The Health Insurance Supervisory Authority oversees compliance with Swiss compulsory health insurance. When registering at the Residents’ Office, you must bring a valid health insurance card or policy with you.
Individual premium reduction (IPR)
Health insurance providers charge premiums irrespective of the income or assets of the insured person. Insured persons from low-income households have the right to premium reductions. The conditions and amount of the reduction are subject to cantonal law.
Exemption from insurance obligations
Students or doctoral candidates, for instance, who remain in Switzerland for a short stay, can be exempted from compulsory health insurance. The Health Insurance Supervisory Authority needs to obtain several documents in order to reach a verdict, depending on the person’s personal situation.
The insurance company must certify the equivalence of the foreign health insurance policy using the form «Certification of the foreign health insurance provider confirming entitlement to benefits in kind during a person’s stay in Switzerland».
Forms
- Overview of required documents for exemption from compulsory health insurance for students and interns (54 kB, PDF)
- Application for exemption from Swiss compulsory health insurance for students and interns (33 kB, PDF)
- Certification concerning full insurance coverage during the stay in Switzerland (94 kB, PDF)
- Register of health insurance providers in St.Gallen (104 kB, PDF)
Holders of an EU/EFTA short-stay permit, claiming residence in Germany, Austria, France or Italy, can be exempted from the Swiss compulsory health insurance, under certain circumstances. The following documents are required:
- Application (written by the applicant) for exemption from the Swiss compulsory health insurance
- Current confirmation of residence/notification for your foreign domicile (compulsory)
- Oiginal copy of the form below titled «Certificate», verified by the foreign health insurance provider without limitations/comments
eneral exemption from the compulsory health insurance will be subject to review on a yearly basis. Shortly before the expiry of the EU/EFTA short-stay permit, all documents must be resubmitted to the Health Insurance Supervisory Authority for review.
The insurance company must certify the equivalence of the foreign health insurance policy using the form «Certification of the foreign health insurance provider confirming entitlement to benefits in kind during a person’s stay in Switzerland».