Driving your own car as an expat
The Best Car Solution for Expats in Switzerland
At CARIFY, we understand the unique needs of expats like you. Our mission is to make your Swiss journey seamless by providing hassle-free car subscriptions tailored to your needs.
Our offer
CARIFY car subscriptions for expats are the all-inclusive, flexible alternative to expat car lease or buying: One monthly subscription price includes all costs related to your car like repairs, servicing, tires, motor vehicle tax, as well as registration in your residential canton. And, of course, comprehensive insurance is already included in the subscription price. You only have to pay for gasoline.
Find out how the booking process works here.
Why choose the CARIFY expat auto solution?
Flexibility: Subscriptions between 1 and 48 month - monthly cancellation
Cost Transparency: One monthly subscription price includes all costs related to your expat auto like repairs, servicing, tires, motor vehicle tax, as well as registration in your residential canton. And, of course, comprehensive insurance is already included in the subscription price. You only have to pay for gasoline.
Convenience: We handle maintenance and more. No need to speak to a garage, insurance companies or the tax office!
Multilingual support: Count on us for assistance anytime, anywhere in English, German, French or Italian.
Sustainability: While the majority of subscription providers rely on brand-new cars produced exclusively for subscribers, we work closely with automotive garages that make their existing vehicles available for our service. This way, we give existing high-quality cars a second chance while simultaneously reducing the need to manufacture new vehicles. Additionally, we also offer new cars to provide a wide range of mobility solutions.
Who is eligible to book a CARIFY car?
To reserve a CARIFY vehicle, you must meet certain eligibility criteria. Here's what you need:
We appreciate your understanding of these requirements as they help us maintain a high standard of service and ensure the safety and legality of our car subscription offerings. If you have any questions or need assistance with your eligibility, please don't hesitate to contact our support team for further guidance.
Whatever happens, CARIFY has got you covered!
EXPAT AUTO INSURANCE
At CARIFY, we offer the best expat car insurance in Switzerland, so you do not have to worry about going over your budget! With our unique PREMIUM car insurance, you profit from a 0 CHF deductible and unlimited parking damages:
Fully-comprehensive insurance: covers you for all damages that you or a third-party might cause (e.g. collision) as well as parking damages (e.g. an unknown person scratched your car while it was parked). The deductible for this insurance is CHF 0 per event
Parking damage insurance: is included in the fully-comprehensive insurance with deductible of 0 CHF per event. No limitation on number of events per year.
Partially-comprehensive insurance: covers for natural hazards (e.g. hail, marten, etc) with deductible of 0 CHF per event
Roadside assistance in Europe 24/7
What our happy customers say
"Great customer service (agents speak English!); intuitive website gives them a competitive edge; comparable prices and far more flexibility than competitors; on-time efficient handover at out home - detailed inspection had been done of the vehicle which was spotless."
Nicola
What is the difference between a car subscription and an expat car lease?
A car subscription is a more innovative and even more flexible approach than leasing a car as an expat. With a car subscription, your monthly fee covers all ancillary costs, providing you with a hassle-free, all-inclusive leasing experience.
Enjoy the freedom of shorter terms and flexible cancellation periods with a car subscription, allowing you to rent your dream expat auto on a monthly basis without being tied down to a long-term contract.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is permitted to drive?
chevron_rightThe person who books the car and fulfils the booking requirement has to be the main driver of the car. The main car driver is allowed to lend the car punctually to other drivers that also meet all the requirements - so there is no problem for you to lend the car to your friends & family (who are domiciled in Switzerland)!
If a third party driver is not domiciled in Switzerland and/or does not have a valid Swiss driving licence, the insurance cover may vary.
Additionally, someone who has a student driving license in Switzerland is allowed to drive under the general swiss road regulation (e.g. under the supervision of someone who is more than 23 years old and has had a valid driving license for more than 3 years)
Note that if you are older than 25 years old and someone who is younger than 25years old drives and damages your car, the insurance coverage might vary (higher deductibles). If you have questions about this, reach out to our team!
