Travel to Switzerland

Dramatic landscapes, historic castles, watches, banks, Swiss chocolate, cheese, nuclear bunkers, James Bond and cuckoo clocks!

There are an abundance of tours / routes for many activites.

Travel experiences may also include:

• inline skating, biking and mountainbiking
• hiking and trekking
• skiing, snowboarding and snow-mobiling
• snow and ice-climbing

Where to Get Information

The Common Institution under the Federal Sickness Insurance Act, Solothurn (Gemeinsame Einrichtung KVG, Gibelinstrasse 25, Postfach, CH-4503 Solothurn/ Institution commune LAMal, Gibelinstrasse 25, Case Postale, CH-4503 Soleure/ Instituzione comune LAMal, Soletta). Tel: 032 625 48 20. Fax: 032 625 48 29.

A Form E111 must be produced whenever any treatment or service is requested.

You'll normally have to pay the full costs and claim a refund afterwards.

You'll have to pay a fixed charge for each 30-day period of treatment. This is known as the 'excess charge' or 'franchise' and isn't refunded. You can normally claim back 90% of the treatment costs exceeding the excess charge.

It's recommended that all visitors take out adequate private travel insurance.

Doctors, Dentists & Prescriptions

Go to any doctor registered with the Swiss Health Insurance. If you're given a prescription, take it to any chemist. Only patent medicines are covered.

Dental treatment isn't covered unless it results from serious illness or accident.

Hospital Treatment & Ambulance Costs

Referral to a public hospital is normally through a doctor.

In an extreme emergency, go directly to the Emergency Department of any public hospital.

In-patient treatment in a general ward of a public hospital is covered, but not in a semi-private or private ward, or in a private hospital.

In addition to the excess charge and 10% of the costs, you'll have to pay a small non-refundable fixed daily in-patient charge for the cost of board and accommodation.

You'll have to pay 50% of the costs of ambulance transport within Switzerland, including air ambulance.

Where to Get Refunds

Keep all your bills and receipts. On return to the UK apply for a refund to:

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