Industry, trading and service
In 2013, some 563,000 private enterprises were counted in Switzerland. Over 430,000 of them are in the services (tertiary) sector, while the industrial (secondary) sector has over 90,000 companies and the primary sector around 56,000. More than 99% of enterprises in Switzerland are SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises), i.e. enterprises with fewer than 250 employees (calculated as full-time equivalents); about 87% are micro-enterprises, i.e. with fewer than 10 employees. The average size of enterprises is around 8 employees.

Banks
Switzerland is home to a competitive and varied financial industry that is a world leader. Banks make up the largest part of this highly diverse industry that includes many mostly small or medium-sized institutions focused on the domestic market – such as the regional and cantonal banks – as well the Raiffeisen banks, a host of establishments with a strong international focus – such as the wealth management, private and foreign banks – and the two major global banks UBS and Credit Suisse.

• One of Switzerland’s most important industries, the banks account for 6% of value added (2015: CHF 35 billion). This is in addition to the major indirect contribution that they make to general economic growth and value creation through their basic banking services such as loan finance.
• The total assets of all banks in Switzerland amount to some CHF 3,000 billion every year.
• The banking sector provides secure jobs to 165,000 people in Switzerland.
• Banks finance local services, with more than 8% of all tax receipts in Switzerland coming from the banking sector. This equates to around CHF 11 billion, or half the amount the cantons spend on education.

Insurances
In 2015 the Swiss insurers accounts for over 43% of Switzerland's financial industry. It ranks among the top ten Swiss industries and creates value of some 26.1 billion of Swiss francs. This translates into a 4.2% share in the overall economy. Insurances can be classified into three categories : lief, indemnity and reinsurance.

• Life insurance : Life insurance encompasses an insurance that protects against financial consequences of life-related risks such as old age, death and disability/incapacity to work. The offering includes individual life insurance and group life insurance and is used especially within the framework of the third pillar of the retirement provision.
• Indemnity insurance : Indemnity insurance cover is provided if a financial loss is the prerequisite and criterion upon which the insurer's obligation to indemnify is evaluated. The Swiss Insurance Policies Act classes both non-life and health insurers as indemnity insurance companies. Many types of insurance thus fall under this umbrella, including sickness, fire and property damage, accident, liability and legal expenses.
• Reinsurance : Reinsurers are companies which insure insurers. The aim of reinsurance is to spread a risk between a direct insurer and a reinsurer based on a certain percentage.

Comment
The industry indicated is that to which the company’s main activities relate. In some cases, however, industries cannot be assigned uniquely.