The Swiss insurance trio: buy only what you need.

Optional but near-universal. Covers damage you cause to other people or their property - cyclists hitting cars, dropping a friend's laptop, a flooding washing machine on the neighbour below.

Reasonable coverage: CHF 5–10 million sum insured, deductible CHF 200–500. Annual cost: CHF 100–180 for a single, CHF 150–250 for a family. Anything above CHF 250 means you are paying for unused riders.

Covers theft, fire, water damage, glass breakage on your belongings inside (and sometimes outside) the home.

Set the insured sum to the realistic replacement cost of your contents - most people overestimate by 30–50%. A typical 3.5-room apartment is fully covered at CHF 70,000–120,000 sum insured, not the CHF 200,000 the agent suggested.

Combined liability + household policies often cost less than buying both separately. Always compare both options.

The most over-sold of the three. Useful if you frequently rent, drive, or work in a contract-heavy industry. Often unnecessary if you own your home outright, do not drive, and have a stable employer.

If you do buy it: separate private and traffic legal protection lines exist; many policies bundle them. CHF 280–400 per year is normal for full coverage.