Why compare methodically before cancelling
Cancelling a health insurer without comparing first means switching blind. Basic insurance (LAMal) covers the same benefits everywhere, but service, reimbursement speed and quality of follow-up vary widely between insurers. A structured method separates what is genuinely comparable from marketing claims, and avoids cancelling for an offer that will not meet your real needs.
Comparing methodically also means planning the deadline ahead. Cancellation of basic insurance must reach the insurer before 30 November to take effect on 1 January, with one month's notice. By preparing the comparison early, you stay in control of the calendar and avoid making a rushed decision at the moment premium increases are announced.
Step 1: set comparable criteria
The first step is to define an identical set of criteria for every insurer reviewed. Focus on measurable elements: insurance models offered (family doctor, telemedicine, HMO), deductible available within the legal range of 300 to 2,500 CHF for adults, reimbursement times, accessibility of customer service and clarity of conditions. These criteria hold whatever your situation and allow a fair comparison.
Avoid comparing on a single axis. An insurer may look attractive on an alternative model while offering less responsive service. By scoring each criterion separately, you build an overall picture rather than an impression. This grid will also serve as a reference if you use your extraordinary right of cancellation following a premium increase, which opens a window to switch even mid-year.
Step 2: reason in percentage savings
Rather than comparing gross amounts, reason in relative difference. Ask yourself by what percentage an option reduces your burden compared with your current situation, for equivalent benefits. This approach neutralises the effects of your canton, age and deductible, and highlights the real levers: choice of model, level of deductible and acceptance of the 10% co-payment capped at 700 CHF per year.
Percentage savings have another advantage: they remain valid over time. An amount changes every year with premiums, but a relative gap between two models or two deductibles reflects a structural logic. Comparing this way, you identify options that durably reduce your burden, without being swayed by a one-off figure that says nothing about your actual pattern of care use.
Step 3: assess models and supplementary cover separately
Basic insurance and supplementary cover (LCA) follow different logics. Basic insurance is subject to the obligation to admit: no insurer can refuse you. Supplementary cover, by contrast, may require a health questionnaire and reject an application. It is therefore essential not to cancel supplementary cover before you have written confirmation of acceptance elsewhere, or you risk being left uninsured.
For alternative models (family doctor, telemedicine, care network), assess the percentage reduction they offer against the constraint accepted: a mandatory first point of contact, restricted choice of doctors. A model that sharply cuts your burden is only worthwhile if the constraint matches how you actually seek care. Compare this benefit-to-constraint ratio insurer by insurer, without mixing basic and supplementary cover.
Step 4: decide and prepare the cancellation
Once the comparison is done, formalise your decision before acting. Check that the new insurer confirms it will take over basic insurance on 1 January, then send your cancellation so it arrives before 30 November, respecting the one-month notice. Keep proof of sending: it is decisive in any dispute over the date of receipt by the outgoing insurer.
If you are comparing following a premium increase, you have an extraordinary right of cancellation that can be exercised outside the ordinary deadline. In all cases, never cancel cover before you have written acceptance from the next one. This discipline, combined with your criteria grid and your reasoning in percentages, turns a risky switch into a controlled, documented decision.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to compare prices in francs to choose well?
No. Reasoning in percentage savings is more reliable, because an amount depends on your canton, age and deductible. The relative gap between two models or two deductibles reflects a structural logic that stays valid over time, whereas a one-off figure says nothing about your real profile.
Can I cancel supplementary cover at the same time as basic insurance?
Be careful. Basic insurance is subject to the obligation to admit, but supplementary cover (LCA) can refuse you after a health questionnaire. Never cancel your supplementary cover before receiving written confirmation of acceptance from another insurer, or you risk being left without that cover.
When should my comparison be finished?
Ideally before the autumn premiums are announced. Cancellation of basic insurance must reach the insurer before 30 November to take effect on 1 January, with one month's notice. Preparing the grid in advance avoids deciding under time pressure.