Insurance and pensions
Important information on insurance and pensions for students
FHNW students are responsible for ensuring that they have adequate insurance cover. In Switzerland, there are compulsory insurances (health insurance and AHV) as well as voluntary, private insurances.
The most important information and recommendations for students can be found in the FHNW information sheet (pdf).
Health insurance is compulsory in Switzerland and gives everyone living here access to good medical care. Find out about the best offers for students via https://www.priminfo.admin.ch/de/praemien (neutral premium calculator of the FOPH).
Here you will find further general information on health insurance.
Information on health insurance for foreign students can be found here.
Students are one of the few groups of people who are not subject to compulsory federal accident insurance. This means that students who are not gainfully employed must take out private accident insurance. Find out more about the options for accident insurance here.
Old-age and survivors' insurance (OASI), disability insurance (DI) and the supplementary benefits (EL) are an important part of compulsory Swiss social insurance. All persons living or working in Switzerland are insured and must pay contributions.
All information on OASI relevant to students can be found in the information sheet.
Employed students are compulsorily insured by their employer against accidents during working hours, but only against accidents outside of working hours if they work for the same employer for an average of at least eight hours per week. However, the benefits are then only based on the earned income during the period of study, which is often not enough to cover the cost of living. Students are therefore advised to find out about additional private insurance options, such as lump-sum disability insurance or life insurance, even if they are employed.
For employed students, it is also relevant whether their employer has daily sickness benefits insurance. In the event of incapacity to work due to illness, this insurance covers 80% of the salary over and above the statutory obligation to continue paying wages. If there is no company daily sickness allowance insurance, it is recommended that you take out private daily allowance insurance. Ask your health insurance provider for more information. The loss of earned income due to illness should not jeopardize your studies and the associated running costs.