Travel insurance for European trips

Travel insurance can usually provide coverage for all European countries; however, Travelex travel insurance does not offer coverage for Ukraine, Belarus, Russia, or any other country in Europe that has an Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanction. Before booking travel to Europe, Travelex recommends checking the OFAC website for any sanctions against individual European countries.

Regardless of whether you're planning your trip personally or a company is doing it for you, unforeseen incidents can occur. Even on a well-planned excursion, you could experience a stolen bag in Sweden or get food poisoning in Finland. Considering travel insurance for your European journey is not just crucial for your own financial protection, but also many tour companies mandate evidence of travel insurance before you embark on the tour. 

Travel insurance coverage can also serve as a safety net if your non-refundable tour gets canceled because of a covered reason, plus assist you should something go wrong during your trip.  

Driving is a popular way to get around Europe, so if you're considering renting a car during your trip, travel insurance can provide additional security in the event of an accident that causes damage to the rented vehicle. What does this mean? Should you encounter incidents such as collision, vandalism, theft, or weather-related damage while driving, rental car coverage through travel insurance can come to your aid.

Travelex's Travel Select and Travel Basic plans offer Car Rental Collision Coverage as an optional upgrade. It’s important to keep in mind that the Car Rental Collision benefit is not available in Ireland. 

Dreaming of coasting past waterfalls in Norway or soaking up a waterfront view of idyllic architecture in Denmark? If you're planning to set sail on a cruise during your time abroad, consider investing in travel insurance.   

If your cruise is unexpectedly canceled or interrupted for a covered reason or you get sick or injured on board, the right coverage can help to reimburse costs of non-refundable travel bookings, medical expenses, medical evacuation, lost personal belongings, and more.  

Booking a cruise? Discover Travelex’s Travel Select and Travel Basic plans, which provide cruise coverage.  

Planning a winter getaway to ski in St. Moritz? Travelex offers travel insurance that can cover delays in sports equipment, emergency medical expenses, adventure sports, and more to help safeguard your investment in your upcoming vacation. 

Travelex's plans can offer inclusive coverage for trips that feature snow sports in Europe. If injuries or icy conditions disrupt your travel plans, Travelex travel insurance can provide 24/7 medical support and may provide coverage for extra costs if your trip is delayed or canceled. 

Travelers with an adventurous spirit can find thrilling experiences in Europe, like paragliding in the Swiss Alps, rock climbing at Spain’s El Chorro, or canyoning in Austria. It’s a good idea to check that your travel insurance policy provides coverage for the adventure activities you plan to do in Europe.

With Travelex’s Travel Select and Travel Basic plans, you may already be set with coverage that includes various activities like scuba diving (up to a depth of 60 ft), kayaking, skiing, canyoning, river rafting, snorkeling, horseback riding, hiking, and more.

If you think you might try other thrilling adventures on your trip to Europe that are not included in these two plans—such as zip-lining, mountaineering, and skydiving—it is suggested that you consider adding the adventure sports upgrade to the Travel Select plan.

Do you have lingering questions about adventure sports coverage? You can review your policy wording or speak to a Travelex representative to make sure your chosen adventure activity is eligible for coverage before you purchase travel insurance.

There is a real possibility something could come up that makes you unable to take your trip to Europe. If you don’t want to lose your entire vacation investment, Travelex’s cancel For any reason upgrade may be a smart addition to your travel insurance policy. Available only on the Travel Select plan, this upgrade lets you call off your trip—no matter what your reason is—up to 48 hours before your scheduled departure date. This helps to keep you from paying completely out of pocket, as Travelex can repay up to 75% of your insured trip costs (up to $7,500).

To be eligible for reimbursement with this optional upgrade, you will need to insure all non-refundable trip costs (up to a maximum of $10,000) with your policy at the time of purchase and your trip length must be 30 days or less. Additionally, the cancel for any reason upgrade must be purchased with your initial plan and within 15 days of the initial payment made for your trip.

The location where you're going to spend the bulk of your trip should be considered as the key destination for your travel insurance coverage. For example, if your vacation consists of a two-week stay in Italy and a weekend visit to Paris, Italy should be listed as your prime destination. You will still have coverage for the entirety of your trip in Europe, as long as you are not traveling to a sanctioned destination that Travelex does not offer coverage for.

Although many credit cards provide travel insurance, these plans often come with lower benefit caps and specific conditions necessary for activating coverage. Opting for travel insurance from a dedicated provider like Travelex can offer more expansive coverage across several significant benefits. This includes potential coverage for pre-existing medical conditions, which can enhance your sense of control and provide additional financial protection during your European travels.

If you have a known pre-existing medical condition, it's natural to worry about its potential impact on your European travels. However, travel insurance for Europe could provide coverage for these medical conditions on the Travel Select plan, provided all the following prerequisites are satisfied: 

• The Travel Select travel insurance policy is purchased within the “early purchase window” (within 15 days of first trip payment); 

• The amount of coverage purchased equals all prepaid nonrefundable payments or deposits applicable to the trip at the time of purchase; 

• The costs of any subsequent arrangements added to the same trip are insured within the timeframe in the early purchase window; and 

• All insureds are medically able to travel when the policy is purchased. 

Trip cancellation and trip interruption coverage under the pre-existing medical condition exclusion waiver will be limited to 100% of insured trip cost, up to a maximum of $50,000. 

If you're in the market for health insurance for your getaway in Europe, it's essential to become aware of the type of medical protection that travel insurance can provide. Travelex's Travel Select and Travel Basic plans can assist only with emergency medical and dental costs resulting from unexpected injuries or illnesses. It's important to note, however, that voluntary medical procedures performed while abroad are not covered, nor is traveling for the purpose of obtaining medical treatments.