Assurance D&O en Suisse

Running a business involves difficult decisions and personal responsibility. Finwise helps you protect directors, managers, executives and supervisory bodies against the financial consequences of a claim.

What is it?

Insurance for directors' private assets

It protects board members, managers, executives and corporate bodies against claims linked to their management or supervision decisions.

Mandatory?

No, but often essential before accepting a mandate

It is not imposed on all companies, but it reassures external directors, investors, foundations, associations and growing SMEs.

Key point

La D&O ne couvre pas l’activité, elle couvre la fonction

It applies when a person is challenged as a corporate body, not for product damage, a service error or an operational accident.

D&O insurance diagram

Protect directors and officers against claims linked to their decisions.

  1. Check Scope and exclusions Wilful misconduct, fines, subsidiaries
  2. Core Defence of officers Costs and possible damages
  3. Base Directors’ liability Contested management decisions

The company and officeholders are not covered the same way.

Pourquoi une D&O est importante ?

In Switzerland, board members, LLC managers, directors, liquidators and people who effectively act as corporate bodies can be personally liable if they breach their duties of diligence, loyalty or supervision. A claim may come from the company, shareholders, partners, creditors, investors or other injured parties.

La D&O protège le patrimoine privé des dirigeants. Elle prend en charge la défense contre des prétentions injustifiées et, lorsque la responsabilité civile est établie, les indemnités dues dans les limites du contrat.

Situation
Example of claim
Point to watch
Management and strategyDisputed decisions
Poorly documented investment, risky acquisition, disputed strategic contract, lack of supervision over delegated management.
Minutes, decision documentation and information provided to corporate bodies.
InsolvencyCreditors and bankruptcy
Late reaction to capital loss, threat of insolvency, over-indebtedness or abusive continuation of operations.
Run-off, defence costs, exclusions and cover in bankruptcy proceedings.
ComplianceControl and reporting
Inaccurate information to investors, failure to comply with legal obligations, lack of control over a cyber or financial risk.
Administrative investigations, reputation costs, territories and international exposure.

Le rôle d’une D&O

Management decision + Personal claim + Defence + Possible indemnification

Une D&O utile doit financer rapidement la défense. Même lorsqu’une accusation est infondée, les frais d’avocat, d’expertise et de procédure peuvent devenir lourds pour un dirigeant.

Who is generally insured?

The policy can cover directors of a corporation, LLC managers, executives, senior managers, liquidators, founders, de facto bodies, foundation boards, association committees or external mandates carried out on behalf of the company. Well-structured policies also include former, current and future directors.

The discovery period, sometimes called run-off, is important: a claim may arrive after the end of a mandate even though the facts occurred during it.

Common pitfalls

La D&O est très contractuelle : les exclusions, dates et sous-limites font toute la différence.

Known factsAn event already identified before taking out the policy may be excluded.
Intentional faultFraud, deliberate breach of the law or personal enrichment are generally excluded.
Sensitive territoriesThe United States, Canada or foreign subsidiaries require particular attention.
D&O confondue avec RC proUne erreur de prestation relève plutôt de la Professional liability.

I already have this policy. How can I cancel or change insurer?

Before switching, check the retroactive date, discovery period, already known claims or circumstances, subsidiaries, external mandates and former directors. A gap or poor carry-over of dates can leave a director without protection for a late claim.

D&O, Professional liability et protection juridique : ne pas confondre

La Professional liability couvre les erreurs de prestation, conseil ou mandat selon le métier. La protection juridique entreprise finance certains litiges de l’entreprise. La D&O vise la responsabilité personnelle des organes pour leurs décisions de gestion, de surveillance et de gouvernance.

Ces couvertures doivent être coordonnées avec la cyberassurance, notamment lorsque la mise en cause concerne la gouvernance IT, une fuite de données ou un défaut de contrôle interne.

With Finwise

We protect the people who make the decisions

Nous analysons votre forme juridique, votre gouvernance, vos investisseurs, vos filiales, vos mandats externes et vos contrats existants. Ensuite, nous comparons les conditions D&O pour obtenir une couverture lisible, cohérente et adaptée au risque réel des dirigeants.

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Coordinate directors' protection

Une D&O est plus solide lorsqu’elle s’intègre avec les contrats qui protègent l’activité, les litiges et les risques numériques.

Professional liability Business legal protection Cyber insurance Analyse my governance

Protect my directors See professional liability

Let’s talk about your needs

Tell us about your situation in a few lines. A Finwise adviser will contact you to clarify your options and compare suitable solutions.