How can I save money on car insurance?

2. Optimize your insurance cover

Insurance cover is key for both comprehensive protection and the total premiums amount:

• Partial casco instead of full casco: Think about whether full or partial casco insurance is appropriate for your vehicle. Generally speaking, the older the vehicle, the less likely full casco insurance is worth your while.

• Increase your coinsurance: Consider increasing the coinsurance. The higher the coinsurance, the lower the insurance premium is generally.

• Short contract period: Only sign one-year contracts. This is the only way you can switch to a cheaper provider every year. It doesn't matter how often you switch insurance, this will not affect your bonus level.

3. Waive certain additional benefits

There are numerous additional benefits in car insurance that are often not necessary. By foregoing certain options, you can reduce costs without sacrificing the protection you need:

Drop free choice of garage

Take out a policy with no free choice of garage. In other words, the insurance company will tell you which garage you can go to in your area for any necessary repair work. Compared to policies with a free choice of garage, the premiums are lower. 

Exclude personal belongings

If you took out the add-on "simple theft away from the home" or "all-risk" cover as part of your home contents insurance, you do not usually need to include cover for personal belongings in your car insurance as well.

Exclude passenger accident cover

Passenger accident insurance is an add-on that can be taken out separately for drivers, front-seat passengers or all occupants of the car. Compulsory accident insurance provides this cover for anyone living in Switzerland. This means that passenger accident cover is not needed in many cases. It may be useful if you often have passengers in your car from a country where accident insurance is not compulsory.

Consider leaving out stationary damage insurance

Full casco insurance generally covers damage to parked vehicles caused by unknown third parties – but it has a a high coinsurance. However, you can reduce this coinsurance by taking out stationary damage insurance.

Check whether this add-on is worth it for you, and exclude it if necessary. If your vehicle is older or mostly parked in your own garage, you can usually do without this type of cover.

4. Take advantage of discounts

By consciously making use of discounts on car insurance, you can significantly reduce your premiums – without sacrificing the insurance coverage you need. 

Check multi-policy discounts 

Some insurance companies offer a multi-policy discount if you already have another insurance policy with them (e.g. home contents or life insurance). Check with your insurer to see if they offer this kind of discount.

Of course, this works both ways. Perhaps you already have car insurance, but no home contents insurance.