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Let go of stress: occupational health care in Switzerland

Let go of stress: occupational health care in Switzerland

Workplace health promotion in Switzerland is now well positioned. Its aim is to promote the health of employees and reduce absenteeism due to illness. At the same time, the aim is to prevent work-related illnesses. But there is one thing that Swiss employers are losing sight of: stress and psychological stress and their effects.

Workplace health promotion in Switzerland: important support for employees

Work-related illnesses and accidents at work should be prevented; this also applies to illnesses caused by infections. Company health promotion focuses on precisely this and tries to strengthen health potential. The feeling of well-being at the workplace is a crucial point, which also includes ergonomic principles. People who feel good have better immune systems and feel less stressed. As part of corporate health promotion, health protection at the workplace should be promoted with various measures. These measures are based on these basic ideas:

    • Improvement of working conditions
    • Improvement of work coordination
    • Carrying out preventive examinations to identify health restrictions at an early stage
    • Further training of employees and strengthening of their skills
    • Consideration of ergonomic requirements

Company health promotion is therefore intended to protect the health of employees and maintain their workforce. However, many employers forget the influences of psychological stress and stress, these topics are not even considered.

Workplace health promotion as a corporate strategy

More and more companies are showing interest in operational measures to promote the health of their employees. The Health Promotion Foundation examined this again in August 2021 and came to the conclusion that 26.3 percent of the companies employing more than 50 people are systematically implementing health promotion measures. This value was even lower five years ago and was only given at 22.7 percent in 2016.
According to the foundation, the numbers are significantly higher for the issue of whether there is any workplace health promotion in the company. Around 75 percent of all companies answered in the affirmative. The respondents stated that they wanted to appear more attractive as an employer through these measures and that they were aiming to reduce employee absences.

It is noticeable that it is mainly companies from the service sector that are in favor of workplace health promotion, whereas industrial companies have not stepped up their activities in this regard in the last five years. According to the foundation, the most extensive measures would be carried out in medium-sized companies that employ between 100 and 250 people.

No focus on stress-reducing measures

While the measures for a better work-life balance are steadily increasing and companies are already doing significantly more in this area, very little is being done in the area of mental health. The companies are hardly sensitized and do not see stress-reducing measures as important. At the same time, however, it is to be feared that stress-related illnesses will continue to increase. Burn-out is just a disease that is triggered by stress and is difficult to treat. Therefore, if companies want to do something good for their employees and want to ensure that absences are as short as possible, the stress factor has to act as a? Disease accelerator? definitely come into focus. This also applies to other measures, because stress on measures and further training can also lead to a significantly reduced sense of well-being in the workplace.

Conclusion: Low awareness of the companies with regard to stress

While experts certify that companies in Switzerland have very good measures for workplace health promotion and also recognize that companies offer significantly more in this area today than they did a few years ago, stress is still not taken into account. In larger companies, this factor is more likely to be considered and appropriate measures are offered to learn how to deal with stress. In small and medium-sized companies in particular, however, this has so far been paid less attention, where those responsible are less sensitive to stress and psychological stress. You are therefore repeatedly confronted with absences on the part of employees who otherwise enjoy company health promotion at the workplace.

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Take action against fines with legal protection insurance?

Take action against fines with legal protection insurance?

Not all experiences with the police, the alleged friend and helper, are positive, as the stories of motorists show. Fines are imposed here because someone allegedly was not wearing seat belts, violations of the rules are punished there which, according to the perpetrator, did not exist. Now the question arises whether and when it is worth taking action against fines.

In the case of simple violations, the objection is not worthwhile

Theoretically, there is always the possibility to object to an allegation and to contradict it. But lawyers are of the opinion that this would not be worthwhile in the case of simple rule violations in traffic. Most of the time it is a question of violations that have been seen by the police (for example, as part of a traffic control). Experts explain that police officers are considered? People of higher trust? would apply and that a court also assumed that the statements of the police were true. Officials are legally obliged to be objective and must make true statements.

