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Term life insurance:
protect your family or your company

Family means love and care - also in financial matters. Life often takes unexpected turns. This makes it all the more important that your family is covered. With term life insurance, you can continue to pay the ongoing costs of housing, living expenses or education - no matter what happens. Simply take out this insurance with Zurich online or get individual advice.

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What is term life insurance?

In the event of a stroke of fate, term life insurance pays a predetermined sum to your partner, family or business partner. This means that no financial bottlenecks arise in the event of death and ongoing obligations can still be met.

Who is life insurance suitable for?

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For families and couples

  • The financial obligations of you or your loved ones can be secured.
  • Surviving dependants can stay in their familiar home, as housing costs remain affordable.  
  • The children's future is not affected, as there is still money available for their education.
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For homeowners

  • Mortgage costs remain affordable for the family.
  • Additional equity makes it easier to talk to the bank.
  • Ongoing maintenance and repairs are covered.
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For business partners

  • You can protect business partners financially, e.g. as a self-employed person.
  • You can secure your business loans.
  • You can prevent your company from becoming insolvent following a death.

How much does a term life insurance cost?

Example: female, 1995, non-smoker, sum insured CHF 200,000

Online death benefit insurance

The premium is CHF 126 in the first year*

Digital, inexpensive and can be taken out online immediately

  • Sum insured: CHF 50'000  bis CHF 500'0000
  • Type of benefit: constant death benefit
  • Term: renewable annually
  • Payment method: annually by credit card
  • Can be taken out in pillar 3b
  • Attractive premiums for non-smokers
  • Automated risk assessment without medical examination
Calculate your premium now *Please note that this is not a binding offer.

The premium increases annually in line with the risk.

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Would you like customized death benefit insurance with personal advice?

Would you like personal advice and insurance that is tailored exactly to your needs and protects your loved ones? Contact us now - we will be happy to take the time for you.

Practical examples

Protecting the family home

The Müller family of four have just bought their dream home and have made major financial commitments. Their income is heavily dependent on Philipp Müller's full-time salary. That's why he takes out whole life insurance. When he dies two years later in a motorcycle accident, the family can stay in their home thanks to the capital paid out.

Insuring cohabiting partners

Sophie and Max live together without a marriage certificate. Because they are poorly insured by law, they protect each other with private death insurance. When Sophie is diagnosed with cancer, the insurance gives her peace of mind: Should the illness prove fatal, Max is at least well covered and can cope with the financial obligations on his own.

 

Insuring key people in SMEs

Markus Weber has founded a limited company and is its managing director. As the creative head of the company, he is an indispensable key person. When he suffers a heart attack, he thinks hard about his life. He is relieved that he took out death insurance when he founded the limited company. Thanks to the agreed capital, the company would still have a future without him.

Providing for loved ones

Maja and Jonas Eggenberger are very much looking forward to their first child. But serious complications arise during the birth and Maja dies. Jonas is left with the newborn. How can he look after the baby and earn a living for the family at the same time? Then he remembers that Maja has taken out a death benefit insurance policy. It will help him financially during the first difficult period.

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Taking out your death benefit insurance online is so easy

 

  1. Choose your protection
    Select the appropriate death benefit and enter your details.
  2. Deposit your credit card
    Easy payment by credit card.
  3. Covered from tomorrow
    Your cover starts the very next day.

Information and frequently asked questions about death benefit insurance

Protection for family and business partners

  • Risk life insurance gives your family financial security
  • Cohabiting partners: close any insurance gaps as part of pillars 1 and 2
  • Protect business partners and make sure your business can survive
  • Ensure that your mortgage is paid off even after you die

You define the death benefits

  • Term life insurance with continuing benefit payments to meet continuing financial obligations (e.g. paying off a loan)
  • With the "LifeRisk" solution, you also have the option of a decreasing benefit to cover an obligation that is becoming smaller (e.g. the amortization of a mortgage)

Attractive discounts

  • Lower risk life insurance premiums for non-smokers. A person is considered to be a non-smoker if he/she smoked no cigartettes in the previous twelve months and if he/she consumes or uses a maximum of two cigars, pipes or other products containing nicotine per week. E-cigarettes are considered, in the context of these conditions, as are other products containing nicotine.

