Termination of the collective health insurance agreement with Sympany

Due to the new regulations of the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA), Sympany is unfortunately no longer willing, as of 1 January 2019, to continue granting the discounts agreed upon in the collective agreement with the Roche Employees' Association (AVR). This concerns supplementary insurance only. By law, discounts are not permitted for basic health insurance.

In tough negotiations that took place over several months, the AVR attempted to find a fair solution. However, Sympany was not willing to make concessions to the AVR. In order to ensure a better basis for negotiation, the committees of AVR Basel and of the AVR’s Central Switzerland section made the decision, as a last resort, to terminate the collective agreement as of 31 December 2018.

The AVR is already working on a new solution with a new partner and is confident that we will soon be able to present the insurance holders with a new, attractive solution. The solution will most likely include the possibility to move to the new partner without the need to go through the health declaration process – irrespective of where the insurance holders are insured today.

We recommend in the strongest terms that all insured persons carefully examine all offers from health insurers – particularly if they entail a commitment of several years.

If no steps are undertaken by insurance holders currently under the sympany collective health insurance, current conditions will remain unchanged.

We will keep you informed of the progress regarding a new solution and thank you for your patience.