health insurance premium
Age groups: what you need to know
Your age can affect your premiums for both basic and supplementary insurance. We explain why.
Health insurance age groups
Your age can affect your premiums for both basic and supplementary insurance. This is because health risks and costs increase with age, which is reflected in different age groups. Here you can find out more about the age groups and how they can affect the premium.
Information for our customers: If you or a family member is due to transfer age groups, you will be informed in advance as part of the annual policy mailing in the autumn.
Basic insurance
Basic insurance premiums vary depending on the age of the insured. There are three statutory age groups for basic insurance premiums:
- Children (up to age 18)
- Young adults (19 to 25 years of age)
- Adults (from 26 years of age)
On reaching the maximum age of a group, the insured undergoes an age group transfer, which usually involves a premium increase. The first age group transfer is after the insured’s 18th birthday, then again after their 25th birthday:
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First age group transfer – after 18th birthday
Premium
At Sanitas, children benefit from a discount of between 74.7% and 77.5% on the adult premium. From your 19th year, you are no longer classed as a child, which is why this premium reduction no longer applies. However, you benefit from the discount for young adults.
Your premium is adjusted after your 18th birthday on 1 January of the next calendar year.
Deductible
The deductible is the amount you pay towards the cost of your medical treatments each year. The deductible for children ranges optionally between 0 and CHF 600. From the age of 19, you can choose a deductible of between CHF 300 and CHF 2,500. The higher the deductible, the lower the premium.
The new deductible applies from 1 January of the calendar year after your 18th birthday.
What does deductible or premium mean? You’ll find all the important health insurance terms in our dictionary.
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Second age group transfer – after your 25th birthday
Premium
At Sanitas, young adults benefit from a discount on basic insurance of between 29% and 37% on the adult premium. From your 26th year, you are no longer classed as a young adult, which is why this premium reduction no longer applies.
The premium is adjusted after your 25th birthday on 1 January of the next calendar year.
What is the premium? You’ll find all the important health insurance terms in our dictionary.
Supplementary insurance
For supplementary insurance, there are no uniform age groups as with basic insurance. These are specific to each supplementary insurance plan and defined in the respective general terms of insurance or supplementary terms.
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Which annual deductible is right for me?
It makes sense to choose a high deductible for health insurance when your health costs tend to be low. The higher the deductible, the lower the premium. You can save money by choosing a high deductible, but if you go to the doctor and receive a high bill, you have to pay the deductible yourself until you reach your deductible, in addition to your copayment of CHF 700. The highest deductible is CHF 2,500. Consider carefully how much you could afford to pay in an emergency and choose a deductible that doesn’t exceed this amount.
Change your deductible
Change your deductible by 31 December for the following year You can do so quickly and easily in the Sanitas Portal.
How to save money on your premiums
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Opt for an alternative basic insurance model
We offer various basic insurance models. With a Telmed model, for example, you can make significant savings compared to the basic model with free choice of doctor. It’s best to compare the options to find the basic insurance that suits you.
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Choose the right deductible
Your deductible is the share you pay towards treatment costs and is calculated each calendar year. If you increase your deductible for basic insurance, you can save up to CHF 1,540 on your health insurance premium each year. Change your deductible by 31 December for the following year quickly and easily in the Sanitas Portal.
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Check your entitlement to a premium subsidy
Depending on your income and assets, you may be entitled to state support with health insurance premiums. Ask your municipality or canton of residence about potential subsidies.
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Save money with the Sanitas Portal app
Our app offers great savings potential. Before you have an examination or treatment, you can use the Cover Check to find out whether the costs are covered under your Sanitas insurance plans. Our invoice translator helps you check your invoice after treatment. Are only services that you actually received listed there? This also helps you save money.
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Suspend your health insurance during military service
During your military or civilian service, your health insurance is covered by the Suva military insurance. Simply send us your marching orders as early as possible. We’ll then suspend your current health insurance for this period.
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Exclude accident cover
If you’re working and already insured against accidents via your employer, you can exclude accident cover from your health insurance and thus save money.
Save money with an alternative basic insurance model
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Frequently asked questions
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By when do I have to terminate in order to switch my basic insurance?
You can terminate your basic insurance each year by 30 November or by the last working day in November. By law, customers can only switch to another insurer if they have paid all outstanding premiums and cost shares and have confirmation from the new insurer. If you choose a deductible of CHF 300, there’s an additional period of notice at the end of June. In this case, Sanitas must receive notice of termination by 31 March or the last working day in March. However, this only applies to the standard basic insurance model, not alternative insurance models. Parents are responsible for paying all invoices for treatment until the end of the month in which the child reaches legal age. After that, 18-year-olds are responsible for it themselves.
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By when do I have to terminate in order to switch my supplementary insurance?
Periods of notice can vary for supplementary insurance plans. You can find binding information in the general terms of insurance, the supplementary terms or in the special terms of the relevant insurance plans.
Tip: you don’t have to send your letter of termination by registered post, but it’s safer to do so because it’s important that the letter arrives in time.
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Where can I see my new premium?
Health insurers send out the new policies every year in October. Policy is another name for insurance contract. The policy shows which insurance plans you’ve taken out and how much they cost. The premium is the money you pay each month for the insurance you have taken out.