LAMal vs Lamine Yamal: two "Lamals" with nothing in common
A search for "lamal" returns both the federal law and the footballer. Here is what the LAMal covers, what it costs and the deadlines to meet in 2026.
LAMal or Lamine Yamal: what the search covers
Typing "lamal" into a search engine returns two unrelated realities. On one side, the federal health insurance law. On the other, Lamine Yamal, a player for FC Barcelona.
The two subjects have no connection and cannot be compared. This article tells them apart using five criteria: nature, cost in CHF, who is affected, legal or contractual framework, and usefulness to the Swiss reader. The focus is on the LAMal, which binds every resident of Switzerland. The footballer takes up only a brief, factual place.
Definition and legal framework: the federal health insurance law
The LAMal is the federal health insurance law (Loi fédérale sur l'assurance-maladie), which came into force on 1 January 1996. It underpins compulsory basic health insurance (AOS), whose content is identical at every insurer. According to the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH/OFSP), anyone domiciled in Switzerland must take out insurance within three months of arriving or being born.
Insurers are obliged to accept every person for the AOS, with no reservation or health questionnaire. They differ in their premium, their insurance model and the deductible offered, not in the basic benefits. Supervision falls to the FOPH.
Lamine Yamal is a Spanish footballer who plays for FC Barcelona. He shares no legal framework with the LAMal: his activity is governed by a sporting contract with his club, not by a federal obligation. For his public details (age, club, nationality), consult football reference sites, for example Transfermarkt.
What each one costs: monthly premium, optional deductible
For the LAMal, the cost breaks down into three items: the monthly premium, the deductible and the co-payment.
The standard deductible is CHF 300 per year for an adult. Optional deductibles range from CHF 500 to CHF 2'500. For children, the standard deductible is CHF 0 and the options go up to CHF 600. The co-payment is 10% of costs exceeding the deductible, capped at CHF 700 per year for an adult and CHF 350 for a child, according to the FOPH.
Moving from a CHF 300 deductible to CHF 2'500 lowers the premium by about CHF 1'500 per year: worthwhile only if medical costs stay below CHF 2'000. Beyond that, you pay more out of your own pocket than you save on the premium.
The average premium varies considerably by canton, age and model. The FOPH publishes the average cantonal premiums every year at priminfo.admin.ch. Check your canton of residence for the reference figure for the current year.
For the footballer, no market value or salary is given here: these amounts are not established by a verifiable official source within the scope of this article.
| Indicator | Value | Context |
|---|---|---|
Standard deductible (adult) | CHF 300 | per year; CHF 0 for a child |
Maximum deductible (adult) | CHF 2'500 | options from CHF 500 to CHF 2'500; up to CHF 600 for a child |
Premium reduction per year | ≈ CHF 1'500 | when moving from a CHF 300 to a CHF 2'500 deductible |
Break-even threshold | CHF 2'000 | annual medical costs; beyond that, you pay more out of pocket than you save |
Maximum co-payment (adult) | CHF 700 | 10% of costs exceeding the deductible, per year |
Maximum co-payment (child) | CHF 350 | 10% of costs exceeding the deductible, per year |
Standard deductible (adult)
Value
CHF 300
Context
per year; CHF 0 for a child
Maximum deductible (adult)
Value
CHF 2'500
Context
options from CHF 500 to CHF 2'500; up to CHF 600 for a child
Premium reduction per year
Value
≈ CHF 1'500
Context
when moving from a CHF 300 to a CHF 2'500 deductible
Break-even threshold
Value
CHF 2'000
Context
annual medical costs; beyond that, you pay more out of pocket than you save
Maximum co-payment (adult)
Value
CHF 700
Context
10% of costs exceeding the deductible, per year
Maximum co-payment (child)
Value
CHF 350
Context
10% of costs exceeding the deductible, per year
CHF 2'500 deductible: up to CHF 1'500 saved on the premium, worthwhile only below CHF 2'000 of medical costs
Key takeaway
Moving from a CHF 300 deductible to CHF 2'500 saves about CHF 1'500 in premiums per year, but this calculation only holds if your annual medical costs stay below CHF 2'000.
