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Foreign Student Health Insurance Switzerland

For students, interns, and au pairs
SPSS Plan
CHF 61 / Month
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Swiss insurer
Swiss insurer
Accepted in all cantons
Accepted in all cantons
Recommended by all universities
Recommended by all universities

What is the Foreign Student Health Insurance Switzerland plan ?

This insurance plan is a comprehensive medical and accident insurance that complies with Article 2 Para. 4 of the Swiss Health Insurance Ordinance KVV/OAMal, which regulates the insurance obligations of foreign students, interns, and au pairs.

All benefits of the Swiss national health insurance scheme KVG-LAMal without requesting any medical history or medical questionnaire. Pre-existing conditions are covered.

The plan is covered by a Swiss insurance company.

Who can apply the plan?

  • Scholars and students
  • Internships
  • Au pairs

All foreign students, interns, and au pairs who stay in Switzerland temporarily between 90 days up to 6 years can join Swisscare's Foreign Student Health Insurance Switzerland plan.

If your stay is up to 89 days, you will need to select a travel insurance plan.

Country-specific information

Country-specific information

Select country
  • Austria
  • Belgium
  • Bulgaria
  • Croatia
  • Cyprus
  • Czech Republic
  • Denmark
  • Estonia
  • Finland
  • France
  • Germany
  • Greece
  • Hungary
  • Iceland
  • Ireland
  • Italy
  • Latvia
  • Lithuania
  • Luxembourg
  • Malta
  • Netherlands
  • Norway
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Romania
  • Slovakia
  • Slovenia
  • Spain Limited
  • Spain Unlimited
  • Sweden

Nice to know

  • Benefits according to the Swiss KVG-LAMal law
  • Illness and accidents
  • In / out patient coverage
  • Assistance benefits included
  • Free choice of general practitioner
  • Unlimited plan
  • No medical questionnaire
  • Direct billing for inpatient treatments
  • 100% online
  • Valid in all cantons
  • Valid for student visas and permits
  • Choice of 3 insurance plans
  • Choice of 4 deductibles
  • Customer account / mobile app
  • QR code invoice / credit card
  • Overpaid premiums refund
  • Online claims submission

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is an exemption procedure ?

    What is an exemption, and what is an exemption procedure?                        

    The SWISSCARE Student Switzerland insurance plan covers all benefits of the mandatory Swiss national health insurance scheme KVG-LaMal. The exemption is a “waiver” from the obligation to have a Swiss national health insurance and is only possible for a very limited group of individuals (e.g. foreign students, interns, trainees,au-pairs) who are in Switzerland temporarily. After filling out this exemption form and sending all requested documents to SWISSCARE as pdf files and in good quality, our team will stamp, sign and send these documents directly to the responsible cantonal authorities. Upon reception of the documents, the cantonal authority will verify whether you are eligible for exemption according to article 2 paragraph 4 of the Swiss Ordinance on Health Insurance (KVV, OaMal). Depending on the authority concerned, the verification process can take a few weeks or even several months. Once the concerned authorities have rendered a decision, it will be sent directly to the insured. Unfortunately, Swisscare is not informed and can not obtain any information concerning this process.


    Does this mean that I can be exempted from paying for my health insurance?                    


    Answer: No, the premiums are due and the exemption procedure has no impact on the obligation to pay for the insurance premiums.  


    According to Swiss law, it is mandatory for every resident in Switzerland to obtain health insurance coverage in accordance with the regulations set in the Swiss Health Insurance Act. However, for certain individuals such as foreign students, or interns, there is an option to waive this obligation and to obtain private health insurance coverage, as long as the benefits are equivalent to those required by the Swiss Health Insurance Act. During the exemption procedure, this is what the authorities verify.


    Do I need to pay for my health insurance during the exemption procedure?                        

    Answer: Yes

    The reason the premiums are still owed during the time the exemption request is being processed, is that should a client not pay and thus lose coverage, Swisscare is obligated to notify the authorities and the exemption process is then automatically stopped and the individual can be assigned to a Swiss national health insurance by the authorities. Additionally, Swiss law requires compliant insurance coverage from the day of arrival. For this reason, it is very important to respect the payment delays. In the case of non-payment, coverage can be suspended and a notification to the authorities can become necessary.


    Is it possible that the exemption application is refused by the competent authorities?             

    The cantonal authorities can refuse an application for exemption based on a lack of eligibility - meaning that the individual does not fulfill the conditions set out in the applicable laws. The refusal decision always states the reasons for refusal, as well as a deadline for an appeal. Should the application be denied, a national Swiss health insurance provider must be found for the concerned individual and Swisscare should be contacted and the termination process initiated.

     

  • How can I change my address?

    You can change your address by logging into your customer account or using the MySwisscare app on iOS or Android.

  • Hospital treatments, general practitioners or dentists, what is covered?

    If you require medical treatment, it is important the treatment is undertaken by a doctor whose certification is officially recognized in the country you receive your treatment. Depending on the insurance coverage you have chosen, specific exclusions may be applicable. We recommend that the General Insurance Conditions are consulted and, if anything is not clear, you can contact us or the claim service directly.  Outpatient treatments (meaning you don’t have an overnight stay in a medical facility) generally have to be paid in advance; then, you can proceed to submit your claim to the claim service via email or via your customer account or the iOS / Android app.

