Supplementary insurance guide
Insuring your baby: prenatal registration and the cost rules of pregnancy
Why basic insurance accepts every newborn, when prenatal registration matters for supplementary insurance — and which cost-sharing amounts are waived by law during pregnancy and childbirth.
Last updated on September 8, 2026 · Reviewed by our FINMA-licensed advisory team
In brief
For basic insurance, the question is a relaxed one: every newborn is accepted without a health check and without a reservation — the acceptance obligation applies regardless of the state of health. Registration must take place within three months of the birth; cover then applies retroactively from birth (KVG Art. 3). Supplementary insurance is different: there the insurer decides freely and may ask health questions. This is where prenatal registration comes in — many insurers waive the health check when the child is registered before birth, and the child is then accepted regardless of any findings at birth. This is product practice, differs by insurer and is not unconditional with all products.
In addition, there are two cost rules many expectant parents do not know: the specific maternity benefits (check-ups, delivery, breastfeeding advice) are exempt from cost sharing throughout the entire pregnancy — and from the 13th week of pregnancy until eight weeks after the confinement, cost sharing is also waived on general treatment for illness (KVG Art. 64 Abs. 7).
This page provides general information and does not replace personal advice. As of 2026, without guarantee. The waiver of the health check on prenatal registration is product practice and its design differs by insurer — the applicable contractual conditions are decisive.
Basic insurance: admission is guaranteed
In basic insurance there is no hurdle for newborns: health insurers must accept every person subject to compulsory insurance — regardless of their state of health, without a health check, without a reservation (acceptance obligation as a licensing requirement, KVAG Art. 5 Bst. i). This also applies to a child born with an illness or disability.
As for timing: registration must take place within three months of the birth; cover then begins retroactively with the birth (KVG Art. 3 und 5). Prenatal registration changes nothing about this entitlement — it simply takes the administrative step off families' hands in the first weeks with the newborn and ensures it is not forgotten.
Supplementary insurance: why registration before birth is a topic
For supplementary insurance, the VVG mechanics apply: no acceptance obligation, health questions permissible, and the insurer may accept, attach reservations or reject. For a child born with a health finding, a supplementary insurance policy applied for after the birth can therefore fail the health check or only come about with a reservation.
This is where the real significance of prenatal registration lies: many insurers waive the health check when the child is registered before birth — the child is then accepted on the terms applied for, regardless of what is found at birth. The Ombudsstelle Krankenversicherung (the ombudsman's office for health insurance) also points to this route, adding that it does not apply unconditionally to all products.
The waiver is product practice, not a statutory entitlement: registration windows, covered products and conditions differ by insurer. What the respective insurer confirms in writing is decisive.
The four admission decisions of supplementary insurance are explained in the overview guide →
How reservations work is covered in depth in the guide on pre-existing conditions →
Cost sharing during pregnancy: the two rules
For cost sharing (deductible and retention), the law distinguishes two groups of benefits — with different time windows:
| Benefits | Exemption |
|---|---|
| Specific maternity benefits (check-ups, delivery, breastfeeding advice — KVG Art. 29 Abs. 2) | Throughout the entire pregnancy — without a time limit (lit. a). |
| General benefits in the event of illness (Art. 25 und 25a) — including those unrelated to the pregnancy | From the 13th week of pregnancy, during the confinement and until eight weeks afterwards (lit. b, since 1.3.2014). |
| Hospital cost contribution (CHF 15 per day) | Also waived in the same window (KVV Art. 104 Abs. 2 Bst. c). |
Details are governed by KVV Art. 105: the presumed start of the 13th week of pregnancy is determined by the treating doctor or midwife and noted on the invoice; the exemption ends at midnight on the 56th day after the confinement. A clarification on determining the start of pregnancy adopted by Parliament in 2025 (cost containment package 2) is not yet in force — the ordinance amendment is planned for 1 January 2027.
