European travel insurance

Compare travel insurance for Europe from £6.99*

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  • Protects you from unexpected costs while travelling in Europe

  • Covers travel for most European countries

  • Compare some policies with covid cover

*The cheapest policy for a European trip based on 1 adult aged 30, with no previous medical conditions travelling for 1 week. Correct as of February 2024.

Do I need travel insurance for Europe?

Travel insurance for Europe isn't a legal requirement. But organisations like the Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO) recommend it just in case the unexpected happens.

Anything could happen on your trip - you could lose your phone, have a flight cancelled or even need emergency medical treatment. But if you have travel insurance in place, you can be confident that these unexpected costs are covered.

How much is European travel insurance?

How much you pay for travel insurance will depend on your personal circumstances. European countries typically have low medical costs. Many are also covered by the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) and Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC), which can reduce medical costs for UK travellers. So, travel insurance is normally cheaper than it would be if you were travelling to somewhere like the USA.

You could get a single-trip policy for Europe from £6.99*, or a multi-trip policy from £11.851.

If you have a pre-existing medical condition, you could get European travel insuraance from £8.362. A family travel policy could cost £16.703.

*The cheapest policy for a European trip based on 1 adult aged 30, with no previous medical conditions travelling for 1 week. Correct as of February 2024.

1The cheapest multi-trip policy for a European trip based on 1 adult aged 30, with no previous medical conditions travelling in Europe. Correct as of February 2024.

2The cheapest policy for a European trip based on 1 adult aged 30 choosing anxiety as a pre-existing medical condition. Travelling for 1 week. Correct as of February 2024.

3The cheapest policy for a European trip based on 2 adults and 2 children with no previous medical conditions travelling in France for 1 week. Correct as of February 2024.

What affects the price of travel insurance?

Insurers base their prices on a range of factors, including:

  • Your age. Typically, the older you are, the higher your risk of falling ill or sustaining an injury. This means you're more likely to make a claim on your insurance, so you pay more. Some insurers also impose upper age limits, with some offering policies specifically tailored to older travellers.
  • Where you're going. The price of healthcare where you're travelling can impact how much your insurance costs. Generally, Europe has relatively low healthcare costs, so this is likely to have less of an impact than if you were travelling somewhere like the USA. You can also use the EHIC or GHIC in Europe. This won't necessarily mean you get free healthcare, though. It just means that you'll pay as much as a citizen of that country would. Insurance covers any additional medical or repatriation costs.
  • How long you're going for. The longer you're away, the more likely you are to become ill or injured and need medical assistance. This means you'll likely pay more for insurance if you're planning to be away for an extended period of time.
  • Any policy extras you need, such as business or winter sports cover. Having valuables or gadgets that you want to insure can also increase the cost of your insurance.

Do I need European travel insurance if I've got an EHIC or GHIC?

It's recommended that you get travel insurance even if you have an EHIC or GHIC. This is because they only cover medical treatment. Travel insurance also covers a wide range of mishaps, including cancelled trips, delayed flights or lost baggage.

Additionally, EHIC and GHIC provide you with state-level care, so you pay whatever a citizen woul pay for healthcare. A travel insurance policy can cover additional costs for medical treatment. But it's still important to take your EHIC or GHIC because your policy might not pay out without it.

What our travel insurance expert says

"You might think that because Europe is so close to home, you don’t need to worry about travel insurance. However, even with an EHIC or GHIC, you might still end up needing to pay for medical care. Having a European travel insurance policy in place could save you £1000s. It also covers events like lost or stolen luggage and cancelled flights."

Matthew Harwood, Home & lifestyle insurance expert at Confused.com
Home & lifestyle insurance expert Confused.com logo

How do I get a quote?

Getting a quote only takes a few minutes. If you've compared prices with us before, it's even quicker. Just login and check all of your details are up to date.

  • Fill in our quote form. We just need a few details about you and your trip.
  • We'll compare up to 43 travel insurance providers to help find you the right policy at the right price.
  • We'll show you a list of quotes. You can view them based on the amount of cover you need, and see any optional extras. We'll also show you the Defaqto rating for each provider, so you can be sure you're making the right decision.

Why choose Confused.com?

  • We're 100% independent and not owned by any insurance company. This means that the prices we show are the best based on your information, not who they're from.
  • We're rated 'Excellent' on Trustpilot and have a 4.7/5 rating on Reviews.io.
  • Our UK-based customer support team is here to help. Visit our contact page to get in touch.
  • We're FCA regulated, as are the insurance companies we work with. This means we follow strict guidelines on how we operate. So, you can be sure we do things the right way for our customers.

Compare European travel insurance quotes

What countries are covered by European travel insurance?

Typically, a European travel insurance policy includes all countries within the European Union (EU). See the full list of EU member countries.

Some insurers will also cover countries that aren't EU members. These typically include:

  • Iceland
  • Norway
  • Turkey
  • Switzerland

We recommend checking your policy details before your buy insurance for information on what countries are covered.

What does European travel insurance cover?

European travel insurance covers the same things as a regular travel insurance policy.

Depending on which type of travel insurance policy you need, you may have to select which countries you're visiting to make sure you're covered. If you're looking for a single-trip European policy, just enter the countries you plan on visiting when you're getting a quote. If you're buying an annual or backpackers policy, you'll need to select Europe from the list of destinations.

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It typically covers:

  • Emergency medical costs and treatment for anyone named on the policy
  • Cancellation due to unexpected flight disruptions or being unable to make the holiday due to an emergency
  • Lost or stolen baggage and personal possessions
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It won't normally cover:

  • Undeclared pre-existing medical conditions
  • Alcohol or drug-related incidents
  • Travelling against Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) advice
  • Natural disasters or catastophes
  • Missed departure or scheduled airline failure

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Can I get travel insurance with a pre-existing medical condition?

Yes, most insurers will still cover you with a pre-existing medical condition, as long as you declare it when you get a quote. These conditions include:

  • Cancer
  • Stroke
  • Serious heart and respiratory conditions
  • Terminal conditions
  • Mental health conditions such as anxiety or depression

Some insurers may not cover you if you have a serious medical condition, or if you have multiple conditions. Others might only offer insurance at a much higher price. If you can’t find suitable cover for your European trip, the Money and Pension Service (MaPS) has set up a directory of insurers willing to cover customers with pre-existing medical conditions.

You can find their directory of insurers on the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) website or you can contact them on 0800 138 7777 for free impartial advice.

Do I need single-trip or annual travel insurance for Europe?

If you're planning multiple trips to Europe in a year, an annual travel insurance policy could be cheaper than buying individual policies for each holiday. It's also helpful if you like spontaneous getaways and don't want to arrange travel insurance each time.

But if you're only planning on travelling once a year, a single-trip travel insurance policy should provide all the cover you need.

If you're planning a trip lasting more than 31 days visiting multiple countries, you may need backpacker or long-stay insurance.

Travelling to Europe after Brexit

Now the UK has left the EU, you need:

  • A valid passport - most EU countries need you to have at least 6 months left on your passport to travel
  • To use the international lanes at the airport instead of the EU passport lanes, which can take longer as there’s more information to check

For more information on travelling to the EU, you can visit the GOV.UK site.

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Page last reviewed: 16 February 2024

Reviewed by:   Matthew Harwood

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