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Self-employment: Which types of insurance are mandatory and which are optional but recommended

This page explains which social insurance policies are mandatory for you and your company and which types of insurance can protect your company from financial risks or even insolvency.

Manda­to­ry so­cial in­sur­ance

The Swiss so­cial se­cu­ri­ty sys­tem pro­vides broad in­sur­ance cov­er­age for you and your em­ploy­ees. The oblig­a­tion to pay con­tri­bu­tions for those who are not self-em­ployed is manda­to­ry.

Vol­un­tary so­cial in­sur­ance poli­cies

Self-em­ployed per­sons are ex­empt from the oblig­a­tion to pay con­tri­bu­tions to some types of so­cial in­sur­ance – for ex­am­ple, by the pen­sion fund. How­ev­er, it can be worth­while to make vol­un­tary con­tri­bu­tions.

Oth­er types of in­sur­ance

Wa­ter dam­age, theft, or a le­gal dis­pute can eas­i­ly cost you a lot of mon­ey. In or­der to pro­tect your as­sets in the event of a claim, it is ad­vis­able to ob­tain cov­er­age against po­ten­tial risks.

Overview of mandatory and voluntary social insurance policies for self-employed persons

Type of insurance For self-employed persons

Contributions (as a % of income)
Old Age and Survivors' Insurance / Federal Disability Insurance / Income Replacement Mandatory 10 %

Family allowance

 Mandatory 0.3 to 3.3%, varies from canton to canton
Unemployment insurance (ALV) Not possible  
Pension fund (2nd pillar) Voluntary Up to CHF 45,000 per year
Occupational accident insurance (UVG) Voluntary Depends on the insurance policy
Non-occupational accident insurance (NBU) Voluntary Depends on the insurance policy
The Credit Suisse pension study with analyses regarding the question: Lump sum or annuity in employee benefits insurance?

The future of employee benefits insurance

What developments and reforms to employee benefits insurance are in store in Switzerland? The pension fund study of Credit Suisse will provide you with the details.

21/09/2023

Overview of mandatory and voluntary social insurance for non-self-employed persons

Type of insurance For non-self-employed persons (joint-stock companies or limited liability companies)

Contributions
Old Age and Survivors' Insurance / Federal Disability Insurance / Income Replacement Mandatory 10.6% (50% each paid by the employer and the individual employees)

Family allowance

 Mandatory 0.7 to 3.5%, varies from canton to canton
Unemployment insurance (ALV) Mandatory 2.2% on annual income up to CHF 148,200, 1% for income above CHF 148,200 (50% each paid by the employer and the individual employees)
Pension fund (2nd pillar) Mandatory for annual income of CHF 21,330 and above Between 4% and 16%, depending on age. Employer pays at least 50% of the costs
Occupational accident insurance (UVG) Mandatory Varies depending on the insurance policy. Costs covered by the employer
Non-occupational accident insurance (NBU) Mandatory for more than eight hours per week Varies depending on the insurance policy. The employer can cover costs but is not required to. 

What you need to know about Old Age and Survivors' Insurance

1e pension foundation

The attractive pension solution for the extra-mandatory portion of the 2nd pillar.

21/09/2023

Voluntary insurance for companies

To protect your company against the financial consequences of damage or theft, it is advisable to obtain the relevant insurance policies. For instance, you can insure the continuation of salary payments for employees on prolonged periods of sick leave.