A traveler stranded at the airport in Dubai treats himself to a nap.Image: keystone
The military escalation in the Middle East is unsettling many tourists. Insurers like Axa, Mobiliar and TCS are feeling this. Here is important information about travel insurance.
March 9, 2026, 5:39 a.mMar 9, 2026, 5:57 am
florence vuichard, benjamin weinmann / chmedia
Thousands of Swiss tourists are still stuck in the Gulf region – and are eagerly waiting for a return flight. This causes uncertainty, not only among those affected and their relatives in Switzerland, but in view of the upcoming spring holidays in general, as a survey by CH Media in the insurance industry shows. “Experience shows that geopolitical uncertainties lead to an increased need for information about travel insurance,” says Nadine Schumann from Allianz Suisse. So it’s high time to clarify the most pressing questions.
What exactly does travel insurance cover?
Travel insurance usually includes three services: travel cancellation insurance, travel assistance insurance or trip interruption insurance and luggage insurance. Other services, however, vary depending on the provider and the insurance chosen. This includes, for example, coverage for rental cars, additional hotel and meal costs in the event of flight delays or cancellations, necessary purchases in the event of luggage delays or cancellations, or ticket insurance for events or activities.
What do the three main pillars of travel insurance include?
Travel cancellation insurance reimburses the costs of bookings if people are unable to go on their planned vacation due to illness, accident, pregnancy complications or death. Many insurers also include delays or cancellations of public transport that prevent travelers from reaching the airport on time. The amount of the insurance sum ranges from 2,000 to 200,000 francs, as an analysis by the Moneyland comparison service shows. Travel assistance insurance is only valid once the trip has already begun. Luggage insurance, in turn, covers the damage that occurs if a suitcase is lost or broken.
Which is better: annual insurance or single trip insurance?
That depends on the number of people and the total cost of the trip, says Daniel Dreier from the Moneyland comparison service.
“The more you spend on travel bookings and the more people need to be insured, the more likely it is that annual insurance will be more worthwhile than taking out insurance for each individual trip.”
For a family, annual travel insurance can be cheaper than individual travel insurance for just one trip per year. “For an individual, annual insurance is cheaper for two to three trips per year,” says the Moneyland expert.
Are you automatically insured with a credit card?
Not necessarily. “Not all credit cards offer travel insurance benefits,” emphasizes Dreier. In addition, any insurance benefits would vary greatly from card to card, as shown Moneyland comparison shows. The rule of thumb is: the cheaper the credit card, the lower the additional insurance benefits. Many gold and platinum credit cards include free travel insurance, says Dreier. But the popular Migros Cumulus credit card without an annual fee also has free travel insurance, although this “only” includes travel assistance insurance and cover for search and rescue operations.
However, these insurance benefits can usually only be used if the flight and hotel room have actually been paid for with this card.
Is demand for travel insurance increasing after the outbreak of the Iran War?
Insurers say it is still too early to draw a conclusion. On the other hand, everyone sees an increased need for information among their existing customers. “Since last weekend we have had significantly more calls and more cancellations,” says Axa. “We are currently receiving numerous inquiries from insured members who are unsure about the current situation as to whether they can start their trip as planned,” says TCS spokesman Marco Wölfli. “We have handled hundreds of phone calls since Saturday.” The need for information is very great. “Many people can’t go on vacation or don’t want to travel out of fear,” adds Jürg Thalmann from Mobiliar. In particular, “inquiries related to people who are on site in the affected areas and also from people who want to go on vacation to this region in the next few days have increased significantly.”
Swiss tourists arrive in Zurich after days of waiting in Dubai.Image: keystone
Can stranded tourists still take out insurance now?
No. It’s too late for that. Damage cannot be insured retroactively. And for everyone who already has insurance, the key date is February 28, 2026, the Saturday on which the USA and Israel attacked Iran. “Trips booked after the deadline are not covered,” says Axa spokeswoman Simona Meili.
Who now pays for the forced stay and the return journey?
The insurers surveyed, all of whom have customers stranded somewhere due to the Iran war, unanimously emphasize that the airlines and travel agencies are now responsible. The TCS, for example, is currently processing around 700 dossiers, as Wölfli says.
“However, not all members are in the Gulf region. It also affects many in Asia or the Pacific region.”
Solutions for travel cancellations and rebookings would have to be sought primarily with the organizers and airlines. However, TCS and Mobiliar cover the costs during the first 14 days after the start of the war for additional costs for hotel accommodation and meals that cannot be claimed elsewhere.
Mobiliar is also accommodating when it comes to cancellations: Although “war and military events” are excluded in the current “General Conditions”, the insurance company has decided “to provide cover for cancellations in the days since the outbreak of war,” says Thalmann. But this is only possible if the Mobiliar customers cannot claim these costs from the organizer or the airline. (aargauerzeitung.ch)