These natural hazards are insured
Fire and natural hazards are defined in the supervisory ordinance, including floods and avalanches. It also includes storms and landslides. Fire and natural hazards are covered as basic risks in the household contents insurance and are listed there alongside water damage and theft.
According to the Insurance Supervision Act, cover for natural hazards is included in fire insurance, which also includes fire, sudden smoke development, explosion, lightning strike and the crash of aircraft and spacecraft. The following natural hazards are included in home contents insurance:
- landslide
Buildings or parts of them are destroyed by a falling slope.
- Flood
If a lot of water occurs due to heavy rainfall and remains within the limits that man has set for it, one speaks of flooding.
- Falling rocks
A house wall is damaged by individual stones.
- flooding
Damage is caused by a disproportionate amount of water that exceeds the limits set by humans (e.g. rivers and lakes overflowing their banks).
- Rockslide
Buildings or parts of them are destroyed by a rockfall, with large masses of rock forming the basis.
- Storm
Storms with wind speeds of at least 75 km / h cause damage, roofs can be thrown off or trees can be knocked over.
- hail
Hailstones destroy skylights and tiles.
- Snow pressure
Snow collects on the roof and pushes it in.
These natural events cannot be insured
If earthquakes or volcanoes occur, the damage they cause is annoying, but it is not insurable. Subsidence, damage caused by poor subsoil, penetrating groundwater or water from artificial water systems can cause damage, but these are not included in the household contents insurance as natural hazards. There are also many other damage events that are excluded from household contents insurance, examples of which are line usage, snow slides, damage caused by faulty building structures, frost damage or pandemics.
Tip: In many cantons it is possible to take out household contents insurance on a voluntary basis; in the cantons of Nidwalden and Vaud, insurance against fire and natural hazards is mandatory. Insurance is also compulsory in the cantons of Jura and Friborg, but there it is not to be taken out via the cantonal building insurance, but the insurance provider can be freely chosen.
Insured water damage?
Water damage in particular occurs very frequently, but it is not always clear whether the insurer has to pay for the damage or not. Therefore: If the damage is caused by an act of God, the building insurance is responsible for the property, the furniture is covered by the household contents insurance. If, for example, water leaks from the washing machine, the property must have a building water insurance policy; the household contents insurance is responsible for the household effects.
Important: A statutory deductible of 500 francs must be taken into account for all water damage.
Important: The amount of home insurance should be adjusted again and again. Over time, new furniture or valuables may be purchased. In principle, therefore, the amount of the household contents insurance must be adjusted accordingly if the value of the household effects increases.
Conclusion: Not all damage is covered by household insurance
Building insurance is important for all property owners, because damage caused by natural forces to the building is covered by this insurance. For the furniture, on the other hand, household contents insurance is important, which bears the damage caused by natural forces. It is important to adjust the amount of the respective insurance to the value of the building or the inventory and to check it regularly.