A federal court has even ruled that the finding of the officials on site as? Strong evidence? designated. The court also took into account that a false statement by a police officer is a criminal offense. You could lose your job if you were guilty of a false statement. The Federal Supreme Court also found that police officers had completed extensive training, during which they learned how to correctly assess distances and were able to gain an overview of the current situation with a practiced eye. Conversely, the court assumed that an accused wanted to defend himself for understandable reasons and would question the officials' statements. They would only make exonerating statements, which are understandable but not provable. The statements of the police officers would simply be given more weight.

It is therefore clear that a court will always believe the statements of the police officers, unless there is a reason to doubt it from witnesses. For the question of whether or not it is worthwhile to appeal against a fine that has been imposed, this means that it is better not to pursue such an appeal any further. If no further witnesses are to be named or if the facts of the case are not serious, the costs for the objection and, if necessary, legal prosecution of these objections are significantly higher than the fine. Because at least 400 to 500 francs are to be expected as costs for an objection procedure!

Objection can be worthwhile in the event of a penalty order

If a penalty order is issued because, for example, a right of way is disregarded or the permitted speed has been significantly exceeded, an objection can be worthwhile. Most of the time, there is a threat of an ID card being withdrawn, and the costs associated with the penalty order are usually very high. A review by a criminal court can make sense because: The findings in the penalty order are binding on the Road Traffic Office, otherwise it must impose the required penalty. The decision is made here solely on the basis of the police investigation; the accused is not heard before the penalty order is issued.

An objection only makes sense if, on the one hand, there is legal protection insurance that can cover a certain proportion of the costs for the procedure. On the other hand, appropriate evidence should be available that can show the innocence of the accused. Because: If the court later decides that the conviction is legal in accordance with the penalty order, the procedure can cost 1,000 francs or more. If you are unsure whether an objection is worthwhile or not, you can use your lawyer to exercise your right to inspect your files for ten days. The costs for this are covered by legal expenses insurance.

Conclusion: Objection due to traffic violations should be well considered

Most drivers think they did everything right. Nevertheless, it can happen that they receive a penalty order or are asked to pay a fine. In individual cases, the costs incurred for the objection should always be taken into account. If there is legal protection insurance, the matter can at least first be examined by a lawyer before the decision for or against an objection is made.

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Travel insurance: No vacation without additional insurance

Travel insurance: No vacation without additional insurance

? A journey that is fun, a journey that is beautiful !? This song text is only correct as long as nothing happens on the trip. If you want to protect yourself from high costs, you should definitely think about travel insurance. In view of around 70,000 Swiss people who suffer an accident every year during their vacation, travelers should definitely attach importance to this tip.

Insufficient insurance? This could get expensive!

Many travelers take the insurance business lightly. ? What should happen? And yet it can quickly happen that someone slips by the pool and breaks a leg, suffers a traffic accident in the holiday destination or falls ill with a typical illness in the holiday destination. The figures speak for themselves: the industry assumes at least 70,000 Swiss people per year who fall ill or suffer an accident while on vacation abroad. Even if they have the opportunity to get medical care and treatment there, they are often left at their expense. Your own health insurance may cover some of the costs, but most of the costs must be covered by the insured himself. The financial consequences can be devastating when you consider that, for example, a complicated broken bone costs several thousand Swiss francs.

Travel insurance is compulsory

Most travelers who have an accident abroad end up at a private doctor or in a private hospital on site. Medical care is usually very good there, but the costs are high. In fact, significantly higher than it would have been for comparable treatments in Switzerland! Holiday and travel insurance is therefore highly recommended and is one of the most important supplementary insurances. It covers the treatment costs and protects the accident victim or sick person from financial ruin.

Anyone who claims that he or she is covered by Swiss accident insurance should take into account that this does not apply everywhere or does not bear all costs. Employees who work at least eight hours a week are covered by their employer. He pays into the basic insurance so that non-occupational accidents are also covered. This accident insurance now covers costs that arise due to illness or accident in EU and EFTA countries. The usual costs are borne there. In other foreign countries, the insurance covers the costs that would have been normal for treatment in Switzerland, up to a maximum of twice the amount. If the country of travel is the USA, Japan, the United Arab Emirates or Canada, this amount is usually not enough. The medical costs are very high there and are not covered by the usual Swiss accident insurance through the employer.

