Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Why compare offers in Luxembourg?

Whether it's internet, mobile phone, energy contracts, banking or insurance: everything has to be compared! Even though there are only a few providers in Luxembourg, there can be big differences between their offers. So comparing offers allows you to find the best service, the cheapest service, or the best value for money.

Also, most Luxembourg contracts have a 12 to 24 month commitment. It is therefore wise to compare them carefully before signing.

Who is Switchr.lu?

Switchr.lu is a blog run by individuals who are passionate about Luxembourg. We moved here a few years ago and had a hard time finding the right service providers. We have since developed an objective analysis method for each service. Today, we would like to share our selections on this blog, in order to help those who are moving to Luxembourg to do so in the best possible conditions.

What criteria do you use to make your comparisons?

Our general philosophy: independence and neutrality

We evaluate tenders on the same basis, in an impartial manner. We are not paid and have no financial ties with the selected companies: this guarantees neutrality and independence in our selections.

Methodology of the selections

For each selection, our evaluation is based on objective criteria, of which price is one. Our analysis method takes into account two main criteria:

1. The quantity or level of features/services offered in the offer, for the same range of offers (e.g. download speed offered, mobile data volume, credit rate offered, number of guarantees offered, etc). These criteria are factual and objective.
2. The price of the offer for the same range of offers. By "ranges of offers" we mean offers of a similar price and service level (e.g. an expensive home insurance policy with many guarantees will be compared with equivalent offers in price and number of guarantees). These criteria are also factual and objective.

The calculation method is defined in advance and has been subject to numerous tests and adjustments for each service. It is the same for all offers of the same service (bank account, mobile phone package, electricity contract, internet subscription, car insurance, etc).

In our selections, we only take into account objective elements publicly presented by the suppliers' commercial offersThis is not subjective information, such as opinions, comments or feedback from customers.

This ensures an objective comparison of the value for money of each offer, in accordance with the regulatory requirements in force.

Offer selections

Our analysis establishes a selection of three offers per heading.

In the interests of fairness, we offer several thematic selections. Thus, for most services, you will find for example the following selections of offers:

1. "Top': A selection of offers with the best value for money between the features/services offered and the price of the offer.
2. "Eco': A selection of the cheapest offers for a basic service.
3. "Premium : A selection of offers presenting a complete range of services at the best price.

Other types of thematic selections may exist depending on the particularities of each service.

These thematic selections have two virtues:

1. They allow to meet the different needs of users (some are looking for savings, others are looking for the most complete offer, or the best value for money)
2. They make it possible to represent a maximum number of service providers in Luxembourg, as some providers are specialised in certain market segments (Premium, cheap offers, etc).

Special features: car and home insurance

To determine the selection of car and home insurance offers, we take into account :

1. The number of essential or basic guarantees proposed for each contract (these guarantees are present in the majority of insurance contracts in Luxembourg)
2. The number of additional and differentiating guarantees offered in each contract (these are the communicated guarantees that stand out from the majority of offers on the market)
3. The price of the contract for the same property and the same policyholder profile, which makes it possible to identify the insurance company's pricing position for a type of contract.

This calculation method is unique for each type of contract (car, home).

Also, to help the user to better understand and compare insurance in the face of the large number of coverages offered, we add the following mentions to the offer selections:

• For car insurance, the "Essential Cover". Guarantees: this is a set of guarantees that we, as Luxembourg consumers, consider essential for car insurance in Luxembourg. The details of these guarantees are specified at the bottom of each section. This set of guarantees is included in the majority of insurance contracts in Luxembourg, which allows us to define it as "essential".
• For all insurances, the "Advantages", also indicated by the mention "Super Extras". Some insurances include a significant number of specific additional coverages that differentiate them from the competition. We indicate the presence of this difference by the mention "Super Extras" on the offers concerned. The coverages in question can be found in the "Benefits" section of each offer.

However, as the price of insurance depends strongly on the nature of the property to be insured, it is important to note that the price of insurance is not the same as that of the property itself, we do not give any price indication. We only display a non-exhaustive list of the coverages publicly presented by insurance companies on their website or in their commercial brochures. On each page, we recommend that the user makes several quotes from insurance companies in order to make the best choice according to his/her situation and priorities (coverage, budget).

Note that the selection of insurance contracts may change in response to commercial changes in insurance offers. It may also change in case of adjustments in the analysis method.

