Travel Insurance Comparison for Swiss Residents 2026: TCS ETI
You live in Switzerland and need travel insurance for trips abroad? This guide compares five offers from Swiss providers: the TCS ETI Schutzbrief, AXA Intertours, CSS, Allianz Travel and Zurich Relax Assistance. It is not a guide for visitors coming to Switzerland. TCS, AXA, CSS and Allianz Travel’s annual policy all require you to live in Switzerland; TCS and AXA also accept Liechtenstein, and TCS the foreign border region.
For most households in Switzerland, the TCS ETI Schutzbrief is the best choice: an annual policy from CHF 94, with unlimited medical costs abroad in the Plus variant. The catch: you need a TCS membership, and TCS does not insure single trips. We work out what ETI costs including membership further down.
In short:
- You travel several times a year and want one package: TCS ETI Plus. Worldwide Plus costs CHF 269 a year for one person, plus CHF 32 for the Basis membership.
- You don’t want a membership or only need to cover one trip: AXA Intertours, modular, as an annual or single-trip policy.
- You want a fixed short term: CSS, with policies for 17 days, 31 days or one year.
- You are insuring one expensive trip: Allianz Secure Single Trip, priced as a percentage of the trip cost.
Overview: travel insurance compared
Premiums depend on age, household, cover and travel region.
| Provider | Good for | Contract type | Main catch |
|---|---|---|---|
| TCS ETI Schutzbrief | Several trips a year, one package | Annual | TCS membership required |
| AXA Intertours | Building your own cover | Annual and single trip | Add-ons only with a basic module |
| CSS | Fixed short terms | 17 days, 31 days or 1 year | No rental car deductible module |
| Allianz Travel | Expensive single trips | Annual and single trip | Medical costs only in Complete |
| Zurich Relax Assistance | Cancellation and breakdown cover | Annual | No medical costs module |
Coverage in detail
| Provider | Trip cancellation | Medical costs abroad | Baggage | Rental car deductible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TCS ETI Schutzbrief | Up to CHF 120,000 per event | Plus only, supplementary and uncapped | Plus only, up to CHF 2,000 | Up to CHF 1,500, CHF 500 deductible in Standard |
| AXA Intertours | Selectable CHF 80,000 to 200,000 | Add-on, up to CHF 500,000 | Add-on, CHF 1,000 to 30,000 | Add-on, up to CHF 10,000 |
| CSS | CHF 5,000 to 20,000 by term | Emergencies with no cap | CHF 2,000 to 8,000 | No module |
| Allianz Travel (annual) | Basic CHF 2,500 to Complete CHF 50,000 | Complete only, up to CHF 1 million | Plus CHF 1,000, Complete CHF 3,000 | Complete only, up to CHF 10,000 |
| Zurich Relax Assistance | CHF 30,000 per person | No module | Optional, CHF 200 deductible | No module |
For Allianz and CSS the table shows limits for individuals. Cancellation limits are higher for families and multi-person households, and so is baggage cover at Allianz.
For expensive destinations such as the USA, Canada, Japan, Australia or Singapore, one question matters most: does the policy pay for treatment on the ground that Swiss health and accident insurance don’t cover? All five providers offer rescue and repatriation, but that alone does not settle a large hospital bill. TCS ETI Plus and CSS with the medical costs module pay with no cap. AXA offers a medical treatment costs abroad add-on up to CHF 500,000, Allianz Travel Complete up to CHF 1 million. Zurich Relax Assistance has no such module.
TCS ETI Schutzbrief: prices, membership and cover
What is the TCS ETI Schutzbrief?
The ETI Schutzbrief (“protection letter”) is the annual travel cover sold by the Touring Club Schweiz (TCS), Switzerland’s largest mobility club. ETI is by far the best-known travel cover package in Switzerland. It protects roughly 700,000 people year-round, and TCS positions it as Switzerland’s number one annual travel protection. ETI bundles trip cancellation, emergency assistance and repatriation, breakdown help abroad, rental car deductible cover and travel legal protection, plus medical costs abroad and baggage in the Plus variant.
