Travel insurance for Europe

Whether you’re visiting Europe for business or pleasure, all travellers should consider travel insurance. Ultimately, the decision to buy travel insurance is entirely up to you, but you never know when an unexpected incident might hinder your travel plans. Perhaps the airline cancels your flights, operators delay your tour or thieves steal your valuables. You can plan your trip as well as you can, but you can’t account for everything.

Without a travel insurance policy, you may have to pay thousands of dollars out of pocket in accommodation, replacement luggage or medical bills if your trip doesn’t go to plan. Events such as natural disasters, hospitalisation or other disruptions are difficult to foresee, but easy to prepare for with a travel insurance plan.

The level of cover you require will vary depending on the type of trip you plan to take. That said, travel insurance can cover:

• Medical costs. Only 10 European countries (plus New Zealand) have an RHCA with Australia.¹ So, if you don’t have travel insurance and need medical treatment in a non-RHCA country, you may have to pay for the whole medical bill from your own wallet. However, travel insurance may cover these costs. It’s also important to remember that RHCAs have very limited cover, so depending on your needs, it’s still important to consider travel insurance even when visiting one of these countries.
• Adventures. If you’re planning to hit the ski slopes of places like Switzerland or Norway, you should check if cover for extreme and winter sports is included in your policy. If it’s not included in the standard policy, cover for these types of adventure sports may be available as an optional extra.
• Lost, stolen or damaged luggage and belongings. Your insurer may cover your baggage and belongings up to a certain amount. Passports may also be covered, as Australian consulates do charge a fee to replace your passport if it’s lost or stolen overseas.²
• Cancellations and travel delays. If your travel plans are delayed or cancelled, your comprehensive travel insurance may cover associated costs like cancellation fees. Trip cancellations or delays can occur anywhere, so it’s best to be prepared. For example, the Australian Government might issue a travel warning for your destination after you’ve already left for it.
• Personal liability. Your insurer may cover the cost of your legal liability if you’re responsible for the death or injury of another person, or damage to their property.

Make sure you thoroughly read the PDS for all inclusions, exclusions, terms and conditions of any policy you’re considering purchasing.

Travel insurance can’t cover you for everything, which is why it’s important to find out what’s actually included and excluded in your policy. Your policy’s PDS will have these details, as they may differ between policies and insurers.

Here’s a list of some common travel insurance exclusions you might find in your policy:

• Extreme, winter and other adventure sports. You’re generally not covered for incidents and claims arising from participation in these sports like skiing or snowboarding. However, some insurers do offer cover for these as an optional extra. If you’re planning on taking on a high-risk adventure, consider  a trip policy that includes emergency assistance, medical treatment and repatriation.
• Pre-existing medical conditions. Unless your insurer offers cover for your condition, you may not be covered for any claims resulting from or linked to it, especially if you failed to notify them of your condition when you took out cover. If you’re looking for specific medical cover, check with your insurance provider to see what exactly your policy covers.
• Intoxication. Injuries and other claims resulting from an incident where you were under the influence of drugs or alcohol may not be covered.
• Active travel warnings. If you’re travelling to a country with an active travel warning from the Australian Government, your insurer may not cover your travel there. You can find information about travel warnings and check which countries have them through Smartraveller.

Are you planning a European trip and looking for information about a country you’re visiting? We’ve got you covered with multiple pages about travel insurance cover for European hotspots, including :

• France
• Italy
• Germany
• Greece
• The Netherlands
• Spain.

Smartraveller advises that Australian citizens can travel through parts of Europe that fall under the Schengen Area without a visa for up to 90 days in a 180-day period, if their travel is for:

• Business purposes
• Visiting friends and family
• Tourism and holidays
• Cultural and sport events
• Transit
• An official visit
• Medical reasons
• Short-term study
• Research.

The Schengen Area is made up of 27 countries with common border rules that allow individuals to travel freely between them without having to apply for individual visas or pass through border controls.

The EU and non-EU member countries of the Schengen Area are:

• Austria
• Belgium
• Bulgaria
• Croatia
• Czech Republic
• Denmark
• Estonia
• Finland
• France
• Germany
• Greece
• Hungary
• Iceland
• Italy
• Latvia
• Liechtenstein
• Lithuania
• Luxembourg
• Malta
• The Netherlands
• Norway
• Poland
• Portugal
• Romania
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• Spain
• Sweden
• Switzerland

If you’re planning on being in the Schengen Area for more than 90 days within a 180 day period or aren’t eligible for visa-free travel under this agreement, you’ll need to apply for a visa from the Schengen country you’ll be spending the most time in.

Smartraveller advises that some EU countries outside the Schengen Area offer visa waivers for tourism purposes, typically up to 90 days. These countries are:

• Albania
• Armenia
• Belarus
• Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Cyprus
• Georgia
• Ireland
• Kosovo
• Moldova
• Montenegro
• North Macedonia (Republic of North Macedonia)
• Serbia
• United Kingdom.

If you’re planning on travelling to countries in Europe that are not part of the Schengen Area and are not listed as offering visa-free travel to Australians, you may want to contact the relevant embassy, high commission or consulate to see if you need a visa.