Moving away
In accordance with Art. 12 of the GCI, the health insurer must be notified of any change of address or relocation of the civil law domicile within 30 days.
If you are planning to return to Switzerland in the near future, you can contact your Swiss health insurer to have your policy suspended. If you suspend your insurance, you will still have to pay a certain percentage of your premium, e.g. 10% of the annual premium. The suspension request must be made well in advance of deregistration and departure.
New health insurance regulations as of 01.06.2024
If existing customers move abroad from June 1, 2024, the following rules apply:
Continuation of existing VVG coverage:
Example: Mrs. Müller moves to Germany. She can only continue her existing VVG insurance with SWICA if she remains subject to the KVG. Even if this insurance is not taken out with SWICA.
Taking out new VVG contracts or higher insurance:
Example: Mr. Meier is planning to move to France in two months, but is currently still living in Zurich. As long as his place of residence is still in Switzerland at the time the contract is drawn up, he can take out new VVG policies or higher insurance with SWICA if he is still subject to compulsory insurance in Switzerland.
Expiry of VVG coverage when KVG obligation ceases:
Example: Ms. Smith moves to the USA and thus loses her obligation to have health insurance in Switzerland. In this case, her VVG with SWICA is also canceled. However, GLOBAL CARE can continue to be taken out provided that it is canceled 30 days before the official deregistration.
Expiry of VVG coverage if the KVG obligation ceases during a stay abroad:
Example: Mr. Weber is temporarily in Canada and loses his obligation to have health insurance in Switzerland during his stay. His supplementary insurance with SWICA must therefore also be canceled. No GLOBAL CARE possible, as he is already abroad!
Regulations on the suspension of VVG coverage:
The option of temporarily suspending VVG coverage remains unchanged, even if there is no KVG obligation in Switzerland. This is because no benefits can be claimed under VVG during a suspension of VVG coverage without KVG obligation.
All persons who are already resident abroad and are not subject to compulsory health insurance in Switzerland:
Example: Ms. Huber has been living in Spain since 2023. She can continue to use her existing supplementary insurance (VVG) with SWICA even if she is no longer subject to compulsory health insurance in Switzerland. This is because the new regulation only came into force on June 1, 2024.
Deregistration Switzerland
When you deregister with your Swiss municipality of residence, your Swiss health insurance ends. You cannot continue this insurance. Please send the deregistration certificate to your health insurance company as soon as possible.
SWICA also requires questionnaire 053, in which the persons concerned must provide information on the receipt of cash benefits from Switzerland. This is necessary in order to verify the continuation of the statutory insurance obligation and provides clarity vis-à-vis domestic and foreign authorities.
053_e_Fragebogen_Abmeldung_Schweiz.pdf (swica.ch)
053_d_Fragebogen_Abmeldung_Schweiz.pdf (swica.ch)
Depending on your individual situation, there are different implications for your health insurance - so be sure to notify your health insurer of any changes early.
General regulations:
Financial connection to Switzerland and transfer of residence to the EU/EFTA or the United Kingdom
As a rule, the insurance obligation continues to exist in Switzerland with your transfer of residence to the EU/EFTA, provided that you or your spouse continue to receive cash benefits from Switzerland and do not pursue any (new) gainful employment in the new country of residence. This includes in particular income from gainful employment, AHV/BVG pensions and KVG daily allowances. Depending on the country of residence, you have an option right, according to which you can be exempted from the insurance obligation in Switzerland within 3 months upon written application, in order to be allowed to insure yourself in your country of residence.
The situation must be examined in detail in each individual case; we will be happy to support you in this.
Emigrating as a pensioner
New residence in the EU/EFTA or Great Britain
Do you receive your pension exclusively from Switzerland? If so, you will continue to be subject to compulsory insurance in Switzerland. If you move to Germany, France, Italy, Austria, Portugal or Spain, you have an option to be exempted from this insurance obligation and to be insured in your country of residence. If you do not exercise this option within 3 months, you will remain subject to compulsory insurance in Switzerland.
Do you (also) receive a pension from your new country of residence? Then you must insure yourself in your new country of residence, regardless of the amount of the pension.
If you receive pensions from several countries outside your country of residence, the situation must be examined/assessed in detail; we will be happy to support you in this.
New residence outside EU/EFTA and Great Britain
If you move your residence outside the EU/EFTA area, you are no longer subject to Swiss compulsory insurance. You should therefore take out international health insurance. This way you will continue to benefit from numerous services and the best insurance cover worldwide.
As a SWICA customer, you can switch to Global Care - as long as you are still resident in Switzerland: International Security for People Residing Abroad GLOBAL CARE - SWICA.
As a non-SWICA customer, you can, for example, apply for international insurance with Cigna Insurance International health insurance from Cigna Global
More information here: Retirement abroad (admin.ch)
Emigrating as an employee
Posting abroad by a Swiss employer
For employees sent abroad by a Swiss employer (remaining AHV), so-called "seconded employees", the following applies: As a secondee, you retain your insurance in Switzerland. As a rule, the following applies: As a posted employee or expatriate with Swiss social security contributions, you and your non-employed family members remain subject to compulsory insurance in Switzerland. This means that you will continue to benefit from Swiss health insurance coverage for at least two years - up to a maximum of six years.
Special insurance obligations for expatriates: Depending on the country in which you live and work as a secondee, different legal and contractual requirements may apply in some cases. Find out about the country in question before you leave:
Further information from the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH).
Gainful employment (still) in Switzerland and transfer of residence abroad
If you transfer your place of residence to the EU/EFTA or the United Kingdom, you are still subject to compulsory insurance in your country of employment (Switzerland). If you transfer your residence to Germany, France, Italy or Austria, you have an option to be exempted from this insurance obligation and to be insured in your country of residence. If you do not exercise this option within 3 months, you will remain subject to compulsory insurance in Switzerland.
If you move to a country outside the EU/EFTA or the United Kingdom, the insurance obligation in Switzerland ends and you must take out insurance in your new country of residence.
Return to Switzerland
People leaving Switzerland to live abroad are no longer subject to compulsory health insurance. However, certain groups of people must retain their Swiss health insurance, while others may continue their coverage on a contractual basis.
Health insurance: Requirement to obtain insurance (admin.ch)
If you are planning to return to Switzerland in the near future, you can contact your Swiss health insurer to have your policy suspended. If you suspend your insurance, you must continue to pay a certain percentage of your premium, e.g. 10% of the annual premium. The request for suspension must be made well in advance of your departure.