Only TCS members living in Switzerland, Liechtenstein or the foreign border region can buy ETI. Medical costs abroad also require Swiss residence, Swiss basic health insurance (KVG) and accident cover. Travel legal protection is only available to residents of Switzerland or Liechtenstein.
ETI comes in four variants: Europe or worldwide, each as Standard or Plus. You can take each variant out for yourself or for your family. Family cover applies to everyone living in your household, so couples use it too. The contract runs for one year and renews automatically.
How much does TCS ETI cost?
Annual premiums, excluding membership:
| Variant | Individual | Family or couple |
|---|---|---|
| Europe Standard | CHF 94 | CHF 124 |
| Europe Plus | CHF 165 | CHF 204 |
| Worldwide Standard | CHF 166 | CHF 219 |
| Worldwide Plus | CHF 269 | CHF 346 |
If you sign up by 31 December 2026, TCS takes 20% off the first year, so Europe Standard for one person costs CHF 75.20. From the second year the regular price in the table applies.
Europe or worldwide? The worldwide variant covers trips outside Europe. Breakdown help for your vehicle is still built around Europe: if you organise help yourself outside Europe with TCS’s prior agreement, TCS pays at most CHF 500. Travel legal protection in the worldwide variants pays up to CHF 250,000 in Europe and up to CHF 50,000 outside Europe.
Which TCS membership do you need for ETI?
No membership, no ETI. But the Basis membership without Swiss breakdown assistance is enough. If you are not yet a member, TCS adds it to your basket automatically at checkout. Comparisons that price ETI with the more expensive breakdown membership overstate the cost.
| Membership | Swiss breakdown help for vehicles | Price per year |
|---|---|---|
| Basis, individual | No | CHF 32 |
| With breakdown help, individual | Yes | CHF 96–113, by section |
| With breakdown help, family/couple | Yes | CHF 142–159, by section |
| With breakdown help, youth (under 26) | Yes | CHF 71–83, by section |
The ranges for the breakdown membership are the section-dependent renewal fees. Some sections charge less in the first year; TCS Thurgau, for example, charges individuals CHF 96 instead of CHF 99. A family Basis membership exists too.
The Basis membership includes free legal advice, legal protection after accidents on foot, by bike or on public transport, and help when public transport fails. You only need the breakdown membership if you want breakdown assistance in Switzerland for your car, motorbike or bicycle.
Total cost: membership plus ETI
What do you pay per year for membership and ETI together? The example is for one person at regular prices from the second year.
| Combination | Membership | ETI | Total per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basis + Europe Standard | CHF 32 | CHF 94 | CHF 126 |
| Basis + Worldwide Plus | CHF 32 | CHF 269 | CHF 301 |
| Breakdown membership + Europe Standard | CHF 96–113 | CHF 94 | CHF 190–207 |
| Breakdown membership + Worldwide Plus | CHF 96–113 | CHF 269 | CHF 365–382 |
For comparison: Allianz Travel Secure Travel Complete costs CHF 285 a year for one person up to age 65, with medical costs up to CHF 1 million. ETI Worldwide Plus with Basis membership costs CHF 16 more and covers medical costs with no cap. On the other hand, ETI covers the rental car deductible only up to CHF 1,500, Allianz Complete up to CHF 10,000.
What TCS ETI Standard covers
- Trip cancellation up to CHF 120,000 per event, CHF 200 deductible per trip
- Emergency transport and repatriation with no limit, search and rescue up to CHF 30,000 per event
- Travel legal protection up to CHF 250,000 per event, outside Europe up to CHF 50,000 in the worldwide variants
- Rental car deductible: you pay the first CHF 500, TCS covers the rest up to CHF 1,500
- Event ticket refunds: CHF 1,000 for individuals, CHF 2,000 for families per contract year
- Breakdown help abroad for your car, motorbike or a rental vehicle
Additionally in TCS ETI Plus
- Trip cancellation with no deductible
- Medical costs abroad with no cap, on top of your health and accident insurance
- Baggage up to CHF 2,000 per event with a CHF 200 deductible, replacement purchases for delayed baggage up to CHF 500
- Rental car deductible from the first franc, also up to CHF 1,500
The rental car deductible cover does not replace the rental car’s own collision or theft insurance. ETI pays the deductible charged under that insurance. In an emergency, TCS’s own operations centre is available around the clock on +41 58 827 22 20. TCS does not outsource this to a third-party assisteur.