What is a term life insurance (also known as risk life insurance)?

Term life insurance pays an agreed sum of money to the beneficiaries if the insured person dies. This makes it possible, for example, to provide financial protection for cohabiting partners, who are less protected by law than married couples. Families can prevent financial hardship and ensure that they can remain in their own home even after a stroke of fate.

Whom can I designate as a beneficiary with a term life insurance?

Within the framework of the unrestricted pension provision (pillar 3b), you can designate any person you wish to protect, regardless of the legal order of succession. This can also be a cohabiting partner. With the restricted pension provision (pillar 3a), many rules are set by law and your flexibility is limited.

How can I protect my children/family/partner with a term life insurance?

With term life insurance, you determine an insured insured (insurance amount) that will be paid out if something happens to you. This way, you can protect your family and children from the financial consequences of a misfortune and ensure, for example, that your family can continue living in their familiar environment.

How can I protect my partner with a term life insurance?

Whether benefits are paid out from the first and/or second pillar after a death depends on various factors. Even if benefits are paid from both pillars, they are usually noticeably lower than the previous income. With term life insurance, you can close this gap – such that, in the event of the worst, financial worries do not add to emotional pain. An individual consultation is worthwhile.

We are living in a cohabiting partnership. Do we need term life insurance to protect each other?

Yes, you will most likely need term life insurance. In a cohabiting partnership, you are less protected than married couples. If something happens to you, your cohabiting partner has no legal claim to a share of your inheritance. In addition, they do not receive any benefits from AHV. The pension fund also only pays under certain conditions. Private protection through term life insurance is therefore all the more important.

When is term life insurance worthwhile?

Term life insurance can make sense if your partner or family members are financially dependent on you. If something should happen to you, the agreed death benefit will be paid out. This protects against financial difficulties and allows your dependents to reorganize their lives. If you own residential property, you can, for example, ensure that your family can continue living in their accustomed home, as the property remains financially manageable.

How long does a term life insurance run?

You can determine the duration of a term life insurance policy yourself. Normally, it is taken out until retirement age, so that pension gaps can be optimally prevented. However, there are also cases where a shorter term makes sense, for example, until the children have finished their education.

Can I deduct my term life insurance from my taxes?

It depends: If you take out the insurance within pillar 3a, you can deduct the premiums fully from your taxable income, up to the maximum amount of CHF 7,258 (as of 2025). In pillar 3b, premiums are usually not deductible.

Should I take out term life insurance under pillar 3a or 3b?

3a:

Pillar 3a is suitable if you want to take advantage of tax benefits. Contributions can be deducted from taxable income up to the legal maximum.

3b:

Pillar 3b offers maximum flexibility, e.g. free choice of beneficiaries (e.g. cohabiting partner or business partner) or flexible contract duration.
No tax deductions are possible, but in the event of death, payments are generally tax-free, provided certain conditions are met.

Does the insured sum remain the same throughout the contract duration or does it decrease over the years?

Both options are available: You can choose a sum that remains the same throughout the contract, e.g. CHF 200,000. Or you can decide that the sum decreases each year. For example, you start with a death benefit of CHF 200,000, which decreases by CHF 10,000 each year. It is important to choose a solution that suits your needs: For example, if you want to cover a mortgage or your children’s education, a decreasing death benefit may be appropriate. To protect a partner, a constant benefit is often the better solution.

What is a joint term life insurance?

With a joint term life insurance, two people can protect each other within a single contract. If one of the two persons dies during the contract term, the other person receives the agreed capital. The contract then ends.

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