Household insurance in Switzerland: the right sum, a fair premium
The most common trap is not the premium but a sum insured that is too low: then your insurer cuts every claim in proportion. Estimate your sum and the typical premium here. We get matching quotes for you, free of charge.
- CHF 650 to 1,200
- per m² of living space: the usual rule of thumb for the sum insured
- from under CHF 50
- annual premium for a single adult in a one-room flat with a CHF 500 deductible (Moneyland)
- 80% → 80%
- If you are insured for only 80%, you also receive only 80% for partial damage
Short answer
insurance-guide.ch recommends household insurance for every household in Switzerland, even where it is not compulsory, with a sum insured at the full replacement value of your belongings: as a rule of thumb CHF 650 to 1,200 per m² of living space, plus valuables. Only Vaud, Fribourg, Nidwalden and Jura make fire and natural hazard cover for your contents compulsory. If your sum is too low, the insurer cuts every claim in proportion: estimate your sum insured.
How much household insurance do you need?
What counts is the replacement value: what it would cost to buy everything new. Enter your living space, furnishings and valuables. The check gives you a starting value and a typical premium.
Warning: underinsurance
If your sum insured is lower than the replacement value of your belongings, the insurer cuts every payout in the same proportion, even for partial damage.
That is the rule in the law unless your contract says otherwise: Art. 51a VVG (in German).
- The check uses CHF 650 per m² for simple, CHF 900 for average and CHF 1,200 for upmarket furnishings, plus your valuables.
- A short inventory of your most expensive items makes the sum more precise.
- Review the sum when your household changes or you move to a bigger or smaller flat.
Sum insured and premium in 30 seconds
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Premiums differ considerably depending on insurer, cover and deductible. We get comparable quotes for you and tell you which cover you really need, together with personal liability if you like (often cheaper as a bundle).
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Example premiums from Moneyland (household insurance comparison, insurance overview), not a quote. Your actual premium depends on insurer, place of residence, scope of cover and deductible.
What is covered?
Water, burglary, fire: what household insurance typically covers
Typically covered
Water damage, for example from a burst pipe
Typically covered
Burglary and robbery
Typically covered
Fire and natural hazards (flood, storm, hail, avalanches)
Typically covered
Simple theft away from home, for example your bike or laptop (add-on)
Not covered by household insurance: the building itself (that is the owner's building insurance).
What does household insurance cost?
| Household | Typical sum insured | Deductible |
|---|---|---|
| Single, 1-room flat | CHF 20,000 to 40,000 | CHF 200 |
| Couple, 3-room flat | CHF 50,000 to 80,000 | CHF 200 |
| Family, 4 to 5-room flat | CHF 80,000 to 120,000 | CHF 200 to 500 |
| Large household or house | CHF 120,000 to 200,000 | CHF 200 to 500 |
What it costs: according to Moneyland, premiums start at less than CHF 50 a year for a single adult in a one-room rented flat with possessions of around CHF 20,000, a CHF 500 deductible and no add-ons. A family of four in a 4.5-room rented flat with CHF 100,000 cover, no deductible and cover for simple theft away from home and glass pays around CHF 400 a year. Your actual premium depends on the insurer, where you live and the cover you choose.
What household insurance covers, and what it doesn't
Typically covered
- Fire and natural hazards (flood, storm, hail, avalanches)
- Water damage, for example from a burst pipe
- Burglary and robbery
- Glass breakage of furniture (often as an add-on)
- Simple theft away from home, for example your bike or laptop (add-on)
Not covered by household insurance
- The building itself (that is the owner's building insurance)
- Damage you cause to others (personal liability insurance)
- Motor vehicles
- Normal wear and tear, and damage caused on purpose
Household and liability bundle: how the large Swiss insurers differ
Household insurance covers your own belongings, personal liability covers damage you cause to others. They generally come as a package, and many insurers give a discount for it, but you can also take them out separately from two different insurers. Most insurers do not publish their premiums, so the differences show in the quotes and in the terms.
What to compare, and what the large insurers do
Product lines
Many insurers sell several levels of cover. Compare quotes for the same level, not just the price.
- AXAthree basic covers: BASIC, COMFORT and ALL RISK.
- Zurichtwo variants: CLASSIC and ALL RISK.