TCS ETI as trip cancellation insurance
ETI includes trip cancellation insurance (Annullationsversicherung). If you have to cancel a booked trip, TCS pays the cancellation costs up to CHF 120,000 per event. With Standard you pay CHF 200 per trip yourself, with Plus nothing. If you have to cut a trip short, TCS covers the unused part of your stay up to the same limit.
Only specific reasons are covered, not any cancellation. TCS lists, among others, serious illness, accident, death or serious illness of a relative, starting or losing a job, your travel companion dropping out, theft of documents, natural disasters and epidemics, unrest and strikes, and the failure of your means of transport. Cancellation also applies to holidays and events in Switzerland. Domestic trips need a minimum distance of 50 km between home and destination, or the trip must include a night away.
Trips you booked before buying ETI are covered. In the first year, though, cover only starts the day after TCS receives full payment, unless agreed otherwise, and claims dating from before the contract was concluded are excluded.
You cannot buy TCS cancellation insurance for a single trip. It is part of ETI and only available annually. For one trip, look at AXA Intertours, CSS with 17 or 31 days, or Allianz Secure Single Trip.
Disadvantages of TCS ETI
- TCS membership required, the cheapest costs CHF 32 a year
- Annual contract only, no single-trip policy
- Medical costs abroad and baggage only in Plus
- Rental car deductible capped at CHF 1,500, even in Plus
- Limited breakdown help outside Europe, even in the worldwide variant
AXA Intertours: modules, cover and catches
AXA Intertours is modular, with three basic modules and four add-ons. You build your cover from these blocks, either as an annual contract or as a one-off travel policy. No membership is needed. AXA insures people domiciled in Switzerland or Liechtenstein. The annual contract runs for three years and can be cancelled every year.
Basic modules (on their own or combined):
- Travel cancellation insurance
- Personal assistance (rescue, repatriation, help on site)
- Roadside assistance
Add-ons (only with at least one basic module):
- Luggage
- Rental car deductible
- Travel legal protection
- Medical treatment costs abroad (only together with Personal assistance)
AXA gives 10% off when you combine two basic modules and 25% off for all three. AXA does not publish sample premiums; you see the price in the online calculator.
Cover
- Cancellation: insured sum of CHF 80,000, 100,000, 120,000 or 200,000. From CHF 100,000, you can choose a deductible between CHF 200 and CHF 5,000. Ticket limit CHF 2,000, course limit CHF 5,000.
- Personal assistance: CHF 1 million, no deductible, worldwide. Search costs up to CHF 20,000.
- Roadside assistance: CHF 100,000, no deductible. Valid in Switzerland, Europe and the Mediterranean-bordering states, excluding among others Russia, Belarus, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Syria, Kazakhstan, Egypt, Lebanon, Libya, Israel and Cyprus.
- Luggage: CHF 1,000 to CHF 30,000, deductible CHF 200 to CHF 500.
- Rental car deductible: CHF 10,000, no deductible.
- Travel legal protection: CHF 600,000, no deductible.
- Medical treatment costs abroad: CHF 500,000, no deductible, worldwide outside Switzerland.
Single-trip insurance
You can buy the one-off travel insurance online until the day before departure. It covers one trip for up to 11 people, at most 5 of them under 18, for up to 125 days. The same seven modules apply, the contract ends automatically after the trip, and apart from luggage there is no deductible.
