Poor payment reliability
The share of CRIF defaulting debtors is 5.3% of the entire population of natural persons in the Swiss Confederation. This figure is slightly lower than the 5.5% seen in 2015, and can be attributed to a growth in population. The absolute number of debtors in Switzerland has in fact increased from 438,233 in 2015 to 441,706 in 2016.
Looking at the individual cantons, there are significant differences. The worst payers live in the cantons of Neuchâtel and Geneva, where the rate rises to 8.7%. These are followed in turn by Basel (7.3%) and Vaud (6.9%). There was a positive development for Ticino, where the share of debtors has improved compared to the previous year, with a value of 6.4%. This can in part be attributed to the low rate of unemployment (source: Seco). In general, the figures show that a high rate of unemployment can lead to an increase in the share of debtors.
The Canton of Appenzell Innerrhoden, on the other hand, is home to the best payers in Switzerland, with an incidence of delinquency that fell to 1.3%, the best result in the whole of the country. In central Switzerland, the cantons of Uri, Nidwalden, Obwalden and Zug have the lowest rates.
Cities give a bad example
In general, the rate of defaulting debtors is higher in cities compared to rural areas. The worst percentage is seen in Chaux-de-Fonds with 11.3%, followed by Biel (10.1%) and Neuchâtel (9.6%). In the German-speaking part of Switzerland, the city of Basel is at the top of the list with a percentage of 7.5%, followed by St. Gallen (6.7%) and Lucerne (5.4%). Zürich, the largest city in Switzerland, is positioned slightly below the Swiss average with 5.2%. At the opposite end of the scale is Uster. The city of Zürcher Oberland, with a percentage of 3.5%, is the best of all the cities analyzed.
City and countryside: big differences
By comparing the rate of defaulting debtors for the largest cities with their corresponding canton, the values for urban centers are clearly higher: 10.1% for Biel compared to 4.7% for the canton of Berne, or similarly, 6.7% for the city of St. Gallen compared to 4.7% for the corresponding canton. One exception is the city of Lugano, with a share of 4.6% compared to 6.4% in the canton of Ticino.
The share of CRIF defaulting debtors
To calculate the share of CRIF defaulting debtors, all natural persons with ongoing enforcement proceedings (following dismissal of opposition) or loss certificate or undergoing bankruptcy were considered. CRIF receives this information from 500 companies across Switzerland. The survey was performed on January 31, 2016.