In order to save costs, the traveler can try to come to a public hospital or to a doctor who does not practice as a private doctor. But anyone who is in severe pain or is unconscious cannot do this research. In addition, many hotels work together with local private doctors and private hospitals. Hotel guests are automatically brought to these doctors in the event of an accident or illness. The costs that are then incurred can easily scratch the 10,000 franc mark.

Check coverage before departure

It is not only important to compare travel insurance before taking out such an insurance policy. The coverage check should also be carried out. Anyone who thinks they are adequately insured without taking out separate travel insurance should definitely take care of the coverage levels and ensure that they are sufficient.
With travel insurance, the coverage should be high enough to cover all emergency services provided by doctors and hospitals. Rescue operations and return transport to Switzerland must also be included.

Conclusion: not without my travel insurance

If someone goes on a journey, can they tell something? But it will only be a story with a happy ending if you have taken out travel insurance with sufficient coverage. This ensures treatment in the hospital or at the doctor's on-site without anyone having to fear financial ruin.

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Big animals, high costs: is animal insurance worth it? but only sometimes

Big animals, high costs: is animal insurance worth it? but only sometimes

Anyone who has ever been to the vet as a pet owner with their fur or feather friend knows from their own painful experience how expensive a treatment can be. Even seemingly routine treatments can cost money. The solution can be animal insurance, although even veterinarians are of the opinion that this will only be worthwhile for large animals and the correspondingly high costs.

Early dog and cat insurance is important

Veterinarians know from their daily practical experience that the costs for a pet owner are higher the older the animals get. The reason: With age, chronic diseases often set in, which can be treated with great expenditure of time and money. In the meantime, many dog and cat owners have decided to have their animals insured, and there is a comparatively large selection of such providers. Most policyholders say they are satisfied with the insurance to their veterinarian. Tip: The earlier this is concluded, the cheaper it is. This applies, on the one hand, to the premiums and, on the other hand, to the obstacle to insuring chronically ill animals. The relevant data must be provided when carrying out the health inquiry before concluding the insurance contract. Older animals usually already have one or the other ailment, which must be listed here and which leads to the exclusion of insurance eligibility.

Big dogs cost a lot

It is well known that larger animals cost more than smaller ones. In principle, this applies to all animal species, but it can also be used within a species. A large dog costs more at the vet than a small one or a cat. It is not the examination itself that is more expensive, it is the medication that makes the difference. These are measured according to the body size or the weight of the animal. In terms of medication, a dog weighing 50 kg costs more than a dog weighing just ten kilograms. This also makes a difference with medication that you use regularly, such as worming agents. It is particularly noticeable, for example, in the case of protracted therapy for inflammation or cancer; chronic diseases such as osteoarthritis can also cost money. At the same time, large dogs are more prone to many ailments, examples being osteoarthritis and hip dysplasia. They put heavier loads on their bones and joints, which means that symptoms of wear and tear and inflammation appear earlier.

Would you rather take out insurance?

Veterinarians are often confronted with the fact that the pet owners are not solvent. You put bills on hold or ask for a possible installment if the examination turns out to be more expensive than expected. In order to be protected against payment default, veterinarians advise you to take out animal insurance. Have better than need! That is probably the motto. However, such an insurance also costs a lot of money, with the amount of the premiums depending on the desired services. A pure operating theater insurance costs less than a complete health insurance for the animal, even if regular examinations, vaccinations and deworming should be included. Nice for the animal, annoying for the owner: If the insurance is not needed, the money is gone. It will not be paid out again if the insurance company did not have to be used.

Conclusion: take out animal insurance based on animal size and financial status

Anyone who can afford to financially cope with a major, unplanned treatment of dog or cat, certainly does not need animal insurance. It is paid into this as long as the animal lives. If he stays healthy until his death, the insurance benefits will never be used and the premiums have been paid unnecessarily. However, if you want to be fully covered and want to ensure that the animal receives the best and most comprehensive treatment in an emergency, you should take out animal insurance. This is particularly recommended for animals that are very large, because they not only cost significantly more in terms of maintenance, but also in terms of veterinary services than small representatives of their species.

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Cyber insurance for companies: only to be taken out against proof?

Cyber insurance for companies: only to be taken out against proof?

Humans are considered to be the greatest weak point and are not infrequently the reason why criminals can even break into a network. Cyber insurance should cover the most important risks. Now the first providers are thinking about offering this insurance only if the company can provide evidence of training on cybersecurity.

