Traveling to Europe can often mean that you have many nonrefundable excursions booked. A typical two-week journey for one traveler to Europe can cost up to $5,000, with some families paying beyond that. So why is it that travel insurance should be a consideration for an already high-cost trip, especially when many European destinations are considered safe?
What might seem like an unnecessary initial expense, travel insurance is in fact a valuable investment for any traveler in case of a disruption in their trip plans. From a missed train connection to a sudden medical emergency that goes beyond what a basic or last-minute plan will cover, securing a more comprehensive plan, rather than the cheapest option, can be particularly important when navigating Europe.
What You Will Learn in This Guide:
- Why destinations in Europe even need protection against nonrefundable expenses and sudden medical emergencies
- A breakdown of what insurance covers, including trip cancellations, missed connections, baggage delays, and medical evacuations
- Methods for lowering your travel insurance premium, such as insuring only necessary nonrefundable costs or adjusting medical coverage based on your health status
Why Should You Buy Travel Insurance for Europe?
While Europe travel insurance may seem like another expense to add to your budget, it can actually be very valuable for your trip. For some international travelers to Europe, travel insurance might even be required. But for travelers who are not required to get travel insurance, such as U.S. tourists, it is still highly recommended.
Travel insurance can cover you and your prepaid, nonrefundable expenses for the following:
- Trip cancellations, interruptions, and delays
- Missed connections
- Medical expenses
- Delayed luggage
- Lost luggage and personal items
- Medical evacuation and repatriation
- Pre-existing conditions
Let’s say, for example, you have $2,000 in prepaid, nonrefundable expenses that include your hotel, excursions, and flights, and you had to cancel your trip because of a severe illness. Without travel insurance, you could be losing $2,000 in expenses you already booked and can’t get a refund for. However, with the trip cancellation benefit under travel insurance, it can cover up to 100% of such expenses, making it less of a financial burden on your wallet.
What Should I Look For In a Cheap Europe Travel Insurance Plan?
For a cheap Europe travel insurance plan, you should be looking at coverage for medical expenses abroad, medical evacuation, and overall coverage for your trip, such as delays and lost luggage. We have compared the cost and coverage of three different Europe travel insurance plans, from the cheapest option to the most expensive, for a 7-day trip for a 50-year-old traveling to Spain with $2,500 in trip expenses.
| Feature | Budget Option (Discovery) | Mid-Tier Option (Atlas Journey Preferred) | Premium Option (iTravelInsured Travel LX) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Estimated Price | $60 | $122 | $233 |
| Medical Expenses | Up to $100,000 | Up to $100,000 | Up to $500,000 |
| Emergency Evacuation | Up to $500,000 | Up to $1,000,000 | Up to $1,000,000 |
| Trip Cancellation | 100% of Trip Cost | 100% of Trip Cost | 100% of Trip Cost |
| Trip Interruption | 150% of Trip Cost | 150% of Trip Cost | 150% of Trip Cost |
| Trip Delay | Up to $200 per day, $2,500 maximum | Up to $150 per day, $2,000 maximum | Up to $250 per day, $2,500 maximum |
| Baggage and Valuable Loss | Up to $2,500; $1,250 per item; $100 Deductible | Up to $1,500, $500 per item | Up to $2,500, $250 per item |
| Baggage Delay | Up to $500 | Up to $300 | Up to $500 |
| Pre-existing Waiver | Included if purchased within 15 days of initial trip payment | Included if purchased within 21 days of initial trip payment | Included if purchased within 20 days of initial trip payment |
When is Cheap Europe Travel Insurance Enough?
Cheap travel insurance for Europe can be worth it for younger travelers, people who are not worried about their health, or if you have low non-refundable costs. Especially if you are a European resident traveling to another European country, your health may be covered with your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).
However, a trip to Europe can pose many risks that you may want to cover, such as theft, cancellations due to weather or strikes, or missed connections during your travels. Let’s say you are on a trip to Spain and brought your $2,000 laptop with you, and noticed that during your flight connection, your laptop was shattered due to mishandling by your flight carrier. A cheap travel insurance plan would not be able to cover the full reimbursement of your laptop, while other premium plans could.
What is the Best Travel Insurance For a Trip to Europe?
So, what travel insurance is best for Europe? We compared and evaluated the best-value plans that can still be worth it for travelers on a budget.
Best Travel Insurance with High Medical Limits: Trip Protection Choice
Best Travel Insurance for Seniors with Medevac Coverage: iTravelInsured Travel LX
Best Cheap Travel Insurance with Comprehensive Coverage: Pathway Premium
How Can I Make My Travel Insurance Plan More Affordable?
You may still be wondering: So how can I make my travel insurance more affordable? There are some ways you can secure your travel insurance plan at a much lower cost:
- Consider lower medical coverage if you are a healthy traveler: Maybe you don’t get sick that often or aren’t at risk for injuries abroad. Especially if you are traveling to a place in Europe where the medical costs aren’t that high, you can try opting for less medical coverage.
