Funding care at home

Member of:

Three sources that fund care at home

In Switzerland, care at home is rarely paid for by a single body. As a rule, three sources come together. Compulsory health insurance covers nursing care prescribed by a doctor, but not non-medical care or housekeeping; you pay a statutory, capped share yourself. The helplessness allowance (Hilflosenentschädigung) from the old-age and survivors’ insurance (OASI/AHV) or invalidity insurance (IV) is paid regardless of your assets as soon as you regularly need help with everyday activities. And supplementary benefits (Ergänzungsleistungen, EL) step in where pensions and assets do not cover your needs.

One point that saves many people a detour in their research: Switzerland has neither long-term care insurance nor a care allowance of the kind known in Germany (Pflegeversicherung, Pflegegeld). These are German terms for benefits that do not exist here in that form. If you are searching for them, you almost always mean one of the three sources above. The German care grades (Pflegegrade) have no Swiss equivalent either – here, care needs are recorded in twelve care levels based on minutes of nursing care, and these determine how much the health insurer contributes.

What amounts can come together in an individual case and how the applications work is explained under financial support. What the care itself costs is shown on our prices. And how it compares with a place in a care home is set out in our cost comparison of home and care home.

Funding at a glance

Our prices

Financial support

Home vs. care home