My first car

Before you buy, think about what you need a car for and how often. Ask yourself questions like these:

• Do I have to rely on my car or are alternatives such as public transport or car sharing sufficient?
• Do I often have to travel spontaneously or outside of public transport timetables?
• What does a new car mean for my budget?
• Do I have a parking space at home or at work?
• Could my life situation change soon (e.g. relocation, addition to the family, stay abroad)?

Your driving profile determines which drive technology suits you best: A diesel vehicle often makes sense for long distances and a gasoline vehicle for short distances. If you are interested in a hybrid or electric car, check the charging infrastructure at home or on the road.

Having your own car is not always the best choice. You should therefore also consider alternatives such as car sharing, car subscriptions or rental cars. This means you can use vehicles as and when you need them and don't have to worry about maintenance.

Before you decide on a car, you should clarify your budget and financing options.

Possible financing models:

• Cash purchase: You pay for the vehicle directly – no interest, the car is yours immediately.
• Leasing: You pay monthly installments for a fixed term, the car remains the property of the leasing company. As a rule, the leasing company will require you to take out fully comprehensive insurance.
• Loan: You finance the car with a personal loan, the vehicle is yours – the repayment is made in installments.
• Car subscription: You use the vehicle for a monthly fee, usually including service and insurance, without owning it.

Compare the total costs of different financing models with your planned vehicle usage. This usually helps you decide which solution best suits your everyday life.

You can also find more information on car financing in our guide: Comparison: Leasing or loan?

Ongoing costs that you may incur:

• Insurance (third party liability, partial/fully comprehensive cover)
• Fuel/electricity
• Traffic tax and vignette (in some cantons, electric vehicles may be fully or partially exempt from traffic tax).
• Service, maintenance and repairs
• Tires and vehicle care
• Parking lot/garage rental
• Depreciation
• leasing installment

Be aware that certain costs are incurred even if you don't drive at all or only very rarely. You can also find out more about maintenance costs in our guide: More about maintenance costs.

First of all, you should clarify what is particularly important to you: Budget, space, use, drive, service. Once you have found a suitable vehicle, compare prices and offers from various online portals, dealers or garages.

Arrange a test drive and pay attention to the following:

• Does the vehicle show error messages?
• Does it drive smoothly and stay straight in its lane?
• Does the engine idle smoothly?
• Are there any odd noises while driving?
• Do the radio, air conditioning, electric windows or sunroof etc. work?
• Do the brakes work properly?

With used cars, it is very helpful to take a specialist along for the test drive.

Once you have decided on a vehicle, you should pay attention to these things:

Used car
Pay attention not only to the purchase price, but also to the overall condition (service/repair costs, tires). Check the service booklet and the date of the last MOT – this can help when negotiating the price. Check whether there is a warranty for the car.

You can find more useful information in our guide: Buying a used car: Checklist and expert tips

New cars
Check whether summer and winter tires are included. Pay attention to the warranty (duration, extension possible?) and how long any free service is valid and what it covers. Also ask for vehicles in stock – these are often available at attractive conditions.

As soon as the purchase contract is signed and sealed, you should take care of the car insurance. We present the most important types of insurance:

1. Liability insurance: This insurance is compulsory and required by law. This covers damage that you cause to third parties with your vehicle. Damage to your own vehicle is covered by partially or fully comprehensive insurance.
2. Single vehicle accidental damage insurance: This insurance also covers damage to your own car that occurs unexpectedly and that you did not cause (e.g. losses or damage caused by vandalism, fire, glass breakage, theft, hail).
3. Comprehensive insurance: This is the most comprehensive protection. This also covers collision damage to your own vehicle. Partially comprehensive damage is also insured. This insurance is particularly worthwhile for new or as-new cars. Leasing companies often require them.

You can also find more information in our guide: Comprehensive cover or partial casco – which one do I need?

If necessary, you can extend your cover with these supplementary insurance policies, for example:

• Coverage for gross negligence
• Roadside assistance cover 
• Passenger accident insurance
• Traffic legal protection

In Switzerland, every car must be registered at the road traffic office. Only then will you receive the vehicle registration document and/or your license plate and be allowed to put it on the road. 

To register you need:

• Insurance certificate from your auto liability insurance
• Proof of identity (passport, ID, foreigner's identity card)
• Vehicle registration document (for used vehicles)
• Inspection report/form 13.20A (for new vehicles)

You can also find out more about this topic in our guide: Everything you need to register your car.

At Zurich, we provide practical online services and an unbeatable repair service:

• Premium calculator: Calculate online how much your car insurance costs with Zurich.
• Comparison offer: You can upload offers and policies from other insurers for comparison. We will then provide you with a non-binding offer.
• Zurich Repair Network: In the event of a loss or claim, we will organize the repair and provide you with alternative transport if required (e.g. replacement vehicle, public transport or cab).

And of course, we are always there for you personally. We will be happy to answer your questions and advise you.