I previously had health insurance with Avanex, and now I have returned to Switzerland need to re-select.
The issue I had with Avanex is that there were only a few staff who spoke English, and even then, I did'nt have wonderful experiences.
Can anyone recommend a firm who are much more English compatible but also well established, i.e. English language website, reputable and long running product on the market.
I am shocked by how much the price has gone up, I used to pay 214.- plus supplementary of 50.- a month but according to comparis, the costs have shot up ! :-( Am I doing something wrong... Dont think so judging from other posts, just in a bit of shock.
Thanks I will check out Helsana although Avanex is a Helsana company. Did you mean Avanex ?
Someone once mentioned to me, that some providers, contribute to the monthly costs of a fitness center subscription, is that true ?
I forgot to mention that I live in Zurich but will move districts but not outside of Zurich, do I need to take this into consideration when choosing a provider?
With SWICA all of the written material is in German. I find them expensive. I have both negative and positive experiences with the service; this would probably be the same with any provider.
All of my SWICA documentation is in English and I can always speak to an English speaking customer service rep. I've found everything straightforward, but am sure that the convenience is reflected in slightly higher premiums
SWICA give a rebate for gym membership so long as it is for one of the gyms on their approved list.
SWICA is also the insurance provider for any staff members at ISB...so their english advisory (on a personal level) as well as their billing and available plans, as well as phone assistance is all in English.
Helsana will speak to you in English, but all of the bills and everything are only available in German, French, or Italian. I just called this past week to see if I could switch my written correspondence to English, and got that answer. Good luck.
You can request material in English as well as communicate in English. But if you are in a small town, maybe you will not find an English speaker in the office everyday.
I can understand wanting to be able to speak to a service support function in the language you are comfortable with, but how hard is it to translate or understand a bill in another language. Google translate makes a pretty decent translation of such correspondence and most bills and correspondence is fairly standard. Therefore having this in english just demonstrates how incompetent or lazy the english are hence the premiums should be increased for this privilege.
I can recommend that you contact an insurance broker in your area. I use "Travex" in Zürich and they help compare prices and benefits - and even help us fill out the applications and adjust the level of "out of pocket"etc. it's cost free since they get paid by the insurance companies. Service is in english and has been a great help for us when moving here.