New in Switzerland 4: Business Development – ​​Insurance

by Sarah Scheinholzer, scheinholzer@m-win.ch, Tel. +41 (52) 269 21 11

and Andrea Süess, sueess@m-win.ch, Tel. +41 (52) 269 21 00

Insurance also plays an important role for companies. It is therefore advisable to take a closer look at them when setting up a business. They serve to cover various risks, which may vary depending on the industry. They are helpful and in some cases even provide a livelihood if they are completed as needed.

When it comes to insurance, the focus is on social insurance for the entrepreneur as well as for any employees and business insurance.

Depending on the legal form chosen, social insurance is voluntary or mandatory. In principle it applies that

• Owners of sole proprietorships and general and limited partnerships are largely responsible for their own pension provision, as they are considered self-employed for social insurance purposes and
• Most insurances are mandatory for owners of AGs or GmbHs because they are entrepreneurs and at the same time their own employees and are therefore considered to be employed for social insurance purposes.

For more information, see the blog post “ New personal insurance policies (UVG/KTG and BVG) ”

When it comes to business insurance (a selection below), entrepreneurs have greater freedom of choice because they can usually decide for themselves which risks they would like to have covered:

• Business liability insurance: basic requirement in practically every company, although the risks vary depending on the industry (e.g. investment, operational or product risk)
• Property insurance: Insurance of buildings (including liability) and/or property (such as machines, tools or motor vehicles)
• Business interruption insurance: financial consequences of business interruptions (direct costs and lost profits)
• Legal protection insurance: Costs from legal proceedings or defense against unjustified claims
• Machinery and IT insurance: Damage to technical systems (such as machines or apparatus)
• Insurance against health risks: cases such as illness, accident, disability and death
• Swiss export risk insurance (SERV): risks related to the export of goods (including commercial and political risks in the target country)
• Transport insurance: Damage to goods that occurs during transport

It is advisable to carry out a risk analysis of all possible damage when setting up a company and building up your business. This can take the form of a list of all risks and expected damages that exist in business transactions, business properties, production facilities, employment relationships, infrastructure, transport, etc. Afterwards, considerations can be made about the probability that this will occur and, based on this, a weighting can be made as to where there is a need for insurance. makes sense if compulsory insurance is not already required.

It is also important to check that different insurance policies do not cover the same damage.

It is worth having the insurance company confirm the coverage of specific potential damages in writing so that the insurance company's obligation to pay benefits in the event of damage is ensured.

MSM Group AG has many years of experience in supporting companies in taking out new, needs-based insurance. It also has a FINMA license, which enables it to work with various insurance companies on a broker mandate basis and credits 100% of the commission received to you as the customer according to the “fee model”, which is still rare on the broker market, and shares any surplus. This means you benefit from neutral advice when taking out the insurance policies that are important to you and depending on the commissions collected through MSM Group AG. MSM Group AG also offers needs-based personnel administration services.

Martin Rechtsanwälte GmbH will also be happy to help you with legal questions.

I'm interested (email to sekretariat@m-win.ch; we'll get in touch)

This article was created in collaboration with the independent law firm “ Martin Rechtsanwälte GmbH ”.

Sources:

https://www.kmu.admin.ch/kmu/de/home/praktisches-wissen/kmu-gruenden/unternehmengruendung/versicherungen.html

https://www.helvetia.com/ch/web/de/geschaeftskunden/ratgeber/kmu/unternehmengruendung.html

https://www.vermoegenszentrum.ch/wissen/versicherungen-fuer-start-ups

Other following articles from the series:

• Company structure – How can I get operational as quickly as possible? What does it take?
• Company structure – taxes (What should you take into account?)
• Company structure – financing (opportunities for raising money)
• Moving in as a private individual – insurance (What do I have to do? How do I proceed?)
• Immigrating as a private individual – residence/work permit (Who has what options?)
• Immigrating as a private individual – taxes (What will I have to pay?)

Already published articles:

• New in Switzerland – blog series on settlement
• New in Switzerland 1: Company formation
• New in Switzerland 2: Society structure – personnel
• New in Switzerland 3: Corporate governance – management and board of directors