- Helvetiahousehold and liability in one modular product, with add-on modules such as All risks.
- Baloisemerged with Helvetia on 1 July 2026; its household offers now run under the Helvetia brand.
Gross negligence
If you cause the damage through gross negligence, for example a candle left unattended, the law lets the insurer cut its payout in proportion to your fault (Art. 14 VVG). A waiver removes that right. Art. 14 VVG (in German)
- Mobiliarthe waiver is included in its household insurance.
- AXAthe waiver is an add-on.
Deductible
CHF 200 per claim is typical. A higher deductible lowers the premium, but you pay small claims yourself.
- AXAhousehold deductible from CHF 200 up to CHF 5,000.
- AXA, liabilitypoints out that the deductible affects the premium far more than the sum insured does.
Sum insured and underinsurance
Many insurers waive the cut for smaller claims even if your sum is too low. A reserve in the sum protects you from the start.
- AXAno cut for damage below 10% of the sum insured (not for natural hazards).
- Helvetiasuggests adding a reserve of about 10% for future purchases.
Bicycle and theft away from home
A bike stolen from your locked cellar in a burglary is covered. Simple theft, for example from a bike rack or at work, usually needs the add-on for simple theft away from home.
- AXAsimple theft away from home as an add-on.
- Zurichsimple theft away from home is covered only with the add-on "einfacher Diebstahl auswärts" or "Superdiebstahl".
- Mobiliarautomatically doubles the sum for simple theft away from home on trips of 3 nights or more.
Car and belongings on the move
Theft from a car and belongings kept elsewhere for a long time are handled differently from one insurer to the next.
- AXAbreaking into a vehicle counts as burglary. Items kept in the same place for more than 12 months must be registered as a separate location.
- Zurich, Allianztheft from a locked car counts as simple theft: away from home you need the add-on.
- Mobiliarcovers belongings away from home for up to 24 months.
Jewellery and cash
Valuables are covered only up to limits. Above them you need a separate agreement or valuables insurance.
- Jewellery, theft outside a safeCHF 20,000 at Allianz, CHF 30,000 at Mobiliar and AXA (COMFORT, ALL RISK), 20% of the sum insured up to CHF 30,000 at Zurich and Helvetia, 15% up to CHF 35,000 at Generali. AXA BASIC: CHF 2,000.
- Cashup to CHF 5,000 at Mobiliar and Zurich.
Liability cover, children and dogs
The liability half of the bundle differs in the sums on offer and in extras for families and pet owners.
- Mobiliarliability cover of CHF 5 or 10 million.
- AXACHF 5, 10 or 20 million, and on request "Wunschhaftung" up to CHF 100,000 for damage no one is legally liable for, for example by a child too young to be held liable.
- AXA, Helvetia, Generaliliability as the keeper of a dog is usually included in the standard policy, without a weight limit.
Per the insurers' general terms (AVB) and product pages as cited in our household and liability guide and on our valuables insurance page, as of September 2026. Price range: comparison by Kassensturz and VZ, March 2024, for a single person renting with contents of CHF 72,000 and liability cover of CHF 5 million; the highest premium was just under CHF 350. Your contract may differ: check your policy.
Moving flat in Switzerland: which policies to update or cancel
A move within Switzerland rarely ends a policy, but it changes your address, often your premium, and sometimes the rules that apply in your new canton. Tick off these points; the official sources are linked.
Household insurance
- Give your insurer the new address. Within Switzerland your policy continues at the new address, but the premium can change with the location. AXA, for example, requires you to report the move within 30 days and may adjust the premium. ch.ch moving checklist
- Recalculate the sum insured. A bigger or smaller flat changes the value you need to insure. Too low a sum means underinsurance. Sum insured check
- Moving is not a reason to cancel. A move alone usually gives you no right to cancel. You can cancel at the end of the third year, or any later year, with three months’ notice, and also after a claim. Art. 35a VVG (in German)
- Moving to Vaud, Fribourg, Nidwalden or Jura? There, fire and natural hazard cover for your contents is compulsory: in Vaud and Nidwalden with the cantonal insurer (ECA Vaud, Nidwaldner Sachversicherung), in Fribourg and Jura with an insurer of your choice. Theft, water damage and glass breakage stay voluntary. The building itself is not part of household insurance: that is the owner’s building insurance.
