Which insurance pays for my damage?

The building insurance. Damage to the building from natural hazards is paid by the building insurance. In 19 cantons this is the cantonal building insurer. If you rent, the owner is responsible.

1. Photograph the damage before you clear up.
2. If you rent, report the damage to the property manager straight away.
3. If you own the house, report it to the building insurer.

More on natural hazard damage

Your household contents insurance. Furniture, clothes and devices are protected through the fire and natural hazard cover of your household contents insurance. It pays at replacement value if your insured sum is enough.

1. Photograph everything that is damaged.
2. Do not throw anything away before the insurer has seen it or allows it.
3. Report the damage to your household contents insurer.

More on household contents insurance

Your household contents insurance for your belongings, the building insurance for the building. Tap water is a separate component of household contents insurance. It pays your damaged belongings. Floors, walls and pipes belong to the building, for which the owner is responsible.

1. If possible, turn off the water.
2. Report the damage to the property manager and your household contents insurer.
3. If water has run into another flat, report it to your personal liability insurer as well.

More on household contents insurance

Your personal liability insurance. If you caused the damage at your neighbour's, for example because the bathtub overflowed, your personal liability insurance is responsible. If a pipe in the building is defective, it is the owner's responsibility.

1. Inform the neighbours and the property manager.
2. Report the damage to your personal liability insurer.
3. Do not admit fault and do not promise payment before the insurer knows the case.

More on personal liability insurance

Your household contents insurance. Burglary theft is covered in household contents insurance. Damage to doors and windows belongs to the building, for which the owner is responsible.

1. Call the police and touch as little as possible.
2. Make a list of the stolen items with receipts or photos.
3. Report the damage with the police report to your household contents insurer.

Claim checklist

Your household contents insurance for your belongings, the building insurance for the building. Fire is part of the basic cover of household contents insurance. Smoke and soot are usually included. The building is protected through the building insurance.

1. In a fire call 118.
2. Photograph the damage.
3. Report the damage to your household contents insurer and to the property manager or building insurer.

More on household contents insurance

Glass breakage insurance, if you have it. Glass breakage is an extension. For glass on your furniture the glass breakage insurance in household contents applies. For glass on the building such as windows or a ceramic hob you need glass breakage cover for building glass, depending on the policy also for tenants.

1. Check in your household contents policy whether glass breakage is included.
2. Report glass on the building to the property manager.
3. Without glass breakage cover you pay yourself, unless you caused the damage to someone else.

Flat and household guide

Your personal liability insurance, if rental damage is included. Damage that goes beyond normal wear is paid by personal liability insurance, as long as rental damage is included. Nobody pays for normal wear, it is covered by the rent.

1. Only sign the handover record if it is correct.
2. Report the damage to your personal liability insurer.
3. In a dispute with the landlord the cantonal conciliation authority helps.

More on personal liability insurance

Depending on the policy household contents or personal liability as an extension. If a lock or a whole locking system has to be replaced because of lost keys, it can become expensive. Many policies only cover this with an extension.

1. Report the loss to the property manager straight away.
2. Look in your household contents and personal liability policy for loss of keys.
3. File a loss report with the police if the insurer requires it.

Usually no insurance. Earthquakes do not count as natural hazard damage. Buildings and household contents in Switzerland are usually not insured against them. Some cantons have limited solutions, and private extra cover exists as well.

1. Check whether your policy has an earthquake extension.
2. Ask the building insurer of your canton.

More on natural hazard damage

Usually nobody, unless you have phone or all-risk insurance. If you damage your own device yourself, neither household contents nor liability pays. Only special device insurance or an all-risk extension in household contents takes this on. The warranty only applies to defects, not to drops.

1. Check whether you took out device insurance when you bought it.
2. Check in your household contents policy whether there is an all-risk extension.
3. Get a quote for the repair.

Is phone insurance worth it?

The warranty of the seller or manufacturer. If a device breaks without your doing, that is a case for the warranty. The statutory warranty in Switzerland is two years. Sellers may, however, exclude it and replace it with their own warranty. Look at your warranty terms.

1. Find the receipt and the warranty terms.
2. Report the defect to the seller straight away.
3. Do not let anyone sell you an expensive repair before the warranty is clarified.

Is phone insurance worth it?

Your personal liability insurance. If you accidentally damage something that belongs to others, your personal liability insurance pays. This also applies to children in the same household. Things you have borrowed or rented are often excluded.

