To obtain a visa for a country in the Schengen zone, you are required to provide proof of sufficient insurance coverage for your entire stay. This insurance provides the coverage required at an excellent price and is widely accepted by embassies and consulates.
Included are emergency medical costs within the Schengen zone in cases of illnesses and accidents. Repatriation and assistance are also included as required by the Schengen regulations.
You can change your address by logging into your customer account or using the MySwisscare app on iOS or Android.
If you are in need of medical treatment, it is important the treatment is undertaken by a doctor whose certification is officially recognized in the country you receive your treatment. Depending on the insurance coverage you have chosen, certain exclusions may be applicable. We recommend that the General Insurance Conditions are consulted and if it is not clear, to ask questions concerning reimbursement and claims directly to the concerned claim service. Outpatient treatments (meaning you don’t have an overnight stay in a medical facility) generally have to be paid in advance, then you can proceed to submit your claim to the claim service via email, or via your customer account or the iOS / Android app.
In the case of hospital admission for inpatient treatment (meaning an overnight stay), you can present your digital insurance card saved on your MySwisscare account or on the iOS or Android app. If the inpatient facility requires further information, you can simply click or tap share - and then enter the email address given by the hospital. They will then receive the complete insurance policy with all the details. Most of the time, inpatient treatments will be billed directly to the concerned insurer, however, they may request a security deposit.
Dentists are usually not covered unless there is an accident. Should a plan provide coverage for dental treatments this will be stated in the General Insurance Conditions (GIC’s and the benefits list).
The insurance deductible is a fixed sum that is at the expense of the insured in the case of a claim covered by the chosen insurance policy. The general insurance conditions define the amount and the scope of application.
The deductible can be calculated per contractual year, per calendar year, for a specific duration, for a specific treatment or for a specific insurance cover. Not all insurance products are submitted to a deductible.
The insurance deductible is also stated on the insurance policy.
Important
Please note that coverage is only provided for the benefits stated in the General Insurance Conditions. At times exclusions are also applicable and they vary depending on the insurance product. It is recommendable to verify the coverage of the chosen product in advance.
In the case of outpatient treatment (no overnight stay at a medical facility), the insured always has to pay for the medical treatments (doctor’s, pharmacy, specialists, hospital outpatient treatments) in advance.
To ensure you are refunded quickly, it is recommendable to follow the claim procedure via your customer account or by using the MySwissare iOS or Android App.
Log into your MySwisscare Account
Select the concerned insurance policy and complete the online fields
Take a picture and/or upload the pdf or jpg file of your detailed invoice
Take a picture and/or upload the proof of payment (bank receipt or cash payment receipt from the pharmacy, doctor, specialist, hospital...)
Short statement concerning the medical issue and the administered treatment
Send / Submit
How long does it take for a refund to be made?
Once the concerned claim service has received all required documentation the insurer will initiate the refund procedure. In most instances, a refund is effected within 30 days of submission of the complete documentation. During peak seasons (for example December) it is possible that a refund will take longer. If within 45 days you have not been refunded by the insurer, we recommend that you contact them directly via email or our contact form.
Instantly if you pay by credit card
If you pay your insurance by credit card, you can download your insurance policy immediately.
Payment by bank transfer: it may take up to two weeks
Payments coming from the EU/EEA or Switzerland usually only take around 2-3 bank office days until we receive them, and then shortly after it is credited to our account the payment will be visible in your personal MySwisscare Account. You will receive an email confirming reception.
Payments made from outside of the EU/EEA or Switzerland can take up to two weeks until they are credited to our account. As soon as we have received them, you will receive an email confirming reception.
You can pay by credit card at any time to receive your insurance policy instantly.
Just log into your MySwisscare account and under the tab "finance" you can choose to pay your insurance premium by credit card. After a few seconds, you will be able to download your insurance policy.
You can cancel your insurance before the start date of coverage. Termination with a refund is only possible in the following circumstances:
Cancellation accepted with a full refund
If the embassy or consulate refuses your visa, you can request the cancellation of your insurance by sending the official refusal letter of the embassy to us. Once your request has been verified, we will refund you by the same method initially used for the payment.
Cancellation after the start date, no refund possible
If the insurance coverage begins, then it is no longer possible to cancel and obtain a refund without an official visa refusal. In this case, the entire insurance premium is due and must be paid.
What to do in case of an emergency or claim?
In case of an emergency, you contact the Alarm Service. By emergencies, we mean e.g. repatriation, accidents, (outpatient) clinical treatment in a hospital, hospitalization and at the start of your return on medical indication. You then do exactly what the Alarm Service requires from you.
The alarm service is available for you 24/7. We offer advice concerning the steps to be taken and organize the necessary support.
How can you declare your costs?
The claims department is for reporting damage. For example damage to your luggage and costs for visiting a doctor when you are ill.
You can report a damage in your personal account online at www.swisscare.com or use the MySwisscare app. Always report damage as soon as possible.
The claims department is available from Monday to Friday during office hours. We advise you on how to report a claim and which details need to be handed over.
Advanced payment of all expenses
All expenses for claims must be paid in advance by you before we will proceed to the reimbursement, except for:
admission in a hospital for inpatient treatments
search and rescue
For these two cases, you have to provide the alarm service with the complete contact details of the hospital or authorities immediately in order to establish a guarantee of payment.
Pending claims
If your claim is already being handled by Sedgwick, then they will further process this claim.
Contrary to article 1.14 O General exclusions in the GIC’s “Low cost Schengen visa insurance 01-2023”, the insurer offers cover for the medical costs related to COVID-19 for all the travel insurance policies purchased as of 01 January 2023.
The insurer reimburses the medical costs as a result of a COVID-19 infection. Repatriation is not covered. This cover applies to Standard, Comfort, and Premium cover up to a maximum insured amount of € 50,000 per policy
