13 August 2012 - Travel
Summer is the boom time for cruises of every kind. As with any extended stay abroad, it is essential to take out travel insurance against possible risks.
Travel insurance may comprise cancellation protection or personal assistance. Cancellation insurance protects you against certain risks that would prevent you from travelling. These include, for example, an accident or illness, transport problems, riots in the destination country or natural catastrophes.
Personal assistance covers the costs if you end the trip early for the same reasons. Rescue and recovery costs and any overnight hotel accommodation you require are also covered.
Warning: unlike annual travel insurance, single-trip insurance usually involves less cover or smaller payouts. That is why it may be worth getting annual travel insurance if you go away more than once a year. The same applies to families.
Travel insurance does not cover medical or hospital costs. Your compulsory basic health insurance pays out in the event of illness or an emergency. However, at most this only covers double the cost that you would pay for the same treatment in Switzerland. Consequently, if you are travelling to countries with high medical costs you should check your health insurance cover and take out supplementary insurance if required.
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