1. Exchange names and contact details.
2. Report the damage to your personal liability insurer.
3. Do not promise payment before the insurer has examined the case.

More on personal liability insurance

Personal liability only with an extension for borrowed things. What you borrow or rent is in your care. Many personal liability policies exclude such damage or only cover it with an extension.

1. Look in your personal liability policy for borrowed and rented things.
2. With rental equipment such as skis, a breakage insurance from the renter often helps.
3. Report the damage anyway, the insurer tells you what applies.

More on personal liability insurance

Your household contents insurance with the extension for simple theft away from home. Theft outside the flat is only covered if you have the extension for simple theft away from home. Cash is often only insured up to a small amount.

1. Report it to the police straight away.
2. Block cards and phone.
3. Report the theft with the police report to your household contents insurer.

More on household contents insurance

Your partial casco. Natural hazards on your own car are paid by partial casco. Without partial casco you pay yourself, liability only covers damage to others.

1. Photograph the damage in good light.
2. Report the damage to your car insurer.
3. Wait for the hail repair site or appointment before you have it repaired.

More on hail and storm damage

Motor liability insurance for the other party, comprehensive casco for your car. Damage to others is paid by motor liability insurance. Damage to your own car is only paid by comprehensive casco. The premium usually rises afterwards.

1. Secure the scene and help the injured.
2. Fill in the European accident report together.
3. Report the accident to your car insurer. If people are injured, call the police.

Report the claim or pay yourself?

The motor liability insurance of the person who caused the accident. The liability insurance of the other vehicle pays for your damage. This also applies to injuries and a hire car during the repair.

1. Fill in the European accident report together.
2. Note number plate, insurer and witnesses.
3. Report the damage to the other person's insurer and inform your own.

More on motor liability insurance

Comprehensive casco or a parking damage extension. If the person who caused it is unknown, only your comprehensive casco or an extension for parking damage pays. With comprehensive casco a parking damage can affect the bonus, with the extension usually not.

1. Photograph the damage and the surroundings.
2. File a report with the police for hit and run.
3. Report the damage to your car insurer.

More on car insurance

Your partial casco. Marten damage is part of partial casco. Consequential damage to the engine is only covered up to a certain amount, depending on the policy.

1. Do not drive the car any more if warning lights are on.
2. Report the damage to your car insurer.
3. Ask the garage about marten protection.

Partial or comprehensive casco?

Your partial casco with glass cover. Glass breakage on the car is part of partial casco. A small stone chip can often be repaired instead of replaced. That is cheaper and usually without an excess.

1. Have a small stone chip repaired quickly before a crack forms.
2. Report the damage to your car insurer.

Partial or comprehensive casco?

Your partial casco for the car, household contents insurance for things inside. Theft of the car and damage from the break-in are paid by partial casco. Stolen things from the car are paid by household contents insurance, usually only with the extension for simple theft away from home.

1. Report it to the police straight away.
2. Report the theft to your car insurer.
3. Report stolen things to your household contents insurer.

Partial or comprehensive casco?

Your partial casco. Collisions with animals are part of partial casco. You must report a wildlife accident to the police, even if the animal ran away.

1. Secure the scene and call the police on 117.
2. Do not touch injured animals.
3. Have the report confirmed and report the damage to your car insurer.

Partial or comprehensive casco?

Your household contents insurance with the extension for simple theft away from home. At home in the locked cellar the bike is covered by household contents. Away from home only with the extension for simple theft away from home. Expensive e-bikes often need a higher sum.

1. File a report with the police.
2. Find the receipt and the frame number.
3. Report the theft to your household contents insurer.

More on e-bike and bicycle

Your personal liability insurance. With a bike and a slow e-bike up to 25 km/h, personal liability insurance pays damage to others. Fast e-bikes with a yellow number plate are insured through the vignette.

1. Help the injured and call 144 if needed.
2. Exchange names, addresses and insurers.
3. Report the damage to your personal liability insurer.

More on e-bike and bicycle

Your employer's accident insurance. All employees are insured against occupational accidents. Accident insurance pays the treatment without a deductible and from the third day a daily allowance of 80 percent of salary.

1. Get treated and say that it was an accident.
2. Report the accident to your employer straight away.
3. They report it to the accident insurer.

