Spring Insurance Check: Policies You Should Review Annually
When was the last time you consciously looked at your insurance documents? For most policyholders, the honest answer is: not for a long time. Insurance does its job quietly in the background, which is exactly why it is quickly forgotten. But life changes, and insurance policies should keep up. Especially in spring, many people face changes: a move, a new job, a new addition to the family, or planning for summer holidays. This makes the season the ideal time for an insurance check to see if your coverage still fits your current life situation.
Situations Where an Insurance Check Is Worthwhile
Moving: New Address, New Risk
Moving house changes more than just your address. With household and personal liability insurance, the premium depends on your specific living situation: a larger or more high-end apartment requires a higher sum insured, otherwise you risk underinsurance. When moving in with a partner, policies should be merged to avoid double insurance or gaps. The move itself also carries risks, such as transport damage or damage to the rental property. You should therefore report the new situation to your insurers and check whether the policies fit the new living situation.
New Job: Closing Insurance Gaps Early
When you change jobs, your pension fund (LPP/BVG), accident insurance (LAA/UVG), and daily sickness allowance insurance (KTG) change. Important to know: you are still insured against non-occupational accidents through your previous employer for 31 days after your last claim to salary or daily allowance. Anyone who has not started a new job after this transition period should close the resulting insurance gap. Accident coverage can be re-included in your health insurance or extended via interim accident insurance (Abredeversicherung). This is a voluntary supplementary coverage that allows you to extend your previous non-occupational accident protection through your former employer for up to six months. It must be applied for with the relevant accident insurer before the 31 days expire and is usually a cost-effective solution for bridging the transition period. Occupational pension schemes should also be reviewed: not every pension fund insures the same portion of salary or offers the same protection in the event of disability or death. Targeted supplementary coverage can help close these gaps in the long term.
New Addition to the Family: Best to Act Before the Birth
A child brings new responsibilities alongside new joys. Newborns must be insured from birth. Registration with a health insurance company must take place within three months, with coverage then applying retroactively from birth. An often-overlooked tip: if you apply for supplementary insurance for the child before birth, most health insurers will accept them without a medical exam. This is no longer guaranteed later on. This is also a good time to adjust personal liability and any life insurance to the changed family situation. What was sufficient for two adults is often no longer enough for a family with a child.
Travel: What Health Insurance Really Pays Abroad
Abroad, compulsory basic insurance (KVG/LAMal) covers at most twice what the same treatment would cost in Switzerland. Outside Europe, this is rarely enough. In countries like the USA, a hospital stay can quickly cost tens of thousands of francs, and medically supervised repatriation to Switzerland can cost many times that. Travel insurance with repatriation coverage closes this gap.
New Purchases: Is the Value Covered?
A new e-bike, a new camera, or jewelry for an anniversary: household contents grow faster than you think. You should therefore check whether the sum insured still corresponds to the actual value and whether expensive individual items need to be recorded separately. In the event of a claim, underinsurance can lead to the insurance only replacing part of the damage incurred. For example, if the household contents are insured for 50,000 francs while their actual value is 62,500 francs, there is only 80% coverage. If a new e-bike worth 4,000 francs is stolen, the insurance will only pay 3,200 francs accordingly.
The Annual Insurance Check
Reviewing insurance sounds like a lot of effort. However, the annual check is worth it. It helps to identify gaps and avoid nasty surprises in the event of a claim.
The following questions will help you with your spring check:
- Is my household insurance sum still correct?
- Am I currently insured against non-occupational accidents through my employer, interim accident insurance, or health insurance?
- Does my coverage against death and disability fit my family situation?
- Am I sufficiently insured abroad, or could travel insurance with repatriation coverage be worthwhile?
- Are there coverage gaps due to changes in my professional situation regarding occupational pensions, accident, or daily sickness allowance insurance?
- Is all personal information, such as address, life situation, and income, up to date with insurers?
- Am I paying for services that I no longer need?
If you hesitate on one or more questions, you should take a closer look at your insurance coverage. The simply team will be happy to go through the insurance check with you personally.
Fact sheet on outpatient supplementary insurance 