There’s a beauty and allure that draws tourists to Switzerland, a European country with awe-inspiring alpine views and picture-perfect fairytale villages.
“With placid lakes, alpine peaks and spectacular waterfalls, Switzerland is a place with unparalleled natural landscapes,” says Lisa Cheng, a spokesperson for World Nomads, a travel insurance company. “With four national languages, it’s also at the crossroads of culture.”
A trip to Switzerland is an investment, so it’s a good idea to consider buying travel insurance.
The best travel insurance plans include coverage for:
- Trip cancellation
- Trip delay
- Trip interruption
- Medical expenses
- Emergency medical evacuation
- Baggage loss protection
Consider each type of coverage to ensure you are adequately protected from financial loss should unexpected events derail your vacation to Switzerland.
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Swiss Miss: Trip Cancellation Insurance for Switzerland
Traveling internationally is not cheap, and trip cancellation insurance can protect the cost of flights, deposits and non-refundable fees you pay in advance of your vacation. It’s a good idea to purchase travel insurance as early as possible, so you have financial protection for the maximum amount of time before your trip.
Trip cancellation coverage
If you break your leg three days before your scheduled ski trip to the Swiss Alps, you’ll likely need to cancel your trip. With trip cancellation insurance, you don’t need to worry if you have already rented a chalet in Switzerland and ordered ski lift tickets, private lessons and rental equipment. You can file a claim to recover 100% of your prepaid and non-refundable trip expenses.
“Trip cancellation coverage can be a big asset if you’re pre-paying a good portion of your trip,” says Cheng. “Flights to Europe can be expensive and accommodations can add up. Trip cancellation coverage can protect that sum of money—up to the maximum benefit limit—so your deposits can be returned if you need to cancel for a covered reason.”
Reasons for canceling a trip that are covered by standard travel insurance policies include
- illness or injury to you, a travel companion or close family member
- severe weather
- unexpected job loss
- civil unrest.
It’s important that you read your policy carefully so you understand the scope of covered reasons for cancellation. Not all reasons to cancel will be covered. For example, if your travel companion bails on you, you can’t rely on your trip cancellation insurance to reimburse you for trip expenses because you don’t want to ski solo.
“Cancel for any reason” coverage
If you need the most flexibility to cancel your travel plans, consider upgrading your basic travel insurance plan to include “cancel for any reason” travel insurance.
This add-on will increase the price of your policy by an average of 50%. For that extra money, it will give you the latitude to cancel your trip for whatever reason you wish, as long as you cancel no less than 48 hours before you are scheduled to depart.
If you’re worried about spiking Covid cases in Europe and want the flexibility to cancel, this top-tier coverage generally reimburses 75% of your non-refundable trip expenses. Just make sure you meet the cancellation requirements outlined in your policy.
With this optional travel insurance benefit, you are usually required to insure 100% of your prepaid, non-refundable trip cost within 10 to 20 days of your first trip payment, depending on the policy.
Related: Advantages to buying travel insurance right after you book a trip
Yearning for a Yodel: Travel Delay Insurance for Switzerland Trips
Travel hiccups can be inconvenient and costly, but your travel delay insurance can ease the financial burden. If your flight from New York to Zurich is canceled due to a snowstorm and you need to sleep nearby to catch an early-morning flight, your travel delay benefits can cover the cost of a hotel stay, dinner and some personal care items. Just be sure to keep receipts.
Most travel insurance plans have waiting periods, e.g., six or 12 hours, before your benefits kick in. Be sure to read your policy so you know the time parameters. It’s wise to look for a travel insurance policy with a short waiting period.
Your trip delay coverage can also cover any prepaid trip expenses for activities you miss due to delays listed in your policy, such as severe weather, a transportation strike or emergency safety situations. That means if aircraft maintenance issues cause you to arrive late and miss the country’s annual yodeling festival, you can recoup your non-refundable lodging and ticket expenses.
Trip Interruption Insurance: Ta-ta Land of Toblerone
If you need to end your trip early due to a reason listed in your travel insurance policy, you can file a claim to be reimbursed for any non-refundable, prepaid and unused costs you will lose because of your unplanned departure.
Say you’re learning about Swiss watchmaking at the Patek Philippe Museum when you get a call that your mother has had a stroke. Your policy’s trip interruption coverage can cover the cost of a last-minute flight home. If your early departure causes you to forfeit your hotel stay in Geneva, you can file a claim to recoup that expenditure as well.
Not all reasons to interrupt your trip will be covered by standard travel insurance plans. Should you want to depart early because you miss your loved ones at home, trip interruption coverage won’t be a financial resource you can rely on.
