Got what looked like the electricity bill for about the same as what I usually pay.
Without thinking I paid it electronically... and then remembered I had paid it a week or so earlier.
Checking what EBM had sent me it was a bill for an insurance premium of CHF 117.75 for ELVIA Insurance.
I quickly canceled the payment in good time so no loss to me.

Anyone in Baselland should be on the lookout that they don't fall for this blatant form of insurance marketing.

Wow I'm glad I read this as I just got the same bill and presumed it was the usual bill. Nearly paid it today, hurrah for being 100 chf better off!
Thanks so much for the warning.

Also got it, but it looks like publicity so I held off on paying it until I could find someone to translate it. Many thanks -- you've now saved me the effort and straight into the circular-file it goes!

Just to round off.
I sent EBM an email complaining about their unsolicited offer for an insurance policy that looks like a bill.
Yesterday I got a reply from EBL's Complaint Service asking me to speak to one of their people. I telephoned him this this morning and this is his answer in condensed form.

First of all I mention that the person concerned was very friendly and took time to answer me fully.
- He accepted my criticism and thanked me for voicing my concerns...better that than to stay silent.
- He also admitted that EBL has had several complaints from their customers and will be looking into this issue and how they can do this better in future.
- He said EBL did not intend to mislead people to buy insurance they did not want.
- He also said that if anyone mistakenly paid the 'Einzahlungsschein' (pay-in slip) without checking what is was then EBL will refund the money without hassle.

Then why spend money designing it that way? These things don't happen accidentally.

He explained the reason they sent out this letter with insurance cover was that some pinklige Swiss customers in the past had bitterly complained that the electricity had been cut off for a few minutes now and then (maybe once in ten years or so) and a couple had even claimed damages, for instance, that their television worked before the outage but was defective afterward .

We had this the other day too- I thought it was very cheeky that they send out something that looks like a bill. Fortunately I understand German and registered quickly that it was not a regular bill- so it got filed in the waste paper bin. Not surprised if it caught a few exPats out. And I can't quite see what you would be covered for- damage due to electrical powercuts- if you did pay them- The only thing I can think of would be fridge/freezer contents, which is covered by household insurance anyway. Glad a few people have complained.