Foreign travel is exciting. But what happens if you suddenly fall ill or have an accident? Without the right insurance cover abroad, costs can very quickly mount up.
Mandatory basic insurance doesn’t provide full insurance cover abroad. It only covers emergency treatment abroad up to a certain amount.
In countries with high healthcare costs, such as the USA, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Japan, the cover provided by basic insurance generally won’t be enough. So, it’s important to have additional protection if you want to avoid high costs. Relatively high costs should also be expected in Africa and Latin America. In these countries, travellers often prefer the better care offered by private hospitals as public hospitals aren't of the same standard as in Switzerland.
myFlex Outpatient Insurance provides optimum protection if the worst comes to the worst. It lets you benefit from emergency treatment, personal assistance, legal expenses cover and transport services worldwide.
And you can choose from 3 options – Economy, Balance and Premium – to get the cover that best matches your needs.
The Premium category of myFlex Hospitalisation Insurance gives you the freedom to receive the best medical care, no matter where in the world you are. This insurance also covers elective inpatient treatment abroad. That means you can get treatment at top-class clinics without having to worry about the considerable expense.
Would you like cover for an emergency abroad at short notice? Or insure your luggage and any cancellation costs? Travel insurance from CSS lets you do that really easily – as annual insurance or for the duration of your planned trip abroad.
When travelling abroad, it’s important to have the right insurance documents. Confirmation of insurance is only required in a few countries.
The European Health Insurance Card contains all the information required to obtain medical attention in an EU or EFTA country. If you need treatment, you must present the card to the service provider, e.g. doctor or hospital. Please note that any retention fees stipulated under the basic insurance of the country in question must be paid by you directly at the time. This European Health Insurance Card is on the back of your Swiss insurance card. No additional proof of insurance is required. This also applies in Iceland, Norway and the United Kingdom.
In addition to a visa, certain countries, e.g. Cuba, Russia, Belarus and Iran, also require proof of insurance. Information on visa requirements and contact addresses for further information are available from the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA or from your travel agent. For countries that require proof of insurance, CSS will be happy to issue you with the relevant document on request.
Our Emergency Centre staff are here to help in an emergency abroad, 24/7. Call +41 (0)58 277 77 77 to request medical assistance.
Yes, you have insurance cover abroad. The extent of that cover depends on your insurance policy. Swiss basic insurance covers emergency treatment abroad, but only up to a certain amount.
That depends on where you are. If you have to be flown back by air ambulance from Greece, for example, it will cost you around CHF 20,000. If you have to be brought back from Thailand or the USA, you could face a bill for around CHF 100,000. If you don’t have supplementary insurance, these expenses can quickly become a problem.
It’s really easy with the myCSS app. No matter where in the world you are, you can send us the bills and documents digitally. The Questionnaire for emergency treatment abroad (PDF) and the Accident report form are key to ensuring you get your money quickly in an emergency abroad.
These points are important in relation to foreign doctor’s or hospital bills.
If you don’t automatically receive a bill like this, please request one from the doctor or hospital.
Within the EU / EFTA / UK (all EU countries, Iceland, Norway and the United Kingdom): If you are taken ill unexpectedly, have an accident or need pregnancy-related medical assistance during your stay, this constitutes an emergency.
In all other countries: If you have an accident or fall ill and need immediate medical attention and it's not possible or reasonable for you to return to Switzerland, this constitutes an emergency.
Yes. In countries such as the USA, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Japan, the cover provided by basic insurance generally won’t be enough. So, it’s important to have supplementary insurance if you want to avoid high costs.