“Interruption for any reason” coverage
A few travel insurance companies now offer “interruption for any reason” travel insurance. It allows you to cut a trip short, regardless of the reason, and be reimbursed up to 75% of your trip cost. “Interruption for any reason” upgrades typically add 3% to 10% to the cost of your travel insurance. You also usually must buy it within 15 to 20 days of making your initial trip payment.
Travel Medical Insurance: “Swiss Army Knife” for Emergencies
Henry Dunant, a Swiss social and peace activist, received the first Nobel Peace Prize in 1901 for co-founding the International Committee of the Red Cross. But you can’t rely on disaster relief for a personal medical emergency while traveling in Switzerland—you have to be prepared.
When traveling abroad, travel medical insurance is vital because your U.S. health insurance likely won’t provide you with coverage when you’re out of the country. Be sure to check with your health insurance company. Senior travelers should also be aware that Medicare isn’t accepted overseas.
Travel medical insurance helps pay for lab work, hospital and doctor bills, X-rays, ambulance service and medicine if you are injured or become ill during your trip.
For example, if you stumble during a walking tour of Basel and break your ankle, your policy can cover the cost of medical treatment as well as any prescribed medication. Without this coverage, you may be responsible for out-of-pocket medical costs.
Generous travel insurance plans provide $500,000 in medical expense coverage per person, but you can find lower amounts if you feel you don’t need that much.
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Emergency Medical Evacuation During a Switzerland Trip
If you plan to spend time summer glacier skiing, a policy with medical evacuation coverage can be a saving grace. Accidents can happen on the slopes or in the mountains, and emergency medical coverage can ensure you’ll have help.
If you break your leg while skiing, for example, your medical evacuation insurance can help pay for the cost to medevac you to the nearest adequate medical facility or home if medically required.
“You may need to return back to the U.S. after a skiing injury and, accordingly, may need accommodations such as a lay-flat seat or a row of seats to stretch out a broken leg,” says Scott Adamski, a spokesperson with AIG Travel Insurance.
Travel insurance companies, with on-staff doctors and medical coordinators, are invaluable in helping to assist with medical needs in foreign countries and coordinating with airlines to get injured travelers back home, he says.
Baggage Insurance for Switzerland Trips
If your luggage is lost, you can file a baggage insurance claim for reimbursement of the depreciated value of your belongings. Be sure to get a report from your airline so you can provide the travel insurance company with this documentation.
Baggage and personal effects coverage also protects your belongings once you’re at your destination. If you are walking the historic streets of Old Town in Lucerne and your leather jacket gets swiped when you make a pit stop for lunch, your travel insurance policy can reimburse the depreciated value. You should file a report with your tour leader or local authorities so you will have the necessary paperwork when filing a claim.
Keep in mind baggage insurance benefits have coverage caps, per item value limits and exclusions. Be sure to read your policy carefully.
Also, most coverage for lost luggage is secondary, which means you will need to first seek compensation from your airline or homeowners insurance, if applicable.
If your luggage arrives late, your baggage delay insurance can help pay for necessary personal items you buy, up to policy limits. Note that baggage delay insurance usually has a waiting period, e.g., six or 12 hours, before benefits kick in.
Adventure and Sports Travel
Since there are many exciting opportunities for sports and adventure travel in Switzerland, make sure your policy offers the protection you need.
“Switzerland is famous for its unparalleled skiing at Matterhorn and Gemsstock in the winter and stunning hikes around the country in the warmer months,” says Sarah McWilliams-Guerra, a spokesperson with Squaremouth, a travel insurance comparison site.
If you’re planning to participate in skiing, hiking or mountain climbing, McWilliams-Guerra recommends a travel insurance policy with adventure and sports travel benefits. These policies can cover medical emergencies and evacuations from sports-related incidents that other policies may exclude, she says.
These policies can also help cover costs associated with the loss or delay of sports equipment. “If your skis or other gear is lost during your travels, adventure and sports benefits can cover the costs of renting equipment during your trip or replacing it when you get home,” McWilliams-Guerra explains.
Most travel insurance plans don’t include sports and adventure coverage, so if you’re planning an active, outdoor getaway to Switzerland, it’s smart to check your policy. World Nomads travel insurance covers more than 200 activities with two travel insurance plans, the Standard and the Explorer.
With adventure sports coverage, you can arrange transportation to the nearest hospital, if medically necessary, even if you’re on a remote mountaintop. And, as Cheng with World Nomads says, you won’t be left with a mountain of medical bills.
How Much Is Travel Insurance for a Trip to Switzerland?
The average cost of travel insurance for a trip to Switzerland is $298, according to Squaremouth.
Exactly how much you pay will depend on your trip cost, the number of people traveling, your age, where you live and if you add upgrades, among other things. However, a Forbes Advisor analysis of travel insurance rates found the average cost of travel insurance is 5% to 6% of your trip cost.
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via squaremouth.com
