Quote

What is a quote?

A quote is a written offer from a health insurer. As a minimum, it states the monthly premium, the chosen deductible, the insurance model, whether accident cover is included and from when the insurance is to apply. For supplementary insurance, it also includes the products, benefits and terms.

In health insurance, you need to distinguish between two types of quote, because they are completely different in legal terms:

• Quote for basic health insurance (KVG): the benefits are set by law and are the same with every insurer. Every insurer must accept you, without health questions and without reservations. The premium is approved by the FOPH. Here, a quote is essentially price information.
• Quote for supplementary insurance (ICA): freedom of contract applies here. The insurer decides whether and on what terms it insures you. The quote is followed by an application with health questions, and the insurer can refuse you or add reservations.

A quote is not the same as the policy. The policy is the document that confirms the contract has been concluded. And a quote does not replace a neutral premium comparison: it only shows one insurer’s offer.

How it works

Basic health insurance: the premiums of all insurers are public. You can compare them without a quote in the premium calculator, which uses the official FOPH data. Once you have chosen an insurer, you register with it. The insurer may not refuse you (Art. 4 KVG, Art. 5 let. i KVAG). If your current insurer has notified you of a new premium, your notice of cancellation must reach it by 30 November for a switch with effect from 1 January (Art. 7 para. 2 KVG). Everything about the process is under switching.

Timing: an insurer may only publish or apply new premiums for the following year once the FOPH has approved them (Art. 16 para. 1 KVAG). Quotes with the following year’s premiums are therefore only available after that. Your own insurer must notify you of your new premium no later than two months before it applies (Art. 7 para. 2 KVG).

Supplementary insurance: the quote shows the premium and benefits. If you want to sign up, you submit an insurance application and answer health questions. You are bound by this application for 14 days, or four weeks if a medical examination is needed (Art. 1 ICA). You can revoke your application or your acceptance within 14 days (Art. 2a ICA). Before the contract is concluded, the insurer must inform you about the insured risks, the scope of cover, premiums, term, cancellation and your right of revocation (Art. 3 ICA).

Quote through an intermediary: if you get quotes through an intermediary or broker, they must tell you who they are, whether they are tied or untied and who is liable for errors (Art. 45 ISA). By law, intermediaries work for remuneration in the interest of one or more insurers (Art. 19a KVAG). Ask who pays for the advice.

Legal basis

For basic health insurance, there is no specific rule on quotes, but several rules shape them. Art. 4 of the Federal Health Insurance Act (KVG) gives you a free choice among all authorised insurers. Art. 5 let. i of the Health Insurance Supervision Act (KVAG) requires every insurer to accept anyone who is required to be insured within its area of activity. Art. 16 para. 1 KVAG prohibits publishing or applying premiums before the FOPH has approved them. Art. 7 KVG governs notice periods and switching.

For supplementary insurance, the Insurance Contract Act (ICA) applies. Art. 1 ICA binds you to your application for 14 days, or four weeks if a medical examination is needed. Art. 2a ICA gives you a 14-day right of revocation, in writing or in another form that allows proof by text. Art. 3 ICA lists what the insurer must inform you about before the contract is concluded. Art. 45 of the Insurance Supervision Act (ISA) governs intermediaries’ duty to inform, and Art. 19a and 19b KVAG govern intermediary activity in basic health insurance, including signed advice records.

Example: three quotes for the same benefits

Léa is 30 (born in 1996), lives in Lausanne and is getting quotes for basic health insurance with accident cover for 2026. The table shows the range of all offers in her municipality. Source: FOPH, health insurance premiums 2026, municipality of Lausanne (region 1).

Important when comparing: check that the deductible, model and accident cover are the same in all quotes. A quote with a lower premium but a different model cannot be compared directly.

What this means for you

1. Compare basic health insurance yourself. You do not need a quote to know the premiums. The premium calculator shows all approved premiums for your municipality.
2. Look at the insurers. You will find each insurer’s models, key figures and contact details under health insurers.
3. Apply for supplementary insurance carefully. Answer health questions completely and truthfully. Incorrect information can later entitle the insurer to cancel the contract.
4. Only cancel basic health insurance once the new insurer confirms. Your current basic health insurance only ends once the new insurer has confirmed that you are insured without interruption (Art. 7 para. 5 KVG). Only cancel supplementary insurance once the new contract has been accepted.
5. Keep to the deadlines. The dates are under deadlines, and a template for your notice under cancellation letter.

Common mistakes

• Comparing quotes with different deductibles. Only the same deductible, the same model and the same accident cover give a fair comparison.
• Cancelling supplementary insurance first. If you cancel your existing supplementary insurance before the new one has been accepted, you risk a gap or reservations.
• Linking basic and supplementary insurance. You do not have to have them with the same insurer. Your current insurer may not force you to cancel your supplementary insurance when you switch basic health insurance (Art. 7 para. 7 KVG).
• Signing quotes for the new year too early. Before the FOPH has approved them, there are no valid premiums for the following year.

We explain how we analyse premiums under how we calculate.