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Household insurance is a guarantee that protects all of your movable property (furniture, clothing, electronic devices) and any other personal belongings:

  • At the federal level, household inventory insurance is not mandatory, but some cantons require the purchase of coverage against fire and natural hazards.
  • Although it is often associated with private personal liability insurance, household insurance differs from the latter and proves to be complementary.
  • To choose the right contract, it is advisable to first estimate the value of the goods to be insured in order to avoid overinsurance or underinsurance.


Household inventory insurance: mandatory or not?

At the federal level, household insurance (or home contents insurance) is not required by law. Thus, each household is free to decide whether or not to insure its movable property.


Nevertheless, even in the absence of a national legal obligation, we strongly recommend taking out coverage for your personal belongings, as the financial risks associated with a loss can be considerable. Indeed, a fire, a flood, a theft or water damage can lead to significant material losses.


Without insurance, their replacement relies entirely on your personal budget, which can represent several tens of thousands of francs for a standard household inventory.


In which cantons is it necessary to take out household insurance?

While federal law does not require the purchase of household inventory insurance, some cantons do. This is the case in several French-speaking and German-speaking cantons, which impose fire and natural hazard coverage managed by a cantonal insurance institution (ECA).


This obligation mainly concerns buildings, but it may also extend to household inventory, depending on cantonal law.


Below are the cantons in which it is mandatory to opt for fire and natural hazard insurance (FNH):


Vaud (VD)

The canton of Vaud requires fire and natural hazard insurance for household inventory. The management is ensured by the ECA. This coverage protects your belongings in the event of fire, lightning, storm or flooding.


However, it does not systematically include theft, internal water damage or accidental breakage. Many individuals therefore supplement their protection with private household insurance.


Fribourg (FR)

Fire and natural hazard insurance is mandatory, but the choice of insurer is free. You may therefore opt for any private insurance company, provided that the coverage complies with cantonal requirements.


As in Vaud, this obligation does not replace comprehensive household insurance, as it does not cover certain common losses, notably theft.


Jura (JU)

The canton of Jura applies a model similar to that of Fribourg: mandatory fire and natural hazard insurance, with freedom to choose the insurer.


The requirement mainly concerns major risks, which means that households must take out additional guarantees if they wish to benefit from comprehensive protection.


Nidwalden (NW)

The canton of Nidwalden also imposes fire insurance through its cantonal insurance institution.


The Nidwalden ECA covers damage caused by fire and natural hazards, but not everyday losses such as theft or water damage resulting from internal piping.


Good to know: these cantonal obligations do not replace comprehensive household insurance. They cover only major risks, leaving significant room for additional guarantees (theft, internal water damage, accidental breakage, etc.).


Household insurance vs. personal liability insurance: what is the difference?

Although they are often associated, these two types of policies meet distinct needs in the daily lives of tenants and homeowners.


Household inventory insurance

Household insurance protects your personal property, namely:


  • furniture;

  • clothing;

  • electronic devices;

  • musical instruments;

  • valuable objects;

  • etc.

It applies in the event of fire, theft, natural hazards, water damage or, depending on the options chosen, accidental breakage.


Anyone with a significant volume of belongings benefits from being insured, as replacement costs can quickly exceed the amount of annual premiums.


Private personal liability insurance

Private personal liability insurance covers damage that you cause to others, whether to persons or property. It is particularly useful for tenants, as it covers damage caused to the rented property (scratched cooktop, damaged parquet flooring, etc.).


Even though it remains optional, many landlords systematically require it before signing the lease. Attention: personal liability insurance does not protect your personal belongings. It therefore complements, without replacing it, household insurance.


How to choose the right household insurance?

Defining the insured amount

First of all, your household inventory must imperatively be insured at its replacement value (new value) and not at its market value (current value after deduction for wear and tear).


If your insured amount (e.g. CHF 50,000) is lower than the actual value of your inventory (e.g. CHF 100,000), you are underinsured. In this case, even for a partial loss (e.g. damage of CHF 10,000), the insurer will apply the proportionality rule and will pay only 50% of the compensation.


Therefore, take the time to estimate the total value of everything you own, from furniture to kitchen utensils, and review this amount every 3 to 5 years or after a major purchase.


Assessing additional coverages

Several options can strengthen your basic protection:


  • Simple theft outside the home: very useful in urban environments, particularly for bicycles, bags or laptops.

  • Household casco/electronic devices: covers accidental breakage, which is common for smartphones, tablets or televisions.

  • Legal protection insurance: provides assistance in the event of a dispute, for example with a craftsman or a retailer.

These extensions make it possible to adapt the policy to your lifestyle, especially if you own expensive equipment or travel regularly.


Comparing insurance offers

To choose the right insurance contract, we recommend examining the following criteria:


  • Deductible: a high deductible (e.g. CHF 1,000) reduces the premium but will cost you more in the event of a small loss. A low deductible (e.g. CHF 200) is more expensive in terms of premium but guarantees better coverage for minor incidents.

  • Exclusions and coverage limits: check the compensation limits for specific valuable items (jewelry, cash, works of art), as they are often capped, even if the overall insured amount is high.

  • Coverage according to place of residence: insurers consider urban postal codes (higher theft risk) to be more expensive than rural areas.

Of course, you can use an online comparison tool, but always contact the insurer to confirm the exact guarantees (in particular replacement value versus depreciation for tenants) before signing.