Swiss Health Insurance: Which Deductible Should You Pick?

Why I Made This

Every time we review our insurance plan, we should ask ourselves: am I selecting the right deductible according to my expectations and my health status? If the answer is no, your health broker is probably getting a free lunch from you. To understand if you are picking the right one, you need to start from your health status. The answer depends almost entirely on how much you expect to spend on medical expenses during the year. But most people just guess, or stick with whatever they had before.

I wanted to see the actual numbers. How much does each deductible level cost in total (premium + out-of-pocket) across different medical expense scenarios? At what expense level does a lower deductible start to pay off? And how much do you save by picking the highest deductible if you're healthy?

So I built a spreadsheet that lays it all out.

How Swiss Health Insurance Works (Quick Recap)

In Switzerland, basic health insurance (Grundversicherung) is mandatory. You choose a deductible between CHF 300 and CHF 2,500. The higher the deductible, the lower your monthly premium. Once your medical expenses exceed the deductible, you still pay 10% of the remaining costs up to a maximum of CHF 700 per year (the Selbstbehalt). After that, the insurer covers everything.

The available deductible levels for adults are: 300, 500, 1,000, 1,500, 2,000, and 2,500 CHF.

What the Spreadsheet Shows

The spreadsheet compares the total annual cost (premiums + deductible + 10% co-payment) for each deductible level across a range of medical expense amounts. It highlights:

• The monthly and annual base premium for each deductible.
• The out-of-pocket cost you bear depending on how much you spend on medical care.
• The offset between deductibles: how much more or less you pay compared to the other options.
• The break-even point: the exact medical expense amount where two deductible levels cost you the same. Beyond that point, the lower deductible wins.

The Bottom Line

If you are healthy and do not expect significant medical expenses during the year, the CHF 2,500 deductible is the clear winner. You pay a much lower monthly premium, and since you rarely hit the deductible, your total annual cost is substantially lower. The savings over a CHF 300 deductible can be massive over the long run.

On the other hand, if you know you will have recurring medical expenses (chronic conditions, planned treatments, regular prescriptions), a lower deductible makes more sense. Once your expenses are high enough, the higher premium is more than offset by the lower out-of-pocket cost.

The spreadsheet shows exactly where that tipping point is for each deductible pair. Play with the numbers and find the option that fits your situation.

Open the Spreadsheet

→ View the spreadsheet on Google Sheets

The spreadsheet is read-only. If you want your own copy to play with, click File → Make a copy inside Google Sheets.