Understanding the difference between mandatory basic cover and LCA supplementary
Basic LAMal insurance and LCA supplementary insurance follow two entirely separate legal regimes. For the basic plan, every insurer has a legal obligation to admit you, with no medical questionnaire and no reservation, regardless of your health condition or age. The catalogue of benefits is identical everywhere: only the premium varies according to the insurer, the canton and the chosen model. This unconditional duty to admit is the cornerstone of the system.
LCA supplementary insurance, by contrast, falls under private insurance law. The insurer remains free to accept or refuse an application, to require a detailed health questionnaire, to add reservations or to exclude certain benefits. A refusal of the supplementary plan on medical grounds is therefore entirely lawful and common. It has no bearing whatsoever on your right of access to the mandatory basic plan, which always remains guaranteed.
Why a refused supplementary plan does not block a basic-cover switch
Many policyholders give up on switching their basic insurer for fear of losing all coverage because the new insurer refused their supplementary plan. This fear rests on a confusion: the two contracts are independent and can be cancelled or taken out separately. You can transfer your basic LAMal plan to a new insurer while leaving your LCA supplementary plan with your current provider.
The only trap lies in how the cancellation is worded. If you cancel all your contracts globally without distinction, you risk also removing the LCA plan you wanted to keep. The rule is therefore simple: explicitly cancel only the basic insurance, and confirm in writing that your supplementary plans remain in force with the former insurer.
The step-by-step method to secure the switch
The key is sequencing: first obtain confirmation of admission to the basic plan from the new insurer before cancelling anything. Since admission to the basic plan is mandatory, this confirmation is a formality, but it gives you a written record. Never cancel your old contract before you have this guarantee in hand.
Separating the basic-plan cancellation from keeping the LCA
Send your old insurer a cancellation that targets only the basic LAMal insurance, stating in black and white that the LCA supplementary contracts must be maintained. Keep a copy and request an acknowledgement of receipt. This precision avoids any misunderstanding and protects the cover that the new insurer refused you.
Respecting the legal calendar
For a basic-cover switch on 1 January, the cancellation must reach the old insurer by 30 November at the latest, with one month's notice. Send it by registered mail in good time so that the date of receipt is authoritative. The new basic plan takes effect on 1 January, with no break in coverage if the steps are chained correctly.
Keeping the old LCA: benefits, limits and points of vigilance
Keeping your supplementary plan with the historical insurer offers a major advantage: you retain your benefits with no new health questionnaire, no reservation and no waiting period. For a person whose health has changed, this is often the only way to preserve full cover, since a new application elsewhere would be refused or cut back.
Stay alert, however, on a few points. Some insurers grant combined discounts for basic plus supplementary cover; by separating the two, you could lose this tariff advantage. Also check the LCA's own deadlines, often annual with three months' notice, distinct from those of the basic plan. These elements do not call the strategy into question, but they deserve to be weighed.
Optimising your basic premium while keeping LCA protection
Once the separation is secured, switching the basic plan becomes a pure savings lever. For identical benefits, premium gaps between insurers can amount to several tens of per cent. Choosing an alternative model, family doctor, telemedicine or care network, and adjusting the deductible within the 300 to 2500 franc range for an adult further amplifies the gain.
Bear in mind that the co-payment remains 10 % above the deductible, capped at 700 francs per year for an adult. Calculating the right deductible-model pairing depends on your actual use of care. An independent comparison tool helps measure the possible savings percentage without touching your supplementary plan, which stays locked in with the old insurer.
Frequently asked questions
Can the new insurer also refuse my basic insurance?
No. Admission to basic LAMal insurance is a legal obligation: no insurer may refuse your application, nor impose a medical questionnaire or a reservation. The refusal can only concern the LCA supplementary plan, which falls under private law. Your right to switch insurer for the basic plan is therefore always guaranteed, regardless of your health condition.
How do I avoid cancelling my supplementary plan by mistake?
Write a cancellation that explicitly names only the basic LAMal insurance, and state in writing that your LCA supplementary contracts must be maintained. Send the letter by registered mail and request an acknowledgement of receipt. This clear wording prevents the old insurer from interpreting your letter as a full cancellation of everything.
Should I wait for a reply before cancelling the old basic plan?
Yes, as a precaution. First obtain written confirmation of admission to the basic plan from the new insurer. Since this admission is mandatory, confirmation is quick, but it gives you proof. Only then cancel the old basic plan, respecting the 30 November deadline and the one month's notice for effect on 1 January.