Human weakness: The greatest gateway for criminals is the user himself

Often it is a question of the fact that a network or a computer is supposedly not secure enough. But technology is rarely to blame for hacker attacks! Usually it is the person who sits in front of the computer who opens the door to the criminals. Passwords that are particularly easy to crack are a common problem, another is confirmed confirmations that lead to fake pages. Especially now that many people are sitting in the home office instead of in the office, companies are increasingly exposed to attacks by cyber criminals. Safety regulations are apparently less well observed at home.
The consequences can be serious: loss of reputation and damage to the image of customers and business partners, financial losses due to unauthorized bookings and the paralyzing of an entire company with the problem of ransom payments being resolved are just three examples of this.

Training of employees as the most important measure

In order to protect companies from attacks by cyber criminals, employee training is important. You need to know how the IT system works and what protective measures are possible. At the same time, they should know any weak points so that they can pay particular attention to them. It should be clear that a firewall is important because there is no need to invest a lot of money in back-up software if the firewall is left open. Infiltration of the system is then only a matter of time and could have been prevented by simple means. If these means are known! It is not for nothing that more and more cyber insurance providers are trying to protect themselves against ignorance. You now only want to offer insurance if the company making the request provides evidence that the employees have participated in appropriate safety training.

However, two thirds of Swiss companies cannot provide such training and therefore have to live with the fact that the company is repeatedly attacked by hackers. However, awareness training is important so that employees know what is important and what are the signs of a possible attack. You also need to know where the limits are and when they are all important, because you are the only one standing between the company and the attacking person. In training courses, it must therefore become clear which goals possible attackers are pursuing and how the individual cases must be reacted to. It should also be explained that attack strategies can change and that criminals are becoming more and more brilliant at concocting new attack scenarios.

Conclusion: Cyber insurance only as a supplement to training

There is no question that cyber insurance is important in order to prevent or regulate damage to the company from hackers. But employee training is just as important. Leading providers of such insurance provide that insurance is no longer possible without training or that only very expensive insurance solutions are offered. In the meantime, a company that does not offer any training courses can no longer take out cyber insurance. It is therefore in the interest of all parties involved to conduct appropriate training and thus protect the company as best as possible (also in terms of insurance).

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Innovative start-ups: Established companies learn from newcomers

Innovative start-ups: Established companies learn from newcomers

Start-ups keep popping up like mushrooms. Many of them disappear again, but some with their ideas prevail on the market. Even established companies can still learn a lot from these founders, because it is not uncommon for ideas and approaches to be recognized here that have what it takes to change the world.

Characteristics of good ideas

A good idea is not necessarily only characterized by the fact that it seems easy to implement and that it meets a willing market. There are other characteristics that can be used to identify a good business idea. Very important: the idea takes advantage of a trend. This must not be fully developed, but should rather be in the making. The team that wants to implement the idea must be innovative and should have the ability to turn an idea into a product. It is interesting that an absolutely unique position in the market can even be negative. Because: where there is no competition, there is usually no market. A complete niche product or a super special service does not necessarily have to be good!

In addition, founders of start-ups usually have the necessary motivation to really want to implement their idea. They put everything on one card and bring time and money with them, although they often don't have enough of both. Failures are common, setbacks are normal. They have to be accepted and make the founder stronger. They point out weaknesses that need to be improved and show what cannot work in which way.
In addition, good ideas are spread through networks that are not held together by money. While a certain income or a market position is often decisive for being accepted into a network in established companies, this is not yet the case with start-ups. Shared values and belief in the idea are much more important here. Exchanging ideas with others can maximize profits and reveal mistakes that the founder himself does not see.

