Liability and household contents

Imagine your home burns down due to a fire and all of your furniture, accessories, electronics, decorations, etc. are damaged and need to be replaced – if you can’t afford to pay this amount yourself, it is recommended to have a homeowner’s insurance. Very important is the choice of the sum insured: it depends on the number of rooms and, of course, on the equipment: is it expensive furniture, do you have many, expensive decorations and valuables? The flat rate per room is about 20’000 CHF with a middle class equipment. The best thing to do here is to make an inventory list with your consultant and evaluate the situation.

As a private person, for example, if you damage another person’s object through carelessness, as the head of a family, if your child shatters the neighbor’s window pane with a missed shot while playing soccer, as a pet owner, if your dog bites another person out of fear, as a tenant, if your perfume bottle slips out of your hand and damages the sink in your rented apartment, as a sportsman, as a gun owner, as a cyclist or moped rider, in the case of custodial damage (you keep an object belonging to another person or, for example, you use a colleague’s bicycle and damage it in a fall), etc.

Important: notify us at the time of taking out insurance if you own an animal, engage in equestrian sports, hunt, occasionally drive foreign vehicles. These risks must be listed in the policy for coverage to be guaranteed.

During the process of building your property, you should insure yourself with specific liability insurance to protect against unforeseen events that may occur during the construction phase.

This so-called construction insurance covers damage to the structure that can be caused by events such as fire, storm, lightning, water and theft. Property damage caused by human error or third parties may also be included in the insurance.

In Switzerland, construction insurance is not mandatory for private homeowners, but it is highly recommended to take one out to protect yourself from the financial risks of the construction process. The cost of insurance depends on various factors, such as the construction value, the duration of the construction phase and the selected scope of insurance.

It is also important to note that construction insurance is only valid during the construction phase and must be converted to buildings insurance once construction is complete.