Insurance for Freelancers in Switzerland: What You Actually Need

As a freelancer, nobody covers you automatically. A few insurance products protect you from risks that could otherwise sink your business.

The essentials

Accident insurance (you must arrange it yourself since you have no employer), loss-of-income insurance, and professional liability insurance are the core protections most freelancers need.

Accident insurance covers you outside work and, for the self-employed, can be extended to cover work accidents too. Without an employer, you must buy it yourself.

Loss-of-income insurance pays a daily allowance if illness or accident stops you working. For a freelancer with no sick pay, this is often the single most valuable cover.

Professional liability insurance protects you if a client claims your work caused them a loss. It is essential in fields like consulting, engineering or IT.

• Accident insurance (UVG).
• Loss-of-income (daily allowance) insurance.
• Professional liability insurance.

What you can often skip

Legal-expenses insurance is optional, and some add-ons offer poor value for a solo freelancer. Focus on the risks that would actually stop you from working.

Bundled policies aimed at consumers often duplicate cover you do not need or exclude the specific risks of freelance work. Read the terms before buying.

Life insurance is a personal, not a business, decision for most freelancers. Prioritise income protection first.

Review your insurance annually. As your income and clients change, the gaps that matter most shift too.

Health coverage first

Basic health insurance covers medical treatment, but it does not replace your income when you cannot work. That is why loss-of-income cover matters.

When choosing loss-of-income cover, check the waiting period before payments start and how long they last. These terms dramatically change the value.

Compare offers from several insurers. Premiums and conditions for freelance cover vary widely, and the cheapest is not always the best.

Building a cover plan

List your real risks first: what would happen financially if you were ill for three months, or if a client sued you? Start from those scenarios.

Cover the catastrophic risks before the convenient ones. Income protection and liability come before gadget or travel add-ons.

Document your income so insurers can assess your loss-of-income cover accurately. Your invoices are the evidence of what you stand to lose.

facturio keeps your invoicing history clean and complete, which makes it easy to demonstrate your income when applying for cover or making a claim.