Assistance and insurance while abroad

UNIL now offers travel insurance, as well as medical, security and logistical assistance worldwide, coordinated by International SOS (ISOS), to support students who travel abroad as part of their studies.

ISOS provides the following services:

1. Preparation for travelling abroad: access to useful country information and recommendations (vaccinations, security, local situation, access to health care, etc.) on the ISOS website or by phone.
2. Support during your stay: advice over the phone, coordination with your insurance company in case of cancellations, access to medical centres and advances on expenses, psychological support, danger warnings, support if your documents are lost or stolen, etc.
3. Emergency medical or security assistance: medical evacuation, emergency repatriation, assistance with accommodation, medical follow-up in hospital, transport and legal procedures in case of death, etc.

The travel insurance package covers the following risks:

• Cancellation costs up to CHF 5,000 (subject to conditions; ISOS will coordinate with the insurer ERV)
• Emergency assistance, crisis protection and medical assistance: transport to hospital, repatriation, search and rescue costs, family visits to the hospital, additional costs in the event of an unexpected return, strike, damage caused by natural disasters, quarantine or epidemics, repatriation in case of death and contribution to funeral costs
• Emergency medical costs worldwide up to CHF 500,000.

As each individual situation is unique, it is essential that every student contacts ISOS for information if required.

ISOS is your sole point of contact 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and works closely with Européenne Assurances Voyages SA (ERV) to take care of the person concerned and manage the costs associated with the assistance provided. 

Students have access to the following tools:

• Credit-card style assistance card (print from the ISOS website and carry with you)
• Web portal: internationalsos.com
• Smartphone app
• Medical and/or security alerts
• Access to your nearest assistance centre 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, including phone contact with doctors and/or security experts in over 60 languages.

ISOS also provides UNIL students with round-the-clock information on the security situation, recommendations on topics such as needing a visa and other useful information about travelling to a country without risk, and keeping up to date with the latest news, for example about the COVID-19 pandemic.

You need a unique UNIL member number to log into the ISOS portal (website and mobile app) and will also be asked for it when you phone their central helpline. This number will be shared with students who are going on a university exchange at a presentation organised by the Social Affairs and Student Mobility Office (SASME) a few months prior to departure. All students going on a university exchange during the following semester will receive an email invitation to attend the presentation.

The SASME can also share the UNIL member number on request with any student who is travelling abroad for a short time as part of their studies (for fieldwork, gathering data for their dissertation, etc.). The SASME will also inform the various secretariats and faculty coordinators.