This article was translated using the help of AI
With the new health insurance comparison, FinanceScout24 is expanding its offering to include a key topic in everyday life in Switzerland. Users can not only compare premiums transparently, but also gain insights into the service quality and digital offerings of insurers. In this way, FinanceScout24 helps consumers to make informed decisions – especially in times of rising healthcare costs. In this interview, Jochen Pernegger, Managing Director Finance & Insurance at SMG Swiss Marketplace Group, talks about the development of the tool, the role of service quality and apps – and how consumers benefit from this in concrete terms.
FinanceScout24 has added a health insurance comparison service to its portfolio. What is the aim of this new service – and what are the specific benefits for consumers?
Our aim is to radically simplify decisions relating to basic insurance. Those who compare are not only interested in the cheapest premium, but also in whether the overall package suits their everyday life. That’s why FinanceScout24 not only shows transparent premiums, franchise and accident cover options, but also qualitative factors such as service, accessibility or digital offers from insurers – all at a glance. This allows users to find an insurance policy that fits both their budget and their personal needs more quickly. And this is particularly important right now: the switching period for basic insurance ends in November.
Basic insurance benefits are prescribed by law – but there are still differences. What role do criteria such as service quality or goodwill play in the comparison?
Although the mandatory services are identical, the day-to-day experience is not. Service quality determines how smoothly refunds work, how efficiently invoices are recorded and how quickly you can reach someone. Goodwill is evident where there is room for interpretation: for example with deadlines, installment plans or support in complex cases.
As a pioneer in this field, we make these « soft factors » visible and thus comparable. If you only look at the price, you risk expense and frustration later on. Those who also evaluate quality make better decisions in the long term – and this is precisely where FinanceScout24 provides support.
The evaluation of the health insurance companies’ smartphone apps is also new. What significance do digital services have for consumers today?
A very big one. This is also confirmed by the latest Swiss Insurance Monitor 2025: there is a clear trend towards online behavior along the entire customer journey, especially among younger people and those living in urban areas. Many interactions are now mobile: submitting invoices by scanning receipts, keeping an eye on deductibles, showing the digital insurance card, contacting the insurance company via chat or taking advantage of telemedical services.
Our comparison therefore not only shows which functions are available and how these offers perform in independent tests. Good apps save time, create cost transparency and lower the barrier to actually using benefits. I’m always surprised at how many people in Switzerland don’t know what additional benefits are included in their basic insurance, for example when it comes to the question of whether a fitness subscription is partially covered.
How complex was the development of the new comparison tool and which steps were decisive on the way to the launch?
The development was a multi-month project spanning several disciplines. First of all, it was about research and regulation: we had to understand user needs and clearly map the legal framework. Thanks to moneyland.ch’s many years of expertise, we had a clear head start here: their annual customer satisfaction survey, which serves as an independent basis for our comparison, provided us with valuable insights.
A second key step was data integration and quality assurance. We invested a lot of time and resources to ensure that premium and product data was correct, plausible and up-to-date. Our aim was to be the first provider to make the new premiums for 2026 comparable within 30 minutes of publication.
This was followed by product design, user experience and engineering: we developed a clear comparison flow with relevant filters and comprehensible explanations, combined with high-performance search, correct calculations and a stable infrastructure. Security and data protection had top priority.
After all, the focus was on the launch. Since then, we have been constantly evaluating user feedback and making continuous improvements. We benefit from the strong SEO positioning and reach of moneyland.ch and the entire SMG network.
The result: a tool that is reliable, easy to understand and suitable for everyday use and that we are constantly developing further.
moneyland.ch conducts an annual customer satisfaction survey, which is included in the health insurance comparison. What additional insights does this survey provide?
The survey supplements the pure price comparison with real user experiences. This is exactly what makes our comparison unique. It shows how customers actually experience the service of their health insurance company: from friendliness, availability and response time in customer service to the comprehensibility of statements and support in complex cases.
Topics such as goodwill, trust and digital services such as the quality of smartphone apps and online portals are also examined. The result is a second, qualitative level alongside the premiums, which is independently surveyed, comprehensible and comparable.
And finally: What is the most important added value for you personally that FinanceScout24 creates with the health insurance comparison?
For me personally, it is the fulfillment of our vision: to prepare complex information in such a way that it is understandable and usable for everyone. We provide users with a complete, independent and neutral picture that is made up of price and quality. This enables them to make a truly informed decision.
In this way, we create tangible added value: those who compare with FinanceScout24 relieve their household budget, gain clarity for everyday life and at the same time help to strengthen competition for better service.
About Jochen Pernegger
Jochen Pernegger has been Managing Director of Finance & Insurance at SMG Swiss Marketplace Group, which includes FinanceScout24 and moneyland.ch, since 2022. As Commercial Director, he has been responsible for all sales and operations issues since 2020. Prior to that, he worked for Scout24 AG in Vienna for over five years, including as Head of Operations & Sales for ImmobilienScout24 Austria and as Director Customer Strategy & Go-to-Market Austria.