Switzerland’s health insurance premiums are projected to rise by an average of 4.5% to 5% in 2027, as assessed by the comparison platform bonus.ch. This increase follows a 4.4% hike in 2026. The need for higher premiums stems from escalating healthcare costs, despite insurers having bolstered their financial reserves. Under a more favorable scenario, the rise could be limited to between 3.5% and 4%, but unforeseen healthcare spending or costs related to new outpatient tariffs could push the increase beyond 5%. Individual policyholders may experience different adjustments based on factors such as their insurer, canton, premium region, age, deductible, and insurance model, with some potentially facing increases exceeding 10% or even 20% in certain circumstances.
The ongoing rise in healthcare costs is a significant factor driving the expected premium increases, with Switzerland’s mandatory health insurance system at the center of this development. In the second quarter of 2026, mandatory insurance costs were up by 0.4% compared to the previous year, following a 2.9% increase in the first quarter. The average annual cost per insured individual reached CHF 4,834, marking an increase of CHF 21 from the year before. However, recent figures may not fully capture actual spending due to delays in outpatient billing after the introduction of a new flat-rate tariff system. While this resulted in a temporary drop in recorded costs, categories such as home care services and psychological services have shown substantial growth.
Healthcare spending varies significantly across Switzerland’s cantons. In the second quarter of 2026, Schaffhausen saw a 9.6% increase, while Zug experienced an 8.7% decrease. Cantons like Glarus, Graubünden, Jura, and Zurich reported above-average increases, whereas others such as Solothurn, Basel-Stadt, Bern, Thurgau, and Geneva noted lower costs than the previous year. Despite these regional differences, the KOF Swiss Economic Institute at ETH Zurich forecasts a continued overall growth in healthcare costs, predicting a 4.5% increase per insured person in 2026 and another 4% in 2027. Based on these projections, costs could rise from CHF 4,968 per person in 2025 to nearly CHF 5,400 by 2027.
Insurers face additional financial pressure as healthcare costs are anticipated to increase by over 5% in 2026, according to estimates submitted to the Federal Office of Public Health. The estimated combined ratio for 2026 is close to 101%, suggesting that premiums may not fully cover expenses, potentially leading to further premium adjustments for 2027. While Swiss health insurers have strengthened their financial position with a combined surplus of nearly CHF 569 million in 2025, which was allocated to reserves, bonus.ch argues that these reserves cannot indefinitely offset the annual healthcare cost growth rate of around 4% to 5%.
Notably, reserve levels among insurers vary widely. In 2024, reserve rates ranged from 53% for Visana to 5% for Philos, with other insurers like CONCORDIA and Assura showing rates of 31% and 9%, respectively. Many insurers have seen significant declines in their reserve ratios since 2020, which has fueled debates about the balance between maintaining adequate financial buffers and keeping premiums manageable. While lower reserves can temporarily reduce premiums, maintaining sufficient reserves is crucial for insurers to manage unexpected cost increases without imposing sudden premium hikes.
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