The November switch window
Every autumn, Swiss mandatory health insurance (KVG) has a change window. For 2027 coverage, you can switch your KVG provider, adjust your deductible (franchise), or change your insurance model as long as the required written notice reaches your current insurer by November 30, 2026. That is a receipt deadline, not a postmark deadline. Insurers must tell you your new 2027 premium by October 31, so you normally have a month to compare. The Federal Office of Public Health announced an average 5.0% premium increase to CHF 412 per month for 2027; adults average CHF 487.60, up 4.9%. We covered the 5.0 percent average premium increase for 2027 when the federal figures were published on September 29, 2026.
Franchise math: two deadlines to remember
The adult franchise ranges from CHF 300 to CHF 2,500 per year; children's deductibles range from CHF 0 to CHF 600. If you want a lower franchise (more predictable costs but a higher monthly premium), your current insurer must receive that notification by November 30. If you want a higher franchise (lower premium but more out-of-pocket risk if you need care), the deadline is later: December 31. The maximum premium discount for choosing CHF 2,500 instead of CHF 300 is 70% of the risk difference, which works out to CHF 1,540 per year. After the franchise, you still pay 10% coinsurance up to CHF 700 per year, plus CHF 15 per day for hospital stays.
Model choice: Standard, family doctor, HMO or Telmed
KVG models change the price by steering how you access care. A Standard model gives free choice of doctor; family doctor (Hausarzt) models require you to see your registered GP first; HMO models route you through a group practice; Telmed models require a telehealth triage call before most visits. The premium difference can be meaningful, but the model only works if you actually follow its path. Swiss insurers publish model-specific premiums with the October notice, so you can compare the same deductible across models before the November 30 deadline.
How switching actually works
In practice, many people sign the new policy with the new insurer and let that insurer handle the cancellation request with the old insurer. The legal rule, however, is that your current insurer must receive written cancellation by November 30. If you are doing it yourself, send the cancellation by registered mail and build in a buffer. The safest approach is to mail it by mid-November at the latest.
VVG supplementary insurance is a separate contract
Swiss supplementary hospital or outpatient cover (VVG) does not follow the KVG clock. VVG policies generally have a September 30 cancellation deadline, require full underwriting, and insurers have no legal obligation to accept you. There is no open enrollment guarantee for VVG. So a November 30 KVG switch does not automatically move your supplementary cover. If you are keeping supplementary VVG policies, review them separately.
US tax side: if you are self-employed
On your US return, if you are self-employed, you can generally deduct 100% of your health insurance premiums — including Swiss KVG premiums — on Schedule 1 line 17 using Form 7206, which replaced the old self-employed health insurance deduction worksheet. The instructions do not require the plan to be US-based; foreign health coverage can qualify. Form 7206 is required if you also file Form 2555 to claim the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion. The deduction is limited to your net self-employment income, so if your SE income is lower than your premiums, the excess does not become an above-the-line deduction.
US tax side: if you are an employee
If you are a salaried employee and not self-employed, your Swiss KVG premiums generally fall into the Schedule A medical expense category. That means they are only deductible if you itemize and only to the extent your total qualified medical expenses exceed 7.5% of your adjusted gross income. Many US expats do not clear that threshold, but if you have high premiums, dental work, or other medical costs, it is worth tracking. The switching decision itself is not a US taxable event — only the premium amount, business structure, and deductions change.
Your November 2026 game plan
Start with the premium notice that arrives by October 31. Compare your current insurer's 2027 offer against at least two alternatives at the same franchise and model level. Then decide whether the franchise change makes sense for your expected healthcare use. If you want to lower it, act before November 30; if you want to raise it, you have until December 31. Keep the US side in mind: if self-employed, the changed premium flows into Form 7206; if an employee, it may sit in Schedule A. The relief comes from knowing the deadlines and the decision points.
Deadline is receipt, not postmark
Send any cancellation by registered mail no later than mid-November so your current insurer physically has it before November 30. Postal delays are not an acceptable excuse for missing the statutory cut-off.