Switch supplementary hospital insurance

All insured persons with HOSPITAL PLUS, HOSPITAL COMFORT, HOSPITAL PLUS BONUS, HOSPITAL COMFORT BONUS, HOSPITAL PLUS CLASSICA or HOSPITAL COMFORT CLASSICA are entitled to switch to the equivalent HOSPITAL Semi-Private or HOSPITAL Private supplementary hospital insurance without a medical examination.

31.12.2018

In recent years not enough new policyholders have taken out HOSPITAL PLUS, HOSPITAL COMFORT, HOSPITAL PLUS BONUS, HOSPITAL COMFORT BONUS, HOSPITAL PLUS CLASSICA or HOSPITAL COMFORT CLASSICA supplementary hospital insurance. For this reason, these types of supplementary hospital insurance are considered “closed portfolios” in accordance with Art. 156 of the Supervision Ordinance (SO).

What does this mean for you?

It goes without saying that you can keep your supplementary hospital insurance. We are continuing to provide the above-mentioned supplementary hospital insurance products and all the associated benefits. However, it is possible that, in the longer term, the premiums for supplementary hospital insurance in a closed portfolio could increase more than those for supplementary hospital insurance in a portfolio that is not closed.

Right to switch without a medical examination

You have the option to switch to an equivalent supplementary hospital insurance in an open portfolio at any time, with effect from the 1st day of the following month. You do not need to complete a medical examination to switch. 

You can make the following switches without a medical examination:

In principle, you can switch to HOSPITAL Semi-Private at any time, with effect from the 1st day of the following month. However, this switch is not always worth it. Premiums for HOSPITAL Semi-Private increase more steeply with age than those for HOSPITAL PLUS supplementary hospital insurance. However, premiums in a closed portfolio can increase more quickly over the long term than those for supplementary hospital insurance in an open portfolio.

Contribution from old-age provisions

If you switch to HOSPITAL Semi-Private, we deduct old-age provisions accrued through your HOSPITAL PLUS insurance from the premium. The size of the deduction is shown on your insurance policy and applies for as long as you keep your HOSPITAL Semi-Private insurance. The amount depends on the size of the old-age provisions accrued through your HOSPITAL PLUS insurance.

Under your current HOSPITAL PLUS insurance, you accrue old-age provisions, which are used to pay for benefits drawn in old age. This means that younger policyholders finance the premiums of older policyholders. The product therefore does not have age-based premiums.

The premiums for the new HOSPITAL Semi-Private insurance, on the other hand, are adjusted according to age and risk level. As a result, there is no need for old-age provisions. Because premiums evolve in line with the benefits, they adjust more steeply with age.

In principle, you can switch to HOSPITAL Private at any time, with effect from the 1st day of the following month. However, this switch is not always worth it. Premiums for HOSPITAL Private increase more steeply with age than those for HOSPITAL COMFORT supplementary hospital insurance. However, premiums in a closed portfolio can increase more quickly over the long term than those for supplementary hospital insurance in an open portfolio.

Contribution from old-age provisions

If you switch to HOSPITAL Private, we deduct old-age provisions accrued through your HOSPITAL COMFORT insurance from the premium. The size of the deduction is shown on your insurance policy and applies for as long as you keep your HOSPITAL Private insurance. The amount depends on the size of the old-age provisions accrued through your HOSPITAL COMFORT insurance.

Under your current HOSPITAL COMFORT insurance, you accrue old-age provisions, which are used to pay for benefits drawn in old age. This means that younger policyholders finance the premiums of older policyholders. The product therefore does not have age-based premiums.

The premiums for the new HOSPITAL Private insurance, on the other hand, are adjusted according to age and risk level. As a result, there is no need for old-age provisions. Because premiums evolve in line with the benefits, they adjust more steeply with age.

In principle, you can switch to HOSPITAL Semi-Private at any time, with effect from the 1st day of the following month. It goes without saying that you can keep your HOSPITAL PLUS BONUS supplementary hospital insurance and continue to enjoy all of its existing benefits. However, premiums in a closed portfolio can increase more quickly over the long term than those for supplementary hospital insurance in an open portfolio.

If you switch to HOSPITAL Semi-Private supplementary hospital insurance, you lose the bonus features. That means you lose your entitlement to a no-claims bonus. That also means that you no longer risk losing any bonus levels when you draw benefits.

No contribution from old-age provisions

HOSPITAL PLUS BONUS policyholders do not receive a contribution from old-age provisions. This product did not require any old-age provisions and thus none were accrued.

In principle, you can switch to HOSPITAL Private at any time, with effect from the 1st day of the following month. It goes without saying that you can keep your HOSPITAL COMFORT BONUS supplementary hospital insurance and continue to enjoy all of its existing benefits. However, premiums in a closed portfolio can increase more quickly over the long term than those for supplementary hospital insurance in an open portfolio.

If you switch to HOSPITAL Private supplementary hospital insurance, you lose the bonus features. That means you lose your entitlement to a no-claims bonus. That also means that you no longer risk losing any bonus levels when you draw benefits.

