Published on 26 August 2025

What social insurance rules apply to the self-employed?

The self-employed are responsible for their social insurance cover. They are legally required to pay into the old-age and survivors’ insurance (OASI), invalidity insurance, income compensation and family allowances. All other types of insurance cover are optional.

Please note that if you have employees, you are responsible for their social insurance cover: Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)

Definition of self-employment

When you start your own business, you have to register with an OASI office. It will decide whether your work meets the definition of self-employment applied by the Swiss social insurance system. To qualify as self-employed, you must perform your work in your own name and on your own account. You also must be free to organise your working day and methods as you see fit, and you bear all economic risks arising from this work. Another possible qualifying element is whether you have your own infrastructure or not (office, equipment, business address, etc.) that you use to service multiple clients.

More details: Self-employed? Three steps to social insurance

If your OASI office decides that you meet the criteria for self-employed status, it will issue you with a payroll number This is valid across Switzerland and is official confirmation of your self-employed status. It is the number that you use when paying your Swiss social insurance contributions.

Contributions and benefits

First pillar

As a self-employed person, you are legally obliged to pay into the old-age and survivors’ insurance (OASI), invalidity insurance and income compensation allowances. The contribution rate varies depending on your income but ranges from 5.371% and 10%. The minimum contribution is CHF 530 per year. The income on which you pay these contributions is the annual net income calculated by the tax authorities and shared with your OASI office. In addition to your contributions, your OASI office deducts a fee to cover administrative costs.

You are entitled to the same OASI and invalidity benefits as someone who is in salaried employment.

If you have a child, you are entitled to the same income compensation allowance as a parent who is in salaried employment.

Allowances for parents

Allowances for care of a child whose health is seriously impaired

If you perform military, alternative civilian, civil protection service and you are normally self-employed, you are entitled to an operating allowance in addition to basic income compensation.

Allowances for persons in service

2nd and 3rd pillars

If you are self-employed, you do not have to pay into an occupational pension fund (2nd pillar). However, you can choose to pay on a voluntary basis to:

a pension fund which you belong to by virtue of your profession; or
to the LOB Substitute Occupational Benefit Institution.

In the interests of a more financially secure retirement, the self-employed are advised to pay into an occupational pension fund on a voluntary basis and/or open a 3a pension account. These contributions will also provide you with insurance cover against the risks of invalidity and death.

Accident insurance

If you are self-employed, you are not subject to mandatory accident insurance contributions. However, you can take out an accident insurance policy on a voluntary basis. Your premiums are calculated based on the income on which you have agreed to pay contributions when you signed the insurance policy.

FOPH | Accident insurance: Who can take out voluntary accident insurance?

You are entitled to the same benefits as someone who is subject to compulsory insurance contributions (reimbursement of expenses, cash benefits, etc.).

Family allowances

If you are self-employed, you are legally required to contribute to the family allowances fund regardless of whether you have children or not. Contribution rates vary across cantons and across funds.

You are entitled to a family allowance for each of your children provided that the entitlement of someone else does not takes precedence over yours.

The minimum monthly allowance is CHF 215 per child aged under 16. The minimum monthly education allowance is CHF 268 per child who is aged 15–25 and is in education or training.

Family allowances

Daily allowance insurance

If you are self-employed, you can insure yourself against the loss of earnings in the event of sickness, pregnancy or accidents by taking out a daily allowance insurance policy with a health insurer or another legally authorised insurance provider. Daily allowance insurance cover is optional.

Health insurance: Optional daily allowance insurance

Unemployment insurance

If you are self-employed, you are not insured against the risk of unemployment. You therefore do not pay into this scheme and are not entitled to any benefits it provides.

Registration

When you set up your own business, you must inform and register with the competent OASI office:

if you are a member of a professional association with its own compensation office, you must register with it;
if you are not a member of an association with its own compensation office, you must register with the OASI office in your canton of residence or in the canton in which your business is headquartered.

You can also apply for confirmation of your self-employed status and register with your OASI office online: Self-employed? Three steps to social insurance

As regards optional insurance cover, you are largely free to choose your insurance company and pension fund.

Application process

Different agencies are responsible for paying out benefits when an insured event occurs.

Old-age and survivors benefits, invalidity benefits, income compensation allowances or carer's allowance: Contacts | Information Center OASI/DI

Benefits in the event of sickness: you need to contact your private health insurer and, if you have one, your daily allowance insurance provider.

Benefits in the event of an accident: you need to contact your private accident insurer or your health insurer if you have taken out an accident insurance policy with it. You should submit your daily allowance claim to your daily allowance insurer, if you have one.

If there is a risk that your accident might lead to invalidity, you need to contact the IV/AI office in your canton: DI offices | Contacts | Information Center OASI/DI