Accidents at work and in leisure time

Your employer's accident insurance, otherwise health insurance. If you work at least 8 hours a week, you are insured through your employer in your free time too. Otherwise the accident cover of your health insurance pays, with deductible and co-payment.

1. Get treated and say that it was an accident.
2. If you work, report the accident to your employer.
3. Otherwise report it to your health insurer.

Accidents at work and in leisure time

Suva. If you receive unemployment benefit, you are insured against accidents with Suva. The premium is deducted directly from your benefit.

1. Get treated and say that it was an accident.
2. Report the accident to your RAV and your unemployment fund.
3. The fund passes the report on to Suva.

Unemployed, what now?

The accident cover of your health insurance. Without accident insurance through an employer, your health insurance pays. For that the accident cover must be included. Deductible and co-payment apply as for illness.

1. Get treated and say that it was an accident.
2. Report the accident to your health insurer.

Accident cover in health insurance

Your employer or its daily sickness allowance insurance. In illness the employer keeps paying your salary for a limited time. If it has daily sickness allowance insurance, this usually pays 80 percent of salary for up to 720 days.

1. Report sick to your employer straight away.
2. Get a medical certificate if it requires one.
3. Ask about the daily sickness allowance insurance and its terms.

What does the daily sickness allowance pay?

Your health insurance, minus deductible and co-payment. Basic insurance pays recognised treatment in illness. You first bear the deductible, then 10 percent co-payment up to a maximum amount.

1. Send the bill to your health insurer if the doctor does not.
2. Check the statement.
3. Think in autumn about whether your deductible still fits.

Which deductible is right for you?

Usually you yourself or dental supplementary insurance. Basic insurance does not pay ordinary dental treatment. After an accident accident insurance pays. For some serious illnesses basic insurance pays as an exception.

1. If it was an accident, such as a fall, report it as an accident.
2. Ask for a quote.
3. Check whether you have dental supplementary insurance.

Basic and supplementary insurance

A cancellation insurance, often through the credit card. Health insurance never pays cancellation costs. You are covered with a cancellation insurance, which is also available through many credit cards or travel protection packages. It usually needs a reason such as illness or accident.

1. Cancel the trip straight away once it is clear that you cannot travel.
2. Get a medical certificate.
3. Check whether you paid for the trip with a credit card with insurance.

Travel and cancellation

Your health insurance for emergencies, the rest a travel or supplementary insurance. Basic insurance pays emergencies abroad. Outside the EU and EFTA, though, at most twice the cost in Switzerland. For countries such as the USA and for repatriation you need supplementary or travel insurance.

1. Call the emergency number of your health insurer or travel insurer.
2. Keep all bills and reports.
3. Submit them after you return.

Travel and cancellation

First the airline, then a luggage insurance. For luggage on a flight the airline is liable first. What it does not pay is taken over by a luggage insurance or, depending on the policy, household contents insurance.

1. Report the loss at the airport desk straight away and get a confirmation.
2. Keep receipts for replacement purchases.
3. Submit the claim in writing to the airline.

Travel and cancellation

Your personal liability insurance. As an animal keeper you are liable for damage caused by your pet. Personal liability insurance pays if animals are included. For dogs many cantons require liability insurance.

1. Take care of the injured and exchange contact details.
2. If needed, report bites to the cantonal veterinary office.
3. Report the damage to your personal liability insurer.

More on insuring a pet

Pet insurance, if you have it, otherwise you yourself. No compulsory insurance pays vet costs. Only a voluntary pet health or accident insurance covers part of them.

1. Ask the vet's practice for a cost estimate.
2. Check whether you have pet insurance and what it excludes.

Is pet insurance worth it?

Your legal expenses insurance, if you have it. Legal expenses insurance pays lawyer and proceedings in the insured areas. Without it, low-cost bodies often help, such as the conciliation authority in rent disputes or the legal advice of unions and associations.

1. Keep deadlines, even if it is still unclear who pays.
2. Report the case to your legal expenses insurer before you instruct a lawyer.
3. In a rent dispute the conciliation authority of your canton is the first point of contact.

Do I need legal expenses insurance?

Your personal liability insurance, depending on age and policy. Children in the same household are covered in the family's personal liability insurance. Small children are often not legally liable. Many policies still pay such damage on request.

1. Exchange contact details.
2. Report the damage to your personal liability insurer.
3. Tell the insurer whether you want it to pay even without liability.

More on personal liability insurance