Disadvantages of AXA Intertours
- Add-ons only with a basic module, medical costs only with Personal assistance
- Medical costs capped at CHF 500,000, while TCS ETI Plus and CSS pay with no cap
- Roadside assistance only in Switzerland, Europe and the Mediterranean, with exceptions
- Annual contract with a three-year term
CSS travel insurance: 17 days, 31 days or one year
CSS positions its travel insurance as the most flexible product on the Swiss market: you take it out for 17 days, 31 days or one year. There are five modules: medical costs, personal assistance, cancellation costs, travel baggage and foreign legal protection. You can book them individually or as a package. CSS insures people whose legal residence is in Switzerland.
Packages and entry prices
Economy is built around a medical emergency abroad, Balance around trip cancellation, and Premium includes all five modules.
| Module | Economy (from CHF 30) | Balance (from CHF 62.80) | Premium (from CHF 102.20) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal assistance | Included | Included | Included |
| Medical costs | Included | Not included | Included |
| Foreign legal protection | Included | Not included | Included |
| Trip cancellation | Not included | Included | Included |
| Travel baggage | Not included | Not included | Included |
The exact premium depends on the term, insured sum and number of people.
Cover per module
- Medical costs: emergency treatment with no cap when health and accident insurance fall short. The basic insurance deductible and retention are excluded. Benefits are paid for at most 120 days from the onset of the illness or accident.
- Personal assistance: rescue and repatriation worldwide with no limit, search up to CHF 20,000, cost advance up to CHF 10,000, hospital visits by close relatives up to CHF 3,000. Extra costs for an early or late return: CHF 2,500 for individuals, CHF 5,000 for multi-person households.
- Cancellation costs: short-term CHF 5,000 (individual) or CHF 10,000 (multi-person household), annual CHF 20,000 or CHF 40,000.
- Foreign legal protection: CHF 250,000 in Europe, CHF 50,000 outside Europe.
- Travel baggage: as a single module CHF 2,000, 4,000 or 8,000, deductible CHF 100.
The CSS emergency number is available day and night: +41 58 277 77 77.
Disadvantages of CSS
- No module for the rental car deductible
- Medical costs module comparatively expensive when you book it on its own
- No vehicle breakdown assistance, unlike TCS, AXA or Zurich
- Annual cancellation cover of CHF 20,000 for individuals is lower than at TCS or AXA
Allianz Travel: Secure Travel and Secure Single Trip
Allianz Travel sells the annual policy Secure Travel and the single-trip policy Secure Single Trip. The annual policy covers any number of trips worldwide. You can only buy the annual policy if you are permanently resident in Switzerland. There are three tiers: Basic, Plus and Complete. Medical costs abroad and the rental car deductible are only included in Complete. Don’t mix it up with Allianz Suisse on allianz.ch, which sells a different travel policy with different benefits.
Secure Travel annual premiums
| Tier | Individual up to 65 | Individual 66–75 | Individual 76+ | Family up to 65 | Family 66+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | CHF 96 | CHF 141 | CHF 178 | CHF 190 | CHF 340 |
| Plus | CHF 159 | CHF 211 | CHF 266 | CHF 259 | CHF 511 |
| Complete | CHF 285 | CHF 417 | CHF 525 | CHF 557 | CHF 997 |
Annual policy benefits
- Cancellation: Basic CHF 2,500 (individual) or CHF 5,000 (family), Plus CHF 10,000 or CHF 20,000, Complete CHF 50,000 or CHF 100,000
- Emergency assistance in all tiers
- Baggage: Plus CHF 1,000 or CHF 1,500, Complete CHF 3,000 or CHF 5,000, CHF 200 deductible for theft
- Breakdown assistance in Switzerland and Europe only in Plus and Complete
- Complete only: medical costs abroad up to CHF 1,000,000 (dental treatment up to CHF 3,000), rental car deductible up to CHF 10,000, legal protection up to CHF 250,000 in Europe and CHF 50,000 outside Europe
The policy renews automatically unless you cancel at least one month before it expires.
