Practical examples The OASI-InvI insurance card

The new OASI-Invl insurance card introduced on 1 July 2008 is the same size as a credit card and replaces the old grey OASI card. The latter should however be retained and shown to the relevant Compensation Office when necessary (e.g. when applying for a pension). The OASI card contains your last name, first name, date of birth and your personal OASI number.

The new OASI number has 13 digits and does not allow any conclusions to be drawn about the holder. The first three digits are reserved for the country code (756 for Switzerland), the next nine digits are allocated by a random number generator and the last digit is a check digit.

Issuing an insurance card

Every person insured against illness in Switzerland receives an insurance card from their health insurer. The information on the health insurance card is identical to that on the OASI-Invl insurance card. The only persons who need to apply for an insurance card are those who do not have a Swiss health insurance card (such as cross-border commuters or persons moving to Switzerland from abroad).

If the name changes – e.g. on marriage or divorce – or the card is lost, the relevant Compensation Office issues a new OASI-Invl card. A copy of an official identity document must be enclosed with the application.

• Employees should order a new OASI-Invl card through their employer.
• Other insured persons should order a new OASI-Invl card directly from their Compensation Office.
• Persons living abroad should order a new OASI-Invl card from the Swiss Compensation Office in Geneva.