Travelling To Europe? Pack In The Essential Insurance Covers

Travelling through Europe is a dream for many, whether it is walking down the cobbled street of Paris or exploring off-beat locations in the Balkans. But when making thorough itineraries, planning culinary expeditions and the sightseeing, there is one critical thing travellers often overlook—travel insurance.

Says Meet Kapadia, head of travel insurance at Policybazaar.com, an online insurance marketplace, “When travelling abroad, it is advisable to check whether any existing insurance policy you have in India provides global coverage. If it does not, it is advisable to purchase a separate international travel insurance policy to ensure adequate protection against medical emergencies and other unforeseen events while abroad.”

Let’s dive into everything you need to know about insurance coverage for health, emergencies, and those unexpected hiccups that could derail your trip to Europe.

Health Insurance

For many, travelling to Europe would mean completing the Schengen visa process, which, by default requires them to meet some specific medical insurance rules. The Schengen Visa, encompassing 26 European countries, allows travellers to move freely within (and across) the boundaries of these nations. However, for non-Schengen countries, while travel insurance is not always mandatory, it is still recommended to have it for coverage against unforeseen events.

According to Parthanil Ghosh, director, and chief business officer at HDFC ERGO General Insurance, Schengen countries mandate that travellers carry medical coverage of at least €30,000 (around `26,79,330). This is to ensure support for medical emergencies, hospitalisations, or even medical repatriation back home. Ghosh emphasises that it is imperative for travellers to verify these requirements, even if they are visiting the Balkans, where countries like Serbia and Croatia also often recommend similar health insurance coverages.

So what is covered under this essential health insurance? If you fall ill or meet with an accident, a typical international health insurance policy will cover hospitalisation, emergency treatments, and even Covid-19-related emergencies. Ghosh says that many policies include the cashless hospitalisation option. You need to make sure the hospital you visit is a part of your insurer’s network. A pre-check to find out about network hospitals is advisable before choosing the health plan.

Medical Evacuations And Repatriation Facility: For serious situations where you might need to be transported back home, medical evacuation and repatriation are covered under many European travel insurance plans (both in and outside the Schengen areas), but travellers should be aware of a few limitations.

Evacuations are, typically, arranged when deemed medically necessary, which means situations considered non-urgent, or those arising from risky behaviour may not qualify. Ghosh suggests that travellers should always read the fine print of their policy, since clarity will be crucial in understanding when evacuation coverage kicks in and when it doesn’t.

Coverage For Pre-Existing Conditions: Pre-existing medical conditions, such as diabetes or cardiac issues, require special attention. “Regular travel insurance policies often exclude these conditions,” says Ghosh, “but travellers can either find a policy that covers them, or pay an extra premium for extended coverage.”

According to Kapadia, it is important to select policies that offer maximum coverage, even for the life-threatening incidents related to pre-existing diseases. Typically, the travel health plan may cover acute flare-ups, but checking the specifics with your insurer will be wise. “You must check the list of diseases covered by the insurer before buying a plan with PED cover,” he says.

Accidental Death And Disability: Accidents can happen anywhere, and with the right policy, you can be covered even if they lead to long-term implications.

European travel policies generally offer compensation for accidental death and disability. However, the payout depends on the policy and the severity of the injury. “For instance, in the case of permanent total disability or accidental death, full benefits are paid, while partial disability may result in proportional compensation,” says Ghosh.

Checking the policy limits and exclusions can help determine the level of coverage you can get in worst-case scenarios.

Adventure Sports Injury: Adventure sports are a key draw for many travellers in Europe.

Priya Deshmukh, head of health product, operations and services, ICICI Lombard, says that special riders are available that cover medical expenses for injuries sustained during such activities. However, these only apply if you are participating responsibly, under supervision, and in a non-professional capacity.

“Exclusions include failure to follow activity guidelines or participating without trained supervision. So, travellers should engage responsibly,” she says.

