Health Insurance: Cross-border commuters working in Switzerland
Health Insurance: Cross-border commuters working in Switzerland
In principle, persons domiciled abroad who work in Switzerland need to take out Swiss health-insurance cover. Some exceptions may apply depending on the employee’s country of domicile and nationality.
Insurance at place of work for cross-border commuters from EU/EFTA countries
Following the harmonisation of social-security systems introduced in 2002 by the Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons (AFMP) and the EFTA Agreement, the obligation to take out health insurance is based on the place of employment. Anyone working in Switzerland is required to take out compulsory Swiss health insurance, as are all members of their family not in gainful employment.
This rule notably applies to cross-border commuters who are nationals of an EU or EFTA state
Beginning and end of cover
Cross-border commuters who are EU/EFTA nationals and hold a G work permit must have Swiss health insurance from the date their employment contract commences. They have three months in which to enrol with a Swiss health-insurance fund. If they fail to do so, they may be automatically enrolled with a health insurance fund – with a premium surcharge for belated admission in the absence of an excuse for the delay – and are required to pay the costs of any medical treatment received prior to the date of admission themselves.
The obligation to have health-insurance cover ends when the employment contract ends.
Option right
Switzerland has however also concluded agreements with its four neighbouring countries (Germany, Austria, France and Italy) granting persons domiciled there the option of taking out health insurance in their country of domicile. See table below “Requirements governing compulsory Swiss health insurance for EU/EFTA residents ”.
Persons domiciled in those four countries who do not wish to take out Swiss health insurance must present an exemption request in the three monthsfollowing the commencement of their contract to the relevant authority in the canton in which they work (see list below).
Exercise of option right with France
Cross-border commuters insured in France and enjoying the Swiss health-insurance exemption right must complete the form “ Choice of health-insurance system ” and return it, signed by the French Caisse-primaire d'assurance-maladie (CPAM), to the relevant Swiss authorities within 3 months. Persons insured in Switzerland who move to France and decide to take out health insurance there must rapidly send a copy of this form, signed by the CPAM, to their Swiss health insurer in order to terminate their cover in Switzerland.
To address the problems arising for persons with double insurance cover (CMU+LAMal), the Swiss and French authorities concluded an agreement that entered into force on 1 October 2016. For additional information, please contact the CPAM in your place of domicile.
Cross-border commuters from other (non-EU/EFTA) countries
Cross-border commuters (G permitholders) who are third-country (i.e. non-EU/EFTA) nationals are subject to Swiss health insurance requirements on request, as are members of their family not in gainful employment. Swiss health-insurance cover must be requested within the first three months of the G permit’s validity. Thereafter, insurance cover commences when the person is accepted by the health insurer.
Cover ends when employment in Switzerland ceases, the G permit is revoked or expires, the insured person dies or elects no longer to be subject to Swiss health-insurance requirements. In this last case, a new request for cover is possible only in special circumstances.