Personal liability
- Check tenant damage before the handover. Damage to the rented flat (for example parquet or a washbasin) should be included in your liability policy. It matters at the handover at the latest. Normal wear and tear and holes you drilled yourself are not insured.
- Write a report for both flats. Complete a handover report for the old flat and a property report for the new one, each with the landlord. ch.ch moving checklist
- Helping a friend move? Damage you cause while helping, for example when you carry a friend’s furniture and break something, is a separate point in liability policies (Gefälligkeitsschäden, favour damage). Check that your policy includes it.
- Renting the new flat. Personal liability insurance is not compulsory, but in practice you may struggle to rent a flat without it. ch.ch on liability insurance
Health insurance
- Tell your health insurer the new address. ch.ch lists health and household insurers among the places to inform of your new address. ch.ch moving checklist
- Expect a new premium. A move to another canton changes your premium region and your premium. Within certain cantons, insurers can also charge up to three regional tariffs. See the premium at your new postcode in the premium calculator. priminfo FAQ (FOPH, in German)Premium calculator
- No extra right to switch. A premium change because you move does not give you an extraordinary right to cancel. The normal switching dates apply. priminfo FAQ (FOPH, in German)How to switch
- Insurer not active in your new region? Then you have to switch. If you must leave your insurer because you move, your insurance with it ends at the time of the move. Art. 7 KVG (in German)
Commune, dog and car
- Deregister and register. Notify your old commune of your departure and register with the new one as soon as possible after the move, in person or online with eMovingCH. Take your health insurance card or proof of insurance with you. ch.ch moving checklistch.ch change of address
- Dog owners. Update your dog’s registration with your old and new commune. In most cantons, dog owners must have liability insurance; the rules differ by canton. ch.ch change of addressch.ch on liability insuranceCanton rules for dogs
- Car owners moving canton. Notify the road traffic office in your new canton of residence. ch.ch moving checklist
Household and liability points as in our household and liability guide and our German household guide. Official sources: ch.ch, the FOPH premium site priminfo.admin.ch and the federal laws on fedlex.admin.ch (KVG, VVG), all read on 15 October 2026.
Frequently asked questions about household insurance
Is household insurance compulsory in Switzerland?
Not across Switzerland. Only in four cantons: Vaud, Fribourg, Nidwalden and Jura require fire and natural hazard cover for your contents. It is worth having everywhere: a fire or water damage can quickly cost several tens of thousands of francs.
How do I calculate the right sum insured?
What counts is the replacement value: what would it cost to buy everything new? As a rule of thumb, allow about CHF 650 to 1,200 per square metre of living space, depending on your furnishings, plus valuables. Our check gives you a starting value; for an exact sum, a short inventory of your most expensive items is worth the effort.
What happens if I am underinsured?
If your sum insured is lower than the replacement value of your belongings, the insurer cuts the payout in the same proportion, even for partial damage. Example: your belongings are worth CHF 100,000 and you are insured for CHF 80,000. For damage of CHF 40,000 you receive only CHF 32,000.
Can I cancel my current household insurance?
Under the revised Insurance Contract Act (since 2022), you can cancel a contract after three years with three months’ notice, even if a longer term was agreed. You can also cancel after a claim. We are happy to check your policy and the deadlines with you, free of charge.
Is a bundle with personal liability insurance worth it?
Often yes: many insurers give a discount for the bundle, and you have one contact. Still, compare quotes: the cheapest bundle is not always the best combination of household and liability cover.
Do I have to tell my insurer when I move within Switzerland?
Yes. Your policy continues at the new address, but the premium (depending on the location) and possibly the sum insured (for a bigger or smaller flat) can change. AXA, for example, requires you to report the move within 30 days and may adjust the premium. A move alone usually gives you no right to cancel.
Is my bike covered?
If it is stolen in a burglary from your locked cellar, yes. If it is stolen in a simple theft, for example from a bike rack, only with the add-on for simple theft. Include an expensive e-bike in your sum insured and clarify the theft cover with your insurer.
Rather set the right sum with an adviser?
Nicole Bohne (10 years in insurance and pensions, previously at Basler and Zurich), independent and FINMA-registered. 45 minutes by video, free and without obligation.