Other Covers

Travel insurance typically covers various aspects associated with travelling, apart from medical emergencies, such as trip cancellations, and baggage loss. However, it is always better to check any add-ons available on top of the basic coverage.

Personal Belongings: No one travels without luggage, and safeguarding the same against theft and loss is crucial.

Says Kapadia: “Most European travel insurance will generally cover baggage loss or delay for an amount ranging from $500-1,000.”

Hand luggage, however, is not always covered by default. In case of delays, insurers typically cover expenses for necessary replacements, like clothes and toiletries, as long as you can produce receipts.

Unfortunately, theft coverage is often not included as a standard feature. Says Kapadia, “Theft cover is usually termed as loss of personal belongings. This is not a default cover in the majority of plans, but it can be purchased as an add-on in certain policies. A police complaint must be filed and a copy of the complaint has to be submitted to opt for claims.”

While this doesn’t erase the unpleasant experience, having the option to recover financial loss can provide some relief.

Lost Passports And Emergency Assistance: Losing a passport when abroad can be a nightmare and can completely ruin your holiday plan, as it could require multiple visits to your embassy or consulate.

Fortunately, most European travel insurance policies provide financial assistance of up to $300 in some cases for lost or stolen passports. The process typically covers the cost of issuing a duplicate passport.

Rented Cars: For those planning to hit the European roads, it is important to understand rental vehicle insurance.

Policies often offer two main types of coverage: car rental coverage and car rental deductible cover.

Says Deshmukh: “While rental cover safeguards against liabilities like accidental damage or theft, the deductible cover specifically reimburses the excess costs that car rental companies may charge in case of an accident.”

She adds that many rental agencies recommend collision damage waiver (CDW) and theft protection as essential covers to safeguard against significant costs for vehicle damage or theft. CDW limits the insured’s liability for any damage to the rental vehicle.

Personal liability insurance also covers any third-party damage or injury you may cause, including medical costs for injuries and repairs for property damage.

Says Deshmukh, “If an accident involving the (rented) vehicle causes injury or death to a third party, the insurance will indemnify the insured for any reasonable medical expenses incurred by the third party due to the accident.”

Transport Delay, Interruption Or Cancellation: Europe is famous for its rail network, but delays can disrupt your plans. Comprehensive insurance plans cover delays in flights, trains, or public carriers, offering compensation for your loss.

Common Carrier Delay (CCD) coverage helps travellers continue their journey or return home without excessive out-of-pocket expenses. Says Deshmukh, “Most policies offer fixed compensation if a delay extends beyond a certain timeframe, allowing you to recover some costs or rebook your travel.”

Under CCD cover, some policies provide compensation for transport delays extending beyond flights.

Deshmukh adds: “If a scheduled flight, train, or other public carrier experiences a delay beyond a specified duration due to specified perils such as bad weather, strikes, equipment issues, or operational problems, then we provide a fixed compensation amount as a benefit.”

However, Kapadia notes that the amount covered for common carrier delays is generally a small sum, typically around $50-100. This coverage is included in many travel insurance policies, but not all.

Unforeseen events like severe weather or medical emergencies can force you to cancel or interrupt your plans. Policies, typically, cover non-refundable travel expenses and cancellation fees, giving travellers financial relief in such situations.

These benefits are applicable in some insurance plans regardless of whether you are using Eurail Pass or other forms of transportation. However, remember to carefully document any disruptions to support your claims such as cancellation emails, alerts, and so on.

Trip Extension: In some cases, travellers may need to extend their stay unexpectedly. This can be due to a missed connecting flight, any ongoing conflict, sudden political unrest, and so on.

For these cases, insurance policies offer add-ons like hotel stay extension and missed connecting flight coverage.

Some policies even provide automated notifications and direct payouts in cases of flight delays, says Deshmukh.

So, to make your journey to Europe truly memorable, exciting and adventurous, remember to choose the right travel insurance plan, which is in sync with your itinerary and travel experiences. A comprehensive travel insurance with the add-ons you need will provide all the safety.

anuradha.mishra@outlookindia.com