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From an insurance perspective, glass breakage occurs when a pane of glass or glass object exhibits continuous damage extending from the front to the back. A simple crack or fissure that runs through the entire thickness of the glass is considered equivalent to a breakage.

However, the following are not insured:

Building glazing comprises all glass elements permanently attached to the building:

Furniture glazing refers to movable objects made of glass:

For tenants, the situation is different: they do not need building glass insurance, as permanently installed elements belong to the landlord. A different form of insurance applies in this case – but we’ll come to that later.

However, tenants should bear in mind that private liability insurance provides cover against unintentional damage to the rented property. For example, if you accidentally damage the washbasin or the ceramic hob breaks, this would be classed as tenant’s damage, which is covered by liability insurance.

Note: Your landlord is not legally permitted to oblige you to take out glass breakage insurance as part of your rental agreement. However, a landlord may give preference to persons who have a policy like this when letting out their property.

The exact requirements are set out in the Insurance Supervision Act (ISA) and the Supervision Ordinance (SO) published by FINMA.

For your own glass objects in your home – such as a glass table or display cabinet – home contents insurance with supplementary furniture glass cover is advisable.

The question of which type of insurance covers what depends on several factors:

Own property – self-inflicted

This refers to cases where you or a family member cause damage to the property of a third party. An example would be if your son smashes the neighbour’s window while playing football.

Private liability insurance covers this. It covers damage to third-party property, provided the damage was not caused intentionally. In our example above with your son and the neighbour’s window, instead of claiming against your glass breakage insurance, you would report the damage to your private liability insurance provider, which would pay for the window pane to be repaired.

When glass damage is caused by natural events, a different form of insurance applies:

These types of cover are included as standard in most home contents and building insurance policies, so supplementary glass breakage insurance is not required in these cases.

According to the Federal Statistical Office (FSO), at the end of 2023, there were 1.4 million owner-occupied households in Switzerland (representing 36% of all private households) and 2.4 million were tenant households. This distribution demonstrates the relevance of adequate insurance cover for different population groups

Glass breakage is among the most common causes of claims in Swiss home contents insurance. Besides theft and water damage, glass breakage is one of the most significant risks to which Swiss households are exposed. This underscores the importance of adequate insurance, particularly for households with many valuable glass elements such as windows, glass tables, display cabinets or high-end bathroom fixtures.

The household inventory index of the Swiss Insurance Association (SIA) (only available in German) provides annually updated benchmark values for the price trends of home contents in Switzerland and helps with the correct determination of insured amounts.

It’s important to know what glass breakage insurance does not cover. The following items are typically excluded:

Note: Some of these excluded items can be insured through accidental damage cover for home contents or supplementary accidental damage cover for electrical appliances. Further information on special types of cover is available from Comparis on their overview page for accidental damage cover in home contents insurance.

When you take out glass breakage insurance, you’ll usually agree on an excess. With most Swiss insurers, this is between CHF 200 and CHF 500.

A real-life example

A common mistake is underinsurance. Many households underestimate the total value of their home contents. The FSO recommends an insured amount based on:

According to the SIA’s recommendations, you should review and adjust your insured amount on a regular basis. The SIA’s household inventory index provides annually updated benchmark values for the price trends of home contents in Switzerland. Detailed information on how to compile an inventory can also be found in the official FSO statistics on housing conditions.

In the event of underinsurance, the insurer will not pay the full damage amount – only a proportionate amount will be covered. For example, if you’ve insured 80% of your home contents, your insurer will also only pay 80% of the damage in the event of a claim – even if this is below the insured amount.

Before taking out or renewing glass breakage insurance, you should check these points:

Important: The exact benefits will be regulated in the General Conditions of Insurance (GCI). It is best to read these carefully or have an expert explain them to you.

Glass breakage insurance is not an absolute necessity, but it makes sense in the following situations:

For the average household, a simple calculation is often enough: If glass damage occurs very rarely in your home (every 5 to 10 years), it may not be worth taking out a policy. Instead, you can save the money you would otherwise spend on annual insurance premiums and use it to pay for any damage yourself as and when it occurs.

As an insurance broker in Switzerland, Union Swiss Brokers Holding AG recommends that you analyse your situation honestly and compare several quotes. You can always request professional, independent advice whenever you need it.

At Union Swiss Brokers Holding AG, we understand that every household has different needs. We’ll happily review your current level of insurance and show you any areas that could be addressed – without paying too much.

Our experts are registered with FINMA and certified. They regularly take part in recertifications to keep their industry knowledge fully up to date.