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Health insurance outside the EU/EFTA

In principle, the Federal Health Insurance Act holds that health insurance is mandatory only for those living in Switzerland.

Thus, when a person emigrates to a state outside the EU/EFTA, it is no longer possible for them to remain in the compulsory basic health insurance scheme (except for employees of a Swiss firm sent to work abroad).

Health insurance in the country of residence

We recommend that you contact your insurance company directly to ask if it offers health insurance in your new country of residence.

International private insurance

We recommend private health insurance if there is no possibility of health insurance or supplementary insurance in your future country of residence.

International private insurance (as well as supplementary insurance in Switzerland) is regulated by private law in the Insurance Contract Act. According to the Insurance Contract Act, insured parties are free to decide with whom they take out insurance. Please consult our list of providers of international private solutions.

Important information: if you want to take out private insurance, please note that according to the Swiss financial market supervisory authority (FINMA) regulation, no international insurance can be concluded by Swiss health insurance companies without the insured being a resident of Switzerland. An international private insurance contract must be concluded before you deregister with the municipal administration in Switzerland.

Suspension of supplementary insurance in case of a temporary stay abroad

If you have supplementary insurance and envisage returning to Switzerland at a later date, we advise you to ask your insurer whether you may suspend this insurance. This would enable you on your return to Switzerland to continue the insurance under the same conditions as before your emigration.

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