Finally, we invite insurance companies to notify us of any updates to their commercial offers at switchr.lu@gmail.comThis will allow us to quickly update our selection of offers.

What are the selection criteria for bids?

We select offers according to a calculation method based on objective criteria, including price. The selected offers are different according to the selections and the headings (best value for money, cheapest offer, most complete offer at a reasonable price, etc).

For each offer, we take into account the following elements

• For Internet offers : download speed, upload speed, subscription price, additional costs (modem, installation) and a possible price promotion.
• For Internet and TV offers : download speed, upload speed, number of channels offered, number of hours of recording time, subscription price, additional costs (modem, installation) and a possible price promotion.
• For mobile package offers : the volume of calls in Luxembourg and abroad, the volume of data in Luxembourg and abroad, the price of the subscription and a possible tariff promotion.
• For bank account offers : account maintenance fees, bank card fees, fees for transfers to external accounts, fees for withdrawals from external ATMs, overdraft interest and overdraft commissions.
• For credit offers (car, consumer, works) : the interest rate (APR) offered.
• For electricity contract offers : the price per kWh of electricity
• For gas contract offers : the price per m³ of gas
• For car insurance offers : the presence of "Essential Coverages", any differentiating guarantees included in the contract, the price of the insurance for the same property
• For home insurance offers : the presence of the most common guarantees for a home insurance offer, any additional differentiating guarantees included in the contract, the price of the insurance for the same property

Do you compare all the offers on the market?

For practical reasons, This site is not exhaustive and is not intended to be comprehensive: we only propose a selection of offers available in Luxembourg. This non-exhaustive aspect is indicated at the top of each heading or table by the word "selection". We choose offers provided by companies that have many customers in Luxembourg, which is generally a guarantee of the seriousness and solidity of the company.

However, there are other suppliers than those represented in these selections. It is our ambition to include them in our selections over time - depending on our resources and development.

It is also possible that some offers on the site may be unavailable for a period of several hours to several days for maintenance, updating or modification of the information presented.

Finally, due to the lack of APIs offered by providers in Luxembourg, offers are not updated in real time Update time: There is a time lag for updating information, which varies from offer to offer. However, if companies contact us and ask for an update of their offers, we can update them quickly.

How often are the offer selections updated?

We update the selections at different frequencies, as some offers change little during the year. Thus : 

• Internet, TV and mobile offers are updated every month
• Credit and energy offers are updated every two months
• Bank offers are updated every six months
• Insurance offers are updated once a year

These frequencies are likely to change depending on any exchanges or information partnerships with the companies concerned.

I see a difference between the charges shown and those advertised by the supplier: is this normal?

Yes, this is quite normal. First of all, there may be a delay in updating the information so that the offer presented on this site is not yet up to date.

Also, the items presented in these selections have no contractual value These are simply posted for information purposes based on the publicly available information from the companies concerned. Depending on your situation, you may potentially have to pay more fees. For example:

• For an Internet subscription : if the provider has to carry out complex wiring in your home, they may have to charge you an installation fee in addition to the basic fee.
• For a mobile package : you can pay more if you add a phone to your subscription
• For a bank account : the bank may decide to give you a 'new customer' discount. However, it may also charge you additional fees if you choose to add an option that is not included in the basic package communicated on its website, in its price brochure or on the Luxembourg government's comparators.
• For a car loan, consumer credit or a home improvement loan: the rates announced are the rates communicated by the banks on their Internet site. These are generally the most attractive rates charged by the bank, for very creditworthy profiles. The rate will then be personalised according to your project, your income, your indebtedness, your profile and your financial situation. 
• For an energy contract : Prices may vary according to the type of contract (Single, Peak-Off-peak, etc.) and the power of the subscription, which also depends on your electricity meter and therefore on the composition of your household and your consumption volume.
• For a car or home insurance : The benefits and coverages shown are those publicly displayed by the insurance companies on their websites and in their information leaflets. However, other coverages may be added to your personalised quote, depending on your needs and your discussion with the insurance agent.

Why should I follow your recommendations?

Simply because we like to analyse offers in our spare time, and we want to help. 😊

We are 100% independent. We don't make any money and we have no financial ties with the selected companies. We therefore have no interest in displaying one offer rather than another. We select offers on the basis of objective criteria, including price.