Basic insurance
Pregnancy, all benefits of basic insurance
The KVG (Health Insurance Act) and the KLV define which benefits are covered during pregnancy and birth. Basic insurance covers practically every medically necessary service.
| Benefit | Covered | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Prenatal check-ups | 7 check-ups | Blood count, urine, blood pressure, weight, foetal heartbeat |
| Ultrasound | 2 scans | 1× first trimester with nuchal translucency scan, 1× anomaly scan |
| Additional check-ups | If at risk | High-risk pregnancy: as many as medically necessary |
| Antenatal class | CHF 150 | Must be led by a midwife |
| Birth in hospital | Yes | General ward in a listed hospital |
| Birth in a birth centre | Yes | Must be on the cantonal hospital list |
| Home birth | Yes | With an independent midwife |
| Caesarean section | Yes | Medically indicated; elective caesareans usually covered too |
| Postnatal midwife care | 10–16 visits | Within 56 days after the birth |
| Breastfeeding advice | 3 sessions | IBCLC certified |
| Medication | Yes | Without deductible from week 13 |
Source: FOPH (Federal Office of Public Health), KLV.
Deductible waiver
From when do you pay nothing at all?
A unique advantage of Swiss basic insurance: within a defined period, the deductible and the out-of-pocket share are waived completely.
Phase 1: weeks 1 to 12
- Pregnancy-specific services: no deductible
- General medical treatment: WITH deductible and out-of-pocket share
Phase 2: from week 13 until 8 weeks after the birth
- EVERYTHING without deductible and out-of-pocket share
- Including treatments that have nothing to do with the pregnancy
- Applies to basic insurance, regardless of your deductible level
Tip: Schedule plannable treatments from week 13 onwards if possible, then you pay neither the deductible nor the out-of-pocket share.
Timeline
The 7 prenatal check-ups
The SGGG standard provides for 7 check-ups and 2 ultrasound scans, all covered by basic insurance.
- 1
Week 6–8
First check-up, blood sample, blood group, general examination
- 2
Week 11–13
First-trimester screening, 1st ultrasound, nuchal translucency scan
- 3
Week 16–18
Check-up, foetal heartbeat, blood tests
- 4
Week 20–22
Detailed ultrasound, anomaly scan
- 5
Week 24–28
Glucose test (gestational diabetes), blood pressure check
- 6
Week 30–34
Position of the baby, birth planning, possibly hospital registration
- 7
Week 36–40
Final check-ups, CTG, weekly if needed
Prenatal diagnostics
Which tests does the health insurer pay for?
Prenatal diagnostics are partly covered; for extended tests you often pay yourself.
| Test | Covered? | Condition | Your own cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nuchal translucency scan | Yes | As part of the 2 ultrasounds | — |
| First-trimester test | Yes | Routinely | — |
| NIPT (non-invasive prenatal test) | Conditional | Only if risk >1:1000 | CHF 510–750 |
| Extended NIPT | No | — | +CHF 350 |
| Amniocentesis | Yes | With medical indication | — |
| Chorionic villus sampling | Yes | With medical indication | — |
Place of birth
Where to give birth? 3 options compared
Whether hospital, birth centre or at home, basic insurance covers all three options. What matters is your personal situation and how the pregnancy progresses.
Maximum safety
Hospital
3 to 5 days' stay. Full facilities including neonatology. Ideal for a high-risk pregnancy. Fully covered in the general ward of a listed hospital in your canton of residence.
CHF 8'000–12'000 (covered)
Personal & family-like
Birth centre
1 to 3 days' stay. Midwife-led, family atmosphere. Only for pregnancies without complications. Must be on the cantonal hospital list.
CHF 5'000–8'000 (covered)
In familiar surroundings
Home birth
The midwife comes to your home. Only for pregnancies without complications and close to the nearest hospital. Independent midwife, covered by basic insurance.
CHF 3'000–5'000 (covered)
Postnatal period
Midwife and aftercare, what does the health insurer pay?
After the birth, the midwife supports you at home. All covered by basic insurance.
| Situation | Home visits | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Normal birth | max. 10 | 56 days after the birth |
| Caesarean section | max. 16 | 56 days after the birth |
| First-time mothers | max. 16 | 56 days after the birth |
| Multiple birth | max. 16 | 56 days after the birth |
First 10 days
Up to 5 additional second visits per day are possible if medically necessary.
Breastfeeding advice
3 sessions with an IBCLC-certified consultant.
Is your health insurance set up optimally?
We check free of charge whether you and your baby are ideally insured.
Paid by you
What is NOT covered?
You pay for these services yourself or you need supplementary insurance.
Semi-private or private ward
Two-bed rooms or single rooms are only covered with hospital supplementary insurance.
Family room
CHF 150 to 300 per night at your own expense, unless the insurer recognises the room as medically necessary.
Elective caesarean section
Not formally guaranteed. In practice most insurers pay the cost, but there is no legal entitlement.
Extended prenatal diagnostics
NIPT without a risk indication costs CHF 510 to 750, extended versions around CHF 350 on top.
Classes beyond CHF 150
Only the share up to CHF 150 of a midwife-led antenatal class is reimbursed.
Postnatal recovery, pregnancy yoga
Basic insurance: no. Some supplementary policies reimburse part of it (prevention contribution).
Compression stockings, breast pump (rental)
Only partly covered with a medical indication and a doctor's prescription.
Supplementary insurance
Supplementary insurance and pregnancy
Your hospital supplementary insurance absolutely must be taken out before the pregnancy, otherwise waiting periods apply.
Take it out before the pregnancy!
