Car insurance: What to do when working from home?
ALTERNATIVES Because of Corona, many people work less or in a home office. You rarely need your own car in this situation, but you still pay money for insurance. How can you save? According to Comparis.ch, the probability of a claim occurring plays a decisive role in calculating the car insurance premium. If you do not need the car because of the Corona crisis, [...]
According to Comparis.ch, the probability of damage occurring plays a decisive role in calculating the car insurance premium. If you don't need the car because of the Corona crisis, the risk of a claim is a lot lower - but you still won't get any money back from the insurance company.
Deposit control plates
Is your vehicle only in the garage for a longer period of time? Then you can deposit the license plates at the cantonal road traffic office. This also suspends the car insurance and you get back part of the premium already paid.
The deposit period starts from the following day of the plate return. The amount of reimbursement is determined differently depending on the insurer. Some reimburse a pro-rata share of the complete deposit period, others a percentage share.
Tip: Ask about the calculation basis. Also ask about any administrative fees.
Deposit regulates the authority
The road traffic office in your canton of residence is responsible for depositing the number. Currently, it is recommended to return the number by mail.
In such a case, the insurance company is informed directly by the respective road traffic office. This all takes around five days. Depending on the insurer, it may be worth contacting them as soon as you have sent the plates to the office.
Refund of motor vehicle tax
In the case of a deposit, you will be refunded the pro rata share of the motor vehicle taxes in addition to the premium share of the insurance. However, be aware of possible fees here as well (for example, in Zurich 30 francs will be charged for redemption, in Geneva 20 francs each for deposit and redemption).
Adapt policy to needs
Even those who continue to use their car a lot or even more often have the opportunity to save on insurance costs in the future, depending on the policy. To do so, take a look at your contract.
This can often be optimized - especially if you haven't taken care of it for a while. The following three measures help to reduce costs.
Change of hull coverage
Switch from full to partial coverage: If your car is over 4 years old, you may consider switching from full to partial coverage. Depending on the value of the vehicle, the usually high premium for fully comprehensive insurance is no longer worth it from this point on.
You can do without
Passenger accident is rarely needed. Exclude this module from your policy if you are employed in Switzerland. Employees in Switzerland are insured through their employer.
Does your household insurance cover "simple theft away from home"? If so, you can waive the "items taken along" module in your car insurance.
But beware: items carried with you that are damaged as a result of an accident are only insured in the household insurance with the all-risk coverage.
Check other offers
Check other insurance offers in case of a possible cancellation. Premiums have been on the rise in recent years, mainly due to new providers and products entering the market.
Advantage pay-as-you-drive model
Car owners can refrain from depositing license plates with a "pay as you drive" model. It works like this: The premium is calculated, among other things, on the basis of the actual kilometers driven and is usually paid monthly. If the car is currently mainly parked in the garage, the premium for that month is also lower.
