Four parts of a clear file
A precise event
State what happened, when, to whom and why departure or continuation became impossible, without overstating the facts.
A consistent timeline
Connect booking, policy purchase, first knowledge, supplier cancellation and insurer notification.
Documented net loss
Separate refunds, credits, reusable services and the costs that actually remain payable.
Relevant supporting material
Provide only the evidence requested and protect unrelated personal information where possible.
Act without increasing the loss
Move promptly, while keeping every step verifiable.
Limit the loss
Contact the hotel, carrier or organiser promptly about amendment, refund or credit options.
Preserve evidence
Archive the original booking, applicable terms, cancellation confirmation, replies and evidence of the reason without rewriting facts.
Notify under the policy
Use the stated channel, observe applicable deadlines and request the exact document list.
Keep decisions separate
Carrier, supplier and insurer apply different rules. Keep each response and avoid claiming the same expense twice.
Important limits
- FDFA advice alone does not determine whether cancellation is covered under a private contract.
- A change of mind, general anxiety or missing document is not necessarily a named insured reason.
- This guide does not classify an individual case or confirm reimbursement.
Future cover only
Prepare future trips
A new policy does not change the cover that applies to an event that has already happened and does not guarantee reimbursement. It is only for preparing future trips.
Checked Swiss federal sources
Each source language is stated. The FDFA, FOPH and FOCA publish authority information; Fedlex contains federal law. The detailed FOCA baggage source falls back to French because no equivalent English detail page was available when checked. The English Fedlex text is a reference translation; the German, French and Italian legal texts and the applicable policy control.
- FDFA — Travelling abroad – travel advice and country informationEnglish · Trip preparation, country travel advice, security, representation contacts and the FDFA’s general travel information.↗
- FOCA — Air Passenger RightsEnglish · Scope of air-passenger rights, denied boarding, cancellation, delay and the first complaint to the operating carrier.↗
- Fedlex — Federal Act on Insurance Contracts (ICA, SR 221.229.1)English reference translation · Reference translation covering pre-contract information, policy content, notification duties and claim handling; the German, French and Italian legal texts are authoritative.↗