A new report by Comparis has found that women pay less for Swiss car insurance than men. The study also found that the price of basic liability insurance tends to vary greatly by region, with some Swiss cantons paying significantly more for cover than others.

Huge price differences in mandatory car insurance in Switzerland 

On average, Comparis found that drivers have to pay around 238 Swiss francs a month for motor liability insurance - essential insurance required when registering a vehicle in Switzerland. While the services on offer remain largely the same, the cost of mandatory insurance can vary greatly by provider, with the most expensive package costing 375 Swiss francs a month on average - 58 percent more than the cheapest deals on the market.

The differences in price can also be seen between the sexes. Comparis reported that male insurance premiums range by 61 percent depending on the provider, while women only see their prices vary by 55 percent. On average, men have to pay 3 percent more for car insurance than women. 

"Earlier Comparis analyses have already shown that men are often discriminated against when it comes to car insurance premiums compared to women," Comparis mobility expert Andrea Auer explained. However, she noted that the price differences are only present in a selection of providers, as many Swiss insurers now choose to charge the same price regardless of sex.

80 percent difference between cheapest and most expensive insurance

Comparis also found that each Swiss canton and city has its own range of prices on offer. For example, in Lausanne, the cheapest car insurance package costs 80 percent less than the most expensive deal. St. Gallen (77 percent), Winterthur (72 percent), Bern (69 percent) and Geneva (66 percent) also reported huge differences in price between providers.

In addition, Comparis found that Canton Ticino has the most expensive car insurance in Switzerland, with the average premium in the Italian Canton being 17 percent more than the cheapest deal in Canton Bern. “The level of premiums is determined, among other things, by the attractiveness of a market. Ticino is a rather small sales region. In addition, insurance products must be marketed in Italian,” Auer explained.