Rising cost of living and rocketing healthcare costs in Switzerland will see health insurance prices rise by about 6.6 percent as 2023 comes in.

That increase is one of the largest the country has ever seen – given that most annual hikes are in the 1.5 percent range. The federal government says most of it is Covid-related.

While it amounts to an increase of about 22 francs per month to an overall average monthly premium of 335 francs, that can vary widely by canton. Basel, Neuchâtel, and Ticino will see even higher increases of over 9 percent each. Basel itself will have average monthly premiums of over 425 francs – the highest in the country.

According to price comparison portal Comparis, 27 percent of people in Switzerland changed their basic health insurance provider in 2022 in an attempt to save money ahead of the hikes. People under 36 years of age changed at a higher rate – about 41 percent made the switch. French-speaking cantons were most likely to change, at 31 percent. Men were also much more likely to change than women, at 32 and 21 percent, respectively.

More than 60 percent of switchers said price was a main consideration. That’s possibly why smaller insurers tended to gain the most new customers in 2022.