Do I Need Medical Insurance For Travel In Europe (+5 Best Providers)

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Let’s talk about medical insurance for traveling in Europe – Do I need it? And what’s the cheapest, best, and most inclusive?

Maybe it’s the over-thinker in me, but every couple of trips, I like to reflect on lessons learned – What will I remember most? What was the best meal? What sucked about the trip? This helps me decide what to pay attention to when booking my next adventure. And my biggest lesson learned is to be prepared in case I get sick while traveling in Europe.

Here are a few of my personal experiences when I was glad I paid the ~$40 a month for travel medical insurance and access to an English-speaking doctor:

All of these scenarios have one thing in common (other than me). You never know what can happen. It’s usually the small things – like a common cold, a stomach issue, or a terrible toothache that can ruin a trip unnecessarily if you’re not prepared. And by prepared, I mean having access to call an English-speaking doctor who can consult and write you a prescription if needed.

Through my travels in Europe, I’ve learned to plan ahead, and I’ve learned to travel safely so I can continue doing the things I love. Travel medical insurance is on my checklist of things to have, along with my passport and a phone charger.

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Do You Need Medical Insurance For Travel In Europe?

YES, you will need travel medical insurance while traveling in Europe. Especially when it comes at a relatively small price for peace of mind. You don’t want to have the shits after a fantastic dinner in Greece and have to:

• Navigate a foreign hospital system
• Translate your medical condition into a foreign language
• Figure out how the hell to pay foreign medical expenses
• Get access to a Western-trained doctor

Let’s get into what to look for and my shortlist recommendations.

Is Travel Insurance Enough For My Trip To Europe?

Likely not. As you plan your trips, it’s important to understand the difference between travel insurance (which I thought was more inclusive than it is) and travel medical insurance (which is what you actually need).

✔️ Travel Medical Insurance (Travel Health Insurance) for Europe

• Typically, it will cover emergency medical care, evacuation, and repatriation (ie. getting you back to your home country).
• It gives you access to hospitals and doctors for unexpected medical problems, like stomach bugs, cases of flu, and other random accidents that just happen. (👈 this is what I’ve used it for mostly)
• Remember, it does not replace your normal healthcare, rather it’s there in case of emergencies. For example, you can’t get a regular checkup abroad using travel medical insurance outside your home country.
• Travel Medical insurance in Europe is a good idea if you’re worried about getting sick or hurt while traveling – just think about the foreign foods you’ll be eating, all the tours and walking you’ll be doing in the heat or cold, and the metros you’ll be riding full of people.

👉 PRO TIP: Don’t wait to get home to get medicine if you’re sick. Pharmacies, clinics, and even hospitals in Europe are top-notch and are used to working with Americans. Just make sure you keep the bills (if there are any) so you can get things reimbursed by your travel insurance.

✔️ Travel Insurance for Europe

• Travel insurance plans are designed to protect you from financial losses due to canceled plans or lost luggage, travel delays, or natural disasters.
• Some credit cards offer limited travel insurance to protect for these types of things but only if you’ve booked the trip through the card (Chase Preferred is the one I use for this perk).
• Travel insurance for Europe is a good idea if you’re worried about any potential disruptions to your trip.

Will My US Health Insurance Cover me In Europe?

The short answer is NO. Most health insurance programs limit their coverage to the home country due to so many things like politics, taxes, differences in global healthcare policies, cost, etc.

So when you travel or are abroad, you will need to cover your ass on your own. This is where buying travel medical/health insurance for Europe comes into play.

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5 Best Medical Insurance Policies For Travel In Europe

Here is a list of the best travel health insurance in Europe. I use Safetywing, but each policy offers its own unique little things that might work better for your travel situation.

👉 PRO TIP: The 911 of Europe is 112. In most countries in Europe, if you have a medical emergency, call 112 and get connected to the ambulance, fire department, or police.

1. SafetyWing Nomad Insurance (I Use This)

This is the one I use when I travel because it covers both travel and medical insurance and is overall the best for what I care about.

• Includes coverage for doctors, hospitals, emergency medical evacuation, travel delays, lost checked luggage, emergency response & natural disasters.
• It’s flexible and works like a subscription, with multiple services for different sorts of travelers, nomads, and remote workers.
• It’s pretty cheap, starting at $40 a month.
• COVID-19 coverage is included, and it covers quarantine abroad!
• 24/7 emergency assistance, you get to talk to a real human who is also a traveler.
• Can purchase while already traveling in about 180 countries.

2. InsureMyTrip

This would be my second “go-to” for sorting out travel medical insurance, because the InsureMyTrip compares tons of different insurances for you, giving you the pros and cons of each so you can pick what’s best for you.

This is what I thought was interesting and valuable about them:

• Compares plans from a bunch of different vendors and spits out what’s best for your specific trip requirements.
• “Anytime Advocates” help fight alongside you to get your claim reviewed and approved.

3. World Nomads

World Nomads offers a lot of the same protection as SafetyWing and is probably one of the more inclusive options out there regarding activities. Here are some of the benefits I see with them.

