When and how can I do this? I think this should be possible to initiate towards end of the year and being valid with the beginning of next year. Please confirm.
Currently I'm paying the highest insurance premium. It turned out that my visits at doctors and corresponding costs are way lower as expected and it would make sense to lower premium to the cheapest available (under the same company), in order to avoid unnecessary costs.
If you want to cancel your basic health insurance, you can do so each year - but you are required to sign up with a new insurance company if you do this, or your canton will sign you up with a company of their choice. Also, your old insurance will not be cancelled until you have shown proof of signing up with a new company.
The forum is full of search results ("google powered" - click in the window which opens after you first click "search" at the right top of the EF website to do your initial search - opens more results).
If you want to stay with the same insurance company, increasing your deductible (Franchise) or choosing a different model (HMO or GP etc.) might help reduce premiums.
But paying health insurance premiums (and, in case of illness your deductible plus up to CHF 700 per year in retention fee) is mandatory in Switzerland, and all health insurance companies' premiums increase each year, irrespective of the company or model chosen.
It's unlikely that an insurer would be willing to amend your existing contract and as a result bill you less than what they're entitled to under current contract. So technically you should just cancel it and get a new contract starting from next year. You can also change the insurer to a cheaper one while you're at it. To cancel send registered letter with such a request, deadline is 30.11. If you want to stay with same insurer, make a correponding remark in this letter.
Absolute nonsense.
I certainly have done so, however the increased deductable will only take effect in the new year, for obvious reasons.
Tom
By existing contract I meant up to the end of current year. Insurers won't normally change your deductible for current year, they're not stupid.
Next year with same insurer but different deductible is a different contract.
Not necessarily - I wonder where you got the fairytale from that contract amendments aren't possible between insurer and insured party? If your insurance refuses (which they can, as any contract's party can), then change insurer, but if they are agreeable then it's no problem whatsoever.
Perhaps indeed there are more precise terms that I could have used and you'd like to hear, but I think I've made clear enough what I meant and I don't want to argue with you about the meaning of the words, this is just off topic.
You can send a registered letter any time to switch (latest 30.11). It's also useful to compare other insurance companies.
From comparis
https://en.comparis.ch/krankenkassen...q/default.aspx
You can easily lower or raise your deductible with effect from the end of the year:
Lowering the deductible:
The health insurer must be notified in writing of the desired lower deductible by 30 November or by the last working day in November (the day the insurance company receives the letter is relevant).
Raising the deductible:
The health insurer must be notified of the desired higher deductible by 31 December or by the last working day in December.
Your link leads to the comparis FAQ - the relevant text from there is quoted below:
" Can I change my deductible if I have a medical condition?
You can easily lower or raise your deductible with effect from the end of the year:
Lowering the deductible:
The health insurer must be notified in writing of the desired lower deductible by 30 November or by the last working day in November (the day the insurance company receives the letter is relevant).
Raising the deductible:
The health insurer must be notified of the desired higher deductible by 31 December or by the last working day in December."