The starting point: finding your Swica policy number
Before anything else, identify the policy number linking you to Swica. It appears on your insurance card, on the annual policy received in autumn, and on your benefit statements and premium invoices. This number distinguishes the compulsory basic insurance (KVG/LAMal) from any supplementary cover (VVG/LCA), whose cancellation rules differ from one another.
Note it down precisely, because a letter without a clear reference may be processed late. If you manage your file online through the client portal or the Swica app, the number is visible there too. Also check the address of the relevant regional agency: it will receive your letter and must acknowledge receipt of your cancellation.
Distinguishing basic insurance from supplementary cover
Basic LAMal insurance offers identical benefits across all insurers: only the premium amount varies. You can cancel it for 31 December by observing a one-month notice period, meaning a letter received no later than 30 November. The new insurer takes over from 1 January without any gap in coverage, since admission to basic insurance is mandatory.
Supplementary LCA cover follows Swica's own contractual conditions: term, expiry and notice period may differ, and a new insurer is not obliged to accept you. Cancel basic and supplementary cover with separate letters, and never cancel useful supplementary cover before you hold a written confirmation of acceptance elsewhere.
Why not cancel everything at once
Handling basic and supplementary cover together creates a risk: if your new supplementary policy is refused on health grounds, you could be left without coverage for the affected care. By separating the steps, you keep control of the timeline and give up a guarantee only once the next one is confirmed in writing.
Writing a compliant cancellation letter
An effective letter stays short and precise. State your surname, first name, address and date of birth, the policy number, the subject ("Cancellation of compulsory basic health insurance"), the desired effective date (31 December) and your handwritten signature. Name each person concerned if you are cancelling for the whole family, repeating each one's policy number.
Specify that you request a written confirmation of the cancellation. Avoid vague wording: a clear request for acknowledgement of receipt makes follow-up easier. Keep a dated copy of your letter along with proof of dispatch, both essential if a dispute were to arise over the date Swica received it.
Meeting the one-month notice and choosing the channel
For basic LAMal insurance, what counts is the date Swica receives the letter, not the date you send it. Your letter must therefore reach the insurer no later than 30 November for cancellation on 31 December. Allow several days' lead time to absorb postal delays, and avoid any last-minute mailing that could arrive out of time.
Favour a trackable channel, such as registered mail, which establishes the receipt date. Some insurers accept cancellation through the client portal or electronically: check the channels Swica allows and, when in doubt, back it up with a registered postal letter. Proof of dispatch protects you if compliance with the notice period is challenged.
Special case: cancelling after a premium increase
If Swica notifies you of a premium increase for the coming year, you have an extraordinary right to cancel your basic insurance. You can then leave the insurer at the end of the month preceding the new premium's entry into force, observing the legal notice period, even if the ordinary 30 November deadline has passed by the time of the notification.
This right does not apply to an increase resulting from a change of deductible or model that you requested yourself. Read Swica's official communication and the stated effective date carefully. Here too, secure your new affiliation and demand a written confirmation before definitively giving up your current coverage.
Frequently asked questions
Where exactly is my Swica policy number?
It appears on your insurance card, on the annual policy sent in autumn, on your premium invoices and benefit statements. It is also visible in the client portal and the app. Copy it exactly into your letter, distinguishing the number tied to basic insurance from the one for supplementary cover.
What confirmation should I demand before signing up elsewhere?
Ask Swica for written confirmation that your cancellation is registered with its effective date. From the new insurer, wait for written acceptance, especially for supplementary cover. Never cancel existing coverage until you hold both confirmations, so as to avoid any period without protection.
Must my letter be sent or received before 30 November?
For basic insurance, what counts is the date Swica receives it, not the date you send it. Your letter must therefore arrive no later than 30 November for cancellation on 31 December. Post it several days in advance, preferably by registered mail, so you have proof of receipt.