Vaccinations: This is What Swiss Health Insurance Covers

Some basic vaccinations are covered by the mandatory health insurance which all residents of Switzerland are required to have. Many other inoculations can be covered by Swiss supplemental health insurance, but benefits vary between individual offers.

Here, moneyland.ch explains which vaccinations are covered by Swiss compulsory health insurance, and gives you a clear comparison of the vaccination coverage included in complementary health insurance offers.

Which vaccinations are covered by accident insurance?

Vaccinations that are necessary due to an accident are generally covered by mandatory accident insurance. This could be the case if, for example, you require tetanus shots after an accident, or rabies shots after being bitten by an animal.

Which vaccinations are covered by your employer?

In Switzerland, your employer is required to provide all measures necessary to protect you from occupational hazards, including illnesses. In keeping with these requirements, if your occupation falls under those for which vaccinations are recommended by the National Vaccination Plan, the cost of getting vaccinated will generally be covered by your employer.

Which vaccinations are covered by mandatory health insurance?

All vaccinations recommended in the Swiss government’s National Vaccination Strategy are covered by mandatory health insurance. The strategy is subject to change. Vaccinations currently recommended in the strategy include the following:

• Flu (Influenza vaccines)
• Diptheria (DT, dT, dTp, and DTP vaccines)
• Tetanus (DT, dT, dTp, and DTP vaccines)
• Whooping cough (dTp, and DTP vaccines)
• Hepatitis B (HBV vaccines)
• Haemophilus influenzae (Hib vaccines)
• Human papillomavirus (HPV vaccines)
• Shingles (HZ vaccines)
• Polio (IPV vaccines)
• Meningitis and other meningococcal diseases (4CMenB, MCV-C, and MCV-ACWY vaccines)
• Measles (MMR vaccines)
• Mumps (MMR vaccines)
• German measles (MMR vaccines)
• Chickenpox (MMRV and VZV vaccines)
• Pneumonia and other pneumococcal infections (PCV, PCV13, and PPV23 vaccines)
• Rabies (in specific cases)
• Tick-borne encephalitis (in specific regions)
• Hepatitis A (in specific cases).

The list above is not exhaustive. 

It is important to note that just because a vaccination is recommended by the National Vaccination Strategy does not mean that the cost is always covered by mandatory health insurance. There are specific criteria which must be met in order for a vaccination to be covered. Depending on the vaccination in question, criteria may include:

• Age group: Different vaccinations are recommended for different age groups. Only inoculations that are recommended for your age group, as per the National Vaccination Strategy, are covered by mandatory health insurance. 
• Risk group: Vaccinations recommended for people in specific high-risk groups or high-risk situations, as defined in the National Vaccination Strategy, are also covered. Exception: Vaccinations required to reduce occupational risks are, in many cases, covered by your Swiss employer.
• Location or travel destination: If you live in or plan to visit a region for which a vaccination recommendation has been issued, the recommended vaccinations are covered by mandatory health insurance. That is the case with vaccinations for tick-borne encephalitis, for example. Certain vaccinations (the hepatitis A vaccination, for example) are covered if you will be traveling to a country in which the disease is endemic.

Which vaccinations are covered by supplemental health insurance?

Many optional, complementary health insurance offers include insurance benefits for vaccinations that are not covered by mandatory health insurance. Coverage varies between offers. Swiss supplementary health insurance offers that include vaccination coverage are shown in the table below.

Overview: Swiss supplemental health insurance offers with vaccination benefits

You can compare the costs of many supplemental health insurance offers using the interactive supplemental health insurance comparison on moneyland.ch. The comparison also lets you filter and sort offers based on the vaccination benefits they provide.

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