Swiss Reinsurance Company SWIFT/BIC code

What SWRECHZH means for a payment to Swiss Reinsurance Company

Whether you are given SWRECHZH or SWRECHZHXXX, it is the same address for Swiss Reinsurance Company in Switzerland. Banks worldwide use these codes to route international transfers to the right institution. It comes up mostly when dealing with payments that cross a border.

This page is meant to help anyone who sends money to an account at Swiss Reinsurance Company and wants to get the details right. A SWIFT code names an institution, not a single account, which is why you always need the account number too.

How to check SWRECHZH before you pay

The most reliable place for the correct BIC is paperwork issued by the bank, such as a statement or the account details in online banking. If the code you have differs from SWRECHZH or SWRECHZHXXX, do not guess.

If the code is wrong, the transfer might be delayed, bounce back or end up costing more – sometimes after weeks of searching. An error in the IBAN or account number is a bigger problem.

Many banking apps validate the structure of an IBAN and some suggest the matching BIC – that confirms the format, not the owner. Where available, a name check on the recipient gives an extra layer of safety. For a first payment, many people start with a small test amount and wait for confirmation.

SEPA payments and the Swiss Reinsurance Company BIC

Within the SEPA zone, euro transfers to an account in Switzerland use common rules. The BIC field is usually optional or missing in that case.

You still need SWRECHZHXXX when sending payments in other currencies or transfers from countries outside SEPA. A few forms also show a field for the BIC; if so, fill in SWRECHZH or SWRECHZHXXX.

Instant payments in euros are widely supported across SEPA. Fees for SEPA transfers tend to be low as long as everything stays in euros.

Getting paid from abroad into a Swiss Reinsurance Company account

To receive an international payment at Swiss Reinsurance Company, the person paying you has to have not just the BIC. In practice that means: your name as registered with Swiss Reinsurance Company, your account number or IBAN, the BIC SWRECHZHXXX (or SWRECHZH) and, often, your address.

It helps to include the bank name and Zurich as well. Double-check each detail before you send them – a sender rarely spots a mistake in someone else’s details.

Expect that the amount credited is smaller than the amount on the sender’s receipt. Charges on incoming payments vary per bank; check the price list of Swiss Reinsurance Company. On invoices, it is common to state how the fees are split.

How up to date is this code?

The details here are taken from public sources which we refresh regularly. It is possible that information here is no longer current. Figures such as the number of codes are from our directory.

Treat the information on this page as a handy check, and let the details from the recipient or Swiss Reinsurance Company have the final say. GoldexPay has no connection to Swiss Reinsurance Company; we are a comparison site for money transfers. Found an error? Tell us through the contact page and we will look into it.

What a transfer from Swiss Reinsurance Company abroad really costs

When you transfer money abroad from Swiss Reinsurance Company, the visible fee is only part of what you pay. There is the fee for the transfer itself, sometimes charges from correspondent banks along the way and, above all, the exchange rate markup.

The markup on the rate is often the largest cost. Compare their rate with the mid-market rate – the rate you find on financial news sites.

Money transfer services frequently use a rate near the mid-market rate and lower fees. GoldexPay lists these services side by side, showing what actually arrives. You can still keep your account at Swiss Reinsurance Company; only the conversion and sending happen elsewhere.

Scams that use SWIFT codes

Fraudsters regularly use payment requests containing changed bank details. A real SWIFT code tells you nothing about who owns the account.

Do not rely on contact details from the same email that contains the new account. Urgency or secrecy are red flags; a genuine business can wait for you to check. When money has already gone to the wrong account, call your bank right away.

Recipients are targeted too: a classic trick is a buyer who pays too much and then sends a request to refund the difference abroad. Wait until the money is actually in your account.

Why Swiss Reinsurance Company has an 8- and an 11-character code

A SWIFT code is made up of a few fixed parts: characters one to four identify the bank, characters five and six show the country and characters seven and eight indicate the location. Together, these eight characters form SWRECHZH, the code most people search for.

The 11-character version has a three-character extension that identify a branch or department. When those three characters are XXX, they simply mean the head office, which is why SWRECHZHXXX and SWRECHZH lead to the same place.

In practice the code is written in capitals. Copying the code beats retyping it.

Swiss Franc (CHF) and conversion costs

Accounts at Swiss Reinsurance Company are usually held in CHF, the national currency. If you send money in a different currency, the amount gets converted somewhere along the way. You rarely see a separate charge for the conversion.

Who converts the payment matters, because each party uses its own rate. Transferring the money already in CHF often avoids an extra conversion at the receiving end – as long as your own rate is good.

The CHF rate fluctuates constantly. For recurring payments, small differences in the rate add up over time.

Tracking a transfer to or from Swiss Reinsurance Company

An international transfer usually needs one to a few business days, depending on the currency, the route and the banks involved. Weekends and public holidays in the sending or receiving country can add extra days, since banks do not process on those days. Extra checks on larger or unusual payments can also cause a delay.

When a payment takes longer than expected, contact the sending bank about the tracking status so they can trace it along the chain. Keep the payment confirmation.

The bank that sent the money is able to request a trace or a recall – the recipient’s bank often cannot see a payment that has not arrived. Ask the sender for a copy of the payment confirmation including the reference – it helps your own bank look for the money.

Which of the 5 codes of Swiss Reinsurance Company do you need?

Having 5 codes, Swiss Reinsurance Company is one of the banks that register separate codes for parts of the organisation and departments. The main code is SWRECHZHXXX.

Unless the recipient tells you otherwise, use SWRECHZHXXX or its short form SWRECHZH. Branch codes are only needed when the account holder explicitly mentions it, which is more common for corporate accounts and trade services.

Not sure which code to use? Check with the recipient or the bank itself. Branch codes are more likely to be retired than the head office code.