What it covers
The basic Privathaftpflichtversicherung covers: - Property damage to third parties (broken window, scratched car, water damage from your apartment to neighbor's) - Personal injury to third parties (guest tripping on your stairs) - Financial loss caused to others - Legal defence costs
Typical coverage limit: CHF 5-10 million per claim.
What it does NOT cover
- Damage to YOUR own property (use Hausratversicherung for that)
- Damage caused intentionally
- Professional liability (separate insurance needed)
- Cars (separate Autoversicherung)
- Pet damage above a certain limit (optional add-on)
Cost
| Coverage | Annual premium |
|---|---|
| Single person | CHF 100-150 |
| Couple | CHF 130-180 |
| Family with kids | CHF 150-250 |
| With pet add-on | +CHF 20-50 |
Where to buy
Major Swiss insurers: - Zürich Versicherung · widely accepted - AXA · competitive online quotes - Helvetia · good family rates - Mobiliar · cooperative, broad branch network - Generali · multilingual support - Allianz · digital-first
Online comparison: Comparis or Bonus.ch · 5-minute online signup, immediate coverage.
Why landlords require it
A single water-damage incident can cost CHF 20,000-100,000 in repairs to other apartments. Without insurance, the tenant is personally liable. Landlords protect themselves and other tenants by requiring proof.
When to buy
Before you start applying · proof of insurance is often requested at the viewing or at signing. Don't lose your dream apartment by being uninsured.
Keep it in your aptari Tenant Passport
Save the certificate in your aptari Tenant Passport next to your ID, salary slip and debt extract. aptari then reuses it for every application, so you're always ready to apply with one click to listings you browse in one open feed.