Mobile on the road: with or without your own car

Here we distinguish between damage suffered by third parties as a result of an accident and damage to the vehicle itself.

Damage to third parties: The vehicle owner's motor third party liability insurance covers property damage and bodily injury suffered by third parties in the event of an accident with the car. 

Damage to the vehicle: Damage to the test vehicle itself is covered by the (comprehensive) insurance, if such an insurance exists. Otherwise, the driver must always pay for the damage himself/herself. If the driver has third-party driver's insurance, this will cover the damage. Third-party driver’s insurance can be part of a household insurance policy.

Basically, you can buy your car from various sources: a private individual, an official garage or an independent car dealer. You can also buy your car via an online portal. In any case, you should know what to look for before you buy.

If you buy a used car from a private individual or from an official dealer, you should pay attention to the date of the last vehicle inspection. This will help you avoid any nasty surprises. In general, you should consider the past history of the vehicle when buying a used car. How many previous owners has the car had? Has the car been serviced regularly and has this been documented? Is there any manufacturer's or dealer's warranty? If not, is it worth buying a warranty extension? 

You can find more tips on buying a used car in our Guide "5 tips on buying a second-hand car".

As a young driver up to the age of 25, you usually have higher deductibles in your car's liability insurance. This means that in the event of a claim, you will bear a larger part of the costs yourself. We therefore advise you to check the deductible when you take out the insurance.

Some insurers offer attractive benefits for young drivers. These include, for example, premium reimbursements after claim-free years or low-cost product solutions.

Zurich offers young drivers under the age of 25 a variety benefits:

• After three years with no claims, you will get ten percent of your premium back.
• Your premiums will reduce year by year until your 25th birthday.
• You will receive a 15 percent discount if your parents already hold at least two policies with Zurich.
• You will receive a combination discount, if you take out household contents or life insurance with Zurich.
• You will receive a 10 percent discount if you have had an existing motor policy with Zurich for at least two years.

There is no general answer to this question. The maintenance costs of a vehicle vary too greatly for that. Important points to consider are fuel or electricity consumption, traffic taxes, insurance, service costs and costs for parking spaces. 

Basically, however, you should be aware that a car will cost you money every day, even if you don't move it.

An anticipatory driving style with sufficient distance, gentle acceleration and braking will reduce the costs of driving a car in the long term. With a moderate driving style, you will protect your brakes and at the same time reduce the risk of rear-end collisions. This will enable you to save on costs for minor repairs and deductibles.

On Swiss roads there are certain things you have to take with you in the car. Otherwise you may be fined. The following documents and items are compulsory in the car:

• Driver's license
• Vehicle registration document
• Exhaust emission document (for vehicles without OBD error memory)
• Breakdown triangle
• Highway permit sticker (for highways)

Depending on the country, different regulations will apply abroad. Find out about the regulations of the respective country before you travel abroad.

Whether you borrow the car from friends, your parents or a car-sharing platform, in the event of property damage and personal injury suffered by third parties in an accident, the motor third party liability insurance of the vehicle owner will pay.

This means that if, for example, you borrow your girlfriend's car and cause an accident in which another vehicle is also damaged, your girlfriend is liable for the damage caused. Your girlfriend's compulsory motor third party liability insurance covers the property damage to the other vehicle.

The situation is different for damage to the borrowed vehicle itself. This will be covered by your girlfriend's comprehensive insurance, if such an insurance has been taken out. Otherwise, your girlfriend will hold you responsible for the damage and you will have to pay for the entire damage. 

If you have third-party driver's insurance, it will cover your girlfriend's deductible as well as bonus losses on the vehicle's comprehensive insurance. If the borrowed vehicle only had single vehicle accidental damage insurance, then the supplementary insurance would cover all of the repair costs.

You can include third-party driver's insurance as a supplement to your personal liability insurance. To do so, select the "Driving motor vehicle owned by a third party" supplement. However, the third-party driver's insurance does not apply in the following cases:

• If you use a car for more than 25 days a year
• If you borrow vehicles from people in the same household
• In the case of rented vehicles
• In the case of vehicles from car-sharing companies

You can include third-party driver's insurance as a supplement to your personal liability insurance. To do so, select the "Driving motor vehicle owned by a third party" supplement. This is is suitable for people who occasionally borrow vehicles.

In the event of a claim, the third-party driver's insurance covers a large part of the costs. The level of cover varies depending on whether the borrowed vehicle is covered by comprehensive insurance or single vehicle accidental damage insurance.

Car with comprehensive insurance

The third-party driver's insurance covers the following costs:

• Deductible of the vehicle owner
• Bonus losses in the comprehensive insurance of the vehicle owner

Car with single vehicle accidental damage insurance

The third-party driver's insurance covers the costs of repairing the borrowed car. 

However, the third-party driver's insurance does not apply in the following cases:

• If you use a car for more than 25 days a year
• If you borrow vehicles from people in the same household
• In the case of rented vehicles
• In the case of vehicles from car-sharing companies

Read more in our blog post "third-party driver's insurance: Everything you need to know"

If you use a rental car or car-sharing vehicle, then the insurance benefits are usually included in the rental price. This usually includes comprehensive insurance and liability insurance for motor vehicles.

