Travel Insurance For European Vacations

Last Updated: May 10, 2024November 13, 2024 — 6 min read

Europe has always been a global vacation hotspot. Even as prices continue to rise, countries like Italy, France, and Spain continue to rank among the world’s most in-demand getaway destinations, with many other European nations growing in popularity.

If you’re planning a trip to one (or many) of Europe’s historic cities, you may be curious about travel insurance. To help, we’ll cover everything you need to now about European travel insurance, if it’s required, and if it’s a good idea for your upcoming vacation.

What is Travel Insurance?

Imagine arriving at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris and realizing that your airline lost your luggage, or taking a nasty fall while hiking deep in Austria’s scenic mountain ranges and needing urgent medical care. The point is, regardless of your destination, a trip can take an unexpected turn for the worse without a moment’s notice.

International travel insurance offers financial protection against unexpected travel disruptions you may encounter during your trip abroad. Common examples, and ones you’ve likely experienced in the past, include lengthy delays, cancellations, medical emergencies, and lost luggage.

Travelers that are protected with insurance can file a claim for reimbursement if unforeseen events result in financial loss. Many travelers purchase a policy prior to departing for their trip for peace of mind and medical coverage while abroad.

Do You Need Travel Insurance to Visit Europe?

Travel insurance is typically not a requirement for U.S. citizens visiting Europe. Assuming your planned trip is less than 90 days long, you will likely be able to enter just fine with a valid passport.

For trips that exceed 90 days, you may be required to obtain a visa. While visa requirements can vary, a common step of the visa application process is get travel medical insurance for the duration of your trip.

Even if it’s not a requirement for your trip, travel insurance is strongly recommended for any traveler heading to Europe. In fact, roughly half of all travel insurance policies sold through Squaremouth are purchased to protect a European trip.

Schengen Visa Travel Insurance Requirements

The Schengen Area is an alliance between 27 countries throughout Europe that allows border-free travel. Many of the most popular European destinations are part of this alliance, including Italy, France, Spain, Germany, Switzerland, Croatia, Belgium, and Denmark. This alliance is not to be confused with the European Union.

If you’re planning a trip to the one or more of the Schengen countries that exceeds 90 days, you will be required to obtain a Schengen visa. In order to qualify for a visa, you’ll be required to show proof of travel health insurance that meets the following criteria:

• At least €30,000 in Emergency Medical coverage
• Medical Evacuation coverage
• Repatriation coverage in the event of serious injury or death
• Policy must last for the entire length of your stay

Most single-trip and multi-trip plans won’t cover trips that exceed three months. However, there are some travel insurance plans that allow for extended trips.

Europe Travel Insurance Coverage Recommendations

Europe is a vast continent that offers endless types of adventures. From a romantic trip to Rome to a backpacking adventure through Romania, it’s fair to say that no two European trip are the same.

With that said, there are important travel insurance benefits that you should consider when traveling overseas, no matter what your itinerary holds.

Cancellation Coverage

Let’s face it, traveling to Europe is getting increasingly expensive. The average trip cost of a European vacation has risen 30% from 2022 to 2024. If you need to cancel your trip or cut it short, you run the risk of losing out on all your prepaid, non-refundable expenses.

For peace of mind, many travelers opt for a comprehensive plans that include cancellation insurance. Essentially, these plans can reimburse your covered travel expenses in the event you need to cancel or end your trip for reasons outside of your control.

The most important cancellation benefits to consider are:

• Trip Cancellation Coverage: Reimburses up to 100% of your prepaid, non-refundable trip expenses if you need to cancel your trip for a covered reason.
• Trip Interruption Coverage: Reimburses your unused trip costs if you are forced to end your trip early and return home for a covered reason.
• Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR): An optional add-on that allows you to cancel your trip for any reason not covered by Trip Cancellation and receive partial reimbursement, up to 75%, of your trip costs.

Common covered reasons to cancel or interrupt a trip include an unforeseen illness, injury, or death in the family. Other covered reasons may include terrorism, natural disasters, and inclement weather.

Medical Coverage

The main reason why travelers purchase insurance is for medical coverage. Since most primary healthcare plans, like Medicare or an employer-sponsored policy, don’t offer coverage overseas, receiving medical treatment abroad can result in costly out-of-pocket expenses.

Luckily, the majority of travel insurance policies offer coverage for unexpected medical expenses you may encounter during your trip. If you’re traveling to Europe, you should consider plans that include the following overseas health insurance coverage:

• Emergency Medical (at least $50,000): Covers ambulance rides, x-rays, doctor visits, hospital stays, and other medical costs that stem from an unexpected medical emergency. Exclusions and deductibles may apply.
• Medical Evacuation (at least $100,000): Covers the cost of emergency evacuation to an adequate medical facility or back to your home country if deemed necessary by a treating physician.
• Pre-Existing Condition: Some travel insurance providers offer plans that include a Pre-Existing Condition waiver that extends medical coverage if you experience a flare up relating to a pre-existing medical condition during your trip.

Delay Coverage

According to the Department of Transportation, roughly a quarter of all flights leaving from the United States are either delayed or canceled. These changes to your travel schedule not only take away from your vacation time, but can also take away from your budget.

Most travel insurance companies provide specific benefits that cover out-of-pocket expenses in the event of a significant delay:

• Travel Delay: Offers reimbursement for meals and accommodations if your flight is significantly delayed, typically 3-12 hours depending on the policy.
• Missed Connection: Reimburses the cost to rebook transportation if you miss a connecting flight as a result of a covered delay.

Luggage Protection

Millions of bags are mishandled by airlines every year. Even if your luggage makes it to your destination in time, keeping your belongings safe during your trip can also be a tough battle.

European travel insurance covers your personal belongings from the moment you leave your home to the moment you return. A couple key benefits to look for when comparing policies include:

• Baggage Delay: If your bags are delayed in transit, usually for at least 24 hours, your policy may reimburse you for toiletries, clothes, and other travel essentials up to a specified amount.
• Baggage & Personal Item Loss: If your belongings are lost, stolen, or damaged at any point during your trip, your plan may reimburse you for the items up to a specified amount.

Adventure Sports Coverage

From hiking volcanoes in Iceland to alpine skiing in Norway, there are year-round outdoor adventures to enjoy throughout Europe. If you plan on participating in any thrill-seeking activities during your trip, it’s important you have the proper coverage.

Be on the lookout for Adventure & Sports Travel Insurance policies. These plans are specifically designed to extend relevant medical benefits to activities that are typically excluded from coverage, and also provide coverage for any sports equipment you choose to bring.

Cost of European Travel Insurance in 2024

According to Squaremouth data, the average cost of travel insurance to Europe is approximately $330. 

When calculating insurance premiums, providers will consider a wide-range of factors, including your age, trip length, coverage limits, and trip costs. 

The following chart was updated in November, 2024 and displays the average premium and trip cost for popular European countries:  

Is European Travel Insurance Worth It?

Travel insurance is not for everyone. However, for many travelers, purchasing travel insurance is worth the cost alone simply for peace of mind. There’s no such thing as a stress-free trip, and having a policy can protect you financially in the event your European vacation takes a turn for the worse.

The best travel insurance plans aren’t always the most expensive. Some tips to lower the cost of your travel insurance premium include:

• Take Inventory of Existing Coverage: If you have a travel credit card, you may already have coverage against common travel disruptions.
• Compare Policies: Travel insurance providers calculate premiums differently. We suggest getting quotes from 2-3 insurance companies before making a decision.
• Travel Without Cancellation Coverage: You can choose to forgo cancellation and interruption coverage for a cheaper premium.

See more tips to lower the cost of your premium here.