Quick medical assistance while abroad

For an emergency during a stay abroad, the first step is to seek local emergency assistance. The services of an emergency practitioner or quick first-aid care in a hospital can stop your health from getting worse. The Helsana Emergency Call Centre assists with emergencies by dealing with administrative procedures quickly and smoothly.


Whether it's stomach ache, a burn injury or a slipped disc: find a doctor or a hospital for first aid as quickly as possible. If you're staying in a hotel, the best thing to do is to ask a member of staff or your tour operator for a list of nearby emergency doctors and hospitals.

Inform your relatives in Switzerland as soon as you can. You also need moral support in this situation, not just medical assistance. Your relatives at home can also take care of urgent matters for you which can be dealt with from Switzerland.

If you have a car accident or are run over by a car, make sure you inform the police and get them to draw up a report. It's advisable not to sign an acknowledgement of culpability. Document the case for your car insurance.

Insurance card

Take your insurance card with you when you travel and always have it on you. The uniformly designed back of the card is valid as a European health insurance card and is recognised by all EU and EFTA states.

Gemeinsame Einrichtung KVG: your stay in the EU/EFTA (in German)

Accident insurance through your employer

If you are employed by the same employer for at least eight hours a week, you are insured against both occupational and non-occupational accidents through them. Should you plan to take an extended unpaid break, you can maintain your insurance cover by taking out extended insurance cover through your employer's accident insurance before you start your break. Inform your employer as quickly as possible if you have an accident abroad so that they can immediately report it to the accident insurance. If you work for fewer than eight hours a week, you need insurance against accidents from your health insurance. It takes just a phone call for accidents to be covered by Helsana.

Further information