Insurance & Costs

Insuring your cleaner: What you have to pay as an employer

Salvador JovellsUpdated: 04.10.2026Reading time: 8 min

Dark blue umbrella over a small wooden house on a round table in a bright living room — If you employ a cleaner, you insure her: AHV/IV/EO from the first franc, occupational accidents always.

If you hire a cleaner, you are an employer - and you have to insure them. The good news: there are only four mandatory contributions, and the surcharge on the wage is usually around 8%. Use the calculator below to see exactly what to expect.

Answer in 30 seconds

Four insurances are always mandatory for a cleaner: AHV/IV/EO, ALV (unemployment insurance), UVG occupational accident and FAK (family allowances). Together they cost the employer around 8% on top of the wage. From 8 hours/week, UVG non-occupational accident (NBU) is added (paid by the employee); from CHF 22'680 annual wage, the pension fund (BVG) is added too.

Always mandatory: AHV/IV/EO (5.3%), ALV (unemployment insurance) (1.1%), UVG occupational accident (0.505%), FAK (family allowances) (cantonal ~1-2%).
From 8 hours/week: UVG non-occupational accident (NBU) (1.432%) - the premium is paid by the employee, but you have to take out the policy.
Above CHF 22'680 annual wage the pension fund (BVG) becomes mandatory: risk cover from 18, retirement savings from 25.

This applies when

You employ a cleaner, household help or cleaning assistant in your private household.

More on insuring your household help: UVG accident insurance for domestic staff·VAVplus: UVG cover via the Ausgleichskasse·Find your UVG insurer: calculator & wizard·Sick-pay insurance (KTG): where it is mandatory

Which insurances you owe for your cleaner

Three always apply, three depend on hours, wage or canton. The cost calculator below adds them up.

AHV / IV / EO / ALV
Always
From the first franc of wage, split in half
Occupational accident (UVG-BU)
Always
From the first hour, paid by the household
FAK (family allowances)
Always
Employer contribution, rate per canton
Non-occupational accident (NBU)
From 8 h/week
Sick-pay insurance (KTG)
Mandatory in 15 of 26 cantons
Pension fund (BVG)
From CHF 22,680 a year

Which insurances are mandatory?

As soon as you employ someone in your household, contribution obligations arise from the first franc of wage - there is no minimum threshold for adult employees. Four contributions are always due; two more depend on the workload and wage level.

Always mandatory - from the first franc

AHV/IV/EO

5.3% + 5.3%

Old-age, disability and loss-of-earnings insurance. Employer and employee each pay 5.3%. Mandatory from the first franc, without exception.

ALV (unemployment insurance)

1.1% + 1.1%

Covers loss of earnings in the event of unemployment. 1.1% each, up to an annual wage of CHF 148'200 - for a cleaning job always fully insured.

UVG occupational accident (BU)

0.505%

Insures accidents at work and on the way to work. Mandatory from the first hour; the premium is paid solely by the employer.

FAK (family allowances)

cantonal ~1-2%

Finances the child and education allowances. A pure employer contribution; the rate varies by canton (in VS and VD the employee also pays a small part).

Depending on the situation

UVG non-occupational accident (NBU)

1.432%

Covers leisure-time accidents. Mandatory only from 8 hours/week with you. The premium is deducted from the employee's wage - but you have to take out the policy. Below 8 hours, their health insurer covers leisure-time accidents.

BVG (pension fund, 2nd pillar)

age-dependent 7-18%

Mandatory only above an annual wage of CHF 22'680: from 18 for death and disability, from 25 for retirement savings too. For most hourly cleaning jobs it does not apply - in which case the simplified procedure is possible.

The insurance umbrella over the household: AHV/IV/EO from the first franc, UVG accident insurance (occupational always, non-occupational from 8 hours per week) and BVG pension from CHF 22'680 annual wage

Cost calculator: What do you really pay?

