Cancel before November 30: switching health insurer

Information sourced from the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH / bag.admin.ch) — factsheet "Switching health insurer: what you need to know as an insured person," 23 September 2025. Rules in force for 2026. Last verified: April 2026.

1. Why November 30?

Every autumn, Swiss health insurers announce their new premiums for the following year. They are required to notify their members no later than October 31.

If your premium goes up and you wish to switch insurer, you have until one month before the new premiums take effect — meaning November 30 — to send your cancellation to your current insurer.

Receipt date matters

If November 30 falls on a weekend or public holiday, your cancellation letter must reach your insurer before that day. In practice, the FOPH recommends sending your cancellation before November 15 by registered mail or "A Plus" mail to secure proof of timely delivery.

2. Key deadlines at a glance

Action	Deadline
Cancellation to switch insurer as of January 1	November 30 (send by November 15, recommended)
Switching to a lower deductible	November 30 (written notice to the chosen insurer)
Switching to a higher deductible	December 31
Changing insurance model (HMO, family doctor, Telmed → other)	November 30
Moving from standard to an alternative model	Anytime during the year

3. Step-by-step procedure

Five steps are enough to switch insurer properly, with uninterrupted coverage:

Compare 2026 premiums on priminfo.admin.ch, the FOPH's official tool. It calculates your actual savings based on canton, age, model and deductible.

Choose your new insurer, your insurance model (standard, family doctor, HMO, Telmed) and your deductible.

Apply with the new insurer using their enrolment form, specifying your model, deductible and the desired start date (January 1, 2026).

Send the cancellation to your current insurer by registered mail or "A Plus" mail — before November 30, ideally before November 15.

Wait for confirmation: your membership with the former insurer ends only once the new insurer has confirmed continuous coverage without interruption.

Tip

Official template letters (cancellation and enrolment request) are available free of charge on priminfo.admin.ch. Using them helps ensure you don't forget any required details.

4. What to check before cancelling

Unpaid premiums

You cannot leave your current insurer if you still owe premiums, cost-sharing amounts, late-payment interest or debt-collection fees that were formally reminded before November 30 and remain unpaid by December 31.

Do this first

Clear any debt with your current insurer before sending your cancellation. Unpaid amounts block the switch, even if the cancellation reached your insurer in time.

Receipt date, not send date

What counts is the date the insurer receives your letter — not the date you sent it. Send your cancellation by registered or "A Plus" mail at least two weeks before the deadline to be safe.

5. Supplementary insurance: be careful

If you hold supplementary insurance with the same company, cancelling your basic insurance does not require you to cancel the supplementary — and your insurer is not allowed to cancel it on their own initiative either.

Two pitfalls to know

Cancellation deadlines for supplementary insurance are different from basic insurance (see your policy's general terms).
A new insurer may refuse to accept you for supplementary coverage (unlike basic insurance).

Golden rule

Never cancel your supplementary insurance before receiving written acceptance from the new insurer.

6. Health questionnaire: not for basic insurance

For basic insurance, Swiss health insurers are legally required to accept every new applicant, without reservations and without a health questionnaire, regardless of your age or medical history.

Good to know

This acceptance obligation only applies to basic insurance (LAMal). Supplementary insurance (LCA) is different — insurers can ask for a health questionnaire, apply exclusions, or refuse your application.

7. If something goes wrong

If the new insurer does not respond, or wishes to set a different deductible from the one requested, the FOPH recommends sending an enrolment request by registered mail specifying:

the deductible requested;
the insurance model chosen;
the start date of coverage (January 1, 2026).

Summary: the 3 must-do checks

Checklist before November 30

All premiums and cost-shares paid

Mandatory

Written acceptance from new insurer received

Before cancelling

Cancellation sent by registered mail

Before Nov 15

You're ready to switch on January 1

This guide is for information only. For specific personal situations, contact your health insurer or the FOPH directly. Deadlines and rules cited apply to the 2026 calendar year. Primary source: FOPH (bag.admin.ch) — factsheet "Switching health insurer: what you need to know as an insured person," 23 September 2025.

Cancel before November 30

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