Semi-private/private hospital supplementary insurance: waiting periods of 12 to 24 months apply to maternity benefits. Anyone who only takes out a policy once pregnant has no entitlement to the additional benefits for that birth. Dental supplementary insurance should also be arranged early, because of the long waiting periods and the later registration for the child.
| Feature | Basic insurance | Semi-private | Private |
|---|---|---|---|
| Room | 4+ beds | 2 beds | Single room |
| Choice of doctor | Doctor on duty | Free | Head physician |
| Choice of hospital | Canton of residence | All of Switzerland | All of Switzerland |
| Comfort | Standard | Enhanced | Premium |
| Family room | Chargeable | Usually included | Included |
For expectant parents
Registering your baby before birth
Register your baby with a health insurer between the 5th and 8th month of pregnancy. More details in the families guide.
Supplementary insurance without a health assessment
With prenatal registration your child is accepted into supplementary insurance without health questions, even with congenital conditions.
Protection from minute one
Your baby is insured from birth, in basic and supplementary insurance.
No time pressure after the birth
Without prenatal registration you only have 3 months to arrange all supplementary policies.
Timeline: prenatal registration
- 1
Month 5–6
Compare health insurers, obtain quotes
- 2
Month 6–7
Submit the prenatal registration (name and date of birth follow later)
- 3
Month 7–8
Receive confirmation, everything is done
- 4
Birth
Your baby is insured immediately, you only report the name and date of birth
| Insurer | Prenatal semi-private/private? | Condition |
|---|---|---|
 | Yes | One parent must hold the same supplementary policy |
 | Yes | One parent must hold the same supplementary policy |
 | Yes | — |
 | No | Only possible after the birth |
 | No | Only possible after the birth |
 | No | Only possible after the birth |
 | Limited | Reserves the right to exclude congenital conditions retrospectively |
Changing insurer
Change health insurer during pregnancy?
Basic insurance: YES
- Obligation to accept, no pregnancy may be turned down
- Standard notice period: 30 November for 31 December
- Special right of termination also applies after a premium increase
- All benefits stay the same, the KVG catalogue is fixed by law
Supplementary insurance: NO
- Health assessment, a pregnancy almost always leads to rejection or an exclusion
- Waiting periods for maternity benefits apply for 12 to 24 months
- Never cancel an existing supplementary policy before a new one is confirmed in writing
More than 550 customers rate us 4.9 out of 5 stars.
Free advice for expectant parents.
After the birth
Maternity allowance and other parent's allowance
The loss-of-earnings scheme (EO), run through the compensation office (AHV), secures your salary during maternity and parental leave.
For the mother
Maternity allowance
- 14 weeks of maternity leave
- 80% of your average salary
- Max. CHF 220 per day
- Extension possible if the baby stays in hospital longer
- Application through your employer to the compensation office (EO)
For your partner
The other parent's leave
- 2 weeks of paid leave
- 80% of salary, max. CHF 3'080 in total
- To be taken within 6 months of the birth
- Application through your employer (EO)
- Since 2024 officially called the other parent's leave (formerly paternity leave)
Interactive
Your checklist, step by step
Tick off the tasks as you plan your pregnancy.
BEFORE the pregnancy
1st trimester (weeks 1–12)
2nd trimester (weeks 13–27)
3rd trimester (weeks 28–40)
After the birth
Avoid
The 5 costliest mistakes during pregnancy
1. Trying to take out supplementary insurance only once pregnant
Waiting periods of 12 to 24 months make that impossible. Always take it out BEFORE family planning.
2. Forgetting the prenatal registration of your baby
Without prenatal registration you risk a rejection of the supplementary insurance, especially with congenital conditions.
3. Cancelling supplementary insurance during the pregnancy
A fatal mistake, a new supplementary insurer will almost always reject you or add exclusions while you are pregnant.
4. Plannable treatments before week 13
Better to postpone dental treatment, surgery and similar to week 13 or later, then the deductible is waived entirely.
5. Not booking a midwife early
Good midwives are booked out early. Get in touch in the 1st trimester, postnatal care is particularly important.
Well prepared for your pregnancy.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about pregnancy & health insurance
From week 13 of pregnancy until 8 weeks after the birth, the deductible and the out-of-pocket share are waived entirely, including for treatments that have nothing to do with the pregnancy.
Yes. Medically indicated caesarean sections are fully covered. Elective caesareans are usually paid in practice as well, but there is no formal guarantee.
Basic insurance: yes, at any ordinary termination date. The obligation to accept every applicant protects you. Supplementary insurance: no, there is a health assessment. Never cancel an existing supplementary policy before the new one is confirmed in writing.
Only if the first-trimester test shows a risk higher than 1:1000. Without an indication you pay CHF 510 to 750 yourself, and extended versions cost around CHF 350 on top.
10 home visits after a normal birth, 16 visits after a caesarean, for first-time mothers or after a multiple birth. All within the first 56 days after the birth.
A flat CHF 150, provided the class is led by a qualified midwife.
Basic insurance: no. Some supplementary policies cover part of the cost (fitness and prevention contributions).
14 weeks at 80% of your salary (max. CHF 220 per day) through the loss-of-earnings scheme (EO). The application goes through your employer.
2 weeks at 80% of salary (max. CHF 3'080 in total), to be taken within 6 months of the birth. Since 2024 the former paternity leave is officially called the other parent's leave.
Between CHF 5'000 and CHF 12'000 depending on the place of birth and how it goes. In the general ward of a listed hospital in your canton of residence, everything is covered by basic insurance.
Well prepared for your pregnancy
More than 550 customers rate us 4.9 out of 5 stars. We advise expectant parents free of charge and find the ideal cover for you and your baby.