The hunger for success must remain

Too quick success can be counterproductive. If a team makes profits too quickly and can place the product directly, the hunger for success often diminishes. Mistakes are made and tolerated, the will to improve something no longer exists. At the same time, the ability to change strategy is lost. If you want to be successful, you have to adapt, and that includes constantly rethinking your own strategy. Especially in the early phase, when there is little money available, the strategy has to be repeatedly adapted to the current circumstances, which sometimes seems quite difficult. Anyone who tries anyway will be rewarded with success. This in turn keeps the sense for new attempts and experiments. At the same time, the vision remains to offer customers something unique and simply to be better than others.
Important skills that a founder brings and that are important for a well-established company can therefore be the following:

    • Ability to adapt is retained
    • agile thinking is present
    • Strategies are adjusted
    • the unconditional will to succeed remains
    • Data evaluations and analyzes are used to find new ways
    • Team remains independent and still uses the skills from the network

Conclusion: Established companies learn a lot from start-ups about the right attitude

Many established companies look down on startups from above. Nevertheless, the founders have some skills that can be of benefit to long-established companies and that allow them to advance further on the ladder of success. Networks should not only be created and used according to status, but above all take personal components into account. The absolute will to succeed must remain, and no one should be discouraged by setbacks. Rather, it is important to adapt and find new ways instead of sticking to the old one. Even if the start-up idea may fail, it still provides valuable information for other companies.

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Expensive personal loans as a savior in an emergency: Better look for other help!

Expensive personal loans as a savior in an emergency: Better look for other help!

Thanks to the corona pandemic, more Swiss than ever are dependent on additional financial help. A big problem could be taxes that are not affordable, especially since tax debts are the most common debt in Switzerland. Only then do debts follow through bills or unpaid health insurance contributions. Many Swiss are looking for their salvation in a personal loan that is supposed to help them out of financial misery. But most of the time it just makes things worse.

Personal loan leads into the debt trap

The calculation is simple: the current income is not enough to pay rent, bills, health insurance premiums and then also the taxes. A small loan should be the salvation and first of all allows the payment of all outstanding liabilities. But the regular income is no longer and the previous liabilities usually arise again. After all, these are mostly payments that have to be made continuously at certain intervals. In addition, there are now the repayment installments for the personal loan, which can sometimes start with a repayment-free period, but the interest payments are still due during this period. The result: The person concerned goes into debt even more and gets deeper and deeper into the debt trap, from which he can often no longer free himself. Debt counseling often only leads to the conclusion that personal bankruptcy is inevitable.

Look for alternatives to personal loans

Before going to the bank or credit broker, alternatives should first be considered. One possibility is to arrange a deferral of the payment with the payment partner. The payment term can possibly be pushed back so that the liabilities can be processed according to their prioritization. This also applies to the tax office, which can receive a justified request for payment in installments. If there are already debts, it is possible that the tax office will not approve a deferral. It is therefore important to act in good time and to submit a corresponding application as soon as the first impending debt arises.

Mail order companies or local sellers should also be asked to postpone payments. Often a payment-free period can be agreed or a supplier credit is taken out. Interest may then have to be paid on the invoice amount, but this is usually lower than interest at the bank when a personal loan has to be taken out.

Foundations also help in some cases. One example is Educa Swiss, a foundation that helps students in need. It grants loans to students, whereby particularly favorable conditions can be agreed. Crowddonating platforms may also come into question, although these will hardly be the right place to go if it's just a matter of paying a few bills. However, if your own education or that of your children is at stake, if your studies can no longer be financed, or if you are threatened with being kicked out of your home, such foundations can be your last resort.

Conclusion: choose personal loans only as an emergency solution

Those who get into financial hardship usually only have to bridge a certain period of scarcity. In addition, it is rarely about large sums, usually only a few hundred to thousand francs are needed to pay current bills, tax debts or health insurance premiums. A personal loan is then the worst possible solution, because it usually ensures the accumulation of an even larger mountain of debt. The bad conditions that are given on small amounts are to blame. The interest rates are high and cannot be compared with the interest rates that are common on a home loan, for example. In the end, the debtor is faced with a mountain of debts and needs a new solution, which often enough is personal bankruptcy. If you want to avoid this, you should definitely seek deferrals, deferred payments and possible subsidies from third parties.

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Private liability insurance: is coverage of five million sufficient?

Private liability insurance: is coverage of five million sufficient?

It is clear that private liability insurance must be available and does not need to be discussed. Damage happens too quickly and should not be paid for out of pocket if possible. Especially since the polluter is fully liable for any damage and that with all of his private assets and, if necessary, for life. But not only the question of whether a liability insurance has to be available is important, but also how much it should be taken out.

