Travel Insurance For Trips To Europe

When you’re planning a great trip to Europe, the last thing you want to do is think about cancelling it. But planning ahead in case you have to cancel is smart, especially if you’re paying lots of money for a vacation

Trip cancellation insurance can reimburse 100% of your pre-paid, non-refundable trip expenses if you have to cancel for a reason covered by the policy. Reasons generally include sudden sickness or the death of a close family member. Check your policy for the list of acceptable reasons for making a cancellation claim.

“It helps when you’ve spent a significant amount on making deposits and payments upfront and want to protect that investment,” explains Christina Tunnah, General Manager of Marketing and Brands with World Nomads, a travel insurance company. Other reasons could include weather emergencies or terrorist threats, either close to home or overseas.

If you want the highest tier of flexibility to cancel a trip, consider upgrading your standard travel policy to “cancel for any reason,” if it’s offered by your provider. This allows you to cancel the trip for reasons covered in the base policy, like fear of travelling or simply changing your mind. Reimbursement is usually 50% or 75% of trip costs.

Whether you’re staying in one country or visiting multiple destinations, travel delay insurance could be considered an essential coverage for visitors to Europe, especially if there are multiple legs on your trip.

“This benefit can reimburse you for covered expenses that you’ve had to incur because of airline or weather delays—for example, hotel stays, meals, taxis—up to a per day and total maximum benefit amount,” explains Tunnah.

There are two things to remember about travel delay coverage: It usually starts only after a minimum amount of time (for example, six hours), and the delay has to be caused by a problem defined in your travel insurance policy, says Tunnah.

There’s another benefit to travel insurance that could potentially save you a lot of money: Trip interruption coverage. Because a trip to Europe often includes several stops, you likely have multiple deposits paid in advance, especially during peak travel months.

If you need to return home due to a child’s health emergency—or other reasons listed in the policy—you can use your trip interruption benefits to cover last-minute flight changes, and recoup any deposits, payments and expenses that you would otherwise lose.

Plans for any international trip should include travel medical insurance. While travelling in Europe, your provincial or territorial health plan likely does pay for medical expenses like hospital bills, ambulance costs or doctor visits if you require emergency medical attention.

A robust travel insurance policy will provide medical expense coverage in case you get sick or injured during your travels. Make sure you purchase your travel insurance at the time you book your trip. If you have a pre-existing medical condition, some policies grant a waiver or offer an add-on to reduce the stability period (the amount of time your health must considered controlled or stable) before your departure.

European travel generally includes day trips and tours with lots of walking. There are also foods that may not be cooked or prepared in the manner you are accustomed to. If you suffer food poisoning from dining out, or trip over a broken sidewalk, travel medical insurance is your safety net.

Europe offers world-class medical centres, but you may not be in close proximity to one if you have an accident or fall ill.

For example, if you are in a port city along the Rhine River in France and you develop a reaction to shellfish you ate at a waterside café, getting medical attention quickly is required. There may be a local health clinic there, but if you develop life-threatening reactions like organ failure, a large hospital is best.

This is where emergency medical evacuation coverage can make a huge difference. Your travel insurer’s 24/7 emergency assistance team can dispatch a medevac to take you to a hospital to treat your serious condition. If your condition is grave enough you could also be transported back to Canada for medical care.

Any travel overseas comes with some risk. One risk that you can mitigate with careful planning and the right insurance is theft, loss or damage. And while losing your favourite watch is disappointing, losing your passport can be disastrous—but it doesn’t have to be with the right baggage insurance.

Your travel insurance company’s assistance team can help direct you to get a temporary passport and identify the location of the closest consulate, says Tunnah at World Nomads.

While in Europe, it’s important to take precautions against crime. Petty crimes and the theft of personal belongings is fairly common, especially in tourist areas packed with people. Don’t draw attention to yourself with flashy jewellery or expensive clothing or accessories.

If you do become the victim of pickpockets or thieves, report the crime to your tour company (if you have one) and the local authorities. You can make a claim under baggage/personal effects coverage for stolen items but you will need to provide documentation. Keep in mind that baggage coverage pays for the depreciated cost of your belongings, not the cost to replace them with new items.

The Bottom Line

A trip to Europe may be your once-in-lifetime dream vacation. Don’t let your memories of exotic foods, cultural masterpieces and jaw-dropping scenery be marred by a travel calamity that could have been prevented (or at least mitigated) with the right travel insurance.