Contribution from old-age provisions

If you switch to HOSPITAL Private, we deduct old-age provisions accrued through your HOSPITAL COMFORT BONUS insurance from the premium. The size of the deduction is shown on your insurance policy and applies for as long as you keep your HOSPITAL Private insurance. The amount depends on the size of the old-age provisions accrued through your HOSPITAL COMFORT BONUS insurance.

Under your current HOSPITAL COMFORT BONUS insurance, you accrue old-age provisions, which are used to pay for benefits drawn in old age. This means that younger policyholders finance the premiums of older policyholders. The product therefore does not have age-based premiums.

The premiums for the new HOSPITAL Private insurance, on the other hand, are adjusted according to age and risk level. As a result, there is no need for old-age provisions. Because premiums evolve in line with the benefits, they adjust more steeply with age.

In principle, you can switch to HOSPITAL Semi-Private at any time, with effect from the 1st day of the following month. It goes without saying that you can keep your HOSPITAL PLUS CLASSICA supplementary hospital insurance and continue to enjoy all of its existing benefits. However, premiums in a closed portfolio can increase more quickly over the long term than those for supplementary hospital insurance in an open portfolio.

Contribution from old-age provisions

If you switch to HOSPITAL Semi-Private, we deduct old-age provisions accrued through your HOSPITAL PLUS CLASSICA insurance from the premium. The size of the deduction is shown on your insurance policy and applies for as long as you keep your HOSPITAL Semi-Private insurance. The amount depends on the size of the old-age provisions accrued through your HOSPITAL PLUS CLASSICA insurance.

Under your current HOSPITAL PLUS CLASSICA insurance, you accrue old-age provisions, which are used to pay for benefits drawn in old age. This means that younger policyholders finance the premiums of older policyholders. The product therefore does not have age-based premiums.

The premiums for the new HOSPITAL Semi-Private insurance, on the other hand, are adjusted according to age and risk level. As a result, there is no need for old-age provisions. Because premiums evolve in line with the benefits, they adjust more steeply with age.

In principle, you can switch to HOSPITAL Private at any time, with effect from the 1st day of the following month. It goes without saying that you can keep your HOSPITAL COMFORT CLASSICA supplementary hospital insurance and continue to enjoy all of its existing benefits. However, premiums in a closed portfolio can increase more quickly over the long term than those for supplementary hospital insurance in an open portfolio.

Contribution from old-age provisions

f you switch to HOSPITAL Private, we deduct old-age provisions accrued through your HOSPITAL COMFORT CLASSICA insurance from the premium. The size of the deduction is shown on your insurance policy and applies for as long as you keep your HOSPITAL Private insurance. The amount depends on the size of the old-age provisions accrued through your HOSPITAL COMFORT CLASSICA insurance.

Under your current HOSPITAL COMFORT CLASSICA insurance, you accrue old-age provisions, which are used to pay for benefits drawn in old age. This means that younger policyholders finance the premiums of older policyholders. The product therefore does not have age-based premiums.

The premiums for the new HOSPITAL Private insurance, on the other hand, are adjusted according to age and risk level. As a result, there is no need for old-age provisions. Because premiums evolve in line with the benefits, they adjust more steeply with age.

Advantages and disadvantages of switching

Advantages of switching

  • The new supplementary hospital insurance policies include all the same benefits as your current supplementary hospital insurance. However, the contributions are much more generous.
  • Now you can enjoy additional benefits abroad and we have also expanded the offer in Switzerland: rooming in, travel costs to and from the hospital, lump sum on the birth of a child, refund for a stay on a lower hospital ward.
  • Depending on the product, your age, gender and canton, premiums for the new supplementary hospital insurance policies could be cheaper for you.

 

Disadvantages of switching

  • Depending on the product, your age, gender and canton, premiums for the new supplementary hospital insurance policies could currently be more expensive than for your current insurance. 

Good to know

We want to ensure premiums for the new hospital products are structured in a sustainable way over the long term. That’s why we exclude hospitals and doctors that do not offer good value for money. However, this may lead to certain restrictions when choosing a hospital or doctor. Nevertheless, we try to reach an agreement with as many hospitals and doctors as possible. 

Frequently asked questions

Current developments in benefit costs mean changes need to be made to supplementary hospital insurance. With the introduction of HOSPITAL Semi-Private and HOSPITAL Private, we can ensure that premiums are structured in a sustainable way. This is partly because we now have more possibilities to conclude new contracts with hospitals, which are more attractive for policyholders.

If a supplementary hospital insurance product is in a closed portfolio, it means we continue to manage the portfolio of policyholders, but no longer sell that product to new customers. Policyholders in a closed portfolio have a legal entitlement to switch from their existing supplementary hospital insurance to a new supplementary hospital insurance product with at least the equivalent cover, but in an open portfolio. This is governed by the Supervision Ordinance (SO). Benefits under the closed supplementary hospital insurance remain unchanged from those defined in the applicable insurance conditions.

More about the Supervision Ordinance (SO)

The best way to switch is to call your personal customer care team. The telephone number can be found in the top left of any document. Of course, you can also visit one of our sales offices.

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