Source: FOPH — Federal Health Insurance Act (LAMal), in force since 1 January 1996 — priminfo.admin.ch
Who is affected in Switzerland: insurance obligation vs football
The basic insurance obligation applies to every resident of Switzerland, regardless of age, nationality or state of health. This includes children from birth, cross-border commuters in certain cases (right of option) and people arriving from abroad with a residence permit.
People on modest incomes can apply to their canton for a premium reduction. The conditions and amounts differ from one canton to another. The competent cantonal office will explain the procedure.
Football, for its part, attracts wide interest in French-speaking Switzerland, notably around FC Barcelona. That interest is voluntary and creates no obligation. The only deadline that applies to all residents is the one for health insurance.
The choices that are up to you: deductible, family doctor model
Three levers change your monthly premium without altering the basic cover.
The optional deductible. The higher it is, the lower the premium. The calculation is based on your usual annual medical costs, not on an optimistic scenario.
The insurance model. The family doctor model, the HMO model (group practice) or telemedicine reduce the premium in exchange for a mandatory first point of contact within a defined entry point. The standard model leaves you free to choose your doctor and remains the most expensive.
Changing insurer. As the AOS is identical everywhere, only the premium and the service vary. Changing insurer entails no health questionnaire for basic insurance. Beware of supplementary insurance, which falls under the Insurance Contract Act and may refuse an applicant.
For the footballer, the reader has no choice to make: it is simply a sporting curiosity.
Calendar and deadlines: the 30 November cancellation vs the match
Cancellation of basic insurance must reach the insurer by 30 November at the latest, by registered letter, to take effect on the following 1 January. A letter posted on 30 November arrives too late: aim to send it at least a few days beforehand.
Insurers announce the following year's premiums in October. Once the new premium has been received, an extraordinary right of cancellation opens, with a deadline running until the end of November. If your insurer raises its premium, it must inform you at least two months before the new rate takes effect.
If you stay with the standard model and a CHF 300 deductible, check whether your actual costs justify that choice before this date. After 30 November, the door closes until the following year, except in special cases.
FC Barcelona's match schedule has no bearing on your arrangements. It can be consulted on the official websites of the club and the competitions.
| Step | Deadline | Detail |
|---|---|---|
1. Announcement of premiums | October | Insurers announce the following year's premiums. (Health insurer) |
2. Receipt of the new premium | Upon receipt of the letter | The new premium opens an extraordinary right of cancellation, with a deadline running until the end of November. Compare your actual costs with your deductible (e.g. CHF 300) and your model. (Insured person) |
3. Notice in case of a premium increase | At least 2 months before taking effect | If the insurer raises its premium, it must inform the insured person at least two months before the new rate takes effect. (Health insurer) |
4. Sending the cancellation | A few days before 30 November | Registered letter to be sent in advance: a letter posted on 30 November arrives too late. (Insured person) |
5. Receipt by the insurer | 30 November (final deadline) | The cancellation must reach the insurer by this date at the latest. After this date, the door closes until the following year, except in special cases. (Health insurer) |
6. Change takes effect | 1 January | The change of insurer takes effect. Basic insurance (AOS) is identical at all insurers: no health questionnaire is required. (New insurer) |
1. Announcement of premiums
Deadline
October
Detail
Insurers announce the following year's premiums. (Health insurer)
2. Receipt of the new premium
Deadline
Upon receipt of the letter
Detail
The new premium opens an extraordinary right of cancellation, with a deadline running until the end of November. Compare your actual costs with your deductible (e.g. CHF 300) and your model. (Insured person)
3. Notice in case of a premium increase
Deadline
At least 2 months before taking effect
Detail
If the insurer raises its premium, it must inform the insured person at least two months before the new rate takes effect. (Health insurer)
4. Sending the cancellation
Deadline
A few days before 30 November
Detail
Registered letter to be sent in advance: a letter posted on 30 November arrives too late. (Insured person)
5. Receipt by the insurer
Deadline
30 November (final deadline)
Detail
The cancellation must reach the insurer by this date at the latest. After this date, the door closes until the following year, except in special cases. (Health insurer)
6. Change takes effect
Deadline
1 January
Detail
The change of insurer takes effect. Basic insurance (AOS) is identical at all insurers: no health questionnaire is required. (New insurer)
From the insurer's letter in October to 1 January: a single window to switch, closing on 30 November
Key takeaway
A cancellation posted on 30 November arrives too late: for a change on 1 January, the registered letter must be sent a few days before the deadline.
