I travel around Europe a lot and until recently I never used travel insurance. Why? Because I’m both forgetful and lazy. I was kind of thinking my French Carte Vitale would cover me for any health issues that come up while travelling but I’m not sure if my card is still valid or not plus there is a EU health card which you are supposed to get before you travel and which I have never bothered to get (again, I’m lazy).

Not only that but obviously a health care card isn’t going to do much good if an airline ‘loses’ my luggage, if I have to cancel flights due to a volcano erupting, if I manage to get robbed or if I do something stupid and someone decides to sue me. So now I order insurance online before I go anywhere.

European Travel Insurance

My preferred travel insurance provider for Europe is World Nomads. They cover residents from over 150 countries and you can buy, extend and claim, even while travelling, so you don’t have to wait until you get home to make a claim. This is especially beneficial to longer term travellers. Here are some reasons you might want to buy travel insurance with World Nomads:

Save money
World Nomads prices are some of the most competitive online. I had a really good look around before finding an insurance provider and they really are reasonably priced. There might be some cheaper providers but remember that you get what you pay for with insurance so make sure you read the fine print and are happy with the coverage. World Nomad’s European travel insurance is designed with independent and adventurous travellers in mind, so their insurance includes what’s important: overseas medical, evacuation, baggage and cover for a range of adventure sports. I can pretty much guarantee I will never participate in adventure sports but it’s good to know it’s include in case I lose my mind and do something crazy.
Flexibility
If you are like me and forgot/didn’t bother to get insurance before you left home, don’t worry, you can purchase a travel policy while you’re on the road. You can also extend or change your policy if you decide to travel for longer or if your needs change. With World Nomads, you can buy travel insurance, extend your policy or claim online, 24/7, even while travelling. This was the main reason I got Europe travel insurance with World Nomads.
Be adventurous
From skiing & snowboarding in the French Alps to whitewater rafting in Switzerland, World Nomads covers a range of adventure activities, giving you peace of mind to get the most from your travels. Again this isn’t huge for me although I might be tempted to try skiing once in my life.
Get help 24 hours a day
World Nomads travel insurance policy is backed by specialist travel insurers who provide you with great cover, 24 hour emergency assistance and the highest levels of support and claims management when you need it most. I’ve read a lot of travel forums and Facebook travel groups and plenty of travellers are happily insured with World Nomads. They have received assistance and made claims without any problems.
Stay safe on the road
All World Nomads members have access to up to date travel safety alerts, as well as travel safety advice and tips online through the World Nomads Travel Safety Hub. This is really useful if you are travelling to less well travelled countries or places with recent political uprisings. You know who I’m talking about
Chat with the locals in 25 languages and stay in touch
World Nomads have some great language guides to help you on your arrival in a new country. I like to listen to these on the train or plane on my way to the destination. It helps to know at least the basic greetings in the local language as well as how to ask where the toilet is. Don’t laugh, this could prove to be life saving. These language guides are available as apps for the iPhone and iPad. Another service provided by World Nomads is a free travel blog service which you can set up in a couple of clicks. Post all your stories and travel photos so your friends and family back home can keep in touch.
Make a difference when you travel
When you buy a policy from World Nomads you can help make a difference to developing communities. A small donation helps fund local projects through the World Nomads Footprints program. This is a pretty cool program. Check it out.

So that’s all I have to say about European travel insurance. Of course you can buy this insurance for travel outside of Europe but I travel mostly in Europe which is why I mentioned it. You can book it before you go (which makes sense) but if you’re forgetful like me you can buy your insurance once you have started your trip. Start by filling in this form to get a quote:

QUICK TRAVEL INSURANCE QUOTE

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