Health insurance premiums to rise by 4.4 percent in 2026

Health insurance premiums will rise significantly again in 2026: adults will pay an average of CHF 465 per month. Despite political reforms, cost containment remains an ongoing task.

The average monthly premium for compulsory health insurance will be CHF 393.30 from 2026. This corresponds to an increase of 4.4 percent or CHF 16.60 compared to the previous year. In future, adults will pay an average of CHF 465.30 (+18.50), young adults CHF 326.30 (+13.30) and children CHF 122.50 (+5.70).

There are many reasons for the increase: rising life expectancy, medical progress with expensive therapies, growing demand for services and higher tariffs in the inpatient and outpatient sectors.

Cost increase follows long-term trends

Year-on-year, healthcare costs rose by 4.6 percent by June 2025. It is true that the shift from inpatient to outpatient treatment makes medical sense and reduces costs in the long term. However, it will make premiums more expensive in the short term, as outpatient services are borne exclusively by the insured. From 2028, uniform financing with cost sharing by the cantons should provide a remedy.

Political measures will only take effect gradually

The federal government refers to various instruments for cost containment: price reviews for medicines, new tariff structures or the ongoing implementation of the cost containment package 2, which promises savings of up to half a billion francs per year.

In addition, the counter-proposal to the cost brake initiative with binding cost targets and the premium relief initiative, which obliges the cantons to make minimum contributions to premium reductions, will come into force from 2026.

Room for maneuver for insured persons

Insured persons have until the end of November to change their basic insurance. Support is provided by the priminfo.ch platform, where all premiums can be viewed transparently.