Why review your cover at retirement
Reaching AVS age changes your budget and daily rhythm, but not the rules of mandatory health insurance. The LAMal premium depends neither on your health nor on your income: it varies by canton, premium region, chosen deductible and insurance model. A retiree therefore keeps real room to adjust cover, even after decades with the same insurer. The decision is structural, not medical.
Reviewing your cover starts by separating two worlds. Basic LAMal insurance covers the same statutory benefits across all insurers, which makes the premium comparable. Optional supplementary LCA cover funds comfort or extra benefits and follows the logic of private insurance. This distinction is central for a senior, because it determines what can be changed freely and what calls for considerable caution.
Basic LAMal cover: switching stays possible at any age
For basic insurance, age is no obstacle. All LAMal insurers are bound by the duty of admission: they must accept every resident, without reservation, without a health questionnaire and without any surcharge tied to age or medical history. A retiree of 70 or 80 therefore has exactly the same rights as a young policyholder to switch their basic insurer and put premium competition to work.
Savings levers for a senior
Savings come from structural choices, expressed as proportions rather than amounts. Raising the deductible lowers the premium but exposes you to higher out-of-pocket costs when care is frequent: for many retirees who see a doctor regularly, a low deductible often stays more sensible. Alternative models (family doctor, telemedicine, care network) reduce the premium in exchange for a defined care pathway, which can suit anyone who already has a regular GP.
Supplementary LCA cover: caution before any cancellation
LCA follows rules opposite to the basic plan. The insurer is not obliged to accept you and may make enrolment conditional on a health questionnaire, decline an application, impose reservations or exclude certain benefits. With age and a heavier medical history, the chance of refusal or reservations rises sharply. Cancelling a long-held supplementary plan to look for another can therefore prove irreversible.
The rule of caution is simple: never cancel an LCA plan until the new cover is confirmed in writing, free of any troublesome reservation. Before any change, review what your current supplementary plan actually funds (private room, free choice of doctor, alternative medicine, dental care) and whether those benefits remain useful. For a senior, a plan held for many years often carries value that is hard to rebuild elsewhere.
Calendar and deadlines to respect
For basic insurance, the rhythm is annual. The cancellation must reach the insurer by 30 November at the latest, with one month's notice, to take effect on 1 January. The letter must be received, not merely posted, by that date: an early, trackable mailing avoids any dispute. This calendar also applies to retirees wanting to adjust their deductible or model within the basic plan.
There is also an extraordinary right of cancellation in the event of a premium increase: if the insurer announces a rise for the following year, the policyholder can cancel the basic plan within a short window after notification, even with a high deductible. LCA cancellation deadlines depend on the contract and differ from the basic plan; they should be checked in the general conditions before any step.
One overall decision, basic and LCA handled separately
The best approach for a retiree is to treat the basic and supplementary plans as two distinct decisions. You can switch your basic insurer without touching the LCA, and vice versa, since nothing requires holding both with the same company. This separation lets you optimise the basic premium through competition while safeguarding a valuable supplementary plan acquired years earlier.
In practice, the right order is to secure the essentials first, then optimise the rest. You confirm the new supplementary plan before cancelling the old one, check there are no reservations, then adjust the basic plan through deductible and model within the legal deadlines. Comparing several offers and keeping a written record of every step protects against rushed decisions and gaps in cover.
Frequently asked questions
Can an insurer refuse a retiree for basic insurance?
No. The duty of admission applies without exception: every LAMal insurer must accept any resident for basic cover, regardless of age or health, with no medical questionnaire and no surcharge. A retiree can therefore switch their basic insurer freely, like any policyholder, provided the cancellation deadline is met.
Is it risky to cancel an LCA supplementary plan later in life?
Yes, it calls for caution. LCA is not subject to the duty of admission: a new insurer may refuse, impose reservations or exclude benefits, and that risk grows with age. Never cancel your current supplementary plan before you have written confirmation of the new cover, free of any troublesome reservation.
What deadline must a retiree respect to switch insurer?
For the basic plan, the cancellation must reach the insurer by 30 November, with one month's notice, taking effect on 1 January. If a premium increase is announced, an extraordinary right of cancellation applies within a short window. LCA deadlines depend on the contract and should be checked in the general conditions.