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Most people have had to deal with car insurance at least once in their lifetime. The reason is pretty obvious – we all drive cars every day, therefore the probability of a traffic accident automatically increases. Even if your skills behind the wheel are above average, this doesn’t mean you are 100% safe. Unfortunately, we usually do not have any influence on the behaviour of other road users.
That is why your car insurance is so essential in Switzerland – the obligation to insure your vehicles is partially regulated by law. Vehicles without a valid insurance are not allowed on the road.
Car insurance in Switzerland can be divided into four categories:
The public liability insurance is compulsory, as in most countries. The purchase of other types of insurance is voluntary, but in many cases recommendable – the greater the value of the vehicle, the more cost-effective it may be to buy additional insurance.
Civil liability insurance covers all damages that you cause to third parties as a driver – regardless of whether the victim is a private person or a company, as well as whether the accident causes personal or animal injury, or material damage. When you cause an accident, your civil liability insurer pays, for example, for the repair of the damaged car of other accident participants and for all other damage (hospital treatment costs in the case of injured people, repair of damaged streets, all other claims arising from civil liability). In Switzerland, the insurance covers damage of up to 100 million francs and your own contribution can be adjusted individually – the amount of contribution of your car insurance depends on it.
Why is the public liability insurance mandatory in Switzerland (and in many countries) and necessary in order to register your car? This is to avoid a situation in which the perpetrator of a road accident is not able to pay for damage. The repair of damage caused by mechanical vehicles is usually very costly and may exceed the financial capabilities of an average citizen.
The Teilkasko insurance covers the repair of damage that was not caused by you or by other road users. It can, for instance, cover damage after hitting a wild animal, once your cables are bitten by a marten or weasel, as well as in case of fire, glass damage, carjacking or attempted carjacking.
What kind of damage is covered by the insurance? The most important examples are as follows:
Limited coverage car insurance covers most random and unpredictable events, but excludes damage resulting from collisions with other vehicles or road elements. These damages are covered by full-coverage car insurance (details below).
Limited coverage car insurance is voluntary, but recommended for new or high-value vehicles. Such cars are more likely to be stolen or damaged by deliberate malicious action. As a car owner, you can choose the sum insured and the level of your own contribution – this way you can modify the contribution rate of your car insurance. The contribution rate isn’t usually high, which is why you should consider buying a limited coverage insurance together with your public liability insurance. Why? The repair of even the smallest chip in your windscreen can cost a lot without Teilkasko. Thanks to the insurance, you can easily repair the damage.
In general, full-coverage car insurance covers any damage caused by you to our own car (except for damage covered by limited coverage car insurance).
What does it mean in practice? The Vollkasko insurance typically covers damage resulting from collision, e.g., when you brake too late and hit the back of the car in front of you. The person injured in the accident receives compensation from your public liability insurance. But what about your car? Its repair is covered by your full-coverage car insurance, for example, when you scratch the door of your car while parking or hit the pillar while reversing. It is therefore a comprehensive protection which includes much more types of damage than in a case of a limited coverage car insurance. The biggest difference in these two is the fact that the Vollkasko insurance covers damage resulting from collision.
Similarly to limited coverage car insurance, full coverage car insurance is voluntary but recommended for all high value cars. After purchasing this type of insurance, you only pay for damage up to the amount specified in the contract, known as your contribution. The remaining costs are covered by insurance, no matter what the amount is. Traffic accidents happen all the time and thanks to Vollkasko you do not have to cover the costs of damage to your vehicle, even if you caused the accident.
Most of the unpleasant situations are covered by the civil liability car insurance as well as limited and full coverage car insurance. However, sometimes it is advisable to extend the protection. Parking damage insurance (Parkschadenversicherung) is the best example.
This type of insurance covers damages caused by an unknown vehicle or an unknown person when your car is parked. It does not matter what the nature of the damage is. It can be a scratch in the paint, a bent metal or other types of damage. If you buy a new car, the lack of this insurance bears a considerable risk. Imagine that you leave your car in the underground car park and, after you get back, you can see that someone has scratched your vehicle. The chance of finding the perpetrator is usually low, so there is also no civil liability insurance that can cover the damage. The only thing you can do is to report the damage to the police. If you do not have parking damage insurance, the repair may cost you several thousand francs! Of course, you can still drive with a scratched car, but it really spoils the enjoyment of having a new car.
Passenger accident insurance provides financial assistance when a driver or their passengers get injured or killed in an accident, regardless of who caused the accident. In addition to its standard scope, the insurance also provides a lump sum on death or invalidity, the coverage of treatment costs, including hospital stay. The insurance covers not only your car, but also any vehicle you drive that is registered in Switzerland.
After being accident-free for several years, you get insurance discounts. If you don’t want to lose them due to an accident, you may buy an insurance protection insurance. Even if you cause an accident, this kind of insurance will protect you from higher compensation rates.
Your car needs to be repaired after the accident, but you would like to stay fully mobile? If you have purchased a replacement vehicle cover, the insurer will pay for travel and transport costs when your car is unable to drive, for example, it can cover the cost of renting a replacement car.
Car rental is also a great solution if you get stuck on the road after a breakdown. Roadside assistance can not only take your car to the workshop by a tow truck, but also arrange a replacement car, as well as bring your car back home and cover necessary accommodation and food expenses that you need to bear due to the breakdown.
What else can we help you with?
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