High sums possible in insurance cases

If someone drops the neighbour's good camera on the ground at the garden party, that's a case for liability insurance. It takes over the damage and regulates it, whereby the amount of damage here is usually in the hundreds to low thousands. But what if a person is harmed? For example, does the postman slip on the way to the agreed storage location on the property, break his leg in a complicated way and fall out for months? A personal injury with the following financial loss due to the loss of earnings does not go into the four-digit range. The costs for the actual treatment are very high, loss of earnings must be paid and damages may have to be paid. In addition, follow-up costs can arise for many years to come. Such costs are not only unpredictable, but also at a level that a normal citizen can hardly raise from his savings. Private liability insurance pays for such damage. But this in turn only up to the agreed coverage level, which is usually between three and ten million francs. Most insurers offer coverage levels of three, five or ten million francs, only in some cases individual amounts need to be agreed in between.

This is how high the amounts insured should be

Even if really high sums of damage are rare, they do happen. Does it hit someone liable, doesn't it help that the sums of money are rarely high? he has to pay and maybe get into debt for life because his insurance does not have sufficient cover. So would you prefer to agree on a very high coverage and thus be completely covered? This is also unnecessary, because excessively high coverage also entails very high premiums.

It is therefore important to weigh up the risk and then determine the coverage levels. These are some of the questions that need to be addressed when making an initial assessment of the correct coverage:

    • What kind of activity can I do a lot of damage?
    • Am i a homeowner?
    • Do I rent residential, commercial or storage space?
    • Are strangers out and about on my property?
    • Do I have children who can cause harm?
    • Am I doing a sport that can harm others?

These questions are only to be seen as examples and can be individually adapted and expanded. It is important to clarify the personal basic needs. Pensioners who live alone in their house have a significantly lower liability risk than a family with three children in an apartment building. In addition, personal security needs should be taken into account. If you only feel comfortable when every eventuality is covered, should you pay higher premiums and benefit from being completely covered in every situation? even if this will never happen. Experts call this risk aversion, meaning the rejection of any risk.
In any case, it is important to clarify any disclaimers of liability before concluding the contract, because these can also be agreed.

Conclusion: Ten million is sufficient as coverage

Anyone wondering how high the coverage in the liability insurance should be, can assume that with a sum of ten million francs, both personal injury and financial loss are adequately covered. Depending on the individual risk, which should be clarified before concluding the insurance contract, a lower sum may be sufficient. It is usually possible to arrange coverage of three, five or ten million francs. Important: If the sum insured is insufficient, the person who caused the damage is liable with his private assets for the additional costs.

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Supplementary insurance: Children need this coverage

Supplementary insurance: Children need this coverage

Parents want their children to be well protected. In return, it is not uncommon for them to be persuaded to take out additional insurance that they allegedly need. On closer inspection, however, it becomes clear that there was nothing here except expenses? is because the additional insurance in question was completely unnecessary for the child. Therefore, in the interest of not having to constantly empty your wallet, parents would do well to look at the various supplementary insurances in advance and only choose the insurance companies that are necessary.

Do you need several additional insurance policies?

Under no circumstances do children need several supplementary insurances, because the insurance packages of the providers are put together in such a way that all important insured events are included. Nevertheless, it does happen that parents have several supplementary insurance policies for their child or children. This is the case, for example, if a new insurance is applied for, but the old one has not yet been canceled. Dubious brokers are mostly to blame here, because they have usually recommended taking out additional insurance at an early stage. But the other way around, it can also be the case that you wait too long to take out a new contract and suddenly the child is left without any additional insurance. Illnesses not mentioned can also result in the supplementary insurance being terminated by the provider. Serious advice is therefore the first step.

Children really need this supplementary insurance

Unfortunately, it is a fact that many children need orthodontic treatment. The second teeth come in the second row behind the first? The child's jaw is not yet big enough and does not have space for the much wider second teeth? In view of the very high costs of orthodontics, an appropriate supplementary insurance for children makes sense so that a treatment does not have to fail due to finances. But be careful: some providers have age limits and no longer accept children from a certain age. This is then only possible if a doctor's certificate is presented and treatment is necessary because, for example, chewing is impaired. A pure beauty treatment, because the teeth are not in a row, is then no longer carried out and has to be financed out of pocket.

tip: Some providers rule out known misalignments and jaw problems. You then agree on a so-called individual performance reservation or you no longer pay for the treatment in individual cases.

