CompulsoryBasic health insurance
Everyone living in Switzerland must hold it, and you have three months from arrival to take it out. The cover is fixed by law, so insurers compete on price and on the excess you choose.
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Some of it is compulsory, some of it everybody buys anyway, and the rules are not the ones you knew at home. Here is what each kind covers, who has to have it, and where to compare.
Compulsory
OptionalSupplementary health insurance
Private wards, dental treatment, glasses, alternative medicine. Unlike the basic cover, an insurer may turn you down or load the premium after a health questionnaire.
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OptionalTravel insurance
Medical costs abroad, cancellation, lost luggage and repatriation. Worth comparing before a trip, and the one kind you can arrange in minutes online.
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Most people have itPersonal liability
Damage you cause to other people or their property. Not required by law, but most landlords will not hand over the keys without it.
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Most people have itFurniture and belongings
Your belongings against fire, water and burglary. Usually bought together with personal liability, and compulsory in a few cantons.
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CompulsoryCar insurance
Third-party cover is compulsory before a vehicle can be registered. Comprehensive cover is optional and is what most people add on a newer car.
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OptionalLegal expenses
Lawyers' fees and court costs in a dispute — with a landlord, an employer, an insurer. Optional, and cheap relative to a single hour of Swiss legal advice.
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OptionalPension and life cover
The third pillar: voluntary retirement saving with a tax deduction, and life cover for a family that depends on one income.
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