Unsolicited calls are prohibited, except
- if you have a recent business relationship with the caller,
- if you have been a customer for less than three years,
- if the call comes from a recommendation from an acquaintance.
If this call concerns supplemental health insurance, you can file a complaint with FINMA.
To facilitate your procedures, you have the site “www.inter-mieux.ch” which allows fraud reports to be centralized.
New regulatory framework
With the implementation of recent directives, all insurers in Switzerland are affected by a strictly stated ban on cold calling.
This marks a break with a convention established since 2020 governing these practices without binding control by the competent authorities and without much success.
The ban aims to protect consumers from unwanted calls that are perceived as intrusive and a source of discomfort.
The legislator wishes to restore trust between consumers and the insurance sector, while ensuring more fair and transparent competition between market players. This development is intended to be a catalyst for more respectful marketing methods.
Consequences for intermediaries and insurers
Intermediaries and insurers must now adjust their commercial strategies.
The ban on cold calling encourages us to move towards approaches more focused on customer satisfaction and engagement, for example through the strengthening of long-term relationships and the increased use of digital marketing.
If they do not comply with these new directives, intermediaries and insurers risk being fined up to CHF 100,000.
It is now obligatory for intermediaries to draw up and sign minutes of advisory meetings. This measure ensures that the consultation provided not only complies with standards, but is also transparently documented, allowing consumers to fully understand the terms of any insurance purchased.
At the same time, the government imposed a cap on the remuneration of intermediaries, thus limiting payments to 70 francs per person for health insurance and sixteen monthly premiums for supplementary insurance. The move aims to discourage aggressive or unfair sales practices by eliminating excessive financial incentives.