Electric car insurance in Switzerland: costs and information
The number of electric vehicles on Swiss roads is growing rapidly. Comparis explains what you need to know about electric car insurance, and how high the premiums are.
04.03.2024
iStock/EunikaSopotnicka
1. Electric car insurance: what type of car insurance do I need?
Insurance for electric cars in Switzerland works the same as for cars with internal combustion engines. Liability insurance is compulsory for electric cars as with all other vehicles. Meanwhile, partial and full casco insurance are optional.
Liability insurance: covers material and personal damage to third parties
Partial casco insurance: covers damage to your own car that you didn’t cause.
Full casco insurance: covers damage from collisions that you caused yourself.
Electric car batteries: is insurance really necessary?
Many manufacturers provide a warranty on electric car batteries. The warranty period can be up to eight years, or instead limited to a certain mileage. However, this warranty doesn’t cover all types of damage.
Battery damage due to external influences is usually not covered by warranty. Partial or full casco insurance for electric cars usually covers more damage than the manufacturer’s warranty. However, not all insurers offer battery insurance.
Is my charging station insured?
Do you have your own charging station or Wallbox? If so, you can usually insure these with supplemental insurance alongside your electric car. This cover includes theft and damage caused by collisions or lightning strikes.
Prices vary from one provider to another, so it’s definitely worth comparing.
2. Electric car insurance: is it cheaper?
The insurance premiums you pay for electric cars depend on a variety of factors, just like combustion engine vehicles. This includes your place of residence and the model of your car, for example. Your chosen insurance cover also affects your premiums.
Differences in premiums for electric cars and combustion vehicles
Comparis has calculated insurance premiums for electric cars and comparable models with combustion engines. The result: electric car insurance is on average up to 22% cheaper than for petrol or diesel models.
The difference can be even bigger depending on the driver’s profile.
For the survey, Comparis compared insurance premiums for six electric vehicles and six comparable cars with combustion engines. The following vehicle pairs were compared:
ŠKODA Enyaq iV 60 (49,991 francs) and ŠKODA Kodiaq 2.0 diesel (46,175 francs)
Volvo XC40 electric (49,025 francs) and Volvo XC40 petrol (43,825 francs)
Mercedes Benz EQA 243 (50,511 francs) and Mercedes Benz GLA 247 petrol (48,932 francs)
BMW iX3 G08 LCI Electro (82,535 francs) and BMW X3 G01 Diesel (77,521 francs)
Mini Hatchback F56 Electric (36,490 francs) and Mini Cooper F56 Petrol (35,831 francs)
Hyundai Kona Electric (44,754 francs) and Hyundai Kona 2.0 (43,166 francs)
First registered 02/2024; purchase year 2024; accessories: 10%
Insurance queries were made for the chosen vehicles at the online comparison service comparis.ch in February 2024 for the following combinations. The reported (percentage) figures refer to averages per combination. The combinations were made using the driver’s age, gender and region.
Age: 20 years (driving licence held for 2 years), 30 years (driving licence held for 12 years); gender: female, male; region: five postcodes each for Basel, Bern, Biel, Geneva, Lausanne, Lucerne, St. Gallen, Ticino, Winterthur and Zurich.
Cover profile: full casco including parking damage and no-claims bonus protection, deductible for partial casco: zero, deductible for collision casco: 500 francs, annual mileage: 12,000 km. No claims, refusals or debt rescheduling with previous insurers, no passenger accident insurance.
Additionally for all driver profiles: Swiss nationality, no claims, refusals or debt rescheduling with previous insurers, no passenger accident insurance.
Insurers: Helvetia, Simpego, Postfinance, TCS, Zurich, Baloise, Allianz, Smile, AXA, Elvia, Generali.
Eco-discounts for electric car insurance
Some insurance companies offer special discounts for electric vehicles. Here’s an overview of selected Swiss providers:
| Insurance company | Discounts/benefits |
|---|---|
| Allianz | CHF 200 one-time discount |
| AXA | Discount at Swisscharge charging stations Discount for charging stations |
| Baloise | No discounted premiums mentioned |
| Elvia | Battery and charging station included in cover |
| Generali | Premium discount of up to 20% |
| Helvetia | No discounted premiums mentioned |
| Postfinance | No discounted premiums mentioned |
| Simpego | Charging accessories also insured |
| Smile | Charging accessories also insured |
| TCS | No discounted premiums mentioned |
| Zurich | Premium discount of up to 20% Special conditions for Tesla insurance |
List not exhaustive. Information correct as of February 2024.
3. Insurance for hybrid cars: are premiums more expensive?
Some insurers offer discounts for hybrid vehicles. The price you pay for premiums depends on the type of drive.
Plug-in hybrid: these cars have a combustion engine and a battery that is charged through the power grid. You can use this stored electrical energy to help you drive longer distances.
Mild hybrid: these cars mainly use an internal combustion engine. An additional electric motor assists with braking and starting up, but you can’t charge it via the mains. Instead, the battery usually obtains the energy required through energy recuperation.
The example of a Hyundai Tucson, however, shows you don’t necessarily pay lower premiums with a hybrid drive. That’s why it’s definitely worth comparing different insurance companies and policies for different car models.
Electric car insurance: comparing pays off.
Partial or full casco insurance covers a lot of different types of damage. However, some providers require you to insure the battery or charging station separately. The cost of electric car insurance varies from insurer to insurer. A thorough comparison of your insurance options is therefore worthwhile.
4. Summary: is insurance for electric cars cheaper?
Insurance premiums are usually cheaper for electric cars. However, look closely at your insurance conditions. If you have to insure your battery or charging station separately, you’ll have to pay more.
Depending on where you live, you may pay more vehicle tax for an electric car than for a petrol car. In our analysis you’ll find more information about the differences in vehicle tax.
Electric cars are generally more expensive than comparable models with combustion engines. The lower insurance premiums for electric vehicles may therefore be surprising.
Comparis expert Sandro Spaeth says: “After making a claim for an electric vehicle, the amount you pay for your premiums may be even higher than for a combustion engine car. The reason is the technology used in electric cars, in particular their expensive batteries.” There is disagreement in the industry as to whether electric vehicles equipped with sensors will have fewer accidents.
This article was first published on 06.07.2023
