1. Start with changes, not quotations
An annual review is a chance to check whether your protection still fits your life. A move, a new partner, a child, different working hours or a new activity can all raise useful questions. Write down what changed since your last review and choose three priorities: protecting income, understanding a particular exclusion, or checking the household budget, for example. A review can conclude that your current arrangements remain suitable. There is no need to replace everything.
2. Build a one-page policy inventory
List the insurer, policyholder, people or property covered, annual premium, deductible, insured amount, main exclusions and renewal date for each contract. Add the notice period from the actual contract; different policies need different calendars. Keep the latest policy schedule, general conditions, amendments and premium notice together. Separate private cover from business cover. Flag unanswered questions rather than assuming that a familiar product name tells you exactly what is insured.
3. Recheck the home and the people who depend on you
Walk through your home and estimate what replacing its contents would cost. AXA’s household guidance recommends regularly checking replacement value and adjusting the insured amount upwards or downwards. This is one insurer’s guidance: your own contract determines valuation, limits and settlement. Ask specifically about valuable items and belongings outside the home. Then gather your pension statement and employer benefit summaries. Identify which income would continue if either partner could no longer work, and which questions require confirmation from the employer or insurer.
4. Give basic health insurance its own deadline
For a change on 1 January 2027, FOPH states that cancellation must reach the current basic insurer by 30 November 2026; posting on that date is insufficient. Apply to the new insurer at the same time and retain evidence. Qualifying outstanding debts can block a switch. Basic insurers active in your area must accept eligible applicants without health exclusions. These rules do not apply to supplementary insurance. Use the FOPH guidance below for the detailed switching conditions.
5. Read supplementary health cover separately
FINMA recommends reading both general and supplementary conditions, including separate lists of recognised clinics or therapists. Check what treatment would actually be reimbursed and seek a cost guarantee before treatment when appropriate. The policy year and cancellation deadline may differ from those of basic insurance. If you want to switch supplementary cover, wait for the new insurer’s confirmation before cancelling the old policy. A premium comparison alone cannot establish equivalent protection.
6. Finish with decisions you can explain
Imagine a household that has moved and bought a bicycle: the useful questions concern the new address, replacement values, theft location, limits and deductible. That does not automatically justify an extra policy. For every proposed change, record the problem it solves, the remaining exclusions, the total annual cost and the confirmed start date. Keep a written list of actions, responsible people and deadlines. Bring unresolved points to a review before cancelling anything. This checklist is general information; suitability depends on your circumstances and the applicable contracts.
Explore the relevant protection
Review home and personal liability, health insurance or life and income protection, then book a conversation about your priorities.
Sources and further reading
FOPH — premiums and switching basic insurance
FINMA — what to check in supplementary health insurance
AXA — household inventory and the insured amount (insurer guidance)