Business insurance in Switzerland: which obligations should you check?

The social insurance foundations

The Federal Social Insurance Office (FSIO) sets out contributions according to employment status and the responsible bodies. For your employees, the business registers with a compensation office for AHV/AVS, IV/AI, EO/APG and unemployment insurance, and with a family allowances fund under the applicable rules. If you are self-employed, it is the compensation office that determines this status: it is not something you can freely choose.

Health insurance (KVG/LAMal) is, in principle, personal insurance, with exceptions depending on the applicable insurance requirements; it is not a group policy that the employer must take out.

Accidents and occupational pensions

Every employer insures its staff against occupational accidents. According to the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH), non-occupational accidents are also covered for people who work at least 8 hours per week for the same employer.

Occupational pension requirements apply to employees who meet conditions relating to salary, age, liability for AHV/AVS contributions and the duration of employment, as explained in the FSIO FAQ. Thresholds change; check them with your institution each year.

Sickness daily allowance insurance: obligation or choice?

There is no general federal obligation to take out sickness daily allowance insurance. However, the employer must continue to pay salary during illness under employment law, and the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) points out that insurance may replace this obligation if it is at least equivalent. An employment contract, a collective employment agreement (CCT) or a standard employment contract (CTT) may also require cover.

Liability, property and cyber

These covers primarily address your needs. Some professions are required to hold liability insurance under the legislation governing them, some cantons require insurance for buildings or movable property (in the canton of Vaud, business movable property falls within the remit of the cantonal building insurer (ECA) for fire and natural hazards damage), and your customers may require certificates of insurance. These obligations must be checked individually for your activities and your canton: no single rule applies to all businesses.

To find your bearings, separate three lists: what the law requires in your circumstances, what your contracts and agreements require, and what you choose to insure to protect the business. Review them whenever you hire someone, add an activity or site, or take on a major new customer: these are often the points at which an obligation arises.