Liability claims following road traffic accidents

Swiss law provides for streamlined handling of liability claims arising from road traffic accidents that are subject to international provisions. Article 79 a-d of the Road Traffic Act (RTA) lays out:

• a contact point for claimants and social insurance organisations;
• the obligation of liability insurers to appoint claims representatives abroad;
• the obligation of liability insurers and foreign claims representatives to offer compensation within three months of a claim;
• a body before which claimants domiciled in Switzerland can file claims under certain conditions. 

The statutory provisions only apply to countries which grant Switzerland reciprocal rights. As set out in Article 79e para. 2 RTA, FINMA includes the names of these countries in a reciprocity list: 

• At present, only the Principality of Liechtenstein grants Switzerland these rights.

For additional information on foreign claims representatives and the compensation body, please consult the Swiss National Bureau of Insurance and the National Guarantee Fund website.