Travel Insurance Considerations for a Trip to Europe

Are you planning a trip to Europe soon? While creating the perfect itinerary and packing your bags is exciting, it is also vital to prepare for unexpected travel events.

Travel insurance is a wise purchase for a big trip, especially when you are going overseas. With so many policies available to you, it can be stressful to know how to choose one that meets your needs.

This article will provide you with essential travel insurance tips for your European adventure. From understanding the coverage types available to knowing what to look for in a policy, we’ve got you covered.

How Can Travel Insurance Protect Your European Vacation?

France, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom are top destinations for U.S. travelers. While exploring the iconic sites of these and other popular countries, travel insurance can cover you for the following:

• Delays or cancellations of flights, cruises, and other transportation
• Loss of personal belongings, including due to theft
• Medical care needed while traveling abroad
• Other unforeseen events that result in the loss of non-refundable expenses

Unexpected Delays

France is as famous for its labor strikes as it is for its impeccable fashion. Unexpected delays can occur when traveling due to various factors outside your control.

Adverse weather conditions, natural disasters, mechanical problems with planes, trains, and buses, or even congestion at busy airports can all slow you down. These issues can lead to longer travel times, missed connections, and disruptions.

Travel insurance can cover expenses for food, lodging, and transportation in the event that your trip is delayed for a covered reason.

Trip Cancellation Policies

Trip cancellation policies are a type of travel insurance that cover unforeseen events that cause you to cancel your trip such as illness, injury or the death of a policy holder or family member.

These policies typically reimburse the traveler for pre-paid, non-refundable expenses such as flight tickets, accommodation reservations, cruises, and tour bookings.

If you have planned an expensive European vacation but are concerned you might have to cancel it due to work, family or other commitments that are not covered reasons in a trip cancellation policy, you can also buy a Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR) upgrade. A CFAR upgrade will typically allow you to cancel your trip no less than 48 hours before you are scheduled to leave for any reason. If you cancel, you can be reimbursed for a percentage (usually 75%) of your pre-paid and non-refundable trip expenses. If you need CFAR coverage, know that you must purchase the policy upgrade within a few weeks of your trip deposit. You cannot buy CFAR coverage right before you are scheduled to leave on your trip, so make sure to plan ahead!

Medical Insurance Coverage in Europe

The cost of emergency medical care varies widely throughout Europe. Out-of-pocket medical expenses in Europe can be extremely high, especially if you require medical transportation or hospitalization. Since you cannot rely on your U.S. health insurance or Medicare/Medicaid when you are on your European vacation, it is strongly advised that you purchase a travel insurance policy that includes medical insurance.

Travel medical insurance coverage typically includes emergency doctor visits, hospital stays, medical evacuations, and prescription medications. In addition to emergency medical coverage, a comprehensive travel insurance policy will typically offer coverage for certain emergency evacuations and repatriation back to your home country.

Pay close attention to exclusions, including pre-existing condition exclusions, when you are researching travel insurance policies. Claims for pre-existing conditions will typically be denied unless you have received a waiver in advance of your trip. If you need coverage for a pre-existing condition, make sure that your travel insurance company offers waivers of the pre-existing condition exclusion.

If your travels include extreme sports or adventure activities, such as visiting Mont Blanc for backcountry heli-skiing, it is likely you will need to buy supplemental insurance if you want coverage. Most standard travel insurance policies do not cover these types of activities, but some will offer adventure sports or hazardous activity riders. Since you do not want to be financially responsible if costly and lifesaving assistance is unexpectedly required, it is wise to plan ahead and find the insurance that best suits your needs.

COVID-19

In general, many European countries have implemented measures to ensure their health systems for residents cover COVID-19 testing and treatment. This includes coverage for hospitalization if infected, doctor visits, and medications related to COVID-19.

As a visitor from the U.S., you should not assume that any European country’s health care system will cover you for treatment if you are infected with COVID-19.  Additionally, although COVID-19 isn’t as severe as it was in past years, some countries will require extensive testing or quarantine for visitors, which can be expensive.

Before traveling, make sure that your travel insurance policy includes coverage for COVID-19. You also want your policy to include reimbursement for non-refundable expenses related to COVID-19 quarantine in the event it is required by the European country you are visiting.

Personal Belongings

We all too often hear stories about belongings being lost or stolen when our friends and family are on vacation. The threat of pickpockets, especially while visiting crowded tourist attractions in major European cities, is real. It is also a common mishap to leave a phone, camera, or wallet behind at a cafe when bustling off to the next stop on your itinerary. Since you want to be covered for the loss of your personal belongings while traveling, make sure that your travel insurance policy covers loss of:

• Luggage
• Electronics
• Jewelry
• Credit cards
• Other valuable personal items

The specific coverage and limits of each travel insurance policy will vary, so read the terms and conditions carefully. If you are traveling with very expensive belongings, like special equipment, it is important to know policy limits in advance so you can purchase supplemental coverage. You may also consider leaving your best jewelry and watches at home rather than risk them being stolen abroad.

Some policies may offer additional coverage for emergency expenses related to lost or stolen items, such reimbursement for replacement purchases or emergency cash advances. If this type of coverage is important to you, make sure it is part of the policy that you purchase.

Single Trip vs. Multi-Trip

Most U.S. travelers take vacations that are one or two weeks long. Some lucky travelers might stay in Europe all summer, riding the rails or cruising around the Mediterranean. For most travelers, single trip travel insurance policies are sufficient, and typically cover a specific trip for a set period, usually up to 180 days.

For those who will be taking multiple trips to Europe in a year, annual or multi-trip travel insurance might be a good consideration for travelers to cover all trips that happen within a year period.

Final Thoughts

Traveling to Europe can be an incredible experience, but it is important to be covered in case the unexpected happens. Travel insurance provides you with peace of mind during your trip and lets you focus on enjoying all the fantastic sights and experiences that your destination offers.

Remember to research and compare different travel insurance options before choosing the one that’s right for you. And don’t forget to read details of your policy to ensure you have sufficient coverage.

If you’re ready to plan your Europe trip, visit TravelInsurance.com, where you can compare and buy travel insurance policies from top insurers.

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