• Very comprehensive plans, including coverage for trip protection & cancellations, emergency medical or dental, loss/theft/damage of your bags and tech gear, and emergency evacuation.
• Can buy plans while abroad as well, so you can extend your trip if you want.
• Coverage for COVID-19, which is sadly still rare among insurance.
• Covers over 200+ adventure activities (watch out for those exceptions)

4. Allianz Travel Insurance

This is a huge insurance company, to say the least, so there are options galore. When doing my research, what stood out to me was the following:

• They cover all the usual, including trip cancellation, travel delays, medical assistance and evacuation, and even rental car insurance.
• Options are for single trips, multi-trips, or annual insurance (for those on sabbatical like me!)
• Children 17 and under are covered when traveling with parents/grandparents for some plans
• A little more pricey than the top two, but it depends on the policies.

5. IMG Global Insurance

This option is the closest thing to normal health insurance and therefore has a few added perks.

• Includes coverage for doctors, hospitals, emergency medical evacuation, travel delays, lost checked luggage, and natural disasters.
• Some plans cover COVID-19 emergencies (read the fine print)
• Tons of plans to choose from, including short and long-term options, but they tend to be more pricey.
• Best for people living overseas longer rather than short-term travelers, in my opinion.

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FAQ: Travel vs. Medical Insurance in Europe

Let’s jump into a few more frequently asked questions.

What Is The Best Travel Insurance For Europe?

I use SafetyWing, but have done the research and informed myself on a few of the other best travel insurances for Europe. Each one offers a pretty similar and comprehensive package, with a few key differences that may appeal to you and your travel situation. I have the pros and cons of each policy reviewed below.

How much does Travel Medical Insurance Cost?

The cost can vary quite a bit depending on the policy. Some insurance companies offer basic coverage for around $40 per person per month (this is what I usually get), while others offer more comprehensive plans that cost several hundred dollars.

There are also a number of factors that can affect the cost of medical insurance, such as the length of the trip, the number of people traveling, and the medical history of the travelers. As a result, it’s important to compare rates from different companies before purchasing a policy.

Does Travel Medical Insurance cover COVID?

Unfortunately, I’ve learned that most travel medical insurance policies do NOT cover COVID-19 (or pandemics/epidemics in general). However, there are some policies, which I recommend below, that will provide coverage for medical expenses related to the virus, like per diem quarantine stipends and COVID testing.

Do EU citizens get free healthcare?

We all know that Europeans get universal healthcare, but the question remains: do its citizens get free healthcare? The answer is no.

Europeans get what is called a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) which covers them like our travel medical insurance would in the EU.

Universal healthcare in Europe is supported by the massive taxes its citizens pay so that everyone can have access to healthcare when they cross EU borders, including the poor, and even foreigners. It’s not perfect, but it’s the safety net we all sometimes need when we’re sick and away from home.

Bottom Line? No matter where you are in Europe, if you get sick, go to a pharmacy or clinic and they will help you, no questions asked. Look for the green or red crosses everywhere.

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What To Expect When You’re Sick In Europe

I wanted to share some practical options for when you get sick in Europe. The bottom line is, that you should call your travel medical insurance doctor and get their opinion on the next steps. They may send you a prescription via email or send you to a local clinic.

✅ Pharmacies in Europe

When people get sick in Europe, before visiting their doctor, they first go to their local pharmacy. Pharmacists can diagnose and prescribe medicine for small things like colds, flu, stomach aches, scratches, back pain, sinus things, etc. Every town or city will have at least one 24-hour pharmacy because it’s regulated by the EU.

So when you’re sick, travel insurance or not, head to a local pharmacy and use Google Translate if you must to tell them where it hurts. They will prescribe you what you need. If they can’t help you, they will send you to the nearest doctor or clinic.

✅ Medication in Europe

Here are a few things I learned from traveling and living in Europe.

• Medication that needs a prescription in the US is sometimes over the counter in Europe.
• Medication names are different – we call meds by their brand, like Tylenol. Europeans use the medicine term, acetaminophen. Same thing, different name.
• Doses can be stronger in Europe, so make sure you listen and read what the pharmacist tells you – don’t go rogue.
• When in doubt, paracetamol cures everything when taken as directed.

✅ Clinics in Europe

I’ve been to a few clinics in Europe, in Croatia, Estonia, Spain, and in Norway to name a few. They all work more or less the same. I googled a clinic online, saw which was closer, and took a taxi to the spot. You usually walk into a reception area, fill out some basic paperwork, and then wait to see a doctor.

In some countries, you pay some small fee, in others nothing – it just depends on the laws of the land you’re in. I paid $120 in Croatia for a clinic visit and nothing in Estonia or Norway for a similar emergency visit.

Clinics are great for getting tests done or seeing a doctor who can examine you more closely.

✅ Getting Medical Help in Europe

If you’re too sick to get out of bed, you can always call 112 and an ambulance will come get you. You can also ask your hotel to call a doctor for you. These are more expensive, but keep the bill, and work it out with your travel insurance later on.

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Conclusion: Medical Insurance For Travel In Europe

I love wandering off on my own to explore places I’ve never been to before. I believe it’s the best way to meet the locals and truly experience the culture of a place.

And to cover my ass in case I get sick or injured, I use and recommend SafetyWing Insurance.

For anyone scared of traveling alone — don’t give up on it! Plan your trip and make sure you are traveling safely — be aware of your surroundings, always carry an external battery, tell your friends where you are staying, and purchase travel medical insurance for Europe so you don’t have to worry.

Here is me NOT worrying and going for it solo in Europe for a little inspiration!

If you dont live your own story, you will live someone else’s.

– A very wise person

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