Transport and rescue
What does health insurance cover?
Deployment of an ambulance or helicopter can save lives, but it is expensive. Basic insurance only covers some of the costs: supplementary insurance offers better protection.
You see and hear them every day: ambulances and Swiss Air-Rescue helicopters in action. They save lives in medical emergencies – such as when someone has a heart attack, a stroke or an accident. They are also often used to transport sick patients – from one hospital or medical facility to another hospital or a nursing or rehabilitation centre.
How much does an ambulance cost? What about Swiss Air-Rescue?
Transport by ambulance or rescue helicopter can easily cost several thousand francs. As a general rule, the following applies: the longer an assignment takes and the more complex it is, the higher the costs.
- Depending on the canton, an ambulance costs between CHF 700 and CHF 2,100.
- A rescue by a Swiss Air-Rescue helicopter (Rega) costs around CHF 4,500 on average.
What is covered by basic and supplementary insurance?
Rescue and transport operations are important – and cost a lot of money. Many people are surprised at how much they have to contribute towards the costs. We have prepared an overview of how cost assumption and/or contributions are handled in the event of illness-related deployments:
Transport is when a sick or injured person has to be brought to the place of treatment, for example by ambulance.
Basic insurance
- Basic insurance pays 50% of the costs, up to a maximum of CHF 500 per calendar year – e.g. for travel to the doctor or the hospital emergency department. This payment is subject to the condition that the transport is medically necessary.
Supplementary insurance
- Supplementary outpatient insurance covers 100% of the transport costs for emergency transport to hospital, with no financial limit.
- In addition, supplementary outpatient insurance contributes up to CHF 400 per calendar year towards the costs of other medically necessary transport, such as travel to the doctor.
- Some supplementary insurance policies – such as tourist travel health insurance – also cover return transport from abroad. If medical repatriation to Switzerland is necessary (due to illness or accident), tourist will assume the costs not covered by basic insurance.
Rescue means that a person must be freed from a situation that poses an acute threat to their health and life.
Basic insurance
- Basic insurance pays 50% of the costs, up to a maximum of CHF 5,000 per calendar year and only within Switzerland. In order to receive this payment, the affected person must be in a life-threatening situation.
Supplementary insurance
- Supplementary outpatient insurance covers 100% of the rescue costs, with no financial limit. This can be particularly advantageous in the case of expensive rescue operations, such as helicopter rescues.
Please note: The share from basic insurance always includes the statutory cost contribution (franchise and deductible).
Conclusion: supplementary insurance closes gaps
Basic insurance offers basic cover for transport and rescue. However, assumption of costs is limited. Experience shows that the actual costs are often higher than the benefits paid by basic insurance.
As a result, many patients have to pay part of the bill themselves. This can quickly become expensive.
Supplementary insurance closes this gap, making it a sensible addition. It is worth comparing the various supplementary insurance policies and choosing one that best meets your individual needs.
What about accidents?
When employees work at least eight hours per week for the same employer, it is mandatory for them to be insured against accidents through their employer.
In the event of an accident, accident insurance covers all necessary transport and rescue costs in Switzerland and a maximum of CHF 29,640 abroad (as of 2022).
Individuals who are not insured against accidents by an employer – such as housewives, children, students and pensioners – must include accident cover in their basic insurance. The limits stated above under “Basic insurance” apply to them.
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Foto: Schutz & Rettung Zürich