Enter the hourly wage and hours per week. The calculator shows your employer costs, the surcharge as a percentage and what is actually mandatory for your workload.

Employer calculator 2026

What your cleaner really costs you

Enter the hourly wage and hours per week - the calculator shows how much you pay in social insurance on top of the wage and which insurances are mandatory at your hours.

Your details

Hourly wage (CHF)

Hours per week

Canton

Cleaner's age

Your employer costs

CHF 608per month

You pay an extra +7.9% on top of the wage.

Gross wage: CHF 563per year: CHF 7'296

Your contributions (mandatory)

AHV/IV/EO (5.3%): CHF 30
ALV (unemployment) (1.1%): CHF 6
UVG-BU (occupational accident) (0.505%): CHF 3
FAK (family allowances) (1.025%): CHF 6
Total cost: CHF 608

Gross wage + all mandatory employer contributions

No NBU obligation

Below 8 hours per week only occupational accidents (UVG-BU) are mandatory. Leisure accidents are covered by your cleaner's health insurance.

Simplified procedure available

The annual wage is below CHF 22'680 - no BVG required. You can settle via the simplified procedure (flat 5% withholding tax, one form per year).

Sick-pay insurance is mandatory in Zurich

The standard employment contract at the place of work requires daily-allowance cover (KTG). The premium is not included above.

You may derogate only in writing.

Source: NAV hauswirtschaftliche Arbeitnehmer ZH (LS 821.12), Art. 12 und Art. 26

Which cantons make KTG mandatory →

What your cleaner takes home

These are deducted from the wage - they cost you nothing extra.

AHV/IV/EO (5.3%): − CHF 30
ALV (1.1%): − CHF 6
Withholding tax (flat) (5%): − CHF 28
Net pay: CHF 499

2026 guide values. AHV/ALV/UVG are fixed nationwide; FAK varies by canton; BVG contributions depend on the pension plan. Sick-pay insurance (KTG) follows the canton - see above - and is not included here.

Clino prepares AHV, UVG, FAK and payroll - for CHF 19.90/month.

These charges come on top of the wage. The base wage to calculate the total cost from is in the overview of a fair hourly wage by canton.

Swiss franc coins - employer contributions for your cleaner

Who pays what?

Important to understand: part of the contributions comes on top of the wage (your real additional costs), another part is deducted from the employee's wage (costs you nothing extra).

The employer pays on top

+Half of AHV/IV/EO (5.3%)
+Half of ALV (unemployment insurance) (1.1%)
+UVG occupational accident in full (0.505%)
+FAK (family allowances) in full (cantonal ~1-2%)
+Half of BVG (pension fund) - only if mandatory

Deducted from the wage

−Half of AHV/IV/EO (5.3%)
−Half of ALV (unemployment insurance) (1.1%)
−UVG non-occupational accident (NBU) (1.432%) - from 8 hours/week
−Withholding tax (5% flat rate under the simplified procedure)
−Half of BVG (pension fund) - only if mandatory

Don't forget: holiday compensation

With an hourly wage, holiday compensation is added: 8.33% for 4 weeks of holiday, 10.64% for 5 weeks. It is part of the wage (not the social contributions) and is shown separately on the payslip.

Who takes out the insurance policies?

The short answer: the employer is always responsible - you, not the platform. No platform can take the UVG obligation off you; it can only guide you more or less far along the way.

The employer is always responsible

The UVG obligation sits with the household - with you, not with the platform. That holds whichever service you use.

Simplified procedure: VAVplus

Accident cover runs through your compensation office's VAVplus (insurer: Solida). It is an opt-in on the registration form: you tick the box - nothing happens on its own.

Ordinary procedure: your own UVG policy

Above the thresholds you need a private UVG policy. You take out the policy yourself - Clino compares the offers and prepares the application.

What about the providers?

Some providers work with collective contracts or broker policies as a tied intermediary of an insurer. With Clino you remain the policyholder yourself: every policy and every form carries your signature, not ours.

