Civil Liability Insurance (Switzerland)

Civil Liability Insurance

When you cause damage or loss to another person, you have an obligation to remedy it. You can take out personal (civil) liability insurance that will cover the cost.

You can claim on your liability insurance for example if you break a friend’s glasses, or knock a passer-by over on your bike, or your dog bites a child. Depending on the scale of the damage, personal liability insurance can save you from financial ruin.

In theory, personal liability insurance is not mandatory in Switzerland. In practice, you may struggle to rent an apartment without it. In the majority of cantons this type of insurance is also compulsory for anyone who keeps a dog.

In Switzerland, everyone who owns a motor vehicle (including motorbikes, mopeds and fast electric bikes) must also take out separate third-party motor insurance.