Travel Insurance & Assistance Services for Europe Trips

Planning a trip to Europe involves more than booking flights and accommodations. Understanding passport and visa requirements minimizes the risk of travel complications, and securing travel protection from Generali Global Assistance helps protects you against disruptions, medical emergencies, lost baggage and more.

Traveling to Europe: What Do You Need?

Before traveling to Europe, travelers must verify that they have the correct documentation and satisfy entry requirements. Rules vary by country, but European countries generally require a valid passport and may also need a visa.

Passport

Most European countries require that passports be valid for at least 3 months beyond the intended departure date, though 6 months or more helps reduce the risk of complications during your trip. Countries also typically require at least two blank passport pages for entry and exit stamps. Check the specific requirements of each European country you plan to visit to avoid delays or obstacles at border control.

If your passport is nearing its expiration, renew it well in advance to prevent delays. Processing times vary, and peak travel season processing volume may slow your passport renewal.

Visa

For short-term visits, U.S. citizens and many other travelers can enter Europe without a visa under the Schengen Visa-free travel rule. This program allows visa-exempt travelers to stay in the Schengen Area for up to 90 days within a 180-day period.

Since the 90-day limit is cumulative across all Schengen countries, it’s important to track the length of your stay if you visit multiple destinations. If you spend 30 days in Italy, for instance, you may only remain in other Schengen Zone countries for up to 60 days until the 180-day period ends. If you plan to stay longer than 90 days, you may need to apply for a long-stay Schengen Visa (type D).

Travelers may also visit many other non-Schengen European countries visa-free for up to 90 days, including Ireland. As of 2025, the United Kingdom requires travelers to obtain an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) before entry, even for short visits Other countries may also require you to apply for a visa electronically or in advance. Check with the embassy of the country you plan to visit.

Schengen Area

The Schengen Zone consists of 29 European countries that allow unrestricted travel across borders upon entry. This makes it easier for travelers to visit multiple countries without additional border control stops. As of 2026, the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) will gradually require visa-exempt travelers to register online with a small fee, personal information and passport details before entering the Schengen Zone. An ETIAS is valid for three years or until your passport expires, whichever comes first.

Planning a trip to Europe involves more than booking flights and accommodations. Understanding passport and visa requirements minimizes the risk of travel complications, and securing travel protection from Generali Global Assistance helps protects you against disruptions, medical emergencies, lost baggage and more.

Traveling to Europe: What Do You Need?

Before traveling to Europe, travelers must verify that they have the correct documentation and satisfy entry requirements. Rules vary by country, but European countries generally require a valid passport and may also need a visa.

Passport

Most European countries require that passports be valid for at least 3 months beyond the intended departure date, though 6 months or more helps reduce the risk of complications during your trip. Countries also typically require at least two blank passport pages for entry and exit stamps. Check the specific requirements of each European country you plan to visit to avoid delays or obstacles at border control.

If your passport is nearing its expiration, renew it well in advance to prevent delays. Processing times vary, and peak travel season processing volume may slow your passport renewal.

Visa

For short-term visits, U.S. citizens and many other travelers can enter Europe without a visa under the Schengen Visa-free travel rule. This program allows visa-exempt travelers to stay in the Schengen Area for up to 90 days within a 180-day period.

Since the 90-day limit is cumulative across all Schengen countries, it’s important to track the length of your stay if you visit multiple destinations. If you spend 30 days in Italy, for instance, you may only remain in other Schengen Zone countries for up to 60 days until the 180-day period ends. If you plan to stay longer than 90 days, you may need to apply for a long-stay Schengen Visa (type D).

Travelers may also visit many other non-Schengen European countries visa-free for up to 90 days, including Ireland. As of 2025, the United Kingdom requires travelers to obtain an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) before entry, even for short visits Other countries may also require you to apply for a visa electronically or in advance. Check with the embassy of the country you plan to visit.

Schengen Area

The Schengen Zone consists of 29 European countries that allow unrestricted travel across borders upon entry. This makes it easier for travelers to visit multiple countries without additional border control stops. As of 2026, the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) will gradually require visa-exempt travelers to register online with a small fee, personal information and passport details before entering the Schengen Zone. An ETIAS is valid for three years or until your passport expires, whichever comes first.

Planning a trip to Europe involves more than booking flights and accommodations. Understanding passport and visa requirements minimizes the risk of travel complications, and securing travel protection from Generali Global Assistance helps protects you against disruptions, medical emergencies, lost baggage and more.

Traveling to Europe: What Do You Need?

Before traveling to Europe, travelers must verify that they have the correct documentation and satisfy entry requirements. Rules vary by country, but European countries generally require a valid passport and may also need a visa.

Passport

Most European countries require that passports be valid for at least 3 months beyond the intended departure date, though 6 months or more helps reduce the risk of complications during your trip. Countries also typically require at least two blank passport pages for entry and exit stamps. Check the specific requirements of each European country you plan to visit to avoid delays or obstacles at border control.

If your passport is nearing its expiration, renew it well in advance to prevent delays. Processing times vary, and peak travel season processing volume may slow your passport renewal.

Visa

For short-term visits, U.S. citizens and many other travelers can enter Europe without a visa under the Schengen