My understanding is that you can cancel the basic health insurance by 30 November in any year.

However, the cancellation rules for the supplementary vary by insurer & are totally at their discretion... Just depends on the contract you agreed to & it is almost always 3 or 6 months notice :-(

I think for many there is also a minimum length of contract in (years). I managed to lock myself into a 5 year contract for the complementary with Assura... :-( Thankfully it isn't particularly expensive but if you find a way to cancel the contract early I'd love to hear!

This is correct. There is a kind of general rule about the basic insurance, you can cancel it by end of November every year, valid from 1st Jan the next year.

But for the complimentary, each insurance do as they like. 1, or up to 5 years, you need to check with them.

Please note that within a same insurance, you can change a few things whenever you want, as long as you stay with them, ie the model, the franchise, etc..

Best practice is to avoid the complimentary if possible, the basis covers most stuff :-)

I feel your pain. I also made the same mistake last year and ended up with 2 insurance companies and sending bills became such a pain. I used to send every bill to both since most of the time I did not even know what falls under basic and which under complementary. I looked for a solution but turns out there was none.

Sorry to hear about this, Corrina :( Indeed, they have too much power and trick you with everything, so that they are always in the winning position. W often feel powerless about this. Now I have my "independant advisor" who is kind enough to contact me before any deadline or when there are significant changes or oportunities.

I am afraid legally you can't do much :( since you have signed the contract and it is your responsibility to remember the deadlines. I wish the law  forbids to extend the contracts automatically and forces the insurers to inform you ahead about the coming deadline.
Maybe there is something like ASLOCA but for the insurance traps??? If anybody knows I would be also interested to get to know it.

Wow, that's insane. I didn't know this. Thanks for posting and good luck!

Corrina,

Indeed the insurance companies do everything in their possible to thwart any claim or your ability to cancel - and of course linked policies giving different cancellation dates is among one of their trip-up techniques.  

You must also be careful that your registered letter received by the cut-off date - reason why it better to send your cancellation notification at least 10 days before the cut-off-date (if not months before!). Even proving you sent notification isn't enough- reason why a second "surface" letter is what some lawyers do - and not a bad idea, because a possible mess-up by the Post-office would not even be forgiven- because they are positively ruthless in every respect. They are so greedy for your primiums that they try their best to fowl you up- expecting you to read and understand fully every syllable of your contract.

Perhaps if you claim you are not actually fluent - and the contract is not in your native language - there may be some wiggle-room to get off the hook.  Another possibility might be to claim on your complimentary policy - and a short time  after settlement you might be able to cancel (2 weeks for most insureres), but this could reflect on future policies - other insurers could possibly question your having cancelled in this fashion...

If I were you - it would be well-worth it to contact the FRC- Fédération Romande de Consommateurs (in Geneva [email protected]) who are the top authorities on the subject and could examine your case.  You might have to join -although it might mean a year's subscription to their publication - but cheap and worth-while.  They have lawyers and top people specializing on the subject.  (They are the equivalent of ASLOCA for rentors).

As you may know the present system puts an incredible burden on people's time, energy and an unreasonable amount of responsability on everyone with all the adminstative non-sense.

A unique state insurance would give teriffic relief - but failed by very little the last time voted upon - leaving individuals to concentrate on their own complimentary policies.  Hopefully sometime in the not-so-distant future all this insurance mess can get sorted out with a unique insurer so everyone can get on with their work and more important things.

Hope this helps, best,

JAD

Just read this post, and check my policy... Seems I signed contract for 5 years for supplementary insuarance at CSS for my wife.  The woman was so kind and CSS, explained all the benefits, but didn't said even a word about the term of contract. I was sure it is also for 1 year as basic insuarance.

Does anyone knows if it is possible to cancel the contract before? Ecpeccially if I planning to move out of country in 1 year?

P.S. I really need to stop trust people,  especially in Switzeland. Not the first time that someone tries to deceive me here ...

This is another stratagem of insurers putting you in a horrible bind financially - often different to what you understood.  Its disheartening - but you are not alone!! :-( 

There are several national projets in the making by the FRC - the "right to revocation and right to resiliation clearly defined", "ability to terminate by email"- and "forbidding insurers the right to modify their contracts."-  slightly more favorable to consumers - but THAT DOESN'T HELP FOR NOW !! 

It might be possible to terminate a contract if leaving the country - but DO check with the FRC-Fédération de Consummateurs- in Geneva 0227812579- [email protected] or Lausanne-0848575105 or online-  frc.ch/contact  Legal advice non-members will cost 35chf)

However, what everyone should understand is that contracts are not written in stone- before signing, - It is entirely possible to modify their contracts to suit your needs or wishes - regardless of what they wrote (wrongly ot rightly) in the insurer's printed contracts-  particularly because their unfavorable conditions are often deeply hidden in all that gobbelty-gook interminable small print....

AT THE BOTTOM OF THE CONTRACT STATE TO WHAT YOU UNDERSTAND YOU ARE SIGNING:      

WRITE by hand, "This policy/contract  is to be re-conducted on a year-to-year basis." One can also make any other stipulations or changes needed or desired- or state what is understood  if written by hand on the bottom.- which they cannot  contradict - if you state something not in their contract.

THIS WILL NEGATE WHAT THEY HAVE HIDDEN OR WRITTEN contrary to your wishes or understanding-Regardless what they wrote- if contradicted by your hand (but stated or hidden in their contract).  Probably they will come back to you and try to renégociate after contesting vehementely stating "This is not possible".  

At least you have the opportunity to define or NEGOCIATE the coverage YOU DO WANT- or to correct the misunderstanding - and thus redefining what you are comfortable to sign.  If you really insist- it does works!

They are competitive and best to try to pit one against the other.  It is up to the insurers to deal with your conditions - not you with theirs.

It might be advantageous to find -  as MAGIQUE did- an "independant advisor" but even then - you will be responsable for their errors and they have been known to make big mistakes with no recourse to you !  You are the one ultimately responsable for their mistakes too- So "Caveat Emptor" - even of advisors- so check them over carefully too, because you are responsable for their mistakes and they too can cost you big bucks- one cannot be too careful about the "insurance muggers" smiling nicely at you - for they know where their bread is buttered !  

However I am happy to say I do trust the FRC with their avice !

Good luck,

JAD

My understanding is that you can change or cancel supplimentary if the premium goes up .... I have a great guy who deals with all my insurance. Can give you the details next time I see you.

Bren

Just want to add that I had several trouble with SWICA too...and it simply means the more expensive you pay for the things in Switzerland, the more dangerous you are with them...

Good luck!