Do I need a vignette to drive in Switzerland?

I am going to be hiring a car in Switzerland in September for a week. I've never driven abroad, I do have 30 years of UK experience. Do I need a driving permit and I read somewhere about a pass for motorways?...

How can I get car hire excess insurance if I don't live in the UK?

I live in Switzerland and travel back to UK regularly, often needing to rent a car. I used to be able to buy excess insurance for car hire on an annual basis, as a Swiss resident, from UK firms. However...