Simplified or ordinary procedure?

Calendar with marked cleaning shifts and a weekly tally pointing to eight hours

For small household wages there is the simplified procedure: a single annual statement via the compensation office, 5% withholding tax flat rate, no BVG. It is almost always worthwhile - as long as you stay below the wage limit.

CHF 22'680Wage limit per person and year for the simplified procedure

Simplified procedure

Possible up to CHF 22'680 wage per person and year (and CHF 60'480 for the entire household). One form per year; the compensation office settles AHV, ALV, UVG and the 5% withholding tax all together. No BVG.

Ordinary procedure

From CHF 22'680 annual wage (or if you choose it). Monthly payroll accounting, ordinary withholding tax according to tariff and a mandatory pension fund (BVG): from 18 for death and disability, from 25 for retirement savings too.

What happens if you don't insure?

Symbolic image: mop and bucket in shadow beside a stack of unpaid medical bills

Without registration you save the ~8% in the short term - but you risk a multiple of that. In the event of an audit, you face AHV back-payments, as a rule up to 5 years back, 5% default interest and a monetary penalty of up to 180 daily units (AHVG Art. 87).

What happens if you don't insure?

The most expensive scenario is an accident: if the cleaner is not UVG-insured, the Ersatzkasse UVG pays medical costs, daily allowances and any pensions - and charges you substitute premiums up to 5 years back, doubled at most (Art. 95 UVG). An accident cannot be insured retroactively.

→ What you risk if your cleaner is not registered

Sources & official information

1AHV/IV - contributions and information sheets for employers - ahv-iv.ch
2BSV - AHV contribution rates - bsv.admin.ch
3UVG - Accident Insurance Act (SR 832.20) - fedlex.admin.ch
4Simplified accounting procedure (BGSA) - information sheet - ahv-iv.ch

All insurances from a single source

Clino prepares your cleaner's AHV registration as well as the UVG and FAK sign-up, creates the payslips and the annual statement - for CHF 19.90 a month. You don't have to calculate anything yourself.

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Frequently asked questions

Do I have to insure my cleaner if she only comes 2 hours a week?

Yes. AHV/IV/EO, ALV (unemployment insurance), UVG occupational accident and FAK (family allowances) are mandatory from the first franc - regardless of the workload. Only UVG non-occupational accident and BVG depend on hours or wage level.

Roughly how much does the insurance cost me?

Around 8% on top of the gross wage for the mandatory employer contributions (AHV, ALV, UVG-BU, FAK). At CHF 500 wage per month that is about CHF 40 extra. The calculator above shows your exact amount.

Who pays the accident insurance?

The occupational accident (UVG-BU, 0.505%) is paid solely by the employer. The non-occupational accident (UVG-NBU, 1.432%) is paid by the employee via a wage deduction - but only if she works at least 8 hours a week for you. In both cases the employer must take out the insurance.

From when do I have to pay a pension fund (BVG)?

Only above an annual wage of CHF 22'680 per employer: from 1 January after the 17th birthday for death and disability, and from 1 January after the 24th birthday for retirement savings too. Most hourly cleaning jobs are below this - in which case no pension fund is required and the simplified procedure is possible.

What is the simplified procedure?

A simplified statement for small household wages up to CHF 22'680 per person and year. You report the wage to the compensation office once a year, which settles AHV, ALV, UVG and 5% withholding tax at a flat rate. No monthly effort, no BVG.

Can I treat my cleaner as self-employed to save on the contributions?

No. Cleaning in private households almost always counts as an employment relationship, not as self-employed work - an invoice or a business licence does not change that. Anyone who still doesn't register bears the full risk: AHV back-payments and substitute premiums from the Ersatzkasse UVG up to 5 years back.

Does the platform take out the accident insurance for me?

Not with Clino: the signature is yours. Clino compares the offers, fills in the application and hands it to you ready to sign. In the simplified procedure you instead choose VAVplus right on the registration form - you tick the box.