UK-Switzerland travel changes: what businesses should check before staff trips

The UK and Switzerland have announced an enhanced trade agreement that includes smoother travel arrangements for UK nationals, planned use of Swiss e-gates and an intention to remove roaming charges. For businesses that send people to Switzerland, the practical point is not just easier travel. It is whether staff travel records, approvals and insurance still match the way trips are being arranged.

Business travel often changes quietly. One director visits a Swiss customer, then a technical team follows, then a contractor attends a site, and before long the company has a pattern of overseas travel that was never properly reviewed.

That matters because annual business travel insurance depends on the policy wording, the people insured, the destinations, the activities and the length of trips. A simple meeting is not the same as installation work, site visits, filming, training, demonstrations or hands-on technical work.

The new UK-Switzerland arrangements may make travel feel easier. Easier does not mean risk-free. Employers still need to know who is travelling, why they are going, what they will be doing, and what help is available if plans change.

For SMEs, the weak point is often admin. Travel is booked by different people, trip approvals are informal, and itineraries sit in inboxes. If a medical issue, lost equipment, cancellation, travel disruption or security incident happens, that lack of structure can make the response harder.

The better approach is to treat this as a prompt to tidy up travel controls before more trips are booked.

Insurance implications

Annual business travel cover can be a useful way to insure repeated work trips, but it still needs to fit the business. A policy may have limits, exclusions, territorial conditions, activity restrictions and requirements around medical disclosure or official travel advice.

The first check is who travels. Directors, employees, contractors, freelancers and accompanying family members may not all be treated the same. If the business uses consultants or self-employed specialists, do not assume they are included.

The second check is what they do overseas. Meetings and conferences are usually easier to place than manual work, media production, demonstrations, equipment installation or higher-risk site activity. If staff are doing more than office-based work, that needs a closer look.

The third check is trip length and frequency. A policy may include maximum trip durations. If someone starts travelling often, or staying longer, the business should check whether the cover still fits.

It is worth reviewing:

• Who is authorised to approve overseas travel.
• Whether Switzerland is clearly included in the territorial scope.
• Whether the policy covers the activities staff actually perform.
• Whether contractors, freelancers or non-payroll workers need separate arrangements.
• How medical emergencies and repatriation support are accessed.
• Whether equipment, laptops and business property need separate cover.
• Whether travel disruption, cancellation and curtailment limits are suitable.
• How official travel advice is monitored before and during the trip.

Roaming changes may help communication costs if they take effect, but they do not replace travel planning. Staff still need emergency contacts, document checks and a clear process for reporting incidents.

Where this often catches businesses out is assuming that business travel insurance is one size fits all. It is not. The policy should reflect the people, destinations and work being done.

Speak To Ratcliffes

If your business expects more Swiss or European trips, call Ratcliffes on 01242 544544 to review whether your Annual Business Travel cover still matches how your staff travel. A short review now can help identify gaps before travel becomes routine.

Sources

• Department for Business and Trade, Unprecedented services trade deal unveiled as UK seals agreement with Switzerland, 13 July 2026.
• Department for Business and Trade, UK-Switzerland enhanced Free Trade Agreement: technical note, 13 July 2026.
• Global Banking & Finance Review, Britain and Switzerland Sign Trade Deal to Boost Services, Travel, 13 July 2026.
• Ratcliffes Insurance Brokers, Products page, accessed 15 July 2026.