What Countries are included in European Travel Insurance?
What countries are included in European travel insurance?
When it comes to buying travel insurance for multiple countries in Europe, what does 'Europe' actually mean?
Perhaps your wondering is Iceland included in travel insurance for Europe? What about Egypt?
Here we’ll explain which countries are included in European travel insurance – As well as take a look as to why it is important to have this travel insurance cover in place for your trip to Europe.
European travel insurance: what countries does it cover?
When it comes to travel insurance for Europe, the countries included in Europe vary between insurers, and sometimes it is quite loosely applied to include countries not always considered part of Europe.
In general, for travel insurance to Europe the entirety of the European Union is included, along with:
- Andorra
- Faroe Islands
- Iceland
- Liechtenstein
- Monaco
- Norway
- San Marino
- Switzerland
- Turkey
This means that if you require Schengen travel insurance, you will likely find that a European travel insurance policy will cover you for your trip.
For various political and economic reasons, these countries have not joined the EU, but are still regarded as ‘European' by many insurers.
Equally, many would-be holidaymakers searching for ‘EU travel insurance' may in fact be looking for cover for non-EU countries.
Turkey in Europe? Is Turkey in Europe for travel insurance?
As outlined above while Turkey - a country that borders Syria and Iraq to the east - and has only 3% of its landmass in Europe – it is considered as Europe in the case of travel insurance.
Great news for those of you visiting Turkey and planning a trip to Istanbul, a stay of the amazing Turkish Riviera, hot air ballooning in Cappadocia, or looking to embrace any of the other amazing destinations that Turkey has to offer.
Whilst this revelation that Turkey travel insurance is covered under Europe may be eye-opening enough, there are other nations that are also sometimes considered part of Europe as regards travel insurance, which you might otherwise expect not to be:
- Egypt
- Morocco
- Tunisia
European holiday insurance for Africa?
Yes, that’s correct, travel insurance for Morocco, travel insurance for Tunisia and travel insurance for Egypt will often be categorised within European travel insurance cover.
While the above destinations are technically in the African continent, for various complex reasons they are sometimes thought of (or consider themselves to be): ‘north Africans'; closer culturally to the Middle East; and/or closer to Europe (e.g. Morocco is an associate EU member).
Is Cape Verde in Europe for travel insurance?
Unlike travel insurance for Turkey, Morocco and Egypt, which are often included under European travel insurance policies, Cape Verde isn’t normally covered within travel insurance policies for Europe.
What travel insurance do I need for Cape Verde?
For Cape Verde travel insurance, you will normally be required to purchase a travel insurance policy that covers worldwide travel.
Interrail and European Interrail travel insurance
Interrail - something of a European institution - is an interesting example of how the notion of Europe is blurred: Turkey is an Interrail member, Morocco used to be, but Ukraine is not.
Offering an alternative to flying, an Interail pass will give you the freedom to discover over 40,000 destinations in 33 countries, providing a great way to travel Europe.
If you are intending to use an Interrail pass to explore Europe, a travel insurance policy from starttravel.co.uk will provide you with the assurance that you have Interrail insurance cover for delays, cancellations and missed departures as well as a host of other travel insurance policy benefits.
To find the best travel insurance for your interrail journey, get a quote online today.
European travel insurance from Start Travel
Geographically speaking, Start Travel's European travel insurance coverage is comprehensive.
Along with all the ‘common' Europe destinations, we are able to cover trips to Morocco and Tunisia, and travel to Turkey, although these may be grouped into ‘Europe 1' or ‘Europe 2'. See the countries we cover here.
Carefully read the terms and conditions of your Europe / EU travel policy
It's important not to assume you are covered for travelling in any particular country, so be sure to read your policy document/terms and conditions carefully.
Travel insurance for Europe: What’s covered?
Travel insurance policies for Europe from Start Travel cover you for a range of scenarios:
- Emergency medical treatment and repatriation expenses
- Cancellation
- Curtailment and loss of holiday
- Personal accident
- Personal belongings
- Personal money
- Passport and other documents
- Missed departure
- Personal liability
The maximum level of cover provided will depend on the level of cover that you opt for.
In most instances, we are also able to cover you for your trip to Europe if you have pre-existing medical conditions.
What is the best policy if I travel to Europe often?
Looking for travel insurance to Europe from the UK?
If you plan on visiting Europe several times a year, then you'll benefit from annual travel insurance for multiple countries in Europe; known as a multi-trip or annual European travel insurance policy - instead of a single-trip policy.
This is likely to save you time and hassle because you don't have to arrange travel cover every time you leave the UK. It is also likely to be considerably cheaper than if you bought single trip policies.
It has also been argued that buying an annual or multi-trip travel policy from a travel insurance company might protect you from price surges in single trip policies.
However, here at Start Travel we're committed to providing affordable travel insurance for single trip and annual customers.
Do I need travel insurance for Europe?
For those on a budget, or with a mind to save money, the question: Do I need travel insurance for Europe? - may arise.
This is perhaps understandable - but it's not worth the risk.
While many popular European destinations are only two or three hours away from the UK, it's critical to take out adequate travel insurance for your trip.
Things can and do go wrong for UK travellers every day.
Even if you're young, fit and healthy, unexpected events can happen: for example, poor driving, unsatisfactory food hygiene and petty crime may be more common in some countries compared to the UK.
But let's talk specifics. What are you most likely to claim for while visiting Europe?
The most common reasons to claim on travel insurance are:
Trip cancellation or abandonment
There are many reasons why you might need to abandon your holiday, from burst pipes to family illnesses.
Without adequate insurance, you would be paying for a holiday you never took.
But with the right cover, you'll get compensated, so you can book another break later on.
According to one survey by Expedia in 2018, UK families spend an average of £4,800 on each overseas break. Most data suggests over a third of out-of-country travel insurance claims relate to trip cancellation/abandonment.
Medical expenses
Around a third of claims relate to medical costs.
If you fall ill or get injured while in Europe and require emergency assistance, you could face large medical bills if you're not covered, or if you do not have a valid Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC), the replacement for EHIC (European Health Insurance Card) for UK citizens, post-Brexit.
It is important to ensure that you have informed your travel insurance provider of any pre-existing medical conditions.
If you need to make a medical claim while overseas and you have not informed your insurer of any pre-existing condition, it may invalidate you your cover.
What is a GHIC Card?
The GHIC ensures you'll receive free or discounted state medical care in the event of a medical emergency (this is reciprocated if a national of that country falls ill in the UK).
But it's worth noting that the GHIC won't cover you for non life-threatening injuries.
Covid-19 Protect
If you are travelling to Europe, it is also possible to add our additional Covid-19 Protect cover to your travel insurance, which offers even greater levels of cover for even greater peace of mind for your European trip.
Loss of money or possessions
It's understandable that people on holiday let their guard down occasionally - but it can mean an increased risk of losing money or possessions.
In some mainland European cities pickpocketing is more common than in the UK - and many perpetrators can spot a tourist a mile off. But such events don't need to ruin your holiday.
A good insurer will reimburse you for lost/stolen baggage, possessions and gadgets.
If you do happen to find yourself stranded abroad with no money, here’s what to do.
Travel delay and missed departure
Another common problem is travel delays or missed departures.
Being unable to make a flight or a train journey - perhaps because of public transport failures or adverse weather conditions - can be hugely costly (especially at the last minute).
But with a good travel insurance policy, you'll be able to get the extra costs recouped.
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