Travel Insurance For Trips To Europe

 

European countries are happy to have tourists from the U.S., and people in the U.S. want to travel again. Europe is full of history, beaches, cool cosmopolitan excitement, and religious treasures. There are a lot of direct flights to the destination, and you can visit more than one country in one big trip.

When planning a trip to Europe, don't forget to get travel insurance.

Putting off a trip to Europe

The last thing you want to do when you're planning a great trip to Europe is to think about canceling it. But it's smart to plan ahead in case you have to cancel, especially if you've put down a lot of money on a trip.

If you have to cancel your trip for a reason covered by the policy, trip cancellation insurance can give you back all of the costs you already paid for but can't get back. Most of the time, it's because of something like a sudden illness or the death of a close family member. Check your policy to see a list of the reasons why you can make a claim for cancellation.

Lisa Cheng, a spokeswoman for the travel insurance company World Nomads, says, "It helps when you've spent a lot of money on deposits and payments up front and want to protect that investment." There could be other reasons, like weather emergencies or terrorist attacks in the U.S. or Europe.

Scott Adamski, a spokesperson for AIG Travel, says that if you plan to go to certain countries in Eastern Europe, you should look into any travel alerts about increased crime or civil unrest well in advance.

For example, you might think about an optional upgrade like AIG Travel's Security Bundle, which gives you:

Coverage in case a security evacuation is needed

Flight Guard by AIG (accidental death and dismemberment insurance)

Coverage for trip cancellation/interruption due to riot or civil unrest

If you want the most freedom to cancel a trip, you might want to change your standard travel policy to "cancel for any reason." This lets you back out of the trip for any reason covered by the basic policy, such as being afraid to travel or just changing your mind. Most of the time, 50% or 75% of the trip costs are reimbursed.

To use this coverage, you must cancel your trip at least 48 hours before you were supposed to leave. You can't wake up on the day you're supposed to leave and decide to call off the trip.

Also, the flexibility usually costs about 40% more than a standard travel policy.

Insurance for trip delays

Travel delay insurance could be considered a must-have for anyone going to Europe, even if they are only going to one country. This is especially true if they are going to more than one country.

"This benefit can reimburse you for covered expenses like hotel stays, meals, and taxis that you had to pay for because of airline or weather delays," explains Cheng. "These expenses include hotel stays, meals, and taxis." There is a per-day and total maximum benefit amount.

There are two things to keep in mind about coverage for travel delays: Cheng says that it usually doesn't start until a certain amount of time has passed, like six hours, and that the delay must have been caused by something listed in your travel insurance policy.

Stops on Trips in Europe

Coverage for trip interruptions is another perk of travel insurance that could save you a lot of money. Because most trips to Europe have more than one stop, you may have to pay more than one deposit in advance, especially during peak travel times.

If you need to go home because of an emergency with your child's health or for one of the other reasons listed in your policy, you can use your trip interruption benefits to pay for last-minute flight changes and get back any deposits, payments, or expenses you lose.

Getting insurance for medical care in Europe

Medical insurance should be bought for any trip outside of the country. If you get sick or hurt while traveling in Europe, your U.S. health plan (including Medicare) will probably pay for things like hospital bills, ambulance costs, and doctor visits.

If you get sick or hurt while you're traveling, a good travel insurance policy will cover your medical costs. Make sure that you buy travel insurance when you book your trip. If you buy your travel insurance within two to three weeks of booking your trip, some policies will let you off the hook if you have a health problem that was there before.

When people go to Europe, they usually take day trips and tours that involve a lot of walking. There may also be foods that aren't cooked or prepared the way you're used to. Travel medical insurance is your safety net in case you get sick from eating out or hurt yourself when walking on a broken sidewalk.

Evacuations for medical care on a trip to Europe

Europe has hospitals that are among the best in the world, but you might not be close to one if you get hurt or sick.

For example, if you are in a port city on the Rhine River and you get sick after eating shellfish at a café by the water, you need to see a doctor right away. There may be a local health clinic, but if you have a reaction like organ failure that could kill you, you should go to a big hospital.

This is where coverage for emergency medical evacuation can make a big difference. The emergency assistance team for your travel insurance company is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They can send a medevac to take you to a hospital to treat your serious condition. If your health problem is serious enough, you could also be taken back to the U.S. This is why you should have a lot of coverage for emergency evacuation.

Baggage and belongings insurance

There are risks involved in any trip abroad. If you lose your passport in Europe and need to show ID at the airport or on a train, it can be a real pain.

Cheng at World Nomads says that the help team at your travel insurance company can tell you how to get a temporary passport and where the closest consulate is.

It's important to be careful about crime while in Europe. Small crimes and the theft of personal items happen a lot, especially in areas with a lot of tourists. Don't draw attention to yourself by wearing expensive jewelry or clothes that stand out.

If someone steals from you or picks your pocket, tell your tour company (if you have one) and the local police. You can file a claim for stolen items under the coverage for baggage and personal effects, but you will need to show proof. Baggage coverage pays for the value of your things, not how much it would cost to buy new ones.

Find out: The 7 best travel insurance companies of December 2022

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