Travel insurance for Europe starts with your country of residence.
The same itinerary can require a different insurance product depending on where the traveler lives. Our launch coverage focuses on the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, with separate guidance rather than a worldwide one-size-fits-all comparison.
Reviewed October 3, 2026Three starting points, different existing coverage.
United States
Domestic health coverage may not follow you abroad. Older travelers should verify Medicare, Medicare Advantage or Medigap before assuming medical bills in Europe are covered.
USA guide →🇨🇦Canada
Provincial or territorial health coverage abroad can be limited. Check workplace and credit-card benefits before buying duplicate protection.
Canada guide →🇬🇧United Kingdom
GHIC or an eligible EHIC can help with necessary state healthcare in covered countries, but it is not a replacement for travel insurance.
UK guide →Medical protection is only one part of the policy.
Match the wording to your route, deposits, age, health and activities.
- Emergency medical: limit, deductible and whether payment is direct or reimbursed.
- Evacuation: who authorizes transport and where you may be taken.
- Cancellation: eligible non-refundable cost and covered reasons.
- Delay and missed connection: waiting periods for flights, rail and ferries.
- Pre-existing conditions and activities: exclusions, waivers and purchase deadlines.
Visa-free entry does not mean “no travel risk”.
Travel insurance is generally not a standard entry requirement for ordinary short visa-free tourism by U.S. or Canadian citizens in the Schengen Area. Medical bills, evacuation, interruption and unused bookings can still create significant costs. If you personally need a Schengen visa because of nationality or immigration status, use the visa-insurance route instead.
Use the visa-compliance path instead.
Formal visa applications have different insurance rules for medical cover, territory and dates.