Professional self-employment brings a great deal of freedom, but also certain challenges and risks. Suddenly there’s a bit more pressure and responsibility. Longer outage periods, unforeseen legal difficulties or damaged equipment can quickly pose a financial challenge. Reliable and comprehensive insurance protection is therefore crucial for the self-employed. With it, you’re able not only to react immediately, but also to plan your business future over the long term.
AXA is there for you in the worst case scenario: our insurance products for the self-employed are specifically designed for your business risks. The aim is to protect the existence of your business over the long term.
What types of insurance do self-employed people in Switzerland need?
Insurance is taken out to cover you against anything that could throw you off course in your self-employment. Regardless of whether it’s a fire in the warehouse, a coffee on the company laptop or a sickness absence of several weeks, insurance for the self-employed offers protection against risks that may threaten the existence of your business and its future.
When choosing insurance cover, you should therefore ask yourself: what risks are my business and self-employment exposed to, and which of these risks can I or do I want to bear on my own?
There are very few types of insurance that are compulsory for the self-employed, and these mainly concern insurance for employees. Business owners are free to choose any other kind of insurance cover. However, some types of voluntary insurance are essential when it comes to protecting your business against existence-threatening risks.
Highly recommended minimum package
These types of basic insurance protect you against lasting negative consequences if you suffer a business mishap or stroke of bad luck.
Additional protection
Expand your insurance coverage in line with your individual needs. The following are some of the most common types of insurance needed:
AXA's offer for the self-employed
The greatest risks of self-employment and how you can protect yourself
Unforeseen events such as business mishaps, legal disputes, delayed payments from customers or sudden work absences can quickly become serious challenges. These not only endanger your financial stability, but can also threaten the existence of your self-employment.
The following are the most common risks to occur in self-employment:
- Volatile income and liquidity bottlenecks
- Lost earnings due to accident or illness
- Legal and liability cases
- Property damage
- Lack of pension provision
But how you can you protect yourself against these risks? The key lies in prevention and the right cover. A combination of legal, financial and insurance-based measures can help your self-employment stand firm, even in difficult times.
Find out more in our blog entitled “The greatest risks for the self-employed”.
Support and FAQs
Which types of insurance are compulsory for the self-employed?
Social security insurance is compulsory. It protects Swiss residents against risks and secures their financial existence. Employees and the self-employed make financial contributions.
The compensation funds and, in certain cases, the Swiss National Accident Insurance Fund (Suva) determine whether a person is classified as self-employed from a social security perspective.
The following types of social security insurance are compulsory for the self-employed:
- Federal old-age and survivors’ insurance (OASI): OASI is the most important pillar of the Swiss pension system (Pillar 1 together with disability insurance), which is intended to cover your basic needs in retirement or those of your dependents after your death. As national insurance, OASI is compulsory for anyone living or working in Switzerland. OASI is often the only source of income for many pensioners. With this in mind, you should try to avoid any gaps in your OASI contributions.
- Disability insurance (DI): DI covers disability pension plans in Switzerland (Pillar 1 together with OASI) and is compulsory for anyone living or working in Switzerland. It covers the basic needs of people affected by disabilities by providing rehabilitation measures or payments.
- Loss of earnings compensation (LEC): LEC provides reasonable compensation for income lost through military service or maternity leave. These contributions are compulsory for the self-employed.
- Family allowances (FA): all self-employed people in Switzerland have been subject to the Swiss Federal Family Allowance Act (FAA) since January 1, 2013. This means that they are both entitled to receive a family allowance and required to pay contributions. They must therefore register with a family allowance fund in the canton where their business is based.
Which types of voluntary social security insurance are recommended for the self-employed?
- Insurance against health risks: insurance against health risks is very important for the self-employed to avoid bankruptcy or other financial difficulties. The following types of insurance should be taken out:
- Daily sickness benefits insurance (DSB): this insurance is voluntary, but protects you against loss of income due to illness. The benefits are normally provided for a maximum of two years.
- Accident insurance: work absences are covered with this as a result of accident. The Swiss Federal Accident Insurance Act (AIA) distinguishes between two types of accident insurance:
- Occupational accident (OA): accident insurance for the self-employed who have no employees is not compulsory, but it can be taken out as cover against occupational accidents.
- Non-occupational accident (NOA): non-occupational accident insurance is compulsory for those who work more than eight hours a week, but is voluntary for the self-employed who do not have any employees. Self-employed business owners can either take out private insurance or combine it with their health insurance.
- Self-employed persons without any employees do not have to take out accident insurance, but they can include daily accident benefits in their daily sickness benefits insurance or elect to be subject to AIA. A self-employed person who becomes ill or is involved in an accident is often no longer able to generate the accustomed income. In such cases, accident and daily sickness benefits insurance for self-employed persons helps to close the gap.
- Disability insurance: you can either take out additional private cover or increase the benefits covered by your company’s pension fund.
- The rule of thumb as regards death is that company owners with families that depend on them should make better provision than those who are young and single.
- Occupational benefits insurance (OPA): occupational benefits insurance is voluntary for self-employed people with no employees. If you employ any staff earning CHF 22,680 (as at 2025) a year or more, occupational benefits contributions are compulsory. Many self-employed people in Switzerland take out a private pension in the third pillar in addition to their occupational benefits insurance with a view to maintaining the standard of living they’re accustomed to after they retire.
- Private retirement provision (Pillar 3): to maintain the standard of living in retirement, it’s advisable for the self-employed to invest in Pillar 3 in addition to OASI and any occupational benefits insurance. This offers additional protection in retirement, upon disability or death.
What are the most important types of business insurance for the self-employed?
The most important types of business insurance for the self-employed include:
Depending on the type of company and sector, many self-employed also choose the following cover:
Can the self-employed insure themselves against unemployment?
Self-employed people in Switzerland cannot register with the state unemployment insurance program (UI), so they’re not insured against unemployment.
Tips for the self-employed
Self-employed and sick: which insurance has you covered?
Certain responsibilities also accompany the freedom and flexibility of being self-employed. But what happens if you get sick?
Pensions for the self-employed: what do you really need?
Becoming self-employed can lead to worries about long-term financial security. A Pillar 3a pension plan is a good way to dispel them.
Self-employed in Switzerland: Cost overview
How much starting capital do I need to become self-employed? What ongoing costs can I expect? We answer the most important financial questions here on self-employment.
