35 Rue Alexandre Reverchon, 01170 Gex
35 Rue Alexandre Reverchon, 01170 Gex
As a new **Swiss cross-border worker**, you are faced with a crucial choice: your **health insurance**.
You must exercise your **option right** between the **French CMU for cross-border workers** and the **Swiss LAMal**.
This choice affects your budget and health coverage.
Our guide and **CMU vs LAMal 2025 comparator** is designed to help you make the most advantageous decision for your situation (single, family, income, work canton...).
Calculate the exact cost for your profile and discover the most economical option.
Launch the comparator 2025As soon as you start your position in Switzerland, you have 3 months to choose your health insurance system. This "option right" is an irrevocable choice (except in the case of a major change in situation). A lack of decision results in automatic affiliation with the Swiss LAMal. It is therefore essential to compare carefully.
The **CMU contribution** is calculated as a percentage (8%) of your Reference Fiscal Income (RFR), after a deduction. Its main advantage is that the contribution is **unique for the entire household**: your spouse and children are covered without additional cost.
The **LAMal premium** is a fixed monthly amount that depends on your canton of work, your age, and the insurer. It's a "per head" system: each family member (adult or child) must pay their own premium to be covered.
The answer entirely depends on your profile. Here is a summary to guide you:
| Typical profile | Often the most advantageous system |
|---|---|
| Single or couple without children with high income | ✅ Souvent la **LAMal**, car la prime fixe est moins élevée que 8% d'un gros salaire. |
| Family with children (even with just one child) | ✅ Presque toujours la **CMU**, car la cotisation unique couvre tout le monde. |
| Cross-border worker with moderate income | ✅ Généralement la **CMU**, car la cotisation sera proportionnellement faible. |
The only way to know for sure is to run a precise simulation. Our calculation tool takes into account all parameters to give you a reliable result.
The CMU contribution is equal to 8% of your Fiscal Reference Income (RFR), after a standard deduction (€11,592 in 2025). The RFR takes into account all household income, including Swiss salary converted into euros.
No, it is generally the opposite. Geneva is one of the cantons where LAMal premiums are highest due to healthcare costs. For a high-income single person, it may still be interesting, but a simulation is essential to compare with the cost of CMU.
Yes. With CMU, your spouse and children (without gainful employment) are automatically covered at no extra cost. With LAMal, they can be added to your contract but each will have to pay their own premium (an adult premium for the spouse, a child premium per child).
Yes, the option right is in principle irrevocable. It is only possible to change systems in very specific cases of situation change (job loss in Switzerland, permanent return to France, etc.). Hence the importance of making a good choice from the start.
