Cross-border commuter insurance
Do you live in an EU/EFTA country or the UK and receive a salary in Switzerland? Then you are considered a cross-border commuter. We offer you and your non-employed family members BASIS basic insurance for this purpose.
How the BASIS model works
With the standard model, you enjoy a free choice of doctor and direct access to specialists at all times.
Illness or accident 
Treatment by doctor or specialist
Treatment in your country of residence
France
If your country of residence is France, we will arrange for you to be registered with the CPAM (“caisse primaire d'assurance maladie”) responsible for you in France. You should expect the CPAM to take more than six months to process your registration. As soon as the CPAM has processed and confirmed the registration, you will receive a valid insurance card (“carte vitale”) or your existing card will be renewed. Please keep all invoices from French service providers, and only submit them to the CPAM after you have received your French insurance card. We are not allowed to reimburse you directly for invoices from French service providers. If you have any questions about the registration process, please contact your CPAM directly on +33 1 84 90 36 46.
Other EU/EFTA countries and the UK
If you live in another EU/EFTA country or the UK , we will send you the S1 certificate for international mutual benefits assistance. You should forward the form to a statutory insurance company in your country of residence. You will then receive a local insurance card for processing treatment costs in your country of residence.
ID issued by Helsana Insurance Company Ltd, to be quoted to the provider in the country of residence: 01562
Insured benefits
Under cross-border commuter insurance, we will reimburse you the following benefits after deduction of the statutory co-payment (deductible/excess/hospital cost contribution).
You receive the costs of medically prescribed medication on the specialities list. If several pharmaceuticals are listed with the same combination of active ingredients, the excess can amount to 40%.
Good to know: co-payment only applies if you purchase your medication in Switzerland.
Downloads
Free advice for cross-border commuters
Our sales offices in locations close to the border specifically cater to the needs of cross-border commuters.
FAQs
By law, all people living in Switzerland must have basic health insurance. In accordance with the bilateral agreements, this also includes cross-border commuters. Cross-border commuters are people who live in an EU/EFTA country or the UK and work in Switzerland, and whose salary is paid exclusively in Switzerland. Basic health insurance provides all insured persons with the basic medical care they need in the event of sickness and maternity.
You can include your family members in your insurance if neither parent is employed, unemployed or a pension recipient in your country of residence. If you are employed in Switzerland, your family members who are not gainfully employed are also subject to compulsory insurance. This includes minors, adults in education and non-working spouses.
We will send you an S1 certificate for international mutual benefits assistance (this form is sent to you automatically after you take out insurance). You must forward the S1 certificate to a statutory insurance company in your country of residence and you will then receive a local insurance card for processing treatment costs in your country of residence. This card must always be presented before receiving treatment. Please note that you can only be treated by doctors and in hospitals that accept this insurance card. You benefit from the advantage that you do not have to pay any costs in advance. You will only be charged for any excess specified by the law of your country of residence. Co-payments are always governed by the provisions of the statutory health insurance in your country of residence. We cannot reimburse you for any treatments that you pay for yourself.
If your country of residence is France, we will arrange registration directly with the CPAM (Caisses primaires d'assurance maladie) responsible for you in France, so you will not receive an S1 certificate.
For outpatient treatment, you have the option of visiting a doctor of your choice or a hospital from our list. When claiming benefits under compulsory health insurance, you pay a fixed annual deductible of CHF 300, followed by an excess of 10% per invoice (max. CHF 700 per year). Please always present your Helsana insurance card.
For inpatient treatment in a hospital, you are insured at most up to the tariff (according to the cantonal hospital list) of the canton in which you work. When claiming benefits under compulsory health insurance, you pay a hospital cost contribution of CHF 15 per day.
If you terminate your employment relationship in Switzerland and/or become unemployed, you are automatically (and without cancellation, following your last day of work) exempt from compulsory insurance in Switzerland. In this case, please contact us so that we can take account of your situation and needs.
If you retire and stop working in Switzerland, please contact us so that we can take account of your situation and needs.
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