Travel Insurance of the Insurer: What Does It Pay Abroad?
A travel health insurance takes effect in case of accident and illness abroad. Compando shows which cases the travel insurance of the insurer covers and when a supplementary insurance with travel coverage really pays off.
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1. Travel insurance of the insurer: definition and models
A travel health insurance covers medical costs in case of accident or sudden illness abroad. In Switzerland, there are three common models. They differ above all in contract duration and benefits package:
- One-off travel insurance: applies only for a concrete trip and ends with the return.
- Annual travel insurance: runs 12 months and covers any number of trips in this time.
- Travel coverage in supplementary insurance: is part of an outpatient health package of the insurer and applies year-round.
What does travel health insurance pay?
Which benefits the travel health insurance covers in case of emergency depends on the contract. With most providers, the following building blocks form the core:
- Emergency treatment: medical care in case of accident or acute illness.
- Personal search: deployment of search teams in missing person cases.
- Recovery and rescue: helicopter or ground deployment at the accident site.
- Patient transport: transfer to the nearest suitable hospital in the travel country.
- Repatriation: medically accompanied return transport to Switzerland.
Compare benefit and premium
Maximum coverage ranges depending on the insurer from around CHF 1 million to unlimited. Also for search, rescue and transport costs, the upper limits vary strongly. Therefore compare not only the premiums, but the concrete coverage sums per type of benefit.
2. What do basic insurance and accident insurance pay abroad?
Mandatory basic insurance and accident insurance UVG cover treatments abroad only restrictedly. How high the reimbursement is depends on the travel country, on the insurance type and on whether an accident or an illness exists.
Simplified applies:
- For occupational accidents abroad, the UVG of the employer covers rescue, patient transport and treatment. Depending on the country, cost upper limits and requirements for hospital or doctor choice apply.
- For illness or leisure accident, basic insurance only covers part of the emergency treatment. Rescue and repatriation are in principle not covered.
For illness or accident abroad, the actual costs depend strongly on the travel country and your insurance situation.
3. When is a travel insurance sensible?
A travel insurance of the insurer is sensible as soon as you want to keep financial risks abroad within limits. Even a single hospital stay after a traffic accident in the USA or food poisoning in Southeast Asia can cost several tens of thousands of francs. Without supplementary coverage, the insured person bears these amounts themselves.
Trips in the EU, the EFTA zone and in Great Britain: Basic insurance covers emergency treatment at the local tariff. The return transport to Switzerland, however, remains uncovered. A supplementary insurance with travel coverage closes this repatriation gap.
Trips to third countries (USA, Thailand, Australia, Canada): Basic insurance reimburses at most twice the Swiss tariff, and that only if a return is unreasonable. The difference to the actual bill is in the worst case borne by the insured person themselves. A travel health insurance significantly reduces this residual cost risk.
Sabbaticals, world trips and long-term stays: The UVG accident insurance of the employer ends 31 days after the end of the employment relationship and rests during unpaid leave. A long-term travel insurance or an annual supplementary insurance package closes this time gap.
4. Classical travel insurance or supplementary insurance: what are the differences?
Both models cover medical emergencies abroad. They differ, however, in contract duration, scope of benefits and complementary building blocks.
Classical travel insurance | Supplementary insurance with travel coverage |
|---|---|
Is taken out short-term per trip or year-round as a stand-alone product. Additional building blocks: · Cancellation insurance · Travel luggage protection · Vehicle assistance No health questionnaire needed. Flexibly terminable. | Is usually taken out year-round as part of a health package of the insurer. Additional building blocks: · Fitness contributions · Dental supplementary · Complementary medicine · Glasses contributions Health questionnaire mandatory. Long-term commitment. |
Typical for: Occasional travellers who want to be covered for a concrete trip. | Typical for: Persons with year-round health need and regular trips abroad. |
Which model suits you depends on travel behaviour and general health need. Which supplementary insurance is sensible additionally depends on your life situation.
Are you abroad for a longer time?
For multi-month stays abroad, sabbaticals or emigration, special rules apply. Basic insurance can be suspended or fully dissolved. A long-term abroad health insurance covers this travel time.
Unlike the classical travel insurance, admission to a supplementary insurance of the insurer is, however, not guaranteed. The insurer can reject the application or only accept with restrictions, above all with pre-existing conditions.
5. What does a supplementary insurance with travel coverage cost?
A simple supplementary insurance for healing costs abroad as well as search, rescue and transport costs is available from around CHF 15 per month. The abroad coverage for medical emergencies is usually part of a comprehensive package with further health benefits.
Typical premium ranges for adults (monthly premium):
- Basic travel coverage: from CHF 15 (only healing costs abroad, rescue, repatriation).
- Combined outpatient package: CHF 25 to CHF 60 (additionally complementary medicine, glasses, fitness).
- Comprehensive premium package: CHF 60 to CHF 120 (additionally dental supplementary, health prevention, hospital comfort benefits).
The actual premium depends on age, canton of residence, pre-existing conditions and chosen tariff.
Travel coverage is usually part of a package
A stand-alone travel coverage as a solo policy is offered by only a few insurers. In practice, the travel coverage is part of an outpatient package, together with glasses contributions, complementary medicine or fitness bonuses. Anyone who has need for these benefits anyway pays less for the integrated travel coverage than for a stand-alone travel insurance.
6. How do I take out a travel insurance at the insurer?
As with every supplementary insurance, admission takes place via an admission application with health questionnaire. The insurer examines pre-existing conditions, risk factors and entry age. It then decides on admission, policy restrictions or rejection.
In three steps to conclusion:
- Clarify travel profile: Determine frequency, travel destinations and desired contract duration.
- Compare benefits: Contrast coverage sums, repatriation benefits and waiting periods.
- Submit application: Fill out the health questionnaire completely and truthfully. False information can later lead to benefit refusal.
A supplementary insurance with travel coverage is usually taken out year-round. Note waiting periods between one and three months before the travel coverage takes effect.
Choose travel coverage matching the travel profile
Whether weekend trip to Milan, USA tour or sabbatical in Bali: choose a supplementary insurance that suits your travel profile. Additionally check waiting periods and upper limits before the first trip.
7. Tips on insurer and insurance when travelling
Three simple measures protect you from unnecessary costs abroad and accelerate the processing in case of claim.