Get alternative medicine insured

Many parents are skeptical about conventional medicine or generally want to use the possibilities of complementary medicine. Only a few alternative medicine treatment methods are included in basic insurance. In some cases, treatments with acupuncture or traditional homeopathic remedies are taken over. Everything that goes beyond this and causes costs must be paid for by the child's parents themselves. This also applies if the treatment is not carried out by a licensed doctor, but rather if the parents and their child go to a naturopath. If you want to use the gentler, alternative medicine, you should take out appropriate additional insurance.

Get private insurance right away?

Private health insurance may have many advantages, but it is also very expensive. Parents should bear in mind, on the one hand, that children are no longer accepted into various private health insurances with increasing age, which applies at the latest when certain previous illnesses become apparent. On the other hand, staying in a private room in a hospital, for example, is often counterproductive for children. They also need social contacts to get well and there are already numerous experts who are of the opinion that children in shared rooms recover faster. This means that only certain services should be covered by private insurance, but in most cases this is not really necessary.

Conclusion: hardly any additional insurance is necessary for children

For children, only two options are required as additional insurance: on the one hand, orthodontic treatment, on the other hand, alternative medicine. The latter is only important if the child's parents want to go to a naturopath in addition to conventional medicine or as the first point of contact and there are costs that are not covered by normal health insurance. In the case of supplementary insurance for children, the following applies: Less is more!

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Pension funds: the first point of contact for a mortgage

Pension funds: the first point of contact for a mortgage

The mortgage market is hotly contested and there are always special offers. However, these offers from the mortgage banks cannot beat those from the pension funds. It so happens that in the first half of 2021 over a quarter of the mortgage volume was brokered through the pension funds.

Thanks to good conditions, pension funds are growing significantly

For many Swiss people, pension funds are now the first point of contact when it comes to a mortgage loan. In the meantime, the pension funds have achieved a share of more than 25 percent of the total mortgage volume. In view of the predominantly very low interest rates (current interest rate for the majority of pension funds is below one percent), it is not surprising. Banks don't even get half of that low interest rate. At the same time, the pension funds offer a customer-friendly term. Longer mortgage terms are almost exclusively offered here. These are usually ten years or more.

This makes it clear: Even if the banks are still the top dogs and more than three-quarters of all mortgages are provided in Switzerland, the pension funds are still growing proportionally. Mortgages can only be taken out with pension funds via appropriate brokerage platforms, through which own products could also be brought onto the market. If you want to buy a house now, you can benefit from the good conditions of the pension funds.

Conditions that nobody else has?

Pension funds seem to know how to assert themselves in the market and not only with the above-mentioned conditions, which are extremely cheap. They even have offers in their program that no bank can compete with, because these offers simply do not exist on the bank side. In some cases, it is possible to terminate the mortgage prematurely and not have to accept any penalty payment. This is unthinkable with banks, because they get the interest loss back by early redemption through such a penalty payment. Many bank customers therefore prefer to think again whether the replacement is really worthwhile or whether any possible savings will not be eaten up by the penalty payment. The pension funds, on the other hand, offer free exit, which is a great advantage for customers.

The mortgage business is still profitable for pension funds, as they can make numerous investments with the money available. The mortgage is even more lucrative for them than safe government bonds, and the risk with mortgages is even lower than with real estate. The pension funds are now investing around three to five percent of their capital in mortgages. That doesn't sound like much at first. On closer inspection, however, it is a lot of money, because up to a billion francs are invested here.

Conclusion: prefer to take out mortgages with a pension fund

For example, if you want to take out a mortgage to build a house or buy a property, you should definitely look at the conditions of the pension funds when comparing loans. These are extremely cheap and can only be compared with a few banks. The reason is, on the one hand, the low interest rates, which are usually below one percent. On the other hand, the terms are very long to be agreed, which offers a high degree of security, especially in view of such a high sum as is required for real estate construction. It is also possible to arrange for the mortgage to be redeemed early without paying a fine, which is not the case with all pension funds. If something like this is envisaged, the mortgage partner should be assessed accordingly before the contract is concluded.

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