Life event
I’m moving to Switzerland
Just arrived? You have 3 months to choose your health insurance — and many other decisions are waiting for you.
The 7 steps of settling in
- Register with your commune. The deadline is short: go to the Residents’ Office (Contrôle des habitants) as soon as you arrive.
- Health insurance. Compulsory, and to be chosen within 3 months. It is backdated to the date you arrived.
- Personal liability and household contents. Personal liability insurance covers damage you cause to others. Household contents insurance protects your belongings.
- Bank account and third pillar. An account for your salary, then a third pillar (pillar 3a, private pension savings) to prepare for retirement and reduce your taxes.
- Tax at source. Depending on your permit and your income, your taxes are deducted from your salary or declared each year.
- Driving licence. A foreign licence is exchanged for a Swiss licence within 12 months.
- Occupational pension. Check your LPP (occupational pension, 2nd pillar) certificate: it shows what is being saved for you and how you are covered.
Common mistakes
- Choosing the cheapest health insurer without comparing the model (family doctor, telemedicine, care network).
- Forgetting personal liability insurance. If you cause damage to someone else, you pay out of your own pocket.
- Ignoring the third pillar in your first year. The tax deduction also applies to an incomplete year.
What I do for you
A complete review of your move in one meeting, in French or in English. Health insurance, personal liability and household contents, pensions, taxes: we go through everything, and you leave with a clear list.
Frequently asked questions
What happens if I miss the 3-month deadline for health insurance?
The canton enrols you with a health insurer automatically. Premiums are due from the date you arrived, and a surcharge for late enrolment may be added. Better to choose yourself.
I’m a cross-border commuter: do I need to be insured in Switzerland?
Cross-border commuters from certain countries have a right of option: to be insured in Switzerland or in their country of residence. This choice is in principle irrevocable. Find out before you decide.
My employer takes care of everything, right?
Your employer manages the 2nd pillar and, where applicable, tax at source. Health insurance, personal liability insurance, household contents insurance and the third pillar remain your responsibility.
In collaboration with Callenium GmbH, a non-tied insurance intermediary.
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