Source: LAMal (Federal Health Insurance Act, in force since 1 January 1996) — FOPH, priminfo.admin.ch
Summary table: LAMal and Lamine Yamal side by side
Nature: LAMal = federal law and compulsory basic health insurance. Lamine Yamal = Spanish footballer at FC Barcelona.
Legal basis: LAMal = federal health insurance law, in force since 1 January 1996. Yamal = sporting contract with his club.
Cost in CHF: LAMal = monthly premium depending on canton, deductible from CHF 300 to CHF 2'500, co-payment of 10% capped at CHF 700. Yamal = no cost to the reader; no figure for value or salary is given here.
Audience: LAMal = every resident of Switzerland. Yamal = football fans, on a voluntary basis.
Key deadline: LAMal = cancellation received by the insurer by 30 November at the latest. Yamal = match schedule.
Possible action: LAMal = compare premiums, adjust the deductible, choose a model. Yamal = follow the matches.
Verdict by profile: family, self-employed person, young adult
Family with children. Children have a standard deductible of CHF 0 and a co-payment capped at CHF 350. Compare the premium for each member separately, as insurers may differ from one child to another. Action: compare premiums on priminfo.admin.ch before 30 November and check your entitlement to the cantonal premium reduction.
Self-employed person. With no employer to cover accidents, check that accident cover is included in your basic insurance. A high deductible may suit you if your cash flow can absorb an unforeseen CHF 2'500. Action: calculate your annual health budget before 30 November.
Young adult. From age 26, the adult premium applies, without the discount that some cantons provide for 19 to 25-year-olds. A high deductible pays off if you rarely consult a doctor. Action: test a CHF 2'500 deductible on priminfo.admin.ch before 30 November.
Retiree. Medical costs tend to rise with age: a low deductible often protects better. Cantonal supplementary benefits may cover the premium in some cases. Action: compare a CHF 300 deductible with a CHF 1'000 one before 30 November.
Football fan. Nothing to declare or cancel: the only link with the LAMal is the name. Action: check your 2026 LAMal premium on priminfo.admin.ch all the same before 30 November.
"This article, published by golamal.ch (FINMA F01502264), is provided for information purposes only on the LAMal and does not constitute legal advice or a personalised recommendation; the information may change, and any decision should be taken after checking with the insurer or a qualified professional."
FAQ
LAMal is the abbreviation for the federal health insurance law (Loi fédérale sur l'assurance-maladie), in force since 1 January 1996. It makes compulsory basic health insurance (AOS) mandatory for every resident of Switzerland.
Your cancellation must reach the insurer by 30 November at the latest, by registered letter, to take effect on the following 1 January. After this deadline, a change is only possible the following year, except in special cases.
The standard deductible is CHF 300 per year for an adult. The co-payment is 10% of costs exceeding the deductible, capped at CHF 700 per year for an adult and CHF 350 for a child.
The FOPH's official comparison tool is available at priminfo.admin.ch. It compares compulsory basic health insurance premiums according to your canton, your deductible and your insurance model, with no commercial link.
GoLamal Team
21 October 2026
Table of contents
- LAMal or Lamine Yamal: what the search covers
- Definition and legal framework: the federal health insurance law
- What each one costs: monthly premium, optional deductible
- Who is affected in Switzerland: insurance obligation vs football
- The choices that are up to you: deductible, family doctor model
- Calendar and deadlines: the 30 November cancellation vs the match
- Summary table: LAMal and Lamine Yamal side by side
- Verdict by profile: family, self-employed person, young adult
- Frequently Asked Questions
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