Health insurance: Diplomats and international public servants abroad
Public servants and family members living abroad must be covered by Swiss compulsory health insurance.
The following are deemed to be public servants:
- employees of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) regularly posted abroad;
- employees of the FDFA or another federal department working outside Switzerland;
- persons living abroad on account of their work for another Swiss public-law entity or institution.
Family members are also subject to Swiss compulsory health insurance, unless they work and are therefore subject to the host country’s health insurance system.
It should be noted that locally recruited staff are not subject to Swiss compulsory health insurance.
Further information
Further topics
Diplomats and international organisation staff
Staff members of permanent missions and international organisations, and their family members, are not obliged to obtain health insurance.
Health insurance: EU/EFTA/UK premiums and premium subsidies
Persons resident in an EU/EFTA country or the United Kingdom (UK)who are subject to Swiss compulsory health insurance under the Swiss-EU Agreement on the free movement of persons, the EFTA Convention or the new social security Agreement with the United Kingdom must pay the premiums applicable for their country of residence.
Treatment abroad for policyholders resident abroad
Persons insured in Switzerland and resident abroad are entitled to be treated in their country of residence. The conditions for reimbursement of the costs vary, depending on the country (EU/EFTA, UK or elsewhere) and the persons’ status (stay/residence).
Federal Office of Public Health FOPH
Insurance Supervision Division
Schwarzenburgstrasse 157
Switzerland - 3003 Bern