Can I book a car with a foreign driving license?
chevron_rightYes, it is possible! As long as the driving license is recognized by the Swiss authorities as a valid driving license. The rule in Switzerland is the following: You are allowed to drive in Switzerland with your foreign driving license up to 1year after you officially registered in Switzerland. After that you must have gone to the government and swapped your license for a swiss one.
Am I allowed to drive abroad?
chevron_rightYes, the vehicle may be driven in Europe and the countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea except for Egypt, Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iran, Israel, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Lebanon, Libya, Russian Federation, Syria, Ukraine, Belarus.
If you lend the car to someone who is not a swiss resident, this person is not allowed to drive abroad. None-swiss residents are only allowed to drive in Switzerland.
How is the car insured?
chevron_rightWhen booking your car you can choose between 3 insurance packages:
MINIMUM InsuranceFully-comprehensive insurance: covers you for all damages that you or a third-party might cause (e.g. collision). The deductible for this insurance is CHF 1500 per event*
No Parking damage insurance
Partially-comprehensive insurance: covers for natural hazards (e.g. hail, marten, etc) with deductible of 0 CHF per event
Roadside assistance in Europe 24/7
It is important to know that the insurance opens a single case for each damage. Thus, several deductibles must be paid for several different damages. For example, if a car has two separate collision damages and an additional parking damage, the deductible amounts to a total of CHF 4500.
BASIC Insurance
Fully-comprehensive insurance: covers you for all damages that you or a third-party might cause (e.g. collision). The deductible for this insurance is CHF 1000 per event*
Parking damage insurance: covers the car when it is parked and an unknown person damages it (e.g. car door damages, key scratches, etc). The deductible for this insurance is CHF 0 per event, with max 2 events per year. Does not include you hitting a wall when getting parked for example; that would be covered by the fully-comprehensive insurance
Partially-comprehensive insurance: covers for natural hazards (e.g. hail, marten, etc) with deductible of 0 CHF per event
Roadside assistance in Europe 24/7
It is important to know that the insurance opens a single case for each damage. Thus, several deductibles must be paid for several different damages. For example, if a car has two separate collision damages and an additional parking damage, the deductible amounts to a total of CHF 2000.
PREMIUM Insurance
Fully-comprehensive insurance: covers you for all damages that you or a third-party might cause (e.g. collision) as well as parking damages (e.g. an unknown person scratched your car while it was parked). The deductible for this insurance isCHF 0 per event
Parking damage insurance: is included in the fully-comprehensive insurance with deductible of 0 CHF per event. No limitation on number of events per year.
Partially-comprehensive insurance: covers for natural hazards (e.g. hail, marten, etc) with deductible of 0 CHF per event
Roadside assistance in Europe 24/7
Generally, items that are not covered in either of the insurance packages are inside damages, bursted tires or dead batteries for example. If you have questions, reach out to our team!
*Note that if you are older than 25 years old and someone who is younger than 25years old drives and damages your car, the insurance coverage might vary (higher deductibles). If you have questions about this, reach out to our team!
What is included in the price?
chevron_rightEverything is included in your monthly subscription price, except for fuel.
All necessary repairs, tires, motor vehicle tax and registration are included. We offer three different insurance packages:
MINIMUM insurance: 1500 CHF deductible per collision, parking damages not included
BASIC insurance: 1000 CHF deductible per collision , 2 parking damages per year included
PREMIUM insurance: 0 CHF deductible per collision, unlimited parking damages included
This means that you are only responsible for fuel expenses and any damages that are not covered by your chosen insurance package.
How quickly is my car available?
chevron_rightYour car is usually available within 7-8 working days. This is the time we need to register the car at your canton’s car registration office and get it ready for you!
Some cars require more time to be prepared. You will immediately see in the booking calendar the possible wished delivery dates. You can use the filter Availability.
During the booking, you are able to choose at which date you would prefer to receive the car. We will anyway contact you after you booked to arrange everything.
Unlock exclusive benefits for over 500,000 individuals across Switzerland through our extensive network of partner companies. Contact us today to discover if you qualify for valuable employee discounts of our partner companies like UBS, ZURICH Insurance or IBM. Book a call here to get your expat auto today!