Thank you for the quick feedback, I was sure there was some hidden catches with the offer from insurance. In our case one of the the pillar 3A is with swiss life (BVG mix 45 fund) and hence they offered a lower rate. Clearly banks are better considering the long term impacts.
Blockquote Btw, just take the insurance offer to the bank and ask: I really want to do it with you, but what can you offer me? It’s possible to get 10 years 0.75% with UBS.
We are in the process of negotiating with the banks and trying them to match insurance rates. Is the UBS 10 year offer of .75% only available for employees? So far the lowest I have offered is 1% with Raiffeisen.
They ALL want to give you the mortgage. 0.75% is better than nothing. The rates are -0.75% anyway. Just take your time and negotiate. My (big bank) client advisor called me several times in a 3 month timespan before he eventally went down to the level I wanted and expected to get.
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You could also go to MoneyPark.
You can get better offers than their employees would get.
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Do you speak about 0.45% fixed for 10 years or variable rate one?
Internal refinance rate + margin = your interest rate.
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Is it possible to check daily refinancing rate from the investment bank of UBS or it is internal information?
It’s internal information, so no chance knowing it.
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Hope you don’t get in trouble for posting this stuff!
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No harm done 
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Another difference is that several (most?) insurances will not let you use your pension money in the 20% downpayment, so you need 20% in cash.
I had a positive experience with Migrosbank, the only bank that could finance also renovation costs at 80%
I do not think insurance can do that
Try at your local Kantonalbank aswell.
I’ve recently taken a 10y mortgage at 0.95%.
I can confirm that Migros Bank offer better conditions than competing banks.
In addition if you are willing to give more equity, the offer could be nearly at the same level as insurances.
Isn’t that the same thing ?
3a is always deductible, wheter it is an insurance or not. Are you talking about 3b, because yes, Geneva is one of the few cantons that allows 3b deductions ?
I switched mortgages 2 months ago and used a broker for the first time. I spoke with Olivier Droz at MoneyPark.
He was very helpful and found me a great deal with SwissCanto.
This is not an advert 
my genuine response. The guy worked very well and I always feel like giving good feedback when it deserves it.
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Why is the amortization in the 3a a money trap?
Look here:
or here:
Ok, Now I understand the surrender value and so on…
I thought that it is related to pledge or not your pillar 3 for the mortgage.
any comments on it? I thought that it was good until I discovered VIAC.
SwissCanto = Zurcher Bank ?
I view all these entities behind SwissCanto but not any mortage
Zürcher Kantonalbank
Swisscanto Holding SA
Swisscanto Direction de Fonds SA
Swisscanto Fondations de placement
Swisscanto Asset Management International S.A.