What does household insurance include?
Household insurance covers damages that your household belongings may suffer as a result of fire, water or theft. Household belongings include all furniture and moveable objects in your home. In Switzerland, household contents insurance is voluntary in most cantons, although insurance protection is advisable.
Example: A break-in occurs every 14 minutes in Switzerland. In 2019 more than 36,400 break-ins were registered. This shows that break-ins are no longer a seldom occurrence. Household insurance will indemnify your financial losses if you become the victim of a break-in.
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* Calculation basis: Residence in Zurich, solid building, rental accommodation, cover of CHF 50,000. No responsibility for accuracy.
Household insurance costs
The household insurance without private liability can be purchased for less than CHF 100 / year. The premium depends on the insurance coverage. The more valuable your household goods are, the higher the insurance premium. If additional benefits such as theft outside the home or key service are required, then the premium can rise to several hundred francs per year. Optional coverages should therefore be well considered.
Separation of household and liability insurance
Companies usually offer household insurance in combination with personal liability insurance. However, a comparison shows that despite the combination discount that is granted, it’s better to take out household insurance and personal liability insurance separately in terms of premiums. The added administrative effort and the separate management are however a counter-argument for many consumers.
Good to know
- Household insurance insures your belongings against theft, damage, water and fire.
- The household belongings are insured at replacement cost.
- Various types of supplementary cover (cash, valuables and glass breakage) can also be included in the insurance.
- Premiums vary significantly: A comparison is worthwhile!
Basic protection
Basic protection in a household insurance product covers damages to moveable objects in a house or flat as a result of fire or mains water. The insurance protection also extends to theft as a result of break-in. The insurance covers the replacement cost of damaged or stolen objects up to the maximum sum insured.
Additional insurance options
Where desired, moveable objects, such as electronics (mobile phones, tablets) and valuables (wrist watches, necklaces), can be additionally insured against risks like theft and/or loss away from home. The supplementary benefits are unnecessary for the average citizen and hardly pay off in the long term.
Comprehensive household insurance
Comprehensive household insurance is supplementary cover as an addition to existing basic household contents insurance. Comprehensive household insurance covers damage to moveable objects caused by policyholder personally. In addition, it is not necessary to mention each object individually in the insurance policy. It is advisable to compare the premiums of the various providers.
Comparison of household insurance
As with other types of insurance, there is a great deal of competition for household insurance on the Swiss market. The differences between premiums and benefits are relatively significant. It is definitely worthwhile to compare products. Since home contents insurance is needed for life, the right choice is all the more important. Even small premium differences add up over an insurance duration of 20 or 30 years.
FAQ
All moveable items that are located in your home and that you can take with you if you move. These also include leased and/or rented objects.
If the sum insured is lower than the insured value of the household belongings in the event of a claim. Cover should be reviewed from time to time and adjusted if necessary.
Insurance covering damage from fire and natural elements is mandatory in the cantons of Freiburg, Jura, Nidwalden and Waadt. In the remaining cantons, taking out household contents insurance is voluntary.
Before you can cancel your home contents insurance, you should check the contractual minimum term. After the minimum term expires, the notice period is usually three months. In the event of a claim, 14 days after payment, and in the event of an increase in premium, 30 days after receipt of the premium increase notice.
And in the event of a move, you cannot simply terminate the household insurance policy, but must stick to the ordinary notice period.