Cohabiting couples in Switzerland: the important documents
Which documents to centralise when living together as an unmarried couple in Switzerland: lease, insurance, banking, taxes, pension, succession. The legal points you need to know.
Cohabitation is by far the most common form of couple life in Switzerland after marriage. But unlike marriage or registered partnership, it carries no automatic legal status. Your administrative documents and agreements need to be clear to avoid unwelcome surprises.
At a glance
- In Switzerland, cohabitation is not legally recognised: no automatic protection in the event of separation, death or incapacity.
- Taxes remain individual: each partner files their own tax return.
- Without a will, your partner inherits nothing, even after 30 years of living together.
- To protect yourselves: centralise your documents, formalise certain written agreements, and consider a will and advance care planning.
What you need to understand
The term "cohabitation" (concubinage) in Switzerland refers to a free union between two people (of different or the same sex — the latter now falls under marriage for all). Unlike in some other countries, there is no intermediate civil status such as the French PACS: it is either cohabitation (no status), marriage (full status), or registered partnership (only for same-sex couples registered before 2022).
What this means in practice:
- No joint taxation: each person declares their income and assets separately.
- No survivor's pension for the surviving cohabiting partner through AHV.
- No automatic inheritance rights (a cohabiting partner is not a legal heir).
- No automatic parental authority over joint children in the event of the other parent's death.
- No automatic right to the tenancy if the lease is in the other partner's name.
None of this prevents a harmonious life together, but it does require explicitly organising what marriage arranges by default.
Important documents to centralise
Housing
- Lease agreement: ideally signed by both partners. If the lease is in one person's name only, ask to co-sign it or have yourself added by way of an amendment.
- Rental deposit: who paid it and to whom does it revert on departure.
- Energy contracts (electricity, gas): specify who pays what.
- Household and liability insurance: may cover both members of the household — check on a case-by-case basis.
Financial
- Bank accounts: a joint account is useful for shared expenses, but each person should keep a personal account.
- Joint loan or mortgage: who contributes what, how repayment is handled, and what happens in the event of separation.
- Major purchases (car, furniture): whose name is on the receipt, who pays, and who keeps the asset in the event of separation.
Insurance
- LAMal/KVG: remains individual.
- Life insurance: it is possible to designate your partner as beneficiary (to be formalised in writing with the insurer).
- 3rd pillar (3a): a cohabiting partner can be named as beneficiary after children, provided you have been living together for at least 5 years (check the exact conditions with your provider).
Family
- Birth certificate of joint children.
- Declaration of joint parental authority (mandatory for unmarried parents; to be filed with the civil registry office).
- Acknowledgement of paternity if the child was born outside of marriage.
Legal and succession
- Will (handwritten or notarial) if you wish a share of your estate to go to your partner.
- Inheritance agreement (with a notary) for more complex arrangements.
- Advance healthcare directive and power of attorney for incapacity: without these, in the event of incapacity it is blood relatives — not your partner — who make decisions.
What it is worth formalising in writing
Not a marriage contract, but a few clear written agreements:
- Cohabitation agreement: a private (or notarial) document that clarifies who pays what, who owns what, and how assets are divided in the event of separation. It has no public enforcement power, but is useful in the event of a dispute.
- List of assets acquired individually or jointly, with dates and amounts.
- Agreement on major purchases: vehicle, furniture, household appliances (who pays, who keeps ownership).
For significant assets or a long-term project, consulting a notary or a family law solicitor is a reasonable investment.
Deadlines and events to plan for
- Birth: declare joint parental authority with the civil registry office immediately.
- Joint property purchase: decide on the ownership structure (simple co-ownership or joint ownership) before signing with the notary.
- Separation: without an agreement, the division of assets follows each person's strict ownership. Financial contributions made without consideration are often lost.
- Death: without a will, the surviving partner inherits nothing.
Common mistakes
- Assuming that rights accumulate over time. In Switzerland, no rights are acquired through the length of a cohabiting relationship.
- Putting all contracts in one person's name. In the event of death or separation, the other is left with nothing.
- Not making a will. A cohabiting partner does not inherit by default. A simple handwritten letter, signed and dated, is sufficient for the disposable portion of the estate.
- Confusing AHV and BVG/LPP. The occupational pension (BVG) may provide a partner's pension under certain conditions; the state pension (AHV) generally does not.
- Overlooking joint parental authority for children. Without a declaration, the mother alone holds parental authority — with consequences in the event of separation or death.
Useful official links
- ch.ch · Cohabitation
- ch.ch · Inheritance
- ch.ch · Parental authority
- Swiss Notaries Association to find a notary in your canton.
- Pro Familia Switzerland for general information on couple and family life in Switzerland.
How Admini can help
Cohabitation is a situation where administrative clarity protects the couple. Admini helps you:
- Centralise everything in one place: leases, energy contracts, insurance policies, shared bills, wills and beneficiary designations.
- Share certain documents with your partner so they can access them when needed.
- Keep a clear record of joint purchases and who paid what.
- Receive reminders for insurance renewals, deadlines and steps to take together.
Admini does not replace a notary or a solicitor. The aim is for you to know exactly what you own, what you share, and what would happen in a worst-case scenario — without having to dig through a filing cabinet.
Centralise your admin with Admini
Admini helps you gather your documents, find the useful information in seconds and prepare clean dossiers whenever you need them.
Read next
Getting married in Switzerland: the civil registry process, step by step
Preparing your civil marriage in Switzerland: requirements, marriage preparation procedure, documents for Swiss and foreign nationals, witnesses, costs and timelines.
Having a child in Switzerland: the administrative steps
All the administrative steps after the birth of a child in Switzerland: registering the birth with the civil registry, health insurance, family allowances, parental authority, maternity and paternity leave.
Death of a loved one in Switzerland: the first administrative steps
What to do after the death of a loved one in Switzerland: declaration to the civil registry, succession, insurance, banks, lease termination, inheritance and deadlines to respect.