International Travel Insurance: Help Protect Your Trip Costs and Get Global Assistance

Planning an international trip requires one to be very detailed, but even the best planner can’t plan for every unique circumstance that can arise. Imagine being on a train from Naples to Florence, only to be told by a train agent that you purchased the wrong type of ticket. This person speaks no English and there’s no interpreter nearby. (Our 24-Hour Emergency Assistance Services include an interpretation service.)

Or that you arrive in Paris but your luggage made a detour. Flight agents aren’t making you feel comfortable about the timing of your luggage’s arrival, or its location, and you are thousands of miles away from home with no necessities. (Our baggage delay coverage can help in this situation.)

Or one of the worst scenarios we hear about – a stolen passport. (Our Identity Theft Services and Trip Interruption coverage can help.)

While these are just three scenarios that our international travelers encounter, there are nearly endless situations we have not named. That’s why it can be important to have an international travel insurance plan with global travel services like our 24-hour travel assistance line, where someone can assist in these situations and help you continue your trip as planned.

Pro Tips: 4 Reasons Why Travel Insurance Is a Must for Expensive Trips

If you’re one of the travelers lucky enough to have domestic health insurance that covers you when you travel internationally, you may still want to secure a global travel assistance plan like ours. Whether you’re traveling for a two-week excursion, a, or pilgrimage through several countries, buying additional coverage is a smart way to travel for several reasons:

1. Your health insurance may not provide coverage for hospitalization. Before you travel, be sure to check your provider’s state to state limitations for details.
   
   
2. Your health insurance may not have dedicated resources abroad. For example, Generali has a global network of 425,000 pre-screened medical providers and 4,700 assistance agents available in 35 countries worldwide.  
   
   
3. Your healthcare provider may not provide real-time assistance. Generali Global Assistance provides 24-hour assistance anywhere in the world with all of our travel insurance plans. Year after year, customer testimonials show that when a medical emergency happens, customers are thankful that they can call our 24-hour emergency assistance hotline from anywhere in the world and speak with a travel assistance representative who can help them access a global network of physicians and care providers. Our assistance team members are trained to guide you through the process and offer next steps. Oftentimes, just hearing their voice can provide peace of mind.
   
   
4. You may need the secondary coverage due to the rising costs of medical evacuations. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, medical evacuations by air ambulance can cost $50,000-$100,000. If you’re on a cruise or in a remote area and may need to be airlifted to a hospital, then consider the costs of buying international travel insurance with Emergency Assistance and Transportation coverage versus paying out of pocket. 

When traveling internationally, there are other international insurance requirements that you should know about. One of the most requested is Schengen visa insurance. The Schengen area is comprised of 26 European countries including France, Italy and Germany. This insurance may be required, depending on your country of citizenship, in order for you to enter and move freely within those countries.

The application process for a Schengen visa requires proof of travel medical insurance with coverage for certain elements, including emergency hospital treatment and emergency medical evacuation. While Generali doesn’t offer a policy only for travel medical insurance, our Standard, Preferred, or Premium plans fulfill the Schengen visa insurance requirements.

When you’re traveling to exotic places and exploring the world, smart travelers know that life can happen. From our Medical and Dental coverage to our lost luggage and passport assistance, our protection plans include a deep breadth of the coverages and services that international travelers may need. After all, when you’re having the time of your life, the last thing you want to do is slow down. 

Also read:

• Your Essential Traveling Abroad Checklist
  
• How Much Does Travel Insurance Cost?
  
• Travel Insurance is a Smart Decision for a European Vacation