Import guide

Car insurance for imported cars: what you need to know in Switzerland

Anyone importing a car from Germany or the EU into Switzerland asks the same question sooner or later: does the insurance get more expensive? The short answer is no — Swiss insurers calculate the premium regardless of whether your vehicle started out in Ingolstadt, Wolfsburg or in a Swiss garage. What counts is the type approval, the vehicle value, the registered keeper and the cover. This guide explains the steps between customs, the MFK roadworthiness test and the eVB insurance certificate, and what to look at when choosing a premium for an imported car.

Is car insurance really more expensive for imported cars?

The widespread myth that an imported car is automatically more expensive to insure in Switzerland is stubborn, but it does not hold up in practice. All the big Swiss insurers (Zurich, AXA, Mobiliar, Baloise, Allianz Suisse, Generali, Helvetia, TCS, Smile) calculate the premium from the type certificate (Typenschein/TARGA) and the model recorded on it. Whether the car was originally bought in Germany, in Italy or at a Swiss garage makes no difference once the Swiss type approval is in place.

A price difference only arises in a few special cases — vehicles without an official Swiss type approval (individual inspection), US imports with differing equipment, or very rare models for which no Swiss Eurotax value exists. In those cases the insurer determines the replacement value individually.

What really affects the premium of an imported car?

In Switzerland the premium follows the same criteria as for a vehicle bought locally:

• Vehicle type: make, model, power (hp/kW), age and list price
• Keeper profile: age of the registered keeper, canton of residence, bonus level / claims history
• Use: annual mileage, business or private use, whether the car is garaged
• Cover: liability only, liability + partial comprehensive, or fully comprehensive
• Deductible: the higher it is, the lower the premium
• Add-ons: occupant cover, gross premium discount, assistance

Not relevant: the country the vehicle comes from, the amount of customs duty and automobile tax paid, or whether the car was imported personally or sourced through a dealer such as FlexiMoto.

How does the insurance work from import to the Swiss policy?

1. Transfer drive to Switzerland: As long as the car is still running on foreign plates (D, EU) or export plates, the foreign keeper's insurance applies. Have that insurer confirm a Green Card with valid cover for Switzerland.
2. Customs clearance: The vehicle is cleared at the border (form 13.20A). The customs invoice and the application for the registration document are the basis for the test and the registration.
3. MFK test: Before the first Swiss registration the car has to go to the cantonal road traffic office for the roadworthiness test (Motorfahrzeugkontrolle, MFK). For the drive to the test centre a day permit with collective liability cover is normally enough.
4. Taking out the policy: Once the MFK is passed you sign the Swiss policy. The insurer sends the eVB certificate electronically to the road traffic office.
5. Registration and plates: With the eVB on file, the road traffic office issues the vehicle registration document and the Swiss plates. From that moment the Swiss policy applies.

Which cover makes sense for an imported car?

For an imported car the choice between liability, partial comprehensive and fully comprehensive cover follows the same rules as for any other vehicle — the vehicle value decides.

Because the catalogue new price is what counts for the comprehensive calculation, a car imported cheaply can be compensated at an attractive current value in the event of a total loss — the insurer goes by the Swiss market value, not by the price you paid abroad.

What is the eVB certificate for imported cars?

The electronic insurance certificate (eVB) replaces the former paper confirmation of insurance in Switzerland. Without a valid eVB the road traffic office issues no vehicle registration document. The procedure for imported cars:

• Take out liability cover (at least the legal minimum) with the insurer of your choice
• The insurer creates an eVB certificate and transmits it digitally to the competent cantonal road traffic office
• With the eVB, the customs papers, the type approval and the test report you apply for registration
• The eVB is typically valid for 30 days — registration should take place within that period

How do you save on the insurance for an imported car?

1. Compare premiums: differences of 30–50 % between providers are not unusual for identical cover.
2. Raise the deductible: a franchise of CHF 1'000 instead of CHF 500 often cuts the comprehensive premium by 15–25 %.
3. Take your bonus level with you: many Swiss insurers recognise a claims-free record from abroad — ask your previous insurer for written proof.
4. Bundle policies: combining with a household contents or private liability policy often brings a 5–15 % discount.
5. Only the add-ons you need: occupant, parking or large-animal damage extras are worth booking only if they really make sense.
6. Check mileage-based tariffs: if you drive little (< 10'000 km a year), some insurers offer premiums based on kilometres.

Imported vehicles at FlexiMoto — insurance costed transparently

Every FlexiMoto listing shows the realistic annual running costs for Switzerland — including an estimated premium for liability, partial comprehensive and fully comprehensive cover. So you know before you buy what your imported vehicle really costs per year with Swiss registration — and you do not have to budget for any unrealistic “imports cost more” surcharge.