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Frequently asked questions

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  • COVID-19
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COVID-19 Travel Insurance

Can I cancel a trip because of a theoretical danger or fear of infection?

Not an insured event

Every traveller has the right to withdraw from their trip, but tour operators and other service providers such as hotels and airlines are generally entitled to charge the cancellation fees agreed at the time the contract was concluded.

Trip interruption insurance protects you if you have to interrupt your trip due to an unexpected and serious illness, and this also applies if you are ill with COVID-19. However, fear of becoming ill or a high risk of infection do not constitute an insured event under travel interruption cover.

Does the cancellation insurance cover illness with COVID-19?

Insured event

In addition to unexpected and serious illness, the cancellation insurance also covers illness with COVID-19.

Can I use my cancellation insurance if the authorities do not ban all travel from other countries to the holiday destination but instead impose severe restrictions through safety measures?

Not an insured event

The Federal Council has issued a strong recommendation that all non-urgent travel to other countries be avoided, as there is a worldwide risk of infection with COVID-19. As the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic on 11.03.2020, no insurance cover is provided for this. However, travel insurance still protects you in case of events that are not due to the pandemic and that are included in the insurance cover.

Please contact the respective service provider or tour operator to discuss additional options.

Will my premium be reimbursed if my trip is cancelled by the tour operator or if there is a ban on entering the country of my destination?

Depends on the travel insurance

The premium for cancellation insurance is not reimbursed if the tour is cancelled by the operator or if the tour does not take place due to a ban on entering the country of your destination. The protection provided by the cancellation insurance takes effect starting at the point in time at which the insurance was booked, so this benefit has already been provided. 
With the single-trip insurance packages Travel and Travel Premium, the benefits that apply from the start of the trip (medical expenses insurance, trip interruption insurance, etc.) are reimbursed on a pro rata basis.

What happens if it is no longer possible to travel to the region of your holiday – because your holiday destination is in a security zone, because a ban on travelling to your holiday destination has been imposed or because your hotel is temporarily closed, for example?

Not an insured event

You are entitled to a reimbursement of payments already made to the tour operator, the hotel or the landlord of the holiday home. With cancellation insurance, cover is excluded due to the pandemic situation.

Will the additional costs be covered if I am not actually ill myself but am unable to travel or return due to a quarantine situation?

No assumption of costs is possible

Since the World Health Organization (WHO) has classified the current COVID-19 situation as a pandemic, the additional costs generally cannot be covered by the trip interruption insurance. If you are on a package holiday, please contact your tour operator, and if you booked the individual components of your holiday separately, please contact your service providers (hotel, airline, etc.). 

What does the insurance cover look like if I book a trip now?

Protection in the event of insured events that cannot be traced back to a pandemic

Travel insurance protects you if you have to cancel your trip due to an unexpected and serious illness. This also applies if you fall ill with COVID-19 during your trip. 

What does insurance cover under the medical expenses insurance/insurance for foreign-national visitors look like in the event of an infection with COVID-19?

Generally insured

If you have taken out medical expenses insurance with HanseMerkur, you are comprehensively protected while you are abroad. If you are infected with COVID-19 during your trip abroad, you are generally insured against expenses for medically necessary treatment.

How can I avoid infection?

Comply with the safety advice

It is crucial that you wash your hands thoroughly several times a day. You should not cough or sneeze into your hand but instead into your elbow or a tissue. Immediately dispose of such tissues in a closed bin and air out the space you are in for 5 to 10 minutes three times a day if possible. In addition, you should stay at home if you have a fever or cough.

Additional information is available in the HanseMerkur Health Portal

Where can I find current information on COVID-19?

Important websites

Current information on COVID-19 can be found on the website of the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH)

Questions about the pandemic on the World Health Organization (WHO) site

Information on travel restrictions

Time of booking and extension

When do I need to take out my travel insurance?

Conclusion period

Insurance for foreign guests can be taken out up to 5 days after entry into Switzerland. Corona travel insurance must be taken out no later than 3 working days after booking or up to 30 days before departure. All other travel insurance can be booked at any time before the start of the trip (with or after booking the trip).

Can I also take out travel insurance after my trip has started?

Information on the time of booking

As a general rule, travel insurance can only be taken out before a trip starts (exceptions may apply for some travel insurance policies).

Can I extend a travel insurance policy?

