Best Travel Medical Insurance For Europe 2023

Best Travel Medical Insurance For Europe

The biggest shock to me was how much more economical healthcare is in Europe than it is in North America, particularly in the United States. Nevertheless, it costs money, and you shouldn't experiment with it in case an accident occurs.

• You must find your way around a strange healthcare system.
• Your illness needs to be translated into a foreign language.
• You need to work out a way to pay for your overseas medical expenditures.
• Therefore, YES, you will require travel health insurance while visiting Europe. especially when the cost of peace of mind is relatively low. Let's get into the things to look for and my suggestions for your short list.

Do I Have Enough Travel Insurance For My Trip to Europe?

Probably not. Travel insurance, which I mistakenly believed to be more all-inclusive than it actually is, and travel medical insurance, which is what I actually needed, are two different things that you should be aware of as you prepare for your vacations.

Travel health insurance, often known as travel medical insurance

Typically, it will pay for your repatriation (i.e., return to your country of origin), evacuation, and emergency medical care.

For unforeseen medical issues and accidents, emergency evacuations, and other situations like this, it allows you access to hospitals and medical professionals.

Keep in mind that it is just there in case of emergency and does not take the place of your regular healthcare. For instance, using travel medical insurance outside of your place of residence is not possible for routine checkups abroad.

If you're concerned about being sick or wounded while travelling, having medical insurance is an excellent option.

Vacation Insurance

Plans for travel insurance are made to guard you from financial losses brought on by postponed plans, misplaced luggage, travel delays, or natural calamities.

Some credit cards include minimal travel insurance to guard against these types of occurrences, but only if the trip was booked using the card (Chase Preferred is the card I use for this benefit).

If you're concerned about any potential setbacks to your plans, you might consider purchasing travel insurance.

Will I Be Covered By My Current Medical Insurance In Europe?

The quick response is "no" Due to a variety of factors, including politics, taxes, disparities between national healthcare systems, cost, etc., most health insurance programmes only provide coverage in the country of residence.

You will therefore need to take care of yourself on your own whether you travel or are abroad. I now hunt for a coverage that covers me even in Europe and includes both travel and medical insurance.

How much is travel health insurance?

Depending on the policy, the price can change considerably. While some insurance providers provide more extensive policies that can cost several hundred dollars, others only give basic coverage for about $40 per person each month.

In addition, a variety of variables, including the duration of the trip, the number of passengers, and the health status of the travellers, might influence the price of medical insurance. Therefore, before buying a policy, it's crucial to compare rates from several providers.

Is COVID covered by travel medical insurance?

I regret to inform you that the majority of travel health insurance policies DO NOT cover COVID-19 or pandemics/epidemics in general.

However, some insurance plans, which I suggest below, will pay for medical costs associated with the virus, such as per diem quarantine stipends and COVID testing.

It's crucial to confirm what is and is not covered with the insurer before you depart. In the interim, make sure to take all essential safety measures to safeguard both you and the other passengers.

American citizens' stay in Europe is limited.

Without a visa, you are permitted to stay in the Schengen region for up to 90 days.

A brief explanation for people who are not familiar with this word. Despite the fact that many nations are members of both, the European Union (a political and economic union) and the Schengen Area (a zone where people can travel freely) are two separate organisations.

Despite not being Schengen members, the US and the UK do not require a visa to enter Europe for a brief period of time.

Simply be sure that your passport will still be valid for at least six months after the date you want to go, and that you have health insurance that will cover you while you're travelling in Europe.

Health care is it free for EU citizens?

Although the quality of healthcare in European nations is well known, the topic of whether or not it is free for its population still lingers. The solution is somewhat intricate.

The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), while covering some medical expenditures, only provides emergency medical care; it does not cover items like lost luggage or repatriation fees.

Therefore, you will need to get a different policy if you want full medical insurance for travel in Europe.

5 Top Medical Insurance Options For European Travel

• SafetyWing Nomad Insurance, first
• I use this one when I travel because it provides both travel and medical insurance and is the best overall for my priorities.
• includes protection against medical professionals, hospitals, medical emergencies, delays in travel, misplaced checked luggage, emergency response, and natural calamities.
• With a variety of services for different types of travellers, nomads, and remote workers, it is adaptable and operates like a subscription.
• Starting at $40 per month, it's fairly affordable.
• Foreign quarantine is covered by the COVID-19 coverage that is supplied!
• You get to communicate with a genuine person who is also a traveller during the 24/7 emergency help.
• may buy while travelling in roughly 180 different countries.

Nomadic World

In terms of activities, World Nomads is certainly one of the more inclusive options available and provides much of the same protection. Here are a few advantages I can think of for them.

Very extensive policies that include trip protection and cancellation, emergency medical or dental care, loss, theft, or damage to your bags or electronic equipment, as well as emergency evacuation.

You can purchase plans while travelling, allowing you to extend your trip if you so choose.

COVID-19 coverage, which is regrettably still hard to find in insurance.

includes more than 200 adventurous activities (be aware of the exceptions)

Insure My Trip

This tool compares a tonne of various insurance products for you, similar to the "Booking.com" website. I found the following about them to be intriguing and valuable:

compares a variety of suppliers' plans and suggests the one that best suits your unique travel needs.

"Anytime Advocates" support you in the battle to have your claim examined and granted.

Travel insurance from Allianz

There are several possibilities because this insurance provider is enormous. What I saw during my research was the following:

All of the standard topics are covered, including trip cancellation, travel delays, medical care and evacuation, and even rental car insurance.

Options include single-trip, multiple-trip, and annual insurance (for sabbatical travellers like myself!).

For some policies, children under the age of 17 are protected when travelling with their parents or grandparents.

pricey compared to the first two, however it depends on the policies.

IMG Global Insurance

Because it comes the closest to traditional health insurance, this choice includes a few extra benefits.

includes protection against physicians, hospitals, medical emergencies, flight delays, misplaced checked luggage, and natural calamities.

Depending on the plan, COVID-19 situations may be covered.

There are other plans to pick from, including short- and long-term options, but they are usually more expensive.

Best for long-term expatriates rather than frequent flyers, in my opinion.

Best Travel Medical Insurance For Europe