Insurances & finances

These students can be exempted from taking out LAMal health insurance by the cantonal health insurance service in the canton where they live, if they present a copy of their European Health Insurance Card and student card or certificate of studies. For Vaud canton, this is the Office vaudois de l’assurance-maladie (OVAM). It is not necessary to provide the health insurance equivalence verification form. Necessary medical expenses incurred by the student during their stay in Switzerland will be reimbursed by the social security system in their country of origin.

We recommend that European students register with the LAMal Common Institution in Soleure,which acts as a link between the care provider and the social security system in their country of origin. Presenting your European Health Insurance Card to care providers (doctors, hospitals, on-call medical services, etc.), means that the bill for your treatment will be forwarded directly to the LAMal Common Institution, which will pay the service provider concerned and then arrange to be reimbursed by the social security system in the country of origin concerned (the so-called “third-party payment” system), subject to payment of an excess of CHF 92 for a period of 30 days, which is payable by the student.

If the student is not registered with the LAMal Common Institution, they will have to pay their own medical expenses following their treatment and then send the bill to their social security office for reimbursement (the so-called “third-party guarantor” system). In this case, the student must have the necessary resources to pay their own medical bills and wait for reimbursement.

In addition, students who use the LAMal Common Institution are guaranteed that their medical care will be covered financially at the Swiss rate. Otherwise, the social security system in their own country may reimburse the treatment provided in Switzerland at the level it would have cost if it had been provided in their country of origin. In general, medical services in Switzerland are more expensive than elsewhere in Europe.

Students over the age of 25 are covered in the same way, provided they are studying for their first qualification. If, however, they are pursuing a second course of study or specialisation, cover via the European Health Insurance Card is no longer guaranteed. Students in this situation should check with the social security office in their country of residence.

Note: All medical expenses listed in the catalogue of services included under basic insurance are covered for students while they are in Switzerland, including scheduled treatments.

The ECA (Cantonal Establishment of Insurance) is informed of your presence in the canton by the Residents’ Registration Office of your commune of residence, for the time of a visit, when you arrive in the commune or when you move out of the commune. The weeks following your registration to the commune, you will receive a letter from the ECA, in order that you insure your household contents and personal property (furniture, clothing, electronic devices, equipment etc.) against fire (fire, explosions, smoke, etc.) and natural disasters (flooding, hail, hurricanes : violent windstorms, etc.). This insurance is compulsory for all residents of the canton (article 27 of the law concerning building insurance and personal property insurance against fire and natural disasters - LAIEN).

Your regional agency is at your disposal for any information.