An insurance policy has to fit the family’s inheritance arrangements, ownership structures and plans for future residence. Natalie Peter noted that the assessment should also identify whose needs are being addressed: the person transferring the wealth, the beneficiaries or the wider family. Those distinctions influence both the initial design and the questions that need to be revisited as circumstances change.
At the third panel of the Hubbis HNW Insurance Summit – Zurich 2026, Natalie Peter, Partner at Blum&Grob Attorneys at Law, discussed the legal and practical considerations around insurance in family wealth planning. Her contribution covered succession agreements, private equity commitments, the difficulties of real estate transfers and the need to keep track of the people and structures involved.
Key Takeaways
Who Is the Client
Natalieacknowledged tax as a driver of insurance planning. She noted that for tax purposes it is always important to who would benefit and when. The policyholder’s position during the life of the contract may differ from the beneficiary’s position when proceeds are paid, and the relevant jurisdictions also matter.
She placed those questions alongside the family’s substantive need. “Does the family need liquidity? Is that the reason you set up the life insurance, or is it succession planning?”
Natalie later returned to the identity of the client. The father arranging a transfer and the beneficiary who will receive the funds may have different concerns. A structure designed around the person currently managing the assets can overlook where children or grandchildren intend to live.
“It is really important to understand the entire family,” she said. “You need to know who your client is in the end.”
Fitting the Swiss Succession Framework
Natalie described more clients engaging with estate planning, while observing that life insurance is less commonly used in Switzerland. Tax considerations are one reason, but inheritance law also has to be factored into the assessment.
The policy therefore needs to be considered with the family’s other legal arrangements. Natalie highlighted inheritance agreements and related agreements as part of making the overall plan work.
“It is not only a life insurance policy; you have to go into inheritance agreements and other agreements to make it fit,” she explained.
Her argument was that insurance can have a role, but the contract cannot be treated as a standalone answer to every aspect of Swiss succession planning.
Private Equity and Real Estate Require Care
When considering private equity, Natalie highlighted outstanding commitments as well as valuation. Advisers need to understand whether the investment can be valued properly and, where required, on an annual basis, particularly in the context of wealth tax.
“Are there still open commitments? Can the assets be valued properly and annually?”
She also described cases in which clients arrive from abroad with an existing policy and the tax authorities take the view that it should be treated as transparent. The policy’s treatment therefore needs to be understood in the client’s Swiss circumstances rather than assumed from its original design.
Real estate presents further difficulties. Natalie said it may not be possible to transfer real estate into life insurance as envisaged, and transferring it out again can raise capital gains or transfer tax questions.
“We are not big fans of transferring real estate into life insurance,” she said.
Her caution reflected the need to examine the consequences of the transfer itself. The proposed insurance arrangement has to make sense alongside the legal and tax treatment of moving the underlying asset.
Review the People as Well as the Policy
Natalie said the review should explore the family’s plans, including whether parents or children expect to move and whether children will study abroad. The identity of the policyholder is another relevant question: an individual, a foundation and a trust introduce different considerations.
A structure that works in one jurisdiction may not receive the same recognition in another. Where a trust holds the policy, its treatment is part of the cross-border assessment. Natalietherefore urged advisers to understand from the beginning how much movement is likely within the family.
“It is important to have a constant review of all the players,” she said. She also highlighted the relationships between the different parties.
A Broader Awareness of Insurance Options
Natalie’s closing remarks called for greater awareness of insurance among advisers in Switzerland. She saw valid uses for it within a wider plan, including consideration for families with substantial US share portfolios, while maintaining that a single policy would not solve every problem.
Her point was to ensure advisers know which options are available before choosing a structure. Familiarity with trusts or foundations should be accompanied by an understanding of where insurance may also fit, assessed against the family’s assets, legal arrangements and future plans.