Deductible for kids - Health insurance
- Thread starter waheguru
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Hi
Excellent question, I never ran the math before. Most people recommend a deductible of zero for children because they have more checkups than we do.
I quickly did the math with Assura premiums and I get a cut off at around 500 CHF. So, if you spend more you should use the 0 deductible and if you spend less, you should use the 600 CHF deductible.
I will update my article about health insurance to include this.
Excellent question, I never ran the math before. Most people recommend a deductible of zero for children because they have more checkups than we do.
I quickly did the math with Assura premiums and I get a cut off at around 500 CHF. So, if you spend more you should use the 0 deductible and if you spend less, you should use the 600 CHF deductible.
I will update my article about health insurance to include this.
Thanks so much for the answer. My kids are now 14 and 13. When checking the expenses per year, the spend tends to be less and less now that are getting older. Some years make up for the others. So for this age, probably the higher deductible makes more sense.
Really appreciate your answer and all your articles. It saves me hours of research.
Isabel
Really appreciate your answer and all your articles. It saves me hours of research.
Isabel
Indeed, it makes sense to start with a 0 deductible and then switch to a 600 CHF deductible.
I have updated the article to add a graph for children as well and updated the numbers for 2025.
thepoorswiss.com
I have updated the article to add a graph for children as well and updated the numbers for 2025.
Health Insurance In Switzerland: The Complete Guide! - The Poor Swiss
Health insurance is mandatory in Switzerland, but it is also very complex! This complete guide will help you navigate this system and save money!
thepoorswiss.com
I have a general question, since kids have checkups that are fixed, isn't there a base cost for health expenses? I mean, obviously i can skip mandatory vaccines and tests, but is there a cost breakdown of what it will cost me to have health checks for kids, if I do all the recommended tests? Eventually, if I choose the highest franchise, I'll "gain" 500 francs in the best case, but if I choose the lowest, I'll lose 100 in the worst case, so I assumed having the highest franchise is the best, as I'm gambling my daughter will be healthy, but since there is a base cost of tests and vaccines that I haven't calculated in, I end up with higher costs than I thought.
That's why I'm asking if there's a resource of expected medical costs for kids per year, so I know when to switch franchises.
That's why I'm asking if there's a resource of expected medical costs for kids per year, so I know when to switch franchises.
Yes, there is. But it's fairly low. The first year, you will do multiple checkups, but then you will quickly switch to one checkup a year. And yes, there are vaccines (which I consider mandatory). But again, starting from the third year, the total cost is very low. Last year, we only went to the pediatrician once for instance.
I think the same stands for kids and adults: in good health, medical costs will be low enough to justify the highest deductible.
Interesting, I just had my daughter's 4 y.o. checkup, including vaccines, and it cost me 300CHF, which I consider high (But maybe that's me 
), if I would have known that, the question would then become, am I willing to gain 200CHF (difference to 500) to not lose 100. That's what I was trying to get
), if I would have known that, the question would then become, am I willing to gain 200CHF (difference to 500) to not lose 100. That's what I was trying to get
That does seem expensive indeed. I have checked and last year we paid a total of 140 CHF for my son.
In theory, you should only change the deductible if you reach about 500 CHF per year.
In theory, you should only change the deductible if you reach about 500 CHF per year.