Electric car insurance in Switzerland: costs and information
What insurance do I need for an electric car? Are the premiums for electric car insurance cheaper than for combustion engine vehicles? Comparis explains.
19.08.2025
iStock/EunikaSopotnicka
1. What car insurance do I need for my electric car in Switzerland?
The same rules apply to insurance for electric cars in Switzerland as for cars with an internal combustion engine. A third-party liability insurance policy is compulsory. However, 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 did not cause.
Full casco insurance: covers damage to your own car that you caused in a collision.
Is battery insurance a good idea for electric cars?
Many manufacturers provide a warranty on electric car batteries. The warranty period is usually up to eight years. It is also often limited to a certain number of kilometres. The warranty usually covers manufacturing defects and a severe loss of capacity.
Battery damage due to external influences is usually not covered by the warranty. Partial or full casco insurance for electric cars usually covers more damage than the manufacturer’s warranty.
Some providers also offer special battery insurance. This covers, for example, damage caused by the following:
User errors
Deep discharge and overvoltage
Charger malfunction
This damage is not usually covered by casco insurance.
Is my charging station insured?
Do you have your own charging station or wallbox? If so, you can insure this equipment along with your electric car – usually under additional cover. This includes theft and damage caused by collisions or lightning strikes.
Prices vary from one provider to another, so it’s definitely worth comparing.
2. Car insurance for electric cars in Switzerland: is it cheaper?
The cost of insurance for electric cars depends on a variety of factors, as is also the case for combustion engine vehicles. This includes where you live and the model of your car, for example. Your chosen insurance cover also affects your premiums.
Good to know: some insurers offer eco-discounts for electric or hybrid cars. Others cover the battery and charging station under casco insurance. Before taking out a policy, it’s therefore best to compare not only the price, but the entire package.
Comparis has calculated insurance premiums for electric cars and comparable models with combustion engines. The result: in 70% of cases, electric car insurance is cheaper. For experienced drivers, insurance premiums are even cheaper in 88% of cases.
For many people, the question of insurance costs is a decisive factor when choosing between an electric car and a combustion engine vehicle. Our analysis shows that whether or not an electric car is cheaper to ensure is not universal – it depends largely on the profile of the vehicle drivers.
For young drivers, electric car insurance is cheaper than that for combustion engine vehicles in 52% of cases. Young men save the most with a “Hyundai Kona Electric”: in Zurich, they pay 17% less, and in Ticino, 18%. Young women save the most with a “Peugeot 208 Electric” in Basel, at around 18%.
In 48% of cases, however, young drivers pay more for electric car insurance than for a combustion engine vehicle. In some instances, they pay a third more than for a petrol or diesel car. That’s up to 951 francs per year.
This is because, statistically, young drivers cause accidents more often than older drivers. Car insurance expert Harry Büsser explains: “One reason for this is that young drivers underestimate the acceleration of electric vehicles in city traffic.”
The difference can be even bigger depending on the driver’s profile:
Comparis compared the insurance premiums of seven electric vehicles and seven comparable combustion engine cars. All the vehicles examined were registered for the first time in 2025. The equipment was 10% of the vehicle value in each case.
The following vehicle pairs were compared:
| Electric car | Price of electric car | Combustion engine counterpart | Price of combustion engine car |
|---|---|---|---|
| Škoda Enyaq 85 estate, 5-door | CHF 51,400 | Škoda Kodiaq 2.0 TSI Selection 4×4 | CHF 53,850 |
| Volvo EX40 Electric 70kWh Essential | CHF 51,850 | Volvo XC40 Mild Hybrid Plus Dark DCT | CHF 58,700 |
| Mercedes-Benz EQA 250 estate, 5-door | CHF 54,700 | Mercedes-Benz GLA 200 7G DCT | CHF 54,400 |
| BMW iX1 eDrive 20 | CHF 52,200 | BMW X1 sDrive 20i 48V | CHF 53,000 |
| VW ID.3 Pro 52 kWh | CHF 33,300 | VW Golf 1.5 eTSI mHEV Basic DSG | CHF 31,400 |
| Peugeot 208 Electric 100kW Style | CHF 26,490 | Peugeot 208 1.2 MHEV 100 Allure | CHF 26,350 |
| Hyundai Kona Electric EV 48.4kWh Origo | CHF 42,900 | Hyundai Kona 1.6 T-GDi Amplia 4WD DCT | CHF 42,900 |
For each combination, full casco premiums were calculated with the following parameters:
Coverage: full casco including parking damage and no-claims bonus protection
Deductible: CHF 0 (partial casco) / CHF 1,000 (collision casco)
Mileage: 12,000km/year
Date of premium calculation: July 2025
Vehicle status: new car with 10% special equipment (default)
Use: personal, garage at home, no incidents
Profile:
Female, 20 years old, driving licence for 2 years
Female, 30 years old, driving licence for 12 years
Male, 20 years old, driving licence for 2 years
Male, 30 years old, driving licence for 12 years
Cities: Zurich, Winterthur, Basel, Bern, Biel, Lucerne, Lausanne, Geneva, St. Gallen, Ticino
Insurers: AXA, Elvia, Allianz, Zurich, Generali, Smile, Baloise, Helvetia, Postfinance, TCS
4. Conclusion: is the cost of electric car insurance lower?
Insurance premiums are usually cheaper for electric cars than for combustion engine vehicles. However, it’s important to look closely at your insurance conditions. If you have to insure the battery or the charging station additionally, you’ll pay more.
It’s worth looking at the overall package: in addition to insurance, the purchase price, maintenance, energy and tax costs also play a role. If you include all the factors when making a decision, you may save several thousand francs per year.
This article was first published on 06.07.2023
