Health insurance guide
Accident cover in health insurance: include or suspend?
When the accident cover of basic health insurance can be suspended, what that does to the premium — and the notification trap when a job ends. With official sources.
Last updated on September 8, 2026 · Reviewed by our FINMA-licensed advisory team
In brief
Accidents are automatically covered in basic health insurance — no separate inclusion is needed (KVG Art. 1a). Those employed for at least 8 hours per week with one employer are also insured against non-occupational accidents through that employer (UVG) and can have the accident cover of their health insurance suspended; the premium is reduced accordingly (KVG Art. 8).
The trap lies at the end of a job: KVG accident cover revives by operation of law as soon as UVG cover ends — but notifying the health insurer is a duty. If it is omitted, the insurer can claim the accident premium retroactively, plus default interest (KVG Art. 10).
This page provides general information and does not replace personal advice. As of 2026, without guarantee. The size of the premium reduction on suspension is set by each insurer — the law and your own health insurer's information are decisive.
The basic rule: accidents are covered
Social health insurance pays benefits for illness, accident and maternity — for accidents, insofar as no accident insurance pays for them (KVG Art. 1a para. 2). An active "accident inclusion" is therefore not a separate contract but the normal state of basic health insurance.
Automatically covered this way is everyone without UVG cover: persons not in employment, self-employed persons without voluntary UVG insurance, and employees working less than 8 hours per week for one employer.
Who can suspend the accident cover
Only those fully insured against accidents under the UVG — including non-occupational accidents — can suspend. That applies to employees working at least 8 hours per week for one employer (UVV Art. 13); occupational accidents and accidents on the way to work are always covered while employed (UVG Art. 1a).
Those below this threshold, or with several small workloads of less than 8 hours each, remain dependent on basic health insurance for non-occupational accidents — suspension is then not possible.
How the suspension works
The suspension is requested from your own health insurer, with proof of full UVG cover; the premium is reduced accordingly (KVG Art. 8 para. 1). How large the reduction is depends on the insurer — there is no statutory figure.
The insurer must point out the right of suspension in writing when a person joins (KVG Art. 9).
The trap when a job ends
When employment ends, UVG cover ends in stages — and basic health insurance takes over again. The sequence:
Up to 31 days after the job ends
UVG cover continues until the 31st day after the day on which entitlement to at least half pay ends (extended cover, UVG Art. 3 para. 2).
Up to 6 months: interim agreement
By agreement with the UVG insurer, non-occupational accident cover can be extended by up to 6 months (UVG Art. 3 para. 3) — relevant, for instance, in interim phases without a new job.
After that: cover revives automatically
As soon as UVG cover ends in whole or in part, accidents are again covered through basic health insurance by operation of law (KVG Art. 8 para. 2) — even without an application.
But: duty to notify the health insurer
The insured person must notify the insurer that UVG cover has ended; the employer must point this out in writing on departure (KVG Art. 10 para. 1). If the notification is omitted, the insurer can claim the accident premium retroactively, plus default interest (KVG Art. 10 para. 2).
Context: UVG and basic health insurance together
The suspension is one building block in the interplay of accident insurance (UVG) and health insurance (KVG): occupational accidents are always borne by the employer's UVG insurer; non-occupational accidents by the UVG insurer or basic health insurance, depending on the workload. How accident cover is structured overall — including for the self-employed and persons not in employment — is shown in the insurance guide.
Accidents at a glance: through the employer or through health insurance →
Whether your accident cover matches your current employment situation is something we are happy to discuss with you — with no obligation.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to include accidents in my health insurance?
No — accidents are automatically covered in basic health insurance, insofar as no accident insurance pays for them (KVG Art. 1a para. 2). There is no separate inclusion contract; only the suspension is an active step (source: KVG).
Who can suspend the health insurer's accident cover?
Those fully insured against accidents under the UVG — i.e. employed for at least 8 hours per week with one employer, so that non-occupational accidents are covered too (UVV Art. 13). The suspension is requested with proof; the premium is reduced (source: KVG Art. 8).
How much premium do I save with the suspension?
The premium is "reduced accordingly" (KVG Art. 8 para. 1) — the concrete reduction is set by each insurer, there is no statutory figure. Your own health insurer provides the information (source: KVG).
What happens when I change or lose my job?
UVG cover continues until the 31st day after entitlement to at least half pay ends (UVG Art. 3 para. 2). After that, the accident cover of basic health insurance revives by operation of law — but notifying the insurer is a duty; without it, premium back-claims plus default interest are possible (source: KVG Art. 8/10).
What is the interim agreement (Abredeversicherung)?
An extension of non-occupational accident cover under the UVG by up to 6 months after a job ends, agreed with the previous UVG insurer (UVG Art. 3 para. 3) — for instance for interim phases without new employment (source: UVG).
Does the suspension also apply to the self-employed?
Only with voluntary UVG insurance: self-employed persons are not compulsorily insured under the UVG but can insure themselves voluntarily (UVG Art. 4). Without that cover, accidents remain covered through basic health insurance and a suspension is not possible (source: UVG, KVG).
Sources
- Fedlex — KVG Art. 1a, 8, 9 and 10 (accident cover, suspension, duty to notify)
- Fedlex — UVG Art. 1a, 3 and 4 (insured persons, extended cover, interim agreement, voluntary insurance)
- Fedlex — UVV Art. 13 (8-hour threshold for non-occupational accidents)
- FOPH — health insurance: topic overview
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.
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Questions about your accident cover?
Employment, workload and cover change over time — we are happy to discuss your situation with you. With no obligation.