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A traveller at an airport holds a UK passport and Global Health Insurance Card beside a suitcase, with a map of Europe on their lap and an aircraft visible through the terminal window.

HOLIDAY INSURANCE BROKERS

Travel insurance for Europe and the Schengen Area

Europe feels close enough to travel to without a second thought, which is exactly why so many people underinsure it. The free health card in your wallet is not the whole answer, and the gap it leaves is the expensive part.

Europe is the most popular overseas destination among our clients: in our 2026 survey of 549 UK travellers, 30% named it as where they travel. We arrange travel insurance for Europe that sits alongside your GHIC rather than duplicating it, covering the repatriation, cancellation and private treatment the card does not.

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Do I need travel insurance for Europe if I have a GHIC?

Yes. A GHIC gives you medically necessary state healthcare in the EU at the same cost a local pays, but it stops there. It does not cover a medically escorted flight home, private treatment, cancellation, or lost baggage. Our full guide to GHIC versus travel insurance explains where the card runs out.

The numbers make the case: the average overseas medical claim is around £1,528, and a repatriation from Spain averages around £45,000. The card covers the treatment. Insurance covers the flight home.

Schengen Area members with national flags on blue political globe. 3D illustration.

What is Schengen travel insurance, and do I need it for a visa?

If you are applying for a Schengen visa, the visa rules require travel insurance with a minimum medical cover of 30,000 euros, valid across the Schengen Area, including repatriation. UK passport holders visiting for short stays do not need a visa, so this applies mainly to visa nationals, but the underlying cover it describes is exactly what any European trip should carry. We can arrange Schengen-compliant cover where you need proof for an application.

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Which countries count as Europe for travel insurance?

Not always the ones you would expect. Insurers define their European area of cover differently, and it often includes non-EU countries around the Mediterranean, sometimes Turkey, Egypt, Morocco and the Canary Islands, depending on the policy. Getting this right matters, because assuming a country is covered when it is not leaves a gap.

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Get a travel insurance quote

Send us a message and our team will be in touch to help arrange your cover. We will take the time to understand where you are going and match the policy to your trip.

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Most Frequently Asked Questions

Do I legally need travel insurance for Europe?

Not for most short UK trips, though Schengen visa applications require proof of cover. Legal or not, travelling without it exposes you to repatriation and cancellation costs a GHIC does not touch.

Is a GHIC enough for Europe?

No. It covers state medical treatment at local rates but not repatriation, private treatment, cancellation or baggage. It works alongside travel insurance, not instead of it.

How much medical cover do I need for a Schengen visa?

Schengen visa rules require a minimum of 30,000 euros in medical cover valid across the Schengen Area, including repatriation.

Does European travel insurance cover Turkey or Egypt?

Sometimes. Insurers define their European area differently and may include parts of the Mediterranean. Always confirm your specific destination is within the policy’s area of cover.

Roger H

28 May 2026

A fine, traditional personal experience with the same agent who knows my requirements over several years. Nearly always providing the best quote available in the market. Highly recommended.

John Whitehall

2 June 2026

Joanna Soden

26 May 2026

All our dealings with Norton insurance, our multi car policies, has always been great. Renewing our home insurance has been just the same, professional, smooth and stress free! Thank you.

Henry Larkin

28 May 2026

Reece Hill, the agent who handles my account came back to me when he said he would and was very helpful and patently talked me though the whole proses. H Larkin