- Based on our research, our top picks for travel insurance for Europe come from Tin Leg, Generali, and Seven Corners.
- If you have an emergency while traveling overseas, a European travel insurance plan can reimburse you for some of your losses.
- American medical insurance doesn’t cover the cost of receiving health care in Europe, so it’s especially important to get medical and medevac insurance when traveling in Europe.
- Street crime, risks of terrorism, and political unrest are some of the reasons trip interruption, cancellation, and medical coverage should be considered when visiting Europe.
- In addition to medical costs, a comprehensive travel insurance plan for Europe can also help cover costs associated with cancellations, delays, lost baggage, and more.
- While cheap insurance with basic coverage can cost as little as $1 per day, you can expect to pay around $8 to $11 per day for more extensive travel insurance.
- To compare plans and find the right policy to suit your needs, we recommend using an online comparison tool.
When you buy something using links found on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. This content is reviewed & supervised by The Los Angeles Times.
On This Page
- Key takeaways
- Do I need travel insurance to visit Europe?
- What does travel insurance for Europe cover?
- What isn’t covered by European travel insurance?
- How much does travel insurance for Europe cost?
- How to get the best travel insurance for Europe
- Europe travel information & requirements
- Europe travel insurance FAQs
- Related topics
On This Page
- Key takeaways
- Do I need travel insurance to visit Europe?
- What does travel insurance for Europe cover?
- What isn’t covered by European travel insurance?
- How much does travel insurance for Europe cost?
- How to get the best travel insurance for Europe
- Europe travel information & requirements
- Europe travel insurance FAQs
- Related topics
Europe Travel Insurance: Your Essential Coverage Guide
Leigh Morgan - Personal Finance
+ 1 other
Reviewed By
Blake Esken - Los Angeles Times
Our top picks for the best europe travel insurance
Our top picks for Europe travel insurance
Best Rated Travel Insurance
Tin Leg
GET A QUOTE
via Squaremouth’s secure website
Preferred Plan
Luxury
Covers COVID
YES
Medical & Evacuation Limits Per Person
$100,000
/
$250,000
Best Value for a Robust Coverage
Seven Corners
GET A QUOTE
via Squaremouth’s secure website
Preferred Plan
Trip Protection Choice
Covers COVID
YES
Medical & Evacuation Limits Per Person
$500,000
/
$1,000,000
Best Value Travel Insurance
Generali Global Assistance
GET A QUOTE
via Squaremouth’s secure website
Preferred Plan
Standard
Covers COVID
YES
Medical & Evacuation Limits Per Person
$50,000
/
$250,000
Do I need travel insurance to visit Europe?
Standard European travel insurance usually covers every country in the European Union (now excluding the UK) and the Schengen Zone. If you plan to travel to either country, make sure your insurance plan will cover you. If you plan to travel to a non-Schengen, non-EU country, ask your agent to write a custom policy that includes every destination on your itinerary. Alternatively, you can purchase an annual insurance plan that covers you for multiple trips and destinations.
Although you don’t have to officially buy travel insurance unless you plan to apply for a visa, it’s wise to buy coverage even if it’s not required. Travel insurance protects against losses associated with medical emergencies, travel delays, lost or stolen luggage, and a wide range of other travel-related problems as we can see below.
Advertiser Disclosure
Best Rated Travel Insurance
Full Policy Details
Tin Leg
GET A QUOTE
via Squaremouth’s secure website
Preferred Plan
Luxury
Covers COVID
YES
Medical & Evacuation Limits Per Person
$100,000
/
$250,000
Why We Like It
PROS
- Coverage for pre-existing conditions
- Cancelation & interruption coverage
- Offers hurricane and weather coverage
CONS
- Cancel for any reason not included standard
Best Value for a Robust Coverage
Full Policy Details
Seven Corners
GET A QUOTE
via Squaremouth’s secure website
Preferred Plan
Trip Protection Choice
Covers COVID
YES
Medical & Evacuation Limits Per Person
$500,000
/
$1,000,000
Why We Like It
PROS
- Offers coverage for pre-existing conditions
- Money-back guarantee
- Cancellation & Interruption coverage standard
- Covers action sports & equipment
CONS
- Cancel for any reason not included standard
- Must meet waiver for pre-existing conditions to be covered
Best Value Travel Insurance
Full Policy Details
Generali Global Assistance
GET A QUOTE
via Squaremouth’s secure website
Preferred Plan
Standard
Covers COVID
YES
Medical & Evacuation Limits Per Person
$50,000
/
$250,000
Why We Like It
PROS
- Lowest cost of all Generali Global Assistance plans
- 24/7 emergency travel assistance included
- Telemedicine included
CONS
- Lower coverage than other Generali plans
- Pre-existing conditions are not covered by the Standard plan
- No coverage for accidental death and dismemberment during on-land travel
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Here are some of the reasons Americans should get travel insurance for visiting Europe
What does travel insurance for Europe cover?
