To aid customers during the second year of the pandemic, V⁠i⁠s⁠a⁠n⁠a opted for basic insurance premiums that did not cover costs. Despite the challenging environment, net profit in 2021 amounted to a solid CHF 69.4 million (2020: 110.8 million). The result from the insurance segment amounted to CHF 37.5 million (2020: 137.4 million), which corresponds to a combined ratio of 98.9 percent (2020: 96.1 percent).

Compulsory health insurance reported a loss of CHF -48.9 million (2020: CHF +52.8 million). This decline is attributable to lowered premiums, provisions for the reduction of reserves and increased benefit costs. The top-up insurance segment generated a profit of CHF 86.4 million (2020: 84.6 million).

For years, V⁠i⁠s⁠a⁠n⁠a has used its sustainable premium policy and investment strategy to maintain a high level of financial stability and good reserves. In challenging times, this allows V⁠i⁠s⁠a⁠n⁠a to support insured persons and reduce their burden. Thus, in early summer 2022, persons who hold basic insurance with V⁠i⁠s⁠a⁠n⁠a, sana24 or vivacare will benefit from a distribution of around CHF 25 million in reserves.

Customer numbers in basic insurance and top-up insurance are helped by this continuity and sustainable business trends. In both basic and top-up insurance, the number of insured persons remained stable and high, at 835,400, despite a slight decline (previous year: 837,500).

In the business customer segment, customers continue to place their trust in V⁠i⁠s⁠a⁠n⁠a, even when market conditions are difficult. Here, V⁠i⁠s⁠a⁠n⁠a even managed to slightly increase its customer base to 16,250 business customers (previous year: 16,000). This positive development means that V⁠i⁠s⁠a⁠n⁠a is an increasingly important player in the business customer segment throughout Switzerland.

Alongside very good capitalisation, V⁠i⁠s⁠a⁠n⁠a can look back on a growing and pleasingly profitable business customer segment in 2021. Furthermore, the volume of IPA-related premiums from business customers rose to CHF 526 million (2020: 488 million). V⁠i⁠s⁠a⁠n⁠a is thus experiencing healthy growth. This is also reflected in HIA-related premiums, which showed net growth of CHF 2,390 million for the past year (2020: CHF 2,372 million).

Customer satisfaction has top priority at V⁠i⁠s⁠a⁠n⁠a. In 2021, V⁠i⁠s⁠a⁠n⁠a continued to put customers at the centre of all of its activities. The quality of service was thus further improved. At V⁠i⁠s⁠a⁠n⁠a, customer proximity and digitalisation are not contradictory terms – on the contrary, needs define the goals here, leading to success in both areas. For instance, insurance can now be taken out with V⁠i⁠s⁠a⁠n⁠a in a completely digital manner, without a physical signature. In addition, an invoice translator has been integrated into the V⁠i⁠s⁠a⁠n⁠a app, so that our customers can understand and check their invoices from physicians and hospitals more easily.

As an employer, V⁠i⁠s⁠a⁠n⁠a strives to ensure the best possible work-life balance for its staff. In 2021, V⁠i⁠s⁠a⁠n⁠a continued to pursue its goal of providing an optimal working environment. V⁠i⁠s⁠a⁠n⁠a is at the forefront in Switzerland when it comes to working from home, flexible working and modern working-hour models. To no small extent, this is demonstrated by the very high proportion of women in our workforce, a demographic that really values the option of working part-time.

To mark its 25th anniversary, V⁠i⁠s⁠a⁠n⁠a supported selected projects and establishments Switzerland-wide, to the tune of over a quarter of a million Swiss francs. V⁠i⁠s⁠a⁠n⁠a’s donations focused on regional welfare institutions that not only help adults, but also children and young people in particular, supporting them in difficult situations or in the event of illness. The 26 institutions selected by V⁠i⁠s⁠a⁠n⁠a across Switzerland each received CHF 10,000.

For more details on the 2021 financial year, please refer to the Annual Report.