By Anna Katharina Finsler, Managing Director, Finsler Customs GmbH · Last updated:
Insuring an imported car: how it works
A car imported from Germany can only be insured and registered in Switzerland once it has a Stammnummer. Swiss customs assigns it at clearance (inspection report 13.20 A). With it your insurer issues the electronic proof of insurance (eVN) and sends it to the road traffic office through the federal IVZ system. No application form is needed.
By Anna Katharina Finsler, Managing Director of Finsler Customs GmbH · Rates checked on 8 October 2026: automobile tax 4 %, Swiss VAT 8.1 %
Insurance in three phases
- Transfer out of Germany: either German export plates with a short-term policy (red field with the expiry date, valid from 15 days to 12 months) or carriage on a car transporter, in which case the risk sits with the haulier's transit insurance.
- From clearance to registration: as a rule the car is standing still; where it waits for a while, laid-up cover against theft and fire is worth having, and many insurers include it free of charge.
- From registration onwards: ordinary Swiss third-party liability insurance (compulsory), sensibly combined with partial or fully comprehensive casco cover.
Proof of insurance for registration
No proof of insurance, no number plates: your Swiss insurer transmits the confirmation of cover electronically straight to the road traffic office of your canton. For that it needs the Stammnummer, the vehicle's Swiss reference number, or the vehicle data from the inspection report – Finsler Customs coordinates this step with your insurer.
Casco cover on an imported vehicle
- Fully comprehensive cover from handover is recommended, particularly for as-new vehicles.
- Look at the depreciation top-up: for the first few years it pays out the price of a new car instead of the depreciated value.
- The premium depends on the car, the driver and the canton – an imported vehicle costs no more than one bought in Switzerland.
More on the process as a whole in the guide to the import process; the import calculator works out the costs.
Related guides
- The complete import process
- Calculating import costs
- Is importing a car worth it?
- Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Figures and deadlines at a glance
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| German export plates | valid from 15 days to 12 months |
| Swiss third-party liability insurance | compulsory, proof sent electronically to the road traffic office |
| Laid-up cover while the car is standing | included at no extra cost by many insurers |
| Premium difference from Swiss vehicles | none |
| Legal basis | VZV, SR 741.51 |
Sources and legal basis
The information on this page is based on the official publications below. The wording of the legislation in force is always what counts.
- FOCBS, the Swiss Federal Office for Customs and Border Security – Importing vehicles into Switzerland
- FOCBS – Customs declaration and taxes on a vehicle import
- Automobile Tax Act (AStG, SR 641.51) (German text)
- VAT Act (MWSTG, SR 641.20)
Frequently asked questions
Why do I need the Stammnummer to take out insurance?
Swiss motor insurers set up every policy for one specific vehicle, identified by its Stammnummer, the nine-digit number of that individual car. Without it no electronic proof of insurance (eVN) can be sent to the road traffic office, and without that there is no registration. In short: Stammnummer first, then insurance, then number plates.
How do I get the Stammnummer after the import?
Swiss customs (FOCBS) assigns the nine-digit Stammnummer at customs clearance; it appears on the inspection report Form 13.20 A, and the FOCBS also issues the assessment decision. If you import through Finsler Customs, you receive it at the border crossing with Basic, and as soon as the vehicle is in Switzerland with Komfort and Premium. The Stammnummer belongs to the individual vehicle and is not the type-approval number. Details are in our guide on the Stammnummer.
What information does my insurer need for the eVN?
There is no application form of its own; the often-quoted “Form 23A” does not exist in Swiss registration law. Your insurer needs the Stammnummer, the chassis number, your details as keeper and the vehicle's location. You will find them in the inspection report Form 13.20 A and the CoC. With that the insurer creates the electronic proof of insurance and sends it to the road traffic office itself, via the vehicle registration information system (IVZ).
What exactly is the electronic proof of insurance (eVN)?
The eVN is the insurer's confirmation to the road traffic office that your vehicle has third-party liability cover (Art. 68 para. 1 SVG). It is no longer issued on paper: the insurer sends it electronically to the vehicle registration information system, from where your road traffic office retrieves it (Art. 4 para. 3 VVV). You do not have to submit anything yourself.
How long is the eVN valid?
The eVN carries a start date for the cover and an expiry date. In practice insurers set the period at 30 days. If you do not register the vehicle within that time, ask your insurer to send a new eVN; that is routine and usually free. Before the start date there is no cover.
Which insurance is compulsory in Switzerland?
Motor third-party liability for injury and damage to others is compulsory. Partial cover (theft, glass, animals, natural hazards) and comprehensive cover (also collisions you cause yourself) are optional; occupant insurance and assistance are add-ons. Which cover suits your vehicle and situation is something to settle with your insurer or a registered insurance intermediary.
What does car insurance for an imported vehicle cost in Switzerland?
The premium depends on the vehicle's value, list price, place of residence, age, driving experience and bonus level. As a rough guide per year: liability CHF 400–900, partial cover +CHF 200–500, comprehensive +CHF 600–1,800. Imported vehicles are rated on the same tariffs as cars bought in Switzerland; the import itself does not make the insurance more expensive.
Can I take out insurance before customs clearance?
No. Without a Stammnummer no Swiss insurer can issue a valid eVN. For the transfer from Germany to Switzerland you need separate short-term cover or export-plate insurance. Once the vehicle is cleared and the Stammnummer is there, you take out the regular Swiss policy.
How long does it take from the eVN to registration?
Once the Stammnummer and vehicle details are available, most insurers send the eVN within hours. The road traffic office then has it electronically, so you can register the car the same day, provided the MFK has been passed and an appointment is free.
Can I drive in Switzerland on German plates?
Only for the import run itself and for a tightly limited transition period. Under the principle of residence, a vehicle whose keeper lives in Switzerland has to be put on Swiss number plates promptly. Before that it needs the MFK (Motorfahrzeugkontrolle, the cantonal roadworthiness test), except for M1 passenger cars registered abroad for no more than a year and with no more than 2,000 km: since 1 January 2026 they are registered without being presented. So arrange the electronic proof of insurance in parallel with booking the MFK or the registration appointment, so that registration does not founder on the question of cover.
Does my German policy still apply after the import?
No. German cover ends when the car is registered in Switzerland – the change to a Swiss insurer takes place at registration. The transfer itself is covered either by the short-term policy attached to the German export plates or by the haulier's transit insurance; for the time the car stands waiting for registration, laid-up cover against theft and fire is worth having.
Is insurance for an imported car more expensive than for a Swiss vehicle?
No. The premium is set by vehicle type, driver profile and canton – whether the car was imported or bought in Switzerland makes no difference to insurers. Worth having are fully comprehensive cover from handover on as-new vehicles and a depreciation top-up, which for the first few years pays out the price of a new car instead of the depreciated value.
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Import by country of origin
- Importing a car from Germany into Switzerland
- Importing a car from Austria into Switzerland
- Import a car from France into Switzerland
- Import a car from Italy to Switzerland
- Import a car from the Netherlands into Switzerland
- Import a car from Belgium to Switzerland
- Importing a car from Luxembourg into Switzerland
- Importing a car from Czechia into Switzerland
- Importing a car from Poland into Switzerland
- Import a car from Sweden into Switzerland
- Import a car from Norway to Switzerland
Import by vehicle type
- Importing a passenger car into Switzerland
- Importing a motorcycle into Switzerland
- Importing a van up to 3.5 t into Switzerland
- Importing a motorhome into Switzerland
- Importing a caravan into Switzerland