European travel insurance usually bundles several types of coverage into a single policy. Here are some of the most common types of travel insurance available:
Travel medical insurance in Europe
The best travel insurance for Europe should, at the most basic level, include coverage for medical emergencies and emergency evacuation coverage. Your American health insurance won’t pick up the tab if you need medical care while you’re in Europe. Therefore, it’s important to buy travel medical insurance. Health insurance for travel to Europe covers lab tests, X-rays, and other medical expenses. This type of insurance also covers the cost of repatriation, which is when you leave Europe and return to the United States.\
Medical travel insurance can be purchased as part of a comprehensive travel insurance plan or as an independent policy on its own. In addition to medical travel insurance, consider broadening your policy to include coverage for travel delays, cancellations, and interruptions.
Medical evacuation insurance
In addition to your travel medical insurance in Europe, you should have medical evacuation insurance, better known as medevac coverage. It would be convenient to get sick less than 1 mile away from a hospital, but many emergency situations occur in remote areas without immediate access to medical care.
This type of travel insurance pays to transport you to the closest suitable medical facility. For example, if you sustain serious injuries while skiing or hiking, your insurer will cover the cost of having a helicopter transport you to a trauma center.
Trip cancellation insurance
If you have to cancel your trip for no fault of your own, trip cancellation insurance reimburses you for all prepaid, nonrefundable travel expenses up to the limit outlined in your policy. For example, this type of travel insurance may cover the cost of flights, prepaid hotels, and prepaid excursions. Some policies will also offer cancel for any reason (CFAR) coverage. This allows you to cancel your trip for any reason and claim back between 50% and 70% of your total prepaid travel expenses.
Trip delay insurance
These days, flight delays are common. It’s also possible for a cruise ship, ferry, or bus to depart later than scheduled, causing you to miss your connection. If this happens while you’re traveling in Europe, trip delay insurance will cover meals, lodging, and other expenses incurred due to the delay. To use this type of travel insurance, you must be using a common carrier, which is a company that provides transportation services to the public.
Trip interruption insurance
It’s no fun ending a trip early, but it’s even less fun if you lose money on prepaid lodging, meals, and other expenses. Trip interruption insurance takes the sting out of this situation by reimbursing you for the unused portion of your trip.
Insurance for personal items
Comprehensive travel insurance usually covers baggage loss, baggage theft, and damage to the personal items in your luggage. For example, if your duffel bag gets stuck in a machine at the airport, your travel insurance may cover the cost of replacing some of your damaged belongings.
Rental car coverage
If you plan to travel around town in a rented vehicle, consider getting rental car coverage for extra peace of mind. This type of insurance covers accidents, theft, and vandalism.
Advertiser Disclosure
What isn’t covered by European travel insurance?
Standard travel insurance covers many things, but it usually excludes the following:
-
Intentional acts:
If you damage a rental car on purpose, your travel insurance won’t pay a dime. -
Pre-existing conditions:
Travel health insurance doesn’t cover pre-existing conditions, which are health problems that you have before you travel to Europe. For example, if you’ve had hypertension for 10 years, your travel insurance won’t pay any medical expenses associated with a hypertensive crisis. If you are aware of any ongoing illnesses, it is advisable to purchase insurance for pre-existing conditions. -
Reasonably foreseeable events:
An emergency is a serious, unexpected event, so you don’t know when it’s going to occur. With a reasonably foreseeable event, there is some indication that an emergency might happen. If you choose to travel anyway, your travel insurance won’t cover any costs associated with trip cancellations, trip delays or trip interruptions. -
Injuries caused by risky activities:
SCUBA diving, skydiving, and mountain climbing are risky. Standard travel insurance doesn’t cover medical expenses associated with these activities, so you’ll need to buy a policy that includes coverage for adventure sports. -
Government travel restrictions:
Your insurance company has no control over how a government conducts its business. Therefore, if one of the countries you’re visiting decides to implement new travel restrictions during your trip, travel insurance won’t cover any of the associated costs.
