Benefits beyond LAMal
They supplement basic insurance for hospitalisation, dental, glasses, complementary medicine, sport, massages, prevention or comfort depending on the formula.
No, and the insurer may refuse
Unlike LAMal, supplementary policies fall under LCA: the insurer may accept, refuse or apply exclusions.
Subscribe before the need arises
Once a diagnosis, pregnancy or known treatment exists, access can become difficult or certain benefits may be excluded.
Supplementary health cover diagram
Three useful blocks beyond LAMal: hospital, outpatient care, dental.
- Everyday Outpatient supplements Alternative medicine, glasses, prevention
- Often priority Hospital Room type, free choice of doctor / hospital
Choose only what you will actually use.
LAMal and supplementary insurance: two different logics
Basic health insurance is mandatory, standardized and must accept you. Supplementary health insurance is optional, governed by the Insurance Contract Act (LCA/VVG) and works as a private contract: benefits, premiums, exclusions, waiting periods and admission conditions vary by insurer.
Supplementary insurance can finance what basic insurance covers little or not at all: private or semi-private room, broader choice of hospital, dental care, orthodontics, glasses, lenses, osteopathy, acupuncture, non-covered medicines, prevention, fitness or treatment abroad.
The right decision is made in the right order
We clarify your needs: dental, hospitalisation, complementary medicine, sport, massages, child or maternity.
We look at eligibility, the health questionnaire, possible exclusions and waiting periods.
We compare premiums, limits, reimbursement rates, recognized networks and exclusions.
We wait for written acceptance before cancelling any existing cover.
Common pitfalls we avoid
Supplementary insurance is not switched like LAMal. A decision made too quickly can cause you to lose cover that will be difficult to recover later.
I already have this policy, how can I cancel or switch insurer?
Deadlines depend on the general conditions and the policy. Many contracts provide for three months’ notice, often with cancellation received no later than 30 September for termination on 31 December, but some deadlines are longer. Since the LCA revision, ordinary cancellation is in principle possible no later than the end of the third year, even if a longer contract was signed.
Hospitalization: common, semi-private, private or Flex ward
LAMal covers hospitalization in a common ward according to basic rules. You can choose a listed hospital, but financial coverage depends on your canton of residence, the hospital list and the applicable tariff. If you choose an out-of-canton hospital for personal convenience, a tariff difference may remain at your expense if it is not covered by supplementary insurance.
Hospital supplementary insurance can add real comfort: broader choice of hospital, two-bed room in semi-private, single room in private, free choice of doctor or specialist, and sometimes cover in recognized clinics. Flex models allow you to decide before each hospitalization whether you stay in common ward or upgrade to semi-private or private, often with cost sharing.
For maternity and planned operations, waiting periods are essential. Many solutions apply a waiting period close to 12 months for maternity or certain planned benefits: if the project has already started, it may be too late to obtain the desired cover. Finwise therefore checks admission, deadlines, recognized hospitals and the real cost before any cancellation or new application.
Supplementary care cover: sport, massages and outpatient
Supplementary care cover often fills what LAMal covers little or not at all day to day: osteopathy, acupuncture, naturopathy, medical massages, fitness, sport, glasses, lenses, vaccines, prevention or non-reimbursed medicines. Before paying for a long list of benefits, Finwise checks what you really use and what already exists via your employer or another policy.
Dental: routine care, orthodontics and children
In Switzerland, LAMal does not reimburse routine dental care such as scaling, cavities, crowns, implants or orthodontics. It only applies in specific cases: serious diseases of the masticatory system, treatments made necessary by another serious illness, congenital conditions or accident if no other insurance applies.
Dental supplementary insurance falls under LCA. It may reimburse part of the care, but with limits, percentages, a dental questionnaire and waiting periods. In practice, it must be taken out before the treatment is diagnosed, quoted or started.
For children, the analysis must be done early, ideally before a dentist or orthodontist identifies a need. Some insurers accept very young children more easily, whereas a certificate, questionnaire or exclusion may be requested later. For adults, Finwise compares the premium with the actually usable limit: expensive dental cover with a low cap may be less attractive than dedicated savings.
When to subscribe?
The best time is often while you are still healthy, before a family project, surgery, dental treatment or arrival in Switzerland. The questionnaire must be completed fully and accurately: a false statement may allow the insurer to terminate the policy and refuse benefits related to the omitted fact.
We protect your cover before optimizing the price
We compare benefits, limits, waiting periods, questionnaires, exclusions and restrictions with our partners. Our priority is to improve your cover without exposing you to a loss of existing benefits.
Coordinate health and private protection
Supplementary insurance must fit with your basic insurance and other covers to avoid overlaps and uncovered areas.