A Basic Guide to Swiss Travel Insurance

Travel insurance can prevent you from losing a lot of money if circumstances force you to cancel a trip or to cut your travels short. This moneyland.ch guide answers the most important questions about travel insurance.

What is travel insurance?

Travel insurance is a blanket term that covers many different insurance coverages related to travel. Which losses are covered depends on the specific coverages that are bundled into your travel insurance policy.

1. The cost of travel bookings

• Trip cancellation insurance

This insurance reimburses all or part of the cost of a trip that you are prevented from taking because of a covered hazard. These hazards vary between insurance offers, but typically include becoming ill or getting injured in an accident, or a person in your family dying.

Trip cancellation insurance does not cover losses resulting from cancellations by the airline, as the airline is required to compensate you in keeping with airline passenger rights. You can learn more in the guide to trip cancellation insurance.

• Trip interruption insurance

This insurance covers losses that occur when you are forced to end a trip early due to a covered hazard. Typically, it covers the cost of returning to Switzerland, and reimburses you for bookings that you have paid for but are not able to use.

Hazards generally include having an accident or becoming ill while you are traveling. Ending your trip early due to other hazards, such as the death of a family member, or a fire or burglary at your home in Switzerland, may also be covered. You can learn more in the guide to trip interruption insurance.

• Missed flight insurance

This insurance reimburses all or part of the cost of airline tickets when a covered hazard results in your missing your flight. Covered hazards may include public transportation failures or car accidents, for example. This insurance does not cover flights that are canceled by the airline, as those losses are compensated by airlines as per your airline passenger rights. Missed flight insurance is sometimes bundled with trip cancellation and trip interruption insurance.

2. Flight delays and cancellations

• Trip delay insurance

This insurance covers unexpected costs for meals, refreshments, and accommodations when your trip is delayed by the airline or other common carrier. For example, if you have to spend a long time waiting for a replacement flight after an airline cancels your flight, you can claim reimbursement for the money you had to spend on food and accommodations during the wait.

3. Luggage

• Luggage damage and loss insurance

This insurance reimburses you if your luggage is damaged, lost, or stolen while it is being handled by airlines or other common carriers.

• Luggage delay insurance

This insurance reimburses money that you have to spend on essential items like clothing and toiletries if your luggage is delayed and does not arrive for a longer period of time.

4. Sickness and accidents

• Medical emergency insurance

This insurance covers medical costs when you have an accident or an unexpected illness while traveling.

• Travel accident insurance

This combines life insurance with disability insurance. It compensates you for disabilities incurred in an accident on a common carrier (and airline, for example). It also pays out a death benefit to your dependents if you are killed in the accident.

• Search and rescue insurance

​​​​​​​This insurance covers the cost of search and rescue operations.

5. Cars

• Rental car insurance

​​​​​​​Some travel insurance offers include a collision damage waiver and loss damage waiver that cover your share of the costs when a car you rent is damaged or stolen. If you have this insurance, you do not need to buy the insurance offered by rental car companies.

• Roadside assistance insurance

​​​​​​​This covers the cost of roadside assistance when you travel by road.

6. Legal protection

• Travel legal insurance

​​​​​​​This insurance covers legal costs incurred while traveling abroad.

• Travel liability insurance

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​This insurance covers legal liabilities that result from accidental injuries or damage to third parties or their property while traveling.

More on this topic:
Compare Swiss annual travel insurance offers now
Travel insurance tips
Swiss airline passenger rights explained
Easy ways to save money at the airport