Cover extended in the event of irregularities

If your trip lasts longer than originally planned through no fault of your own, HanseMerkur International will extend your insurance cover until the end of your trip.

The annual travel insurance (Travel 365) is automatically renewed for another year unless it is terminated in a timely manner (one month before the renewal takes effect).


What is the difference between single-trip travel insurance and annual travel insurance?

Protection for a single trip, or protection for an unlimited number of trips in a given year

Single-trip travel insurance (Travel/Travel Premium) offers cover for exactly one trip If you plan to travel several times a year, the annual travel insurance (Travel 365/Travel 365 Premium) is a good option.  

Definitions and categories of travel

What is the definition of a family?

Definition of a family

A family is considered to be two adults and any accompanying children up to the age of 21, irrespective of the family relationship, but not more than a total of seven persons. At least two persons must be insured per family insurance product.

How is the total trip price calculated?

All costs associated with your trip

Please add all of the costs associated with your trip up, for example the cost of your hotel, flight and rental car.

Benefits and conditions

When does the insurance cover start and end?

Depends on the type of travel insurance

In cases involving cancellation insurance, the insurance cover starts when the insurance is taken out (provided the insured person has received the policy). For all other types of insurance, the insurance starts at the earliest when the individual embarks on the trip (for health insurance for travel abroad, this is when the border with a foreign country is crossed).

Does the insurance cover already include the outbound and return trip?

Inception of cover upon commencement of the trip

For cancellation insurance, your insurance cover starts when you take the insurance policy out. For all other types of insurance, it starts upon commencement of the trip. The trip is considered to be commenced once you enter the booked and insured means of transportation, or enter the booked and insured property.

Where do I find the termination periods?

Agreed expiry days

There are no termination periods for single-trip travel insurance. The insurance ends when the trip ends.

Annual contracts tacitly renew for successive terms of one year each, unless the contract is terminated by the policyholder with one month’s notice prior to their expiry.

You can find the termination periods in the General Conditions of Insurance

Which travel insurance policies include an excess?

Regulations governing excess

In general, our insurance policies do not feature any excess in the event of a claim.

Who are the persons at risk?

They trigger the insured event

Persons at risk are people other than the insured person who can also trigger an insured event. The term “persons at risk” only includes the insured person himself or herself, the insured person’s relatives and the insured person’s carers, as well as individuals who booked and insured the trip together with the insured person.

What is an “unexpected serious illness”?

The illness has to be “unexpected” and “serious”.

We want our insurance to be easy for you to understand. As a result, we explain what is meant by an “unexpected serious illness” and provide you with examples. Please note that the list of examples is not exhaustive. Cover is provided for an unexpected serious illness. The illness has to be “unexpected” and “serious”. We will start by defining the criterion “unexpected” and will then provide examples of “serious” illnesses.

Scenario 1: Any illness that occurs for the first time after you take out the insurance and book the trip is considered to be unexpected. 

Scenario 2: The insurance also covers a recurring illness if you have not undergone treatment for this illness in the last two weeks before taking out the insurance. 

Scenario 3: If you have not undergone treatment for a pre-existing illness in the last six months before taking out the insurance, an unexpected deterioration in this illness is also insured. 

Regular medical check-ups to determine your state of health do not count as treatment. The check-ups are not carried out for any specific reason and do not serve to treat the illness. 

Examples of serious illnesses (not exhaustive):

  • The treating doctor has certified that the person concerned is not fit to travel.
  • The health impairment certified by the individual’s doctor is so severe that the insured person is unable to make use of the planned main travel service due to the symptoms and ailments associated with the illness.
  • This illness suffered by a person at risk, as certified by the doctor, requires the presence of the insured person. 

Examples of an “unexpected serious illness” for the purposes of travel cancellation insurance (not exhaustive): 

  • The insured person takes out insurance for a trip they have booked. Shortly before embarking on the trip, they suffer a heart attack for the first time. 
  • The insured person’s mother is diagnosed with pneumonia after the insured person takes out the insurance and books the trip. Her illness means that the mother is dependent on care provided by the insured person. 
  • The insured person has an allergy at the time the insurance is taken out. The insured person has not undergone treatment for the allergy in the last six months before the insurance was taken out. They have a severe allergic reaction before embarking on the trip. The treating doctor classifies them as unfit to travel due to the severity of the allergic reaction. 

