Each year, the ZEK releases statistics about consumer loan in Switzerland for the previous year. What are the number for 2015, and what are the trends for 2016? Explanation.
The ZEK
This association records every year in its database every statistic linked to personal loans. Thus, every request made with a bank or credit agency is recorded in the ZEK’s database. This association records “bad history” as well. When someone asks for a loan towards a bank, this last one will check the ZEK for any bad credit history.
The 2015 numbers
In 2015, outstanding loans to private people lightly decreased to 7.171 billion Chf for a total of 387,000 active contracts. This represents an average of more than 18’000 Chf by contract to reimburse! Of this amount, the vast majority (> 90%) is made up of personal loans. The 10% remaining are made up of fixed loans, instalment payments and current account credit facility. In 2014, outstanding loans represented a total of 7.276 billions Chf.
Interestingly enough, nearly one of three loan request was refused in 2015 (30.9% exactly). This number was 35.8% in 2014.
| Type of loan | New contracts | Total number | Total outstanding amount |
| Personal loan | 117’115 | 333’911 | 6’437’853 |
| Instalment payments | 12’432 | 33’394 | 315’212 |
| Fixed credit | 6 | 147 | 1’922 |
| Current account credit facility | 8’329 | 19’981 | 416’974 |
The 2016 numbers
If 2016 numbers are not available yet, it will be interesting to see how the new law of mid-2016 will change things. Indeed from mid-2016, the maximum interest rate for consumer loan decreased from 15% to 10%
