Travel insurance for Europe
Expert tips for choosing a great travel insurance policy for Europe
To help you choose a suitable travel insurance policy, our travel insurance expert, Adrian Taylor, has some insider tips for you.
Adrian Taylor
Chief Executive – General Insurance
Consider cover that suits your itinerary and budget
Consider the cover you need for your trip, such as medical expenses, cancellation fees, luggage and any rental vehicle excess, as well as any additional cover you may need for cruise or ski holidays. Keeping all this in mind, make sure you buy a policy that suits your holiday.
Declare any pre-existing medical conditions
Always declare any pre-existing medical conditions when purchasing travel insurance to ensure you have the cover you need and there are no surprises if you’re injured or become ill while travelling.
Consider annual cover if you’re a frequent flyer
If you plan to travel at least three times a year, you may find greater value in purchasing an annual multi-trip policy to insure all your trips for a full year with one policy, rather than multiple single-trip policies (but be sure to check the maximum travel days that are covered, per trip).
Why take out travel insurance for Europe?
Taking out travel insurance for Europe helps give you peace of mind on your trip and helps financially protect you if any insured events occur that impact your journey. Some of the ways your travel insurance policy may benefit you include:
- Cover for some medical bills that arise during your trip, reducing out-of-pocket expenses for medical treatment or hospital expenses.
- Reimbursement for stolen or lost luggage that occurs during your holiday, including cash, credit cards and valuables (up to the policy sub-limit).
- Cancellation cover that may help you recoup some of the costs for pre-paid expenses if an unforeseen event causes you to cancel your trip, whether before you leave Australia or part-way through your trip.
How should I choose my travel insurance for Europe?
What activities your trip includes, what level of cover you want to be included and if you have pre-existing medical conditions are all factors that affect how you choose your travel insurance policy.
Before deciding on a policy, a few considerations for your Europe trip may include:
- Whether you have any pre-existing medical conditions, as not all conditions are covered by all insurers, so it’s important to understand what medical cover is available to you.
- What exclusions and limits your policy has, which may vary between levels of cover and insurers.
- Depending on how you want to spend your time in Europe, adding optional extras for an additional premium may provide cover for specific activities, such as snow sports cover, adventure cover or rental car excess cover.
Do I need travel insurance for Europe?
Yes, all travellers would be wise to consider travel insurance for Europe, regardless of whether you’re travelling for business or pleasure.
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.
What should my travel insurance for Europe include?
For peace of mind, a travel insurance policy for Europe should include medical emergencies, any activities you have planned, cancellations and theft of belongings. 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 help cover these costs. It’s also important to remember that RHCAs have very limited cover, so 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 such as 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. You may also need additional cruise cover if you’re planning on setting sail.
- Lost, stolen or damaged luggage and belongings. Your insurer may cover your baggage and personal effects 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 such as 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 Product Disclosure Statement for all inclusions, exclusions, terms and conditions of any policy you’re considering purchasing.
What’s excluded from my travel insurance for Europe?
Standard European travel insurance policies exclude adventure sports and pre-existing medical conditions unless you purchase extras or disclose these to the insurer. Of course, travel insurance can’t cover you for everything, which is why it’s important to find out what’s 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 such as skiing or snowboarding. However, some insurers do offer cover for these as an optional extra or add-on. If you’re planning on taking on high-risk adventure activities, consider a trip policy that includes emergency assistance, medical treatment and repatriation.
- Pre-existing medical conditions. Unless your insurer offers cover for your pre-existing 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 alerts and check which countries have them through Smartraveller.
Do Australians need a visa for Europe?
No, Australians don’t usually need a visa for Europe, if visiting for short-term tourism or business. Australian travellers with an Australian passport may be eligible for visa-free travel through parts of Europe and the European Union under border arrangements in the Schengen Area.3
What is the Schengen Area?
The Schengen Area is made up of 29 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.
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 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 the block’s entry rules, you’ll need to apply for a visa from the Schengen country you’ll be spending the most time in.
From late 2026, Australians will be required to have a European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS), which is an electronic travel authorisation. This is regardless of whether the country you are visiting is in the Schengen zone or not.
The ETIAS will be valid for up to three years or until your passport expires, whichever comes first, and required by 30 European nations.
Travelling outside the Schengen Area
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 (UK).
For those visiting the UK for less than 6 months as a tourist or to transit, you will need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA).4 You can apply via the UK ETA smartphone app or online. The app asks you to scan your passport and your face. If applying online, you’ll need to upload a picture of your passport and face.
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.
More on European destinations
Meet our travel insurance expert, Adrian Taylor
As a General Insurance expert with over 13 years’ experience in financial services, Adrian Taylor believes in educating customers about the importance of travel insurance so that anyone can kick back and make the most of their time away from home. While no one wants a disrupted holiday, a suitable travel insurance policy can provide a financial safety net for yourself, your belongings and your trip in case things go wrong.
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1 Smartraveller – Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Reciprocal health care agreements. Last updated February 2026. Accessed June 2026.
2 Smartraveller – Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Consular Services Charter. Last updated April 2026. Accessed June 2026.
3 Smartraveller – Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Visa and entry requirements in Europe and the Schengen Area. Last updated May 2026. Accessed June 2026.
4 Smartraveller – Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. United Kingdom, visa and border measures. Last updated June 2026. Accessed June 2026.