Examples of an “unexpected serious illness” for the purposes of trip interruption and emergency insurance (not exhaustive): 

  • The insured person takes out insurance for a trip they have booked. They suffer a heart attack for the first time during the trip. 
  • After the insured person takes out the insurance and books the trip, the insured person’s mother is diagnosed with pneumonia during the insured person’s trip. Her illness means that the mother is dependent on care provided by the insured person. 
  • The insured person has an allergy at the time the insurance is taken out. The insured person has not undergone treatment for the allergy in the last six months before the insurance was taken out. They have a severe allergic reaction during the trip. The treating doctor recommends that they return home early due to the severity of the allergic reaction.

Cover is not provided for all conceivable scenarios. Examples of scenarios that are not classed as an “unexpected serious illness” (not exhaustive): 

  • The insured person suffers from a condition that typically involves relapses (e.g. multiple sclerosis, Crohn’s disease). In the last six months before taking out the insurance or booking the trip

What to do in the event of a claim

How do I contact HanseMerkur International in an emergency?

Emergency hotline service

Our Swiss emergency call centre is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to support you in the event of an emergency during your trip. The experts provide you with advice on aspects such as choosing doctors or hospitals, or can organise repatriation. If an emergency happens during your trip, call: +41 43 550 21 21

What documents do I submit to make a claim?

Information on the reimbursement of benefits

In the event of a claim, we need the following documents and information as a general rule:

  • Copy of the booking confirmation issued by the tour operator
  • Copy of the proof of insurance
  • Bank account details (to transfer the reimbursement amount)
  • Policyholder’s address

Depending on the type of insurance, special documents – you can find further information in the notice of claim section. When making a claim, please only submit graphics and photos that are easy to read by e-mail and send them exclusively as e-mail attachments.

Please send the full documents to:

HanseMerkur International AG
Postfach
9475 Sevelen
Switzerland

E-mail: claims@hansemerkur.ch

What do I do if I am involved in an accident during my trip?

Important information

If you are involved in an accident during your trip, proceed as follows:

  1. Consult a doctor immediately
  2. In emergencies, contact our emergency call centre on: +41 43 550 21 21
  3. Report the accident in writing or by telephone without delay at: Report claim
Are rebooking costs reimbursed?

You may receive a reimbursement without having to justify your decision if you rebook in good time

If a trip is rebooked, HanseMerkur International will reimburse the rebooking costs incurred up to the amount that would have been incurred if the trip had been cancelled.

If the trip is rebooked without an insured event up to 42 days before the start of the trip, HanseMerkur International will reimburse the costs of the rebooking up to a maximum of CHF 30 per person or object.

How do I obtain reimbursement for medical services?

Submit statement of benefits issued by HIA

You should start by submitting your invoices for medical treatment abroad to your compulsory health insurance (HIA). Next, send the statement of benefits issued by your HIA, including the supporting documents, to HanseMerkur International.

How do I report a legal expenses case?

Contact the service centre

To make a legal expenses travel claim, start by calling our service centre on: +41 43 550 21 25. We will then forward you to our partner Orion Rechtsschutz-Versicherung AG.

What should I do in the event of a car breakdown?

Contact the personal assistance and emergency call centre

Contact our Swiss emergency call centre on +41 43 550 21 21. The experts will work with you to clarify the situation and organise the necessary assistance.

Security of digital data

How safe is my online booking?

Encrypted transmission

When you take out HanseMerkur travel insurance in the booking section of our website, we guarantee the very highest level of security when handling your data.

What is SSL?

Encryption protocol for data transmission

Secure Socket Layer (SSL) is a generally recognised encryption protocol for data transmission on the Internet. SSL ensures that your data is sent over the Internet in encrypted form and that it is protected from unauthorised access and manipulation.

How safe is my credit card payment?

PCI security for your credit card

HanseMerkur International adheres to the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI), a neutral global standard for credit card payments. Compliance with the PCI standards means that your credit card payment is even better protected and helps to combat fraud.

These binding security standards ensure that HanseMerkur International does not come into contact with or process your credit card details at any time.

Payment options

What payment options do I have?

Choose between purchase on account and payment by credit card

Pay by credit card (Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Diners Club International). The amounts will be collected as soon as you book the insurance for policies involving a single payment. In cases involving annual insurance policies, the first premium is collected immediately and any renewal premiums are collected on the next due date, which depends on the contract inception date.

You can also opt to purchase the insurance on account. We will then send you an invoice by e-mail once you have completed your booking. The invoice amount falls due for payment immediately.

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