Expat Services Switzerland

What Expat Services does

Expat Services Switzerland is a Zurich-based insurance, tax and accounting consultancy serving expatriates settling in Switzerland. The firm describes itself as "the leading insurance, tax and accounting consultant for expats in Switzerland". It handles four distinct areas: personal insurance (health, liability, household, vehicle), tax matters including annual returns, private pension arrangements, and practical relocation support including car import and business setup for corporate clients.

The firm operates in English and German, serving two of Switzerland's primary working languages, which covers the primary needs of English-speaking arrivals and those from German-speaking regions. Contact details are published openly: welcome@expatservices.ch and +41 44 552 72 31.

Insurance and tax for someone arriving

For an arriving expat, Expat Services addresses the two bureaucratic hurdles every new resident faces: proof of health insurance (required within three months) and that year's tax situation. Health insurance comes first, because residency begins the moment your relocation company delivers you. The firm offers international health insurance policies that bridge the gap between arrival and enrollment in Switzerland's mandatory basic insurance system (LAMal). Tax returns follow once you settle, because Switzerland taxes residents on worldwide income, and every arrival must file. The firm can walk you through both processes in English.

For those importing a vehicle, the firm provides structured guidance through the customs documentation, vehicle inspection, and registration requirements. The site publishes a detailed walkthrough of the import process: vehicles imported within six months of ownership incur VAT (stated as 8.1% in 2024) plus a consumption automobile tax (stated as 4% of the vehicle's value), plus one-time customs fees and registration costs. Owners who have held a vehicle for more than six months pay only the customs duties and registration, avoiding the VAT and consumption tax. Yearly costs include Swiss road tax (varies by canton and engine capacity), the annual Autobahn vignette (CHF 40), and mandatory third-party car insurance. The firm notes that Swiss driver's licenses must be acquired within 365 days of registration, with additional testing required for non-EU/EFTA citizens.

Private pensions are another arrival touchpoint. Many expats have retirement accounts in their home countries and need advice on whether to keep contributing, consolidate, or adjust their strategy once settled in Switzerland. Expat Services offers private pension planning to bridge this gap.

What the site publishes

The firm lists its major service lines across the site: health insurance, international health insurance, personal liability, household insurance, vehicle insurance, legal insurance, building insurance, life insurance, disability insurance, travel insurance, rental deposit insurance, and pet insurance. Each falls under the umbrella of independent, personal consultation.

For tax returns, the firm handles the annual filing, including compliance with Swiss cantonal requirements. For company setup, corporate clients can engage the firm to handle the legal and administrative groundwork.

The site makes it clear that consultations are personalised. The phrasing "we provide individual support and find the right solutions for your specific needs" appears alongside an invitation to contact the firm for a personal conversation. A named consultant (Evgeniy Timoshenko) appears on the site with contact options: WhatsApp, email, and phone.

Specifics on pricing are not published. The site publishes no insurance premiums, consulting fees, or scale of charges. This is common for advisory firms that price based on individual circumstances and complex personal tax situations, but it means a prospect cannot anticipate costs before reaching out or build an arrival budget around professional advice.

What the site does not settle

The site is intentionally vague on a few arrival-critical points. It does not state whether health insurance can begin before a residence permit is issued, which matters for the first weeks when documentation is still in transit. It does not say whether the firm can help with the permit application process itself or only with the insurance and tax side of arrival. The distinction matters, because permit applications often benefit from early advice.

For car imports, the guide walks through the process but does not specify the actual fees charged by Swiss customs or the typical total cost. Costs vary sharply by canton (road tax) and by vehicle weight (customs duties), so a precise figure is impossible without the specific car, but a worked example or a range would help a prospect estimate.

The firm does not explain how it charges for its services: hourly rate, flat fee, commission on insurance premiums, or a combination. This is crucial for someone weighing whether to work with an advisor versus handling paperwork alone.

Pet insurance is listed but not explained. The site does not say what it covers, what it costs, or whether it is available to recent arrivals without a Swiss address yet.

Who it suits

Expat Services suits arriving professionals who have taxable assets, overseas pensions, or vehicles they want to bring with them. The personalised consultation model works well for complex situations: mixed-nationality couples, high-income arrivals, or anyone with cross-border financial obligations. The English-language service is a clear fit for Anglophone arrivals without strong German or French yet.

The firm is less of a fit for simple arrivals: a young professional with no assets, no car, and a salary taxed entirely in Switzerland can handle health insurance enrollment and tax filing alone (or through free cantonal resources) more cheaply than a consultancy. Arrivals who speak German or French fluently may find direct contact with Swiss insurance providers and tax authorities more efficient. The firm does not appear to serve families seeking school placement, housing negotiation, or the full spectrum of relocation logistics (removals, permits, healthcare registration), it is focused on insurance, tax, and car import rather than the whole first-month journey.

The site indicates it also serves existing residents making changes (adjusting pension contributions, switching insurance) and businesses setting up in Switzerland, but the copy is oriented toward arrivals.

The verdict

Expat Services is worth contacting if you have a complex arrival situation that spans insurance, taxes, and logistics. The firm is established, publishes direct contact details, and operates in English. The car import guide is genuine and specific enough to be useful as you plan. The downside is that pricing and scope are entirely opaque until you call, and the firm's strength in structured advice and personal consultation means it is probably not the right fit for a straightforward, undocumented arrival seeking to complete mandatory insurance quickly. For that case, Switzerland's cantonal health insurance websites and the free community guides published by the State Secretariat for Migration are the faster path. Expat Services shines if you need integrated advice across insurance, taxes, and relocation logistics all at once.