Moving without nasty surprises: what insurance really covers
The moving boxes are packed, the removal company is booked and the mail forwarding order is set up. But insurance is quickly forgotten when moving. Yet this is exactly where unexpected costs can arise fast—for example if the sofa is damaged in transit or your health insurance premium suddenly becomes significantly higher in the new canton. Our guide shows you what to look out for when moving.
Check your insurance cover in good time
Adjust your household contents insurance
Notify your insurer about the move as early as possible—ideally before the handover of the apartment. Household contents insurance generally moves with you, but without timely notification, transitional cover for both apartments may lapse. In addition, the risk assessment changes with the location. If the details are no longer correct, the insurer may reduce benefits in the event of a claim.
Take the opportunity to check the sum insured as well. If you move into a larger apartment, you often buy new furniture and can quickly become underinsured. Setting the cover too low can be costly in the event of a claim. If the sum insured is lower than the actual value of your household contents, the insurer will reduce the payout proportionally. With cover of 80% of the actual value, typically only 80% of the loss is reimbursed.
The premium itself can also change. It depends not only on the living space, but also on the location. In cities such as Zurich, Geneva or Basel, premiums are usually higher than in rural areas due to the greater risk of break-ins and theft.
Check your personal liability insurance
Personal liability insurance is voluntary in Switzerland, but many landlords require it in the tenancy agreement. Important to know: this clause is legally binding and obliges tenants to take out such insurance.
Thanks to personal liability insurance, you are protected if you cause damage to third-party property in your old or new rental apartment. Classic examples include accidentally drilling into a water pipe while putting up a shelf, or damage to parquet flooring caused by a vase tipping over.
Recommended sums insured range from CHF 3 to 20 million. That sounds like a lot, but it can be used up quickly in the event of major damage—for example, water damage affecting several apartments.
If you don’t yet have personal liability insurance, moving is the ideal time to catch up. Damage can happen particularly quickly when moving, whether in the old or new apartment. And without the right cover, you are personally liable.
These types of damage are often not covered
If your sofa is damaged while being carried or the vase breaks while loading, household contents insurance usually won’t pay. Who covers the damage in the event of a claim depends heavily on the moving situation. To ensure you’re as well protected as possible, it’s worth looking at the two most common scenarios.
Moving with a professional removal company
If you hire a professional removal company, ask specifically in advance about transport insurance and have the sum insured confirmed in writing. Also pay attention to the deductible and possible exclusions, such as for art, antiques or electronic devices. If you have particularly valuable household contents, it may be worth taking out separate transport insurance that also covers replacement value.
Private move with family and friends
Anyone who moves with friends or family knows it: one careless movement and the box of dishes is on the floor, the mirror is scratched or the wardrobe door is damaged. If such mishaps happen to you yourself, standard household contents insurance won’t step in. An add-on cover such as Zurich Insurance’s Household Contents All Risk can help, as it also covers self-inflicted damage to your own household contents. Especially during the hectic moving phase, when something can easily happen, this extra protection can pay off.
Regardless of the situation, it’s advisable to photograph valuable items before the move and document any damage immediately in writing, including the date, photos and the people involved. This documentation is the basis for any later claims settlement.
Keep an eye on your health insurer and new premiums
You are required to notify your health insurer of an address change, and you should do so as quickly as possible. If you move to a different premium region or another canton, your premium can change noticeably. The differences can be significant: in 2026, the average monthly premium in Ticino is CHF 501.50, while in Zug it is CHF 264.50. There are also differences within a canton, for example between urban and rural areas, as Switzerland is divided into around 40 premium regions in total.
Moving alone generally does not entitle you to switch health insurer mid-year. The normal notice periods still apply: you can switch by the end of November for 1 January of the following year. So if you move to another canton in summer, it’s worth comparing health insurers in autumn. Providers and premiums in your new region may differ significantly from your previous place of residence.
If you move to a more expensive canton, you should also check whether an alternative insurance model such as family doctor, HMO or Telmed can partly offset the higher premiums. Depending on the model, you can save 5% to 25%.
Our moving checklist to avoid nasty surprises
Check your insurance cover in good time
- Inform your household contents insurer about the move
- Adjust the sum insured of your household contents insurance to your new household contents
- Check personal liability insurance or, if you don’t have it, take it out
- If using a professional removal company: have the transport insurance and sum insured confirmed in writing
- Photograph valuable items before the move
What to do if damage occurs
- Document damage immediately in writing, with date, photos and those involved
Keep an eye on your health insurer and new premiums
- Report your address change to your health insurer
- Compare health insurance premiums in the new premium region and, if applicable, keep an eye on the November deadline
Moving home is a good opportunity to review your insurance cover. The advisors at simply will take the time to look at your situation free of charge and without obligation, and will be happy to show you where adjustments make sense.
Fact sheet on outpatient supplementary insurance 