Cover
Which car insurance do I need?
Regardless of whether you have a fast sports car or an old rust bucket, you’re not allowed to drive on the road if you don’t have liability insurance. There are also various supplemental insurances available. But are they a good idea? Comparis gives you an overview.
26.08.2022
iStockphoto/Ridofranz
1. Basic cover at a glance
If you want to register a car in Switzerland, you are legally required to take out vehicle liability insurance. Partial and full casco insurance are optional.
| Insurance | Scope of cover | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| Motor vehicle liability insurance | Covers material and personal damage to third parties | Compulsory for all motor vehicles (except trailers) |
| Partial casco insurance | Covers damage as a result of:
|
Optional; recommended for vehicles up to and including the seventh year of operation; possibly longer for vehicles with an original value of more than 75,000 francs |
| Full casco insurance | Damage to your own vehicle due to collision | Optional; recommended for vehicles up to and including the fourth year of operation; possibly longer for vehicles with an original value of over 75,000 francs |
2. Add-ons at a glance
| Add-on | Scope of cover | Recommendation | Required basic cover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Occupants insurance | Injury of a passenger | Car owners who often have passengers from abroad in their vehicle | Motor vehicle liability insurance |
| Parked car damage insurance | Damage to your parked vehicle caused by unknown third parties | New vehicles up to and including the fourth year of operation | Often only possible in combination with full casco insurance |
| Extended glass breakage cover | Headlights, glass-like parts (e.g. indicators, tail lights) | For vehicles with xenon headlights; vehicles with many glass-like parts | In combination with partial casco insurance |
| Mobility/roadside assistance: | Breakdown service | Advisable, but check whether it is not covered by travel insurance or TCS membership | Usually in combination with partial casco insurance (except Mobiliar) |
| Loss of use | Replacement car | Check whether your insurer’s partner garage offers a free replacement vehicle | For all basic cover |
| Gross negligence cover | Protection against recourse or reduction of benefits in the case of grossly negligent conduct | Recommended for all car drivers | For all basic cover |
| Replacement value supplement | Value retention | Recommended up to the seventh year of operation; not possible thereafter, depending on insurance provider; usually included as standard | At least partial casco insurance |
| Bonus protection | Prevents premium increases | Recommended for insurers with a bonus level system | For all basic cover |
3. Compulsory car liability insurance
Motor vehicle liability insurance – also called car liability insurance – is the only compulsory basic cover. It covers damage to third parties caused by driving, such as damage to equipment, buildings or people, or to another vehicle involved in an accident.
The sum insured is normally 100 million francs per incident. The cover offered by compulsory motor vehicle liability insurance is defined by law and barely differs from one provider to another. Nevertheless, premiums can vary significantly.
4. When is it worth taking out partial casco insurance?
Optional partial casco insurance covers damage to your own vehicle that is not caused by you or a third party. For example: accidents involving wildlife.
Other partial casco events are:
There are various factors that determine whether taking out partial casco insurance is worthwhile. If the vehicle is often outdoors, partial casco insurance is advisable. The age and current vehicle value also influence the decision of whether or not to take out partial casco insurance: beyond a certain age, your vehicle is often no longer worth repairing because of its current value.
5. When is it worth taking out full casco insurance?
Full casco insurance is a combination of partial casco and collision casco insurance. The latter covers damage you cause to your own car while you’re driving, such as in a rear-end collision.
As a rule, full casco insurance is worthwhile for vehicles in up to and including the fourth year of operation. After that, you should consider switching to cheaper partial casco insurance. This is because, as the car decreases in value, it is often no longer worth paying high premiums. Full casco insurance is only worthwhile if you drive a particularly expensive car.
Good to know: full casco insurance is usually compulsory for leased vehicles.
6. Which add-ons do I need?
You can supplement the basic cover provided by vehicle liability, partial casco and full casco insurance by choosing from a range of add-ons. Some of these add-ons are suitable for every vehicle owner and should be included in the policy, while others only make sense for certain driver profiles or vehicles. However, in order to avoid a rude awakening in the event of a claim, you should carefully examine the add-ons before signing a contract. The individual add-ons are explained in more detail below.
Passenger accident insurance
Passenger accident insurance covers injuries to drivers and passengers in the event of an accident. However, this insurance is often unnecessary because anyone employed in Switzerland has compulsory accident insurance through their employer, and those not in employment must take out this cover as part of their health insurance. You should only consider taking out this insurance if you often have passengers from abroad in your vehicle.
Damage while parked
Insurance against damage while parked covers damage to a parked car caused by unknown persons. It can often only be included in the policy in combination with full casco insurance. Insurers usually only offer this option up to a certain age of vehicle. Read more here on the subject of parked car damage insurance.
Extended glass breakage cover
Glass damage to the front, rear and side windows is usually covered through partial casco insurance. Headlights are exempt from this cover. In particular, for cars with xenon headlights or other glass-like parts (such as the brake lamp cover), it makes sense to take out the “extended glass breakage” add-on.
Mobility insurance (roadside assistance)
Mobility cover – also referred to as roadside assistance – is usually part of partial casco insurance. It is definitely worth taking out, as vehicle breakdowns can quickly become expensive. However, you should check the benefits carefully beforehand. This is because the scope of cover varies from provider to provider – different insurers will specify different maximum loss amounts, for example.
Good to know: holders of travel insurance or a TCS membership already have roadside assistance cover in many cases. Read more about breakdown assistance here.
Gross negligence cover
Gross negligence includes road traffic offences that can generally be avoided, such as driving through a red light. In the event of an accident due to gross negligence, the insurer can claim back some of the costs from the policyholder (recourse). A gross negligence cover add-on protects you from such recourse.
This add-on is recommended for all motorists. Important: speeding offences, alcohol and substance abuse, as well as falling asleep, are not covered.
Replacement value supplement
New cars quickly lose value. Even in the first year, the replacement value can drop significantly below the purchase price. Insurance that includes a replacement value supplement guarantees compensation that is higher than the current vehicle value following theft or a write-off. The replacement value supplement is usually included as standard when you take out car insurance. You can find the total loss compensation per year in the insurer’s terms and conditions.
Depending on the insurance company, those wanting to save on premiums can exclude the replacement value supplement from the policy. However, this is not recommended.
Our tip: compare the insurance provider’s replacement value supplement tables before signing a contract. In the event of a write-off, the benefits vary enormously from one provider to the next. In the event of a claim, this can make a difference of up to 1,000 francs.
Bonus protection
One of the ways many car insurers calculate premiums is by using a bonus level system. Based on the driver profile, the policyholder is allocated to a specific bonus level, which determines the cost of the premium. The lower the bonus level, the lower the premium (example: having a bonus level of 35% means that you pay 35% of the calculated premium). In the event of a claim, you move up the bonus level ladder and the premium increases. The bonus protection option prevents this type of premium increase. However, it usually only protects you from moving up to a higher level for one claim per insurance year.
Our tip: pay for minor damage yourself – especially if the cost of the damage only slightly exceeds the deductible.
This article was first published on 10.08.2016