However, deductibles are often high for rental cars or car-sharing vehicles. If you cause an accident with the rented vehicle, you will have to pay for part of the damage yourself. Depending on the provider, this can quickly amount to several thousand francs. With our insurance for rental and sharing vehicles, we will cover you in the event of a claim: We cover the deductible, contractually owed vehicle repairs, as well as breakdown and towing costs for rental and sharing vehicles from commercial providers.

Good to know: You can also save money with insurance for rental and sharing vehicles. Because it is often cheaper than the offers of the rental vehicle companies, with which you can lower your deductible.

It depends on whether your e-bike is a "fast" e-bike or a "slow" e-bike.

If your pedal-assisted e-bike is capable of speeds of up to a maximum of 25 km/h, it is considered a "slow e-bike". In this case, your e-bike is considered an ordinary bicycle and you do not need to buy a number plate. However, it is worthwhile for cyclists to take out personal liability insurance. This covers personal injury and property damage that you cause to third parties with your bike. However, damage to the e-bike itself is not insured. For this purpose, Zurich offers all-round bicycle insurance - a kind of comprehensive insurance for your bike.

If your pedal-assisted e-bike is capable of speeds of up to a maximum of 45 km/h, it is considered a "fast" e-bike. In this case, a yellow license plate and liability insurance are obligatory. In addition, a category M driving license is compulsory. When riding your e-bike, you must wear a helmet.

When changing car, you can also switch your car insurance. We recommend you follow the steps outlined below: 

• Collect different offers for your new car insurance policy and compare them. Compare the offers with your current policy, too. We can help you find the right insurance. Use our free insurance comparison service. We will look at your offers and create a suitable comparative offer.

• As soon as you have settled on a car insurance policy, cancel the insurance for your old vehicle. Then take out a policy for your new vehicle. Ask your insurer to send proof of your car insurance to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Office.

• Go to the DVLO and register your new vehicle. Alternatively, the dealership that you purchased the car from can undertake this task for you. In addition to your insurance certificate, you need the following documents:
  
  ID document:
  Swiss passport, ID card or foreigner's ID card
  
  The original copy of the previous vehicle registration document
  for a second-hand car, or the original inspection report (form 13.20 A) for a new vehicle
  
  You can also send the documents via post to the relevant Driver and Vehicle Licensing Office.
  
  
• You will receive a vehicle registration for your new car.
• Take the license plates from your old vehicle and mount these to your new car. Now you can set off in your new car!

First, take out motor vehicle insurance. The insurance company then submits the electronic insurance certificate to the responsible Road Traffic Office. After this, you or your garage owner go to the Road Traffic Office with the original of the previous vehicle registration document or in the case of a new car with the inspection report. The latter then issues the license plates and the new vehicle registration document. It is often also possible to send the original vehicle registration document by mail to the Road Traffic Office. In this case, you will also receive the plates and new documents by mail. The best way of finding out whether the responsible Road Traffic Office offers this option is on its website.

You will need proof of customs clearance to register an imported vehicle. To register your vehicle with the cantonal Road Traffic Office, the customs office will issue an inspection report form 13.20 A. 

It is important to find the right insurance coverage for you and your vehicle. Don't just look at the premium, be sure to look at the scope of the coverage and the services provided in the event of a loss. These vary considerably from one policy to another. 

For example, do you value personal contact when receiving a consultation or in the event of a loss? If so, take care to check with online insurers to see if they will guarantee this.

Comprehensive cover or partial casco – which one do I need?

In most cases you can, in effect, transfer your current car insurance to your new vehicle. In this event however, you must stay with your current insurer and request the same coverage. As a rule, your premiums will change. Legally speaking, you are taking out a new insurance policy.

If you would like to take out a new car insurance policy for your new vehicle, you must actively cancel your existing policy for the old vehicle. If you do not do this, the policy will continue. In this case, your insurer will only be informed when you de-register your old vehicle with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Office. The resulting follow-up processes can end up being quite tedious. For this reason it is worth being proactive and canceling the insurance.

When you purchase a new car, you can also switch your car insurance. It makes sense to collect various offers and compare them with one another. When you are doing this, you shouldn't just compare prices. The services provided can vary a lot between provider and offer. You should also take note of the following:

• How easy is it to get in contact with your insurer in the event of a loss?
• How have their services been rated by previous customers?

We can help you find the right insurance. Use our free insurance comparison service. We will look at your offers and create a suitable comparative offer.

As a rule, interchangeable license plates are license plates shared between two vehicles. They are ideal for people who own two cars, but do not use them at the same time. As you are only permitted to drive the vehicle to which the license plates are attached.

Interchangeable plates can help you save on your insurance premiums. You will also save costs with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Office and when paying your vehicle tax. If you have taken out partial casco cover, this also applies to the vehicle that is parked without a license plate. The rules around interchangeable license plates differ by canton. You can find out more information from your local DVLO.

Yes, you can keep your license plates, provided that your new vehicle belongs to the same category as your old one (for example, passenger vehicle) and you are staying in the same canton. Motorbikes have different license plates.