    In the case of hospital admission for inpatient treatment (meaning an overnight stay), you can present your digital insurance card saved on your MySwisscare account or the iOS or Android app. If the inpatient facility requires further information, you can simply click or tap share - and then enter the email address given by the hospital. They will then receive the complete insurance policy with all the details. Most of the time, inpatient treatments will be billed directly to the concerned insurer; however, they may request a security deposit.

    Dentists are usually not covered unless there is an accident. Should a plan provide coverage for dental treatments, this will be stated in the General Insurance Conditions (GIC’s and the benefits list).

  • What is a deductible?

    The insurance deductible is a fixed sum that is at the expense of the insured in the case of a claim covered by the chosen insurance policy. The general insurance conditions define the amount and the scope of application. The deductible can be calculated per contractual year, per calendar year, for a specific duration, for a specific treatment or for a specific insurance cover. 

    The insurance deductible is also stated on the insurance policy.

    Not all insurance products are submitted to a deductible.

  • How do I claim my medical expenses?

    Important

    Please note that coverage is only provided for the benefits stated in the General Insurance Conditions. At times exclusions are also applicable, and they vary depending on the insurance product. It is recommendable to verify the coverage of the chosen product in advance.

    In the case of outpatient treatment (no overnight stay at a medical facility), the insured always has to pay for the medical treatments (doctor’s, pharmacy, specialists, hospital outpatient treatments) in advance. 

    To ensure you are refunded quickly, it is recommendable to follow the claim procedure via your customer account or by using the MySwissare iOS or Android App.

    1. Log into your MySwisscare Account
    2. Select the concerned insurance policy and complete the online fields
    3. Take a picture and/or upload the pdf or jpg file of your detailed invoice.
    4. Take a picture and/or upload the proof of payment (bank receipt or cash payment receipt from the pharmacy, doctor, specialist, hospital...)
    5. Short statement concerning the medical issue and the administered treatment
    6. Send / Submit


    How long does it take for a refund to be made?

    Once the concerned claim service has received all required documentation, the insurer will initiate the refund procedure. In most instances, a refund is effected within 30 days of submission of the complete documentation. During peak seasons (for example, December), it is possible that a refund will take longer. If within 45 days you have not been refunded by the insurer, we recommend that you contact them directly via email or our contact form.

  • How do I cancel my SPSS Student plan?

    Leaving Switzerland 


    If you are leaving Switzerland permanently, meaning that you will be returning your residence permit or it is no longer valid, you can cancel your insurance on the day following your departure (if you leave on the 25th, then that is the last day of validity and the cancelation takes effect on the 26th). To do so please email us a scanned copy of your official attestation of departure from the city hall. Premiums for the time after departure according to the certificate you present will be refunded.

    Please send us along with your attestation of departure your bank account coordinates for a refund. We require the following information: bank name, bank address, IBAN, SWIFT/BIC, account holder name and address. Once we have all the required information, the refund will be made. 

    You are no longer a student, intern, au pair and are remaining in Switzerland

    By law and our the General Insurance Conditions, once your status changes and you are no longer eligible for the Student health insurance plan, the plan must be canceled. As we are not necessarily informed of such changes, you are required to contact us to initiate the cancelation procedure and the switch to a Swiss national health insurance scheme KVG-LAMal. We are happy to support you with the switch. 

    You marry a Swiss national 

    Once you marry a Swiss national, your residence status changes and the main reason for your stay in Switzerland is no longer of a temporary nature - which means you are no longer eligible for exemption to have a Student health insurance. You must inform Swisscare of these changes as well as the concerned authorities and you will have to switch to a Swiss national health insurance scheme KVG-LAMal. We are happy to guide you during this transition.


    Change to a different insurer 

    If you wish to change to another insurer and none of the reasons above are applicable, then you can cancel at the end of the calendar year (December 31st) and must hand in notice until September 30th of the current year.

    To validate your cancellation, we need a confirmation from your new insurance that coverage will begin on January 1st of the following year. Please note, that an offer is insufficient to validate a cancelation, it must be an insurance policy. 

    Attention! A cancellation is only possible if your insurance policy was active for at least 12 months.  

  • What are the Swisscare news for COVID-19 (SPSS)?

    The cost of the COVID-19 / Coronavirus tests and treatments will be reimbursed by basic health insurance. You may refer to the Federal Office of Public Health for more details.

    Possible case(s) are advised to phone the doctor’s office or hospital first, rather than showing up in person.

    Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH)
    Coronavirus Infoline: +41 58 463 00 00, daily 24 hours
    For health professionals: +41 58 462 21 00, daily from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

    The Infoline is staffed 24 hours daily in German, French, Italian, and English.

    Please note there is currently a high demand for advice and information.
    The authority has increased the number of Infoline call handlers, but callers may still experience lengthy delays before getting through.

Legal : The insurer is Europäische Reiseversicherungs AG is a stock corporation under Swiss law, with its registered office at Margarethenstrasse 38, 4002 Basel. The company is registered by the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory FINMA.