Single trip: Secure Single Trip
Secure Single Trip is priced as a percentage of the trip cost:
- Basic: 7% up to a CHF 5,000 trip price, 6.5% up to CHF 10,000, 6% up to CHF 25,000, minimum CHF 15
- Plus: 7.5% up to CHF 5,000, 7% up to CHF 10,000, 6.5% up to CHF 50,000, minimum CHF 25
- Complete: 8% up to CHF 5,000, 7.5% up to CHF 10,000, 7% up to CHF 50,000, minimum CHF 35
The trip can last up to 120 days. Cancellation is covered up to CHF 25,000 in Basic and CHF 50,000 in Plus and Complete. Complete adds medical costs abroad up to CHF 1,000,000, rental car deductible up to CHF 10,000, and legal protection up to CHF 250,000 in Europe and CHF 50,000 outside Europe. People living abroad can also buy the single-trip policy if the trip is booked in Switzerland.
Disadvantages of Allianz Travel
- Medical costs abroad and rental car deductible only in the most expensive tier
- Medical costs capped at CHF 1 million, while TCS ETI Plus and CSS pay with no cap
- Breakdown assistance only from Plus and only in Switzerland and Europe
Zurich Relax Assistance: cancellation and breakdown cover in one annual policy
Zurich Relax Assistance is an annual product; there is no short-term single-trip policy. The core consists of cancellation costs, travel protection (personal assistance) and a replacement trip, plus foreign travel legal protection. Breakdown assistance and travel baggage including baggage delay are optional. Cancellation and breakdown assistance can also be bought on their own.
Coverage
- Cancellation costs: CHF 30,000 per person and event, at most CHF 120,000 for all insured persons combined, CHF 200 deductible per event
- Replacement trip: if you have to cut your holiday short because of a medically necessary return, Zurich refunds the package price you paid before departure, up to CHF 30,000 per person and event and at most CHF 120,000 for the household variant
- Travel baggage: CHF 200 deductible, except for baggage delay. For baggage delay, replacement purchases up to 30% of the insured sum
- Breakdown assistance: Switzerland, Liechtenstein, European states and Mediterranean-bordering and island states. Excluded are Belarus, Moldova, Ukraine, Russia, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Egypt, Algeria, Lebanon, Libya and Syria. For a replacement vehicle plus accommodation and onward or return travel, Zurich pays up to CHF 5,000 combined.
Zurich’s emergency numbers are available around the clock: 0800 80 80 80 in Switzerland, +41 44 628 98 98 from abroad.
Disadvantages of Zurich Relax Assistance
- No module for medical costs abroad
- No module for the rental car deductible
- No short-term single-trip policy
- Breakdown assistance with a long list of excluded countries
Is Swiss basic health insurance enough abroad?
Only partly. In the EU, EFTA and the United Kingdom, the European Health Insurance Card entitles you to medically necessary treatment. The host country’s rules apply, including any local co-payments.
Outside the EU, EFTA and UK, basic insurance pays for emergency treatment when you can’t return to Switzerland for medical reasons. It covers at most twice what it would reimburse for the same treatment in Switzerland. For hospital stays that means at most 90% of the Swiss cost, because the canton’s share falls away. For people insured in the canton of Zug, it is only 2% in 2026 and 2027. In countries with higher medical costs such as the USA, Canada or Japan, this can leave you with high bills. One night in intensive care in the USA can cost more than a Swiss family car. For trips outside the EU, EFTA and UK, travel or international health insurance is therefore worth having, unless you already have equivalent supplementary insurance.
After an accident, Suva pays for necessary treatment and transport if you are insured with it. For accidents abroad, the reimbursement is capped.
In this comparison, medical costs abroad are covered by TCS ETI Plus, CSS with the medical costs module, AXA Intertours with the medical add-on, and Allianz Travel Complete.
Is my credit card enough as travel insurance?
Many credit cards include travel insurance. But it only applies to trips and services you pay at least 51% with the card, and cover and conditions vary a lot between issuers. On top of that, the usual Swiss credit card issues apply: high foreign currency fees, no direct contact with the insurer, and lean claims service. Comprehensive cover usually comes only with gold or platinum cards costing CHF 200 to CHF 700 a year.
