Just arrived in Switzerland for work, study or a new life? Welcome. The Swiss healthcare system is excellent, but it works differently from the one in your home country. Here are the 5 essentials.
Content validated by Dr Cécile Besson Duvanel, Medical Director
Anyone who moves to Switzerland must take out compulsory basic health insurance (LAMal) within 3 months of arriving. No one will do it for you, neither your employer nor your school. Good to know: cover is backdated to the day of arrival if you meet this deadline.
Under the standard insurance model, you see the doctor of your choice, with no prior registration and no doctor imposed on you. Some cheaper models (family doctor model, telemedicine model), however, require you to go through a designated first point of contact: check your contract.
Each year you pay a deductible (chosen between CHF 300 and CHF 2,500 for an adult), then 10% of the costs above that, capped at CHF 700 per year. We explain it all in detail in our article on the deductible and the retention fee.
144 is the number for life-threatening emergencies, available throughout Switzerland. For emergencies that are not life-threatening (a wound, a sprain, a fever, an infection), Quai Santé's walk-in emergency care sees you without an appointment, at Montreux station.
It's the advice every expat gives with hindsight. A doctor who knows you means consistent follow-up and quick access to the right specialist. Our 8 general practitioners are accepting new patients, and the centre's location, inside Montreux railway station (SBB), makes it easy to reach by train from across the Vaud Riviera: ideal for students at the region's hospitality schools and for busy professionals alike.
New to the area? Plan ahead: book your first consultation on 021 964 30 00.
This information is general and does not replace a medical consultation. In a life-threatening emergency, call 144. Medical disclaimer
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