Why moving changes your basic premium
In Switzerland, the premium for mandatory basic health insurance (LAMal/KVG) depends on where you live. The country is divided into premium regions, and the same insurer applies different rates depending on the canton and zone. A family that moves therefore often discovers, on the January invoice, that the amount has changed even though nothing in their coverage was altered. This is not an error: it is the direct consequence of the new address reported to the insurer.
The finding is surprising but logical. Healthcare costs vary from one region to another, and premiums reflect this local reality. For the family concerned, the difference can go either way depending on the cantons of departure and arrival. The key is to understand that the move itself does not cancel the contract: coverage follows the person, and only the address and premium region are updated by the insurer.
The move opens a reflection, not an automatic cancellation
Many believe that changing canton automatically releases them from their insurer. This is not the case for basic insurance: the contract remains valid and continues with the new regional rate. However, seeing the premium change is a good trigger to compare. Since each insurer sets its own rates per region, the ranking of the cheapest insurers in your new canton may be very different from the one you knew before.
It is therefore the ideal moment to take stock. An insurer that was advantageous in the old canton is not necessarily so in the new one, and vice versa. Comparing the identical basic benefits across several insurers in your new region lets you measure, as a percentage, the potential saving. This reflection remains distinct from a simple address update: it is a decision to switch insurer, subject to its own deadlines.
Which deadlines apply despite the ongoing contract
The ordinary expiry of basic insurance is set at 31 December, taking effect on 1 January. To benefit from it, the cancellation must reach the insurer no later than 30 November, respecting a one-month notice period. A move during the year does not, on its own, create an additional exit window: the contract continues until the next annual expiry unless a particular condition opens an extraordinary right.
The extraordinary cancellation right in case of an increase
If the premium rises for the following year, you benefit from an extraordinary cancellation right. You may then leave your insurer at the end of the year, even beyond the usual timing, provided you respect the notice period set after notification of the new premium. This right is particularly useful when a move coincides with a regional rate increase: the situation combines awareness with a legal window to act, without waiting an extra year.
Basic LAMal and supplementary cover: two distinct logics
Basic insurance and supplementary insurance (LCA/VVG) follow different rules. Basic insurance benefits from the admission obligation: every insurer must accept you, without reservation or health assessment, which makes switching after a move very accessible. Supplementary cover, by contrast, falls under private law: the insurer may set conditions, reservations or refuse, and the cancellation deadlines appear in each policy, often distinct from those of the basic plan.
Before switching insurer for the basic plan, it is therefore wise to check how it interacts with your supplementary cover. Cancelling the basic plan with one insurer does not automatically end the supplementary policies taken out with them, and vice versa. Examine the specific deadlines of each LCA contract, as well as any deductibles and the co-payment that remain your responsibility. This check avoids being left without useful supplementary cover at the time of the switch.
Optimising the switch after settling in the new canton
Once settled, use this reflection to adjust the deductible and the insurance model as well. Adult deductibles range from 300 to 2500 CHF, and an alternative model (family doctor, telemedicine, care network) can reduce the premium compared with the standard model, by a percentage depending on your profile. The move, by reshuffling regional rates, is a good opportunity to recalibrate these choices according to your real needs.
Proceed methodically: compare the offers in your new region, check the deadlines for the basic plan and each supplementary policy, then send your cancellation in time for 30 November. Keep proof of dispatch and make sure you are affiliated with the new insurer before the old contract ends, so as to meet the insurance obligation without interruption. A well-prepared transition turns a simple address formality into a lasting optimisation.
Frequently asked questions
Does moving between cantons let me cancel my insurer at any time?
No. For basic insurance, the move creates no immediate exit right: the contract continues with the new regional rate. Ordinary cancellation remains possible for 31 December, with dispatch before 30 November, unless an extraordinary right applies due to a premium increase.
Why does my basic premium change even though I keep the same coverage?
Because the premium depends on your region of residence. Each insurer applies different rates according to the canton and zone. By changing canton, your premium region is updated, which alters the amount without affecting the scope of your basic coverage.
Should I cancel my supplementary cover at the same time as the basic plan?
Not necessarily. The basic plan and LCA supplementary cover follow distinct rules and deadlines. Check the deadlines of each supplementary policy before acting, as cancelling the basic plan does not automatically end the supplementary cover, which may carry its own conditions.