How much does travel insurance for Europe cost?
Travel insurance for a trip to Europe can be as cheap as around $1 per day for very basic coverage. For a comprehensive policy, you can typically expect to pay $8 to $11 per day.
To give you a better idea of how much travel insurance for Europe costs we got price quotes for a trip to Ireland from three different insurance providers.
For each quote, we applied the following travel details:
- Age: 35 years old
- Destination: Ireland
- Trip Length: 7 days
- Trip cost: $2,000
- Date: August 2024
This table displays three quotes for basic travel insurance plans where plans don’t reimburse the full trip costs:
| Provider | Plan Name | Plan Cost | Cancellation / Interruption Limits | Medical / Medevac Limits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tin Leg | Luxury | $6 | $0/$0 | $100,000 / $250,000 |
| Generali Global Assistance | Standard | $25.45 | $0/$0 | $50,000 / $250,000 |
| Seven Corners | Trip Protection Choice | $57 | $0/$1,000 | $500,000 / 1,000,000 |
If you want to purchase more comprehensive travel insurance that covers trip cancellations and interruptions, your premium will be more expensive:
| Provider | Plan Name | Plan Cost | Cancellation / Interruption Limits | Medical / Medevac Limits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tin Leg | Luxury | $97 | $2,000/$3,000 | $100,000 / $250,000 |
| Generali Global Assistance | Standard | $92.29 | $2,000/$2,500 | $50,000 / $250,000 |
| Seven Corners | Trip Protection Choice | $126 | $2,000/$3,000 | $500,000 / $1,000,000 |
Advertiser Disclosure
It’s important to understand that many factors influence the cost of travel insurance.
-
Age:
Older people have a higher risk of developing serious injuries. Travel insurance providers account for this risk with higher prices. However, there is also the opportunity to purchase specific travel insurance for seniors - these policies are designed with elderly travelers in mind. -
Trip length:
The longer your trip is, the more money you’re likely to spend. Insurers charge more for long trips to account for the increased cost of reimbursing you for delays, cancellations, and other problems. -
Destination:
Some destinations are a bit riskier than others. Insurance companies charge higher premiums to avoid losing money on claims.
How much travel insurance do I need for Europe?
Knowing what level of travel insurance you need for Europe depends on the trip you plan to take. It’s vital to factor in your choice of destination, the activities you plan to do, and the likelihood of you needing to cancel your trip. All of these can determine what type of coverage you will need and by how much. Generally speaking, a standard comprehensive insurance plan will cost you between 5 and 10% of your total trip costs
How to get the best travel insurance for Europe
To get the best travel insurance for Europe, follow these tips:
1
Plan your itinerary carefully
The cost of travel insurance depends on your destination and the type of transportation you plan to use.
2
Purchase extra coverage if you plan to participate in adventure activities
Most travel insurance plans don’t cover adventure activities, so be sure to purchase additional protection if you plan to take part in such plans
3
Think about how much flexibility you want
If there’s a good chance you’ll experience an unexpected hiccup, consider purchasing comprehensive health insurance for European travel rather than a basic policy
Europe travel information & requirements
Consult the table below for a quick overview of the requirements for traveling from the United States to Europe
| Query | Details |
|---|---|
| Passport requirements | You must have a passport to travel to every European country. |
| Local currency | Europe has 29 active currencies, but the Euro is the most common. |
| Average 5-year exchange rate | The average exchange rate depends on the currency used. For example, 1 EUR = 1.1238 USD. |
| Vaccine requirements | Vaccine requirements vary by country. Visit the U.S. Department of State website well in advance of your trip to find out which vaccinations you need. |
| COVID test required? | Check with the U.S. Department of State before you travel, as COVID testing and quarantine requirements may change at any time if there’s a surge in cases. |
| Travel advisory level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) | Andorra, Austria, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland. |
| Travel advisory level 2 (Exercise Increased Caution) | Albania, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Greenland, France, Germany, Kosovo, Moldova, Monaco, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, United Kingdom, Vatican City |
| Travel advisory level 3 (Reconsider Travel) | N/A |
| Travel advisory level 4 (Do Not Travel) | Belarus, Russian Federation, Ukraine |
| Emergency services phone number | 112 is the European Union emergency number. You will be redirected to your local emergency service if you call this number from |
Tips for visiting Europe
Are there COVID-19 restrictions for entering Europe?
