1How the franchise works
Up to the franchise you pay your bills yourself. Above it the insurer pays, and you add 10 % of each bill, at most CHF 700 a year.
| Bills of CHF 4,000 in one year | Franchise 300 | Franchise 2,500 |
|---|---|---|
| You pay up to the franchise | CHF 300 | CHF 2,500 |
| Plus 10 % of the rest | CHF 370 | CHF 150 |
| Your share in total | CHF 670 | CHF 2,650 |
2The rule of thumb
For adults it is almost always one of the two ends. The levels in between rarely come out cheapest, because the premium saving grows in step with the risk you take on.
- Choose CHF 2,500 if you are healthy, rarely see a doctor and could pay CHF 3,200 from your savings in a bad year.
- Choose CHF 300 if you have a chronic illness, take medicine regularly or have an operation planned.
Move the premium you save each month into a savings account. After two years it covers the worst case.
3Children
Children have no franchise unless you choose one, up to CHF 600. It rarely pays, because the premium saving is small. Their 10 % share is capped at CHF 350 a year.
If several children of a family are with the same insurer, together they pay at most what one adult pays: CHF 1,000 a year.
4When you can change it
- Lower franchise: for 1 January. Your request has to reach the insurer by the last working day of November.
- Higher franchise: for 1 January. Most insurers accept the request until the end of December.
5A change is being discussed
The Federal Council wants to raise the lowest franchise from CHF 300 to CHF 400 and opened the consultation on 13 March 2026. Nothing has been decided. In 2027 the lowest franchise stays at CHF 300.
Questions and answers
Is the franchise per person or per family?
Per person. Every adult and every child has their own franchise and their own yearly cap.
Do I pay the franchise after an accident?
Not if you are insured against accidents through your employer. That insurance pays without franchise and without the 10 % share.
Does pregnancy count towards the franchise?
No. Check-ups, the birth and the care afterwards are free of franchise and co-payment.
Does the franchise start again if I switch insurer?
It starts again every 1 January, for everyone. If you switch at the end of the year you lose nothing.
Sources: Federal Health Insurance Act (KVG) Art. 64, Health Insurance Ordinance (KVV) Art. 93 to 95 and 103, media release of the Federal Council of 13 March 2026, Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH). This page is information, not legal advice.