Best Travel Insurance in Europe 2026

Travel insurance provides financial protection against unexpected events while traveling: medical emergencies abroad, trip cancellation, luggage loss or damage, flight delays, and emergency repatriation (transport back to your home country for medical reasons).

Even within the EU, where the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) provides basic medical coverage, travel insurance fills important gaps. The EHIC covers medically necessary care at local rates, but it does not cover repatriation (which can cost 10,000-50,000 EUR by air ambulance), dental emergencies, search and rescue in mountains, or treatment in private hospitals. Outside the EU, particularly in the USA, medical costs can be catastrophic without insurance (a hospital stay in the US can cost 5,000-20,000 EUR per day).

There are two main policy types:

Single-trip insurance covers one specific trip. You select the destination, travel dates, and coverage level. Premiums range from 15-50 EUR for a European trip to 40-150 EUR for worldwide coverage (depending on duration and coverage level). This makes sense if you travel once or twice a year.

Annual (continuous) insurance covers all trips within a year, typically with a maximum duration per trip (often 30, 60, or 90 days). Annual policies cost 50-200 EUR per year, making them more cost-effective if you take three or more trips per year. In the Netherlands, this is called a doorlopende reisverzekering.

Key coverage components to look for: medical expenses (minimum 250,000 EUR, higher for USA/Canada), repatriation, trip cancellation (reimburses prepaid costs if you must cancel for covered reasons like illness), luggage loss/delay, personal liability abroad, legal assistance, and 24/7 emergency helpline. Winter sports coverage and adventure activities often require a specific add-on.

Medical coverage limits

For European travel, €100,000-500,000 in medical coverage is standard. For worldwide travel (especially the US), you need at least €1,000,000 due to American healthcare costs. Check if the policy covers medical evacuation and repatriation, which alone can cost €50,000+.

Annual vs single-trip

If you travel more than twice a year, an annual multi-trip policy is usually cheaper. Single-trip policies are better for one-off holidays. Annual policies typically limit individual trips to 30-90 days. Check the per-trip maximum before buying.

Adventure sports and activities

Standard travel insurance often excludes skiing, scuba diving, and other adventure activities. If you plan to do any sports beyond basic sightseeing, check the exclusions carefully. Adventure sports add-ons typically cost €10-30 extra and are worth it for the peace of mind.