As of September 2023, most countries have eliminated their COVID-19 screening requirements. However, the situation may change at any time, as SARS-CoV-2 mutates regularly. It is there for advisable that you take out a travel insurance policy that offers COVID-19 coverage.
Do I need a visa to travel to Europe?
In most European countries, including the 27 countries in the Schengen Zone, you don’t need a visa for trips lasting 90 days or less. You do need a visa if you plan to travel to Turkey or the Russian Federation, regardless of how long you plan to stay.
If you plan to stay in the country for more than 90 days, you may need a Schengen visa or a country-specific visa. The Schengen visa allows you to travel between countries in the Schengen Area without going through a check at every border crossing.
As of mid-2025, the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) will go into effect. This system will require any US citizen traveling to Europe to complete an ETIAS application for any European nation that is a co-signer of the Schengen Agreement. The application will cost $8, although some travelers are exempt from paying this fee.
The table below shows the tourist visa requirements for European countries.
| Country | Tourist Visa Requirements |
|---|---|
| Countries in the Schengen Zone | No visa required for stays lasting 90 days or less. |
| Albania | Not required for stays of 1 year or less. |
| Andorra | Not required for stays of 90 days or less |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | Not required for stays under 3 months. |
| Belarus | Yes, if you’re planning to stay more than 30 days. You also need a visa if you’re traveling directly to or from the Russian Federation or if you’re entering or exiting at a border crossing other than the Minsk Airport. |
| Bulgaria | Not required if you’re using a regular passport and staying under 90 days. You must have a visa if you’re using an official passport or diplomatic passport. |
| Cyprus, Czech Republic, Greenland, Monaco, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Vatican City | Not required for stays of less than 90 days. |
| Ireland | No |
| Kosovo, Moldova, North Macedonia, Ukraine | Not required for stays of less than 90 days in a 6-month period. |
| Russian Federation | Yes |
| Turkey | Yes |
| United Kingdom | Not required for stays less than 6 months. |
Does American insurance work in Europe?
Most U.S. health insurance plans will not cover medical care and treatment outside the United States. Although there are some small exceptions, having comprehensive EU travel insurance will protect you against huge medical bills, travel delays, and much more
Does Medicare cover you in Europe?
In most situations, US-based insurance policies such as Medicare will not provide coverage outside the US. Therefore, it is best to purchase a medical travel insurance plan. This will protect you from huge bills when you require health care or medical supplies you get outside the U.S.
Europe travel insurance FAQs
Do I need travel insurance for Europe?
In most cases, travel insurance isn’t required, but you should get it anyway. This type of insurance gives you extra peace of mind in the event you experience a delay, cancellation, or other problem outside of your control.
Is travel insurance for Europe worth it?
Absolutely, travel insurance is worth it. You never know when you’ll come down with a serious illness or experience some other type of emergency. It’s good to have travel insurance to reimburse you for your losses.
How much does travel insurance for a trip to Europe cost?
It depends on your age, destination, and trip cost. For the most basic coverage, you can purchase a policy for as little as $1 per day. A more extensive travel insurance policy for Europe will generally cost between $8 and $11 per day.
Can I use my U.S. health insurance in Europe?
No. Your U.S. health insurance won’t cover any medical expenses incurred in Europe
Leigh Morgan is a seasoned personal finance contributor with over 15 years of experience writing on a diverse range of professional legal and financial topics. She specializes in subjects like navigating the complexities of insurance, savings, zero-based budgeting and emergency fund development.
In the last 5 years, she’s authored over 300 articles for credit unions, digital banks, and financial professionals. Morgan is also the author of “77 Tips for Preventing Elder Financial Abuse,” a book focused on helping caregivers protect the elderly from financial scams.
In addition to her writing skills, she brings real-world financial acumen thanks to her previous experience managing rental properties as part of a $34 million real estate portfolio.
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