Health insurance knowledge base | 9.2.2026
Is hospital insurance worth it?
Supplementary hospital insurance is a popular add-on to basic health insurance. But do the benefits available go beyond a more comfortable room and free choice of doctor? Who would find this insurance useful? Are any of the models particularly good value? Find the answers here.
What is supplementary hospital insurance?
In Switzerland, around a quarter of adults have private or semi-private hospital insurance. But is it a useful add-on or an expensive luxury? This article provides background information on different supplementary insurance models to help you decide.
Supplementary hospital insurance is a voluntary form of insurance that supplements basic health insurance for overnight hospital stays. It covers costs that are not covered under basic health insurance, such as those of a more comfortable room, additional services, earlier appointments or a free choice of doctor. There are a number of different models to choose from, all with different premiums.
A health check is required before taking out supplementary insurance.
What type of hospital stay is covered under basic health insurance?
Basic health insurance covers the costs of a stay on a general ward at a hospital on the hospital list for your canton of residence. With basic health insurance, you are not entitled to a free choice of doctor. If you are treated in a hospital in another canton, the costs will be reimbursed up to the tariff for your canton of residence. The canton of residence is relevant because this covers the costs of medical treatment in Swiss hospitals together with basic health insurance. In the event of an emergency or if treatment is not possible in the canton of residence, full reimbursement of costs is guaranteed by law.
When is supplementary hospital insurance necessary?
To determine this, it is worth asking yourself, what is most important to you during a hospital stay?
- Would you like to be treated in a hospital that is not included in the list of hospitals for your canton of residence?
- Does your chosen hospital not offer the treatment you require?
- Would you like to a free choice of hospital doctor or surgeon?
- Would you prefer the privacy of a twin or single room?
Supplementary hospital insurance covers the costs of these benefits and the extra comfort. Depending on the model chosen, it may cover a stay on a general, semi-private or private ward of a listed hospital, including one outside of your canton of residence.
Calculate premiums for semi-private supplementary hospital insurance
Who should take out supplementary hospital insurance?
Whether it makes sense for you to take out supplementary hospital insurance as an add-on to compulsory health insurance depends on your individual requirements and circumstances. It is especially recommended if you would prefer more than the standard level of service in hospital.
Supplementary hospital insurance is useful if you:
- Would like a free choice of doctor and hospital throughout Switzerland without additional costs
- Would prefer a greater level of comfort in hospital; for example, the privacy of a single or twin room
- Would like faster access to appointments
- Often travel abroad and would like greater cost coverage in hospital should you have an emergency abroad
If you’d like greater flexibility, comfort and peace of mind during a hospital stay, then supplementary hospital insurance is definitely worth considering to complement basic health insurance.
Is flexible supplementary hospital insurance a good option?
This also depends on what types of hospital stay you think you may require. You might make different choices for an overnight stay for a minor foot procedure, for example, compared to a major bowel operation involving a week’s stay in hospital. If you would like the freedom to choose your doctor or the type of room for your hospital stay based on the nature and duration of treatment, then flexible supplementary hospital insurance is the ideal option for you. With this option, you decide whether to stay on a general, semi-private or private ward only a short time before the hospital stay. The Flex models offer significant savings on premiums compared to regular supplementary hospital insurance.
What types of supplementary hospital insurance are available?
In Switzerland, you can choose between ‘general’, ‘semi-private’ and ‘private’ supplementary hospital insurance. A Flex supplementary hospital insurance plan, which some health insurers, including KPT, offer, offers greater flexibility. With this option, you pay a lower premium, but will have to contribute towards the cost of the hospital stay. KPT offers the following supplementary hospital insurance options.
How can I guarantee future admission to supplementary hospital insurance?
For anyone not yet wishing to take out private or semi-private supplementary hospital insurance, KPT offers Sicuranta supplementary insurance. You complete your health check today for guaranteed future acceptance onto your desired supplementary hospital insurance plan without a new health check, regardless of your state of health.
How do I find the best doctor?
Finding the right doctor or specialist for a particular health problem can be a challenge. This is where BetterDoc comes in. An independent team of Swiss doctors and medically trained staff will help you find a suitable specialist or experienced doctor in your area, including for a second opinion.
Other articles on this topic
Pregnancy: what does health insurance cover?
Health insurance covers a wide range of important pregnancy-related services, such as check-ups, antenatal classes, midwifery care and delivery at a birth centre. Most of these costs are covered by basic health insurance without any deductible or excess. This article explains which benefits are covered and helps you look forward to a stress-free maternity.
Tips on how to save on your health insurance
Rising healthcare costs lead to higher health insurance premiums. Despite this, there are still ways to save. Find out what discounts are available on basic and supplementary insurance plans.
What is the HMO model and what are the advantages and disadvantages?
In Switzerland, the HMO model is an alternative, cost-effective insurance model for basic health insurance. HMO stands for health maintenance organisation. With the HMO model, you choose a doctor from a doctors’ network to be your first point of contact. They may refer you to other specialists as and when necessary. An HMO model can also include group practices in which general practitioners, specialists and therapists collaborate to provide care.
The advantages of semi-private hospital insurance
Semi-private hospital insurance supplements basic health insurance for hospital stays. It offers benefits that are not covered under basic health insurance, such as a twin room or free choice of doctor.
Stefania Cortesi is a KPT product manager and passionately committed to the development of advanced health insurance products. She uses her extensive experience in product development, market analysis and trend monitoring to share valuable insights into the world of insurance solutions on our blog.
