Health Insurance, Gyms
contains: the Swiss insurance requirement, for EU and non-EU citizens, prices, subsidy. Newly added, gyms.
Minding the very big problem that international students are facing in Switzerland with health insurance, EESTEC Lugano wanted to share with others the experience gained over previous few years in this field. With advice from the insurance consulting agency CAST last year we’ve enabled to all international students to get free professional insurance advising - resulting in obtaining a big, helpful subsidy from appropriate cantonal office. Below we explain in detail how the Swiss insurance system functions and how to get inexpensive but reliable insurance.
For those simply interested in Insurance, you can skip it and contact directly Mrs. Anna Piatti by e-mail apiatti.cast{at}ocst{dot}com or directly at Via Balestra 19, Second Floor from 8-12am, she will tell you about all possible health insurance options and also help you to apply for subsidy.
General info about health insurance in Switzerland
Private health insurance in Switzerland is obligatory, and in general foreigners who apply for residence are required to select a Swiss provider. The Federal Law on Health Insurance (LAMal) introduced in 1996 regulates this field. The Cantonal Office for Health Insurance in Bellinzona (Ufficio dell'assicurazione malattia) is in charge for insurance issues in the canton of Ticino. The documents regarding insurance in Switzerland and particularly in Ticino describing this issue in detail are here. Only unlimited coverage (Swiss) health insurances providers are acceptable in Ticino.
Some information regarding insurance in Switzerland for foreign students (given by ETHZ students) may be found at: http://www.international.ethz.ch/coming_ch/insurance.html.
Insurance for EU/EFTA citizens residing in Switzerland
The new bilateral agreements allowing the free circulation of citizens between Switzerland and EU countries (refer to this) have promoted mutual collaboration between health insurance carriers. Students should request form E128 (or better TI6.2 local form issued by Canton Ticino) from their insurance company (in total, they will need to submit one original and three copies). Form E128 must be valid until the end of a student’s stay in the host country. A copy of E128 Form will also be required by the Cantonal Overseas Visitor Records authority at the town hall (Municipio). Students not in possession of this document will be requested to select a Swiss insurance provider. Some information about this issue (from UNIL, Canton Vaud, Lausanne) might be found here. The price list for EU/EFTA citizens is given here (Premi dell’assicurazione di base UE/AELS).
Insurance for Swiss residences coming from non-EU countries
All students coming from outside EU are obliged to take full-coverage (Swiss) insurance. However there is a possibility given by law to be exempt from this - in order to obtain an exception some conditions have to be met. The entire set of conditions that foreign insurance has to meet in order to be acceptable in Canton Ticino is given in TI6.3 form. This form must be filled up and signed by the applicant and by his insurance company.
Actually, the possibility for exception from Swiss insurance is usually considered to be given to students that are coming as a part of some ‘student mobility programme’. And this is explicitly asked in any insurance exception form. If you are regular student we strongly recommend taking Swiss insurance and applying for a subsidy over CAST (as explained in the text below).
Insurance companies and prices in Ticino
Price for insurance depends on age, franchise, canton and type of insurance. Hereafter only the basic health insurance with highest franchise and for canton Ticino will be discussed. Almost all Swiss insurance companies are present in Ticino. The price list for Canton Ticino is provided here (cassa malati). You can check and compare all existing offers at comparis.ch.
Cantonal subsidy for foreign students
All students are eligible to apply for insurance subsidy from the Cantonal office In Bellinzona. You must apply for subsidy for the current year. This basically means that you have to apply for this as soon as you receive the first letter about insurance issue from the Cantonal Office in Bellinzona. The 2D tables (age, ‘franchigia’) are given by the canton and it is directly stated by how much money Canton might sustain the cost of the insurance.
For more information about subsidy or insurance advising (offered free to students), one should directly contact Mrs. Anna Piatti, authority of the ‘Consulenca assicurativa – Organizzazione Cristiano Sociale Ticinese’, OCST at Via S. Balestra 19, two blocks south of USI. She will provide the application forms and will forward the request to the Cantonal office for health insurance; the usual time for response from this office is one to two months. Students are usually provided KPT/CPT insurance through the OCST and subsidy for this insurance is given in almost all cases from the Cantonal office. There are no age limits for applying for a subsidy. The subsidy usually covers about 90% of insurance costs, so bills will reflect only for remaining part (as low as CHF 9-20/mo). You may request to pay bills for several months at once (less frequent walks to La Posta to pay bills).
Here are the addresses of cantonal office for health insurance and other Swiss institutions related to health insurance:
Via C. Ghiringhelli 15a
CH-6501 BELLINZONA
tel. +41 91 821 91 11
Gym
The USI campus has courses and outings on www.sport.unisi.ch but does not have cardio machines or weight-room; insurance policies may pay for CHF 300.- of a year-long gym membership.
| Name | Dist. | Time | Prices | Address | |
| Gym Tonic | 0.6 km S | 8 min |
798 , 650 , 450
Gold, Silver: indicate times allowed to work out. Silver: 798 (12 x 66.5), 650 (6 x 109), 450 (3 x 150) Membership transferrable after 9th month. | Via Cantonale 3, CH-6904 Lugano | Yes |
| Free Time Club | 1.3 km E | 15 min | --- , 690 , 490 - (12 x ) , 690.- (7 x 98), 490.- (3.5 x 140) | via delle Scuole 34, CH-6962 | Yes |
| Primadonna | 0.9 km E | 15 min | --- , 690 , 380 - (12 x ), 690.- (6 x 115), 380.- (3 x 126) | Via Guggirolo, CH-6962 Viganello | Yes |
| GetFit Club | 0.5 km S | 8 min | 1000 (12 x 83) | Via Ferruccio Pelli, 2, CH-6900 | Yes |
| Lifestyle | 3 km NW | 45 min | 550 (12 x 45) | Via Pobietta, Manno | |
| 1.2 km N | 20 min | via Brentani 10, CH-6900 Lugano | |||
| Fight Gym Club | 1.5 km NE | 20 min | 650.- (12 x 54) | Via Merlecco 9, CH-6963 Pregassona | Yes |
| JudoBudo Club | 1.0 km E | 10 min | 170 (12 x 14) | Via Chioso 7, Cassarate | Yes |
| Scuola Migros | 0.4 km S | 5 min | course-dependent | Via Pretorio 15, CH-6900 | |
| Lido (the pool) | 0.8 km S | 9 min |
72 , 48 , 24
CHF 2 per visit; at 1 visit per week: 72 (CHF2/visit x 4/wk x 9mo), 48.- (x 6mo), 24.- (x 3mo) | intersection of river and lake | |