After the birth: cost sharing for the child
The statutory cost-sharing amounts are also reduced for the child itself: no ordinary deductible is charged for children, and the maximum retention is halved — CHF 350 instead of CHF 700 per year (KVG Art. 64 Abs. 4; KVV Art. 103 Abs. 2, as of 2026). Children do not pay the hospital cost contribution of CHF 15 per day (KVV Art. 104 Abs. 2 Bst. a).
Selectable children's deductibles with a premium discount exist alongside this as an option — here the same applies as for adults: choosing a higher deductible shifts costs from the premium account to the event of illness.
Registration step by step
The process is unspectacular — what matters is the order:
During the pregnancy
Choose the basic insurance and the desired supplementary insurance for the child and register them before the birth — for the supplementary cover, what counts here is the waiver of the health check that many insurers grant on prenatal registration. Keep the confirmation on file in writing.
After the birth
Notify the insurer of the birth and submit the name, date of birth and personal details — the prenatal registration usually runs under «child of …» and is now completed.
No later than three months after the birth
By this point, the child's basic insurance must be registered; cover applies retroactively from birth (KVG Art. 3 und 5). Anyone who registered before the birth has already completed this step.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to register my baby before the birth?
No. For basic insurance, registration within three months of the birth is sufficient — cover applies retroactively from birth (KVG Art. 3 und 5). Prenatal registration matters in practice mainly for supplementary insurance (source: KVG).
Can basic insurance reject my newborn?
No. The acceptance obligation applies regardless of the state of health — a child born with an illness is also accepted without a health check and without a reservation (KVAG Art. 5 Bst. i) (source: KVAG).
Can supplementary insurance reject my baby?
Yes — freedom of contract applies to supplementary insurance (VVG); the insurer may assess and reject. On prenatal registration, many insurers waive the health check; this waiver is product practice, differs by insurer and is not unconditional with all products (source: VVG, Ombudsstelle Krankenversicherung).
From when is the pregnancy exempt from cost sharing?
It is differentiated: the specific maternity benefits (check-ups, delivery, breastfeeding advice) are exempt throughout the entire pregnancy (KVG Art. 64 Abs. 7 Bst. a). General treatment for illness is exempt from the 13th week of pregnancy until eight weeks after the confinement (Bst. b) (source: KVG).
Does the exemption also apply to treatment that has nothing to do with the pregnancy?
Yes — in the window from the 13th week of pregnancy until eight weeks after the confinement, the deductible and retention are waived on all benefits under KVG Art. 25 und 25a, regardless of any connection with the pregnancy; the hospital cost contribution is waived too (KVG Art. 64 Abs. 7 Bst. b; KVV Art. 104 Abs. 2 Bst. c) (source: KVG, KVV).
What applies in the event of a stillbirth?
If a stillbirth occurs after the 23rd week of pregnancy, it counts as a confinement for the purposes of the cost-sharing exemption — the exemption then runs until eight weeks afterwards (KVV Art. 105 Abs. 3) (source: KVV).
Does my child pay a cost contribution in hospital?
No. Children do not pay the hospital cost contribution of CHF 15 per day (KVV Art. 104 Abs. 2 Bst. a). Children also have no ordinary deductible, and the maximum retention is halved (KVG Art. 64 Abs. 4) (source: KVG, KVV).
What does basic insurance cost for a child?
The children's premium depends on the insurer, premium region and model — there is no universally valid figure. The approved premiums of all insurers can be viewed at priminfo.admin.ch (source: BAG/priminfo).
Sources
- Fedlex — KVG Art. 3, 5, 29 und 64 (compulsory insurance and its start, maternity benefits, cost sharing)
- Fedlex — KVV Art. 103–105 (deductible and retention, hospital cost contribution, details of the maternity exemption)
- Fedlex — KVAG Art. 5 (acceptance obligation as a licensing requirement)
- BAG — Cost sharing in health insurance
- Ombudsstelle Krankenversicherung — annual report 2022 (prenatal registration of supplementary insurance)
Every deadline and figure on this page has been verified against the official sources linked above. As of the date shown at the top. This page does not replace individual advice.
Advice
A baby on the way?
You are expecting a baby and would like to set up the child's insurance? Get in touch with us — we will gladly look at your situation together with you, personally and with no obligation.