618 51 00
Website
Obwalden
Gesundheitsamt
Telefon: +41 41 666 63 05
Website
St. Gallen
SVA St. Gallen
Telefon: +41 71 282 61 91
Website
Schaffhausen
Sozialversicherungsamt Schaffhausen
Telefon: +41 52 632 61 11
Website
Solothurn
Ausgleichskasse des Kantons Solothurn
Telefon: +41 32 686 22 00
Website
Schwyz
Ausgleichskasse Schwyz
Telefon: +41 41 819 04 25
Website
Thurgau
Individual municipal offices
Telefon: +41 58 345 68 40
Website
Ticino
Ufficio delle prestazioni
Servizio sussidi assicurazione malattia
Telefon: +41 91 821 93 11
Website
Uri
Amt für Gesundheit
Telefon: +41 41 875 22 42
Website
Vaud
Office vaudois de l'assurance-maladie
Telefon: +41 21 557 47 47
Website
Valais
Caisse de compensation du canton du Valais
Section Subvention
Telefon: +41 27 324 91 11
Website
Zug
Individual municipal offices
Telefon: +41 41 560 47 00
Website
Zurich
Sozialversicherungsanstalt des Kantons Zürich
Telefon: +41 44 448 53 75
Website
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