For travel, a dedicated travel insurance is the better plan. Basis membership plus ETI Worldwide Plus costs CHF 301 a year for one person, with far cleaner benefits. Which cards work well for paying abroad is covered in our guide to Swiss credit cards without foreign transaction fees.
Do I need travel insurance?
It depends on how and where you travel and what insurance you already have. Someone who drives to Italy once a year needs something different from someone who flies to the USA several times a year. It also depends on how much money you would lose if you had to cancel.
My rule of thumb:
- Only European trips with low trip costs: cancellation cover is often enough. In the EU, EFTA and UK, the European Health Insurance Card helps.
- At least one long-haul trip a year: cancellation plus medical costs abroad, unless you have supplementary insurance with cover abroad.
- USA, Canada, Japan, Australia or Singapore: medical costs abroad with a high limit or no cap.
- Renting a car abroad: a policy that covers the deductible. You still need the rental car’s collision or theft insurance.
Frequently asked questions
What does AXA Intertours cover?
Three basic modules (travel cancellation, personal assistance, roadside assistance) and four add-ons (luggage, rental car deductible, travel legal protection, medical treatment costs abroad). Add-ons require at least one basic module. Cancellation and personal assistance apply worldwide; roadside assistance only in Switzerland, Europe and the Mediterranean-bordering states, with exceptions.
Does AXA Intertours cover medical costs abroad?
Yes, as an add-on and only together with the Personal assistance basic module. The insured sum is CHF 500,000, with no deductible, worldwide outside Switzerland.
Which travel insurance covers the rental car deductible?
TCS ETI covers the deductible up to CHF 1,500: from the first franc in Plus, while in Standard you pay the first CHF 500. AXA Intertours offers a rental car deductible add-on up to CHF 10,000 with no deductible. At Allianz Travel, the rental car deductible up to CHF 10,000 is only included in Complete. CSS and Zurich Relax Assistance have no module for it. None of these policies replaces the rental car’s own collision or theft insurance.
Which travel insurance makes sense for the USA?
For the USA, what matters most is medical costs abroad and, if you rent a car, the rental car deductible. TCS ETI Worldwide Plus and CSS with the medical costs module pay medical costs with no cap. AXA Intertours with personal assistance and the medical add-on covers up to CHF 500,000, Allianz Travel Complete up to CHF 1 million. For a single trip, consider AXA Intertours as a one-off policy, CSS with 17 or 31 days, or Allianz Secure Single Trip Complete.
Which is better: TCS ETI or AXA Intertours?
TCS ETI suits you if you travel several times a year and want a fixed package. Add CHF 32 for the Basis membership. ETI Plus pays medical costs with no cap but covers the rental car deductible only up to CHF 1,500. AXA Intertours suits you if you don’t want a membership, want to choose the insured sums yourself or only need to cover one trip. AXA caps medical costs at CHF 500,000 and covers the rental car deductible up to CHF 10,000.
Conclusion: which travel insurance is worth it?
There is no single best travel insurance. It depends on how you travel:
- You travel several times a year and want one package: TCS ETI. Worldwide Plus for CHF 269 for long-haul trips; for Europe, Europe Standard for CHF 94 is often enough. Add CHF 32 for the Basis membership.
- You don’t want a membership or only need to cover one trip: AXA Intertours. With personal assistance plus the medical costs and rental car deductible add-ons, you are well set up for the USA too.
- You want a fixed short term: CSS with 17 or 31 days, emergency medical costs with no cap.
- You are insuring one expensive trip: Allianz Secure Single Trip, priced as a percentage of the trip cost.
- You mainly want cancellation and breakdown cover: Zurich Relax Assistance, and you arrange medical cover separately.
If you are flying to the USA, Canada or Japan in the next twelve months, the key question is: does your insurance pay for treatment on the ground? If that isn’t already covered by supplementary insurance, only policies with medical costs abroad make sense.