Building insurance and natural hazards: these are typical gaps

Building insurance is not mandatory in Valais. But even those who have completed one can experience a nasty surprise in the event of damage.

Most people of Blatten only have what they wear or stored in an account or in a cloud. Everything else is destroyed. Around 400 buildings have disappeared in the rubble and in the lake. The damage is hundreds of millions.

The Valais of all people is one of the four cantons in which building insurance is not mandatory – in addition to Geneva, Ticino and Appenzell Innerrhoden (except for the Oberegg district). Nevertheless, many of Blatten houses are insured because banks usually only award mortgages.

Most cantons carry their own building insurance and regulate them in laws. You have to complete all real estate owners, which makes the premiums deep. Building insurance is also prescribed in Uri, Schwyz and Obwalden, but it is managed by private insurance.

What does building insurance cover?

With well -maintained buildings, the new value is usually insured. This covers the cost of reconstruction in elementary damage. The four elements of fire, water, earth and air are meant; So damage caused by hail, floods, storms, snow pressure, landslide and avalanches.

What does building insurance not cover?

Only the building is usually insured, but not the environment. It’s about protecting the livelihood. The garden is not one of them. There are additional insurance that also includes the change, but they are not widespread.

The canton of Baselland is an exception: building insurance also includes the land. This includes the soil, the plants and trees.

What about earthquakes?

They are also not included in the building insurance – except in Zurich. In the other cantons, an earthquake could destroy all properties and building insurance would not pay a cent.

Only 15 percent of the buildings in Switzerland have private earthquake insurance. The Federal Council classifies earthquakes as the third largest risk of the country – after a power deficiency and a pandemic.

These regions are particularly at risk: the Valais, followed by Basel, Graubünden, Central Switzerland and the St.Gallen Rhine Valley.

Many political attempts for mandatory Swiss earthquake insurance have failed. The concern is not majority because the annual premiums would increase by hundreds of francs.

The Federal Council recently sent another proposal into consultation. In the event of a severe earthquake, he would like to oblige all building owners to make a one -time contribution of up to 0.7 percent of their sum insured. This would cover damage of CHF 22 billion, which corresponds to an earthquake that occurs every 500 years.

Do the insurance companies have enough money for disasters?

The insurance companies support each other in large elementary damage. The cantonal building insurance founded the risky community of elementary thirty years ago. This solidarity system was used in the following events:

Private insurance companies also form an elementary damage pool to share the costs.

Who does not take over insurable damage?

Almost everything can be insured, but there are exceptions. Outside of settlements, the possibilities are limited: private access roads and certain agricultural areas cannot be or hardly insured.

The Fondsuisse Foundation is available for this. It arises for elementary damage that is not covered by insurance companies, the state or aid agencies. For 370 storm damage from the summer of 2024, she paid CHF 3 million, with 500 requests still open. The foundation’s assets come from the National Bank.

What should concerned homeowners do now?

Building insurance recommends information about the local risks and minimize them. Most insurance companies offer personal advice and financial aid. The risks for every Swiss address can be displayed here: www.schutz-vor-naturgehren.ch