Medical Forgetting Debate Intensifies in Switzerland
In Switzerland, individuals seeking to obtain certain insurance policies, such as supplementary health insurance, loss of earnings insurance, or life insurance, must disclose their entire medical history — including illnesses or accidents that may date back many years or even decades. Unlike some neighboring European countries, Switzerland currently does not recognize a “right to medical forgetting,” which would allow people to withhold past medical conditions after a defined period.
Challenges for Those with Past Illnesses
Yves Hochuli, deputy director and legal expert at the Cancer League in Vaud, explains that many people worry whether they can get insured at all if they have a history of illnesses. “If these individuals do not have supplementary insurance, they wonder if they can be insured, but due to their prior cancer diagnosis, they often cannot obtain coverage,” said Hochuli in an interview with Swiss French-language broadcaster RTS.
Insurers in Switzerland handle applications involving past illnesses in varied ways: some accept applications without conditions, others impose additional premiums or exclusions related to relapse risks, while some reject applications entirely.
One poignant example is Mathilde (name changed), a self-employed psychotherapist who was diagnosed with cancer at age 30 fifteen years ago. She believed that chapter of her life was behind her. However, after receiving a new cancer diagnosis last July, she faced severe financial and health challenges. Without loss-of-earnings insurance, she had to rely on personal savings after halving her work hours for three months post-surgery.
During chemotherapy, Mathilde continued working despite extreme fatigue. She shared her frustration: “Fifteen years after my first illness, I do not have the same chances as other self-employed people. I feel discriminated against.”
She emphasized the uncertainty patients face: “You have to wait about two years to be sure chemotherapy was successful. If something happens before then, it threatens your income and possibly your professional activity.”
Switzerland Lags Behind Other European Countries
Several European Union countries, including France, Spain, Italy, and Belgium, have enacted laws granting a right to be forgotten in the insurance context. After a certain time period, people no longer need to report prior illnesses, or these are no longer taken into account by insurers. “Switzerland is lagging behind in this regard,” says Hochuli.
Political Moves and Industry Resistance
The topic has reached the Swiss Federal Assembly. On December 18, 2025, Wallis National Councillor Benjamin Roduit submitted a motion aiming to limit the obligation to disclose medical information when applying for daily allowance insurance to a period of five years.
However, the Swiss Insurance Association opposes this proposal, emphasizing risk-based premiums and warning that a strict right to be forgotten could lead to overall premium increases — particularly impacting low-income policyholders.
The federal government is expected to respond to the motion by early March 2026. ### Ongoing Debate
The discussion about balancing individuals’ privacy and fairness in the insurance market is just beginning in Switzerland. Advocates argue for modernization of policies to enable fair access to insurance for people with past health problems, while insurers caution about financial risks.
The debate highlights important questions about how society treats people with prior illnesses and the evolving relationship between medical history and insurance coverage in Switzerland.
Reported by Dominique Choffat for RTS, January 25, 2026