Travel insurance for a trip to France – Forbes Advisor

Whether you are looking for European history, the trendy excitement of Paris, fantastic Mediterranean beaches or wonderful food and wine experiences, it makes sense to insure your trip to France by purchasing a comprehensive travel insurance policy.

For travel to France, and really any international destination, look for a travel insurance plan with coverage for trip cancellation, trip interruption, trip delay, medical expenses, evacuation. protection and baggage protection, explains Scott Adamski, spokesperson for AIG Travel.

He says travel insurance should ideally be purchased within 15 days of the date of your initial deposit. “Advance purchase provisions of the travel insurance policy, such as waiver of exclusion of pre-existing medical conditions, may apply,” but only within an initial period, Adamski said.

You can purchase a travel insurance policy up to 24 hours before your scheduled departure date, but you will not have access to all the benefits of a policy.

The average cost of travel insurance for a trip to France is $ 366, according to data from Squaremouth, a travel insurance comparator. So it’s relatively inexpensive for the protection you get.

Trip cancellation insurance for France

You probably have a lot of money on your trip to France, which is why trip cancellation insurance is a smart purchase. For example, if four days before your trip your husband has a heart attack and needs bypass surgery, you will of course have to cancel your trip. Your police will reimburse you for any prepaid expenses like tickets you bought for the Moulin Rouge or a private tour of the Eiffel Tower.

You can make a trip cancellation request if the reason for your cancellation is stated in the policy. Other typical reasons covered in the event of cancellation include death, illness or injury to yourself, your travel companion or a member of your family; military deployment, job loss, family emergencies; a national emergency such as a public transport strike; terrorist action and bad weather.

Not all cancellation reasons are covered by a standard insurance policy. For example, if you realize that your daughter’s ballet recital conflicts with your travel date, that’s not a covered reason to cancel.

If you want the highest degree of flexibility regarding your travel plans, opt for a plan with a ‘Cancel for Any Reason’ (CFAR) add-on. This upgrade to a standard cancellation policy adds approximately 50% to the cost. With this upgrade, you can literally cancel your trip for any reason, as long as you cancel at least 48 hours before your scheduled departure. As part of a CFAR claim, you can usually recover 75% of your travel expenses (not 100%).

Delays in your trip in French

Covering travel delays can come in handy. If you are traveling from New York to Paris and your flight is canceled due to extreme weather conditions such as a blizzard, your travel insurance policy may reimburse you for any additional costs you incur such as a hotel room, meals and transportation.

It is important to check the terms of your policy, as many have a three to 12 hour waiting period before travel delay benefits take effect.

It is common for American flights to arrive in Paris. However, you may need to connect to a regional airport or by train to travel to other provinces.

“Whenever you need to move from one place to another, travel delay coverage can help you when you have a problem getting to your destination,” said Lisa Cheng, spokesperson for the insurer. World Nomads Travel Packages.

“Basic expenses incurred as a result of this inconvenience, such as hotels, taxis and food, may be reimbursed by your travel insurance company. You may also be eligible for reimbursement of prepaid travel expenses if your delay caused you to miss segments of your trip, ”explains Cheng.

For example, if you’ve prepaid for a private driver to show you Paris illuminated at night and you miss the experience because you’re stuck at an airport, you can file a claim to recover the cost.

France, interrupted

The last thing you think about is having to cut a trip short and get home earlier than expected. Unfortunately, this type of situation is a possibility. Consider if you were in Provence to celebrate a milestone birthday with your spouse and were told your sister was in a horrific car accident and was hospitalized in intensive care. Trip interruption benefits under your travel insurance plan would cover the cost of a last minute outbound flight to the United States. They would also cover any non-refundable, unused, prepaid expenses that you miss because you have to leave.

Not only would your transport back home be covered, but also if you’re pre-paying for a special birthday dinner at a vineyard or olive oil workshop run by a celebrity chef, those costs are covered by a plan as well.

Protect yourself against medical costs

Let’s say you are visiting Versailles and twisting your ankle while walking on rough ground. This would be a case where travel medical insurance can help. World Nomads’ Cheng says France has a quality healthcare system with universal coverage, but that doesn’t mean you get the same benefits as residents of France. Your health insurance plan in the United States may have limited or no global coverage (be sure to check with your health insurer well before you leave). And health insurance will not work in France.

With a solid travel insurance policy, you are covered for medical expenses. Generous plans offer $ 500,000 in medical coverage, but you can purchase less depending on your budget and your tolerance for risk.

“Your travel insurance plan can help cover the cost of any medical emergency while you are traveling, whether it’s prescriptions at a pharmacy, doctor’s visits or a trip to the hospital. ambulance, ”Cheng explains.

Medical Evacuations in France

If you develop a serious medical problem, the local French clinic may not be adequate.

“Your attending physician may decide that treatment at a different facility or even at home would be the best place for your care and recovery, in which case medical evacuation coverage would be a useful benefit,” explains Cheng.

You can find plans with million dollar medevac insurance, which may sound like overkill, but medevac costs can add up quickly.

Lose your bags

If your luggage goes on vacation to France, you can make a travel insurance claim. You can request reimbursement for baggage that never arrives. Or, with baggage delay coverage, you can claim expenses you incur when your baggage is delayed, such as a jacket and toiletries.

Like any large city crowded with tourists, petty theft can be a problem in Paris and other French cities. To reduce the risk of pickpockets and thieves, do not wear expensive jewelry and try not to draw attention to yourself as a tourist. When you visit the Louvre, put your money, credit cards and travel documents in a concealed wallet belt.

But if your purse gets slipped while browsing an outdoor bazaar in Nice, your travel insurance may reimburse you. Be sure to file a loss or theft report with local authorities, a hotel manager or your attendant. You will need this report as documentation when you file a claim.

Note that claims for lost, stolen or damaged baggage and effects will be reimbursed for their depreciated value, not the cost of purchasing new items. Additionally, you may need to make a home insurance claim before travel insurance takes effect.