- Secure your hotels and flights early: While there are rarely discounts for travel insurance, it is more likely that you can get discounts on aspects of your trip, such as your hotels and flights.
- Insure only the necessary costs of your trip: When getting a travel insurance quote from VisitorsCoverage, you will be asked for your total trip expenses. Make sure that you only insure the ones that matter: the prepaid expenses that you cannot get a refund on. You also don’t need to cover every single expense, meaning if you want to cover your hotel and not your trip excursions, that can lower the amount your travel insurance needs to cover, which also lowers the cost you pay for your travel insurance.
Where Can I Compare the Best Europe Travel Insurance Plans?
Your trip to Europe should be a memorable experience. Travel insurance offers peace of mind for travelers to Europe by covering trip expenses in the event of unexpected mishaps, significantly reducing the potential financial burden.
While you plan your trip to Europe, think of getting a travel insurance plan from VisitorsCoverage. You can get a customized quote based on what you exactly want to insure for your trip, allowing you to focus on both protection and your overall budget. Ready to secure a travel insurance plan? Feel free to get a quote today, or contact our award-winning team of licensed travel insurance experts if you have any questions.
- While budget plans offer medical coverage up to $100,000, premium plans can provide up to $500,000 in medical expense coverage and $1,000,000 for emergency evacuations, which may be necessary for senior travelers
- Low-cost plans, like the Discovery plan, often treat essential benefits as "optional add-ons," meaning the base price will increase as you add necessary protections
- You can make insurance more affordable by opting for lower medical limits if traveling to areas with lower healthcare costs or by insuring only specific trip components like hotels
Frequently Asked Questions About Traveling to Europe and Travel Insurance
Will my U.S. health insurance work in Europe?
Most likely not. Many U.S.-based health insurance providers, including Medicare, may not cover your medical expenses abroad. However, coverage can depend from plan to plan, so it is important to check and ask your insurance provider if you will be covered and to what extent.
How much medical coverage do I need for Europe?
The amount of medical coverage for a trip to Europe really depends on your destination, age, and health needs. Most travel insurance experts suggest a minimum of $100,000 in medical coverage. For seniors traveling to Europe, it is better to be safe and consider a higher medical limit, sometimes double the amount, in case of a major medical emergency abroad.
Can I use my credit card travel benefits instead of insurance?
Credit card travel benefits vary widely and are typically more limited than dedicated travel insurance. Most credit card protections rarely include medical coverage, have lower reimbursement limits, have stricter coverage reasons, and only cover expenses charged to that specific card. Before relying on your credit card, understand its benefits and limitations. For budget travelers who want comprehensive coverage, especially for international trips, a dedicated travel insurance policy typically offers better protection.
Can age affect the cost of my Europe travel insurance?
Yes, age can affect both the availability and cost of travel insurance. Despite higher costs, the financial protection remains valuable considering the higher coverage limits with insurance policies, increased health risks, and potential medical expenses for older travelers.
Can I buy travel insurance after I book my trip?
Yes, you can buy your travel insurance after you book your trip, and it is recommended that way. Ideally, you should purchase your travel insurance after you make your first trip payment, so that you can qualify for the pre-existing conditions waiver or other optional add-ons like Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) insurance.
How can I compare travel insurance plans for Europe trips?
You can compare travel insurance plans easily using VisitorsCoverage’s travel comparison tool. Before directly comparing plans, first insert your trip details with your destination, travel dates, the number of travelers, and their ages, and your total prepaid, nonrefundable trip cost. Once you submit this information, a variety of travel insurance plans will be displayed. You can then select the "Compare" box to view your top three plans side-by-side and make a more informed travel insurance decision for your trip to Europe.
Does travel insurance cover pre-existing conditions for Europe?
Most of the time. Pre-existing conditions can be covered under trip insurance with the pre-existing conditions waiver provided by many of our trip insurance plans. There are certain requirements to qualify for the waiver, which usually include purchasing the policy soon after making your first trip payment, insuring the full cost of your trip, and being medically stable at the time of purchase.
With the waiver in place, your policy may cover your trip cancellations, interruptions, or delays related to your pre-existing condition, which would otherwise be excluded from your policy without the waiver.
If I am visiting multiple countries within Europe, am I still covered?
You can select any one of your planned destinations while purchasing a trip insurance plan. It is recommended to select the one you’ll spend the most time in. However, trip insurance covers all prepaid, non-refundable trip costs during the coverage dates, including those from different destinations. For example, if you spend two weeks in Italy and then one week in France, you should select Italy as your main destination for your trip insurance, and then France. Regardless, the policy will cover your prepaid, non-refundable expenses for both countries during your trip dates.
