Travel Insurance Around Europe - The American's Guide To Getting Covered

(Note - The above is for Travel Insurance if you live in the United States. If you live in the UK then click here instead to get our travel insurance pick for UK residents.)

If you've decided to spend the next few weeks seeing the history and beauty that Europe has to offer, you're going to need travel insurance. While this might seem like one more expense on an already expensive trip, it is very important to get insured. While you might not suffer anything more traumatic than getting your luggage lost, it is still possible that you might end up hurt or sick in a foreign country, and if you do, you'll be in much better shape if you know exactly how you're going to pay for it!

The first thing to consider is what kind of trip you're going to be taking. Are you going to be dining every night in the very best restaurants that London has to offer, or do you prefer hiking in the through the French countryside? Are you going to be sailing or swimming? You may be surprised at the sheer variety of specific insurance policies that are available, and this all works to serve you better.

Once you have your plan picked out, try to decide if you want a single policy purchased for a certain set of dates, or if you want a multitrip travel policy. If you end up traveling out of the country several times, a multitrip travel policy will serve you better and more comprehensively than numerous other travel policies will.

It is best to plan your insurance policy well in advance of the trip, if possible. The earlier you decide what you want, the better your rates will be. While it is possible to get insurance up to the very moment you leave, it's not very wise, so be smart and plan ahead.

If the worst happens and you end up having to file a claim, keep all the paperwork that you are given. If you have been robbed, make sure you have a copy of the police report and if you needed medical attention, make sure you keep the documentation. Some travel insurance providers will even let you file a claim online, so be sure to do that as soon as possible. If you are in a non-English speaking country, ask if they have a copy of the forms involved in English, but don't surprised if they are not available. Remember to keep these documents with you anyway, but be prepared to produce a credit card receipt or something similar if your insurance company asks for more documentation.

No matter what happens on your vacation, even if you get your wallet stolen, or you fall and break your ankle, or your tour company goes belly-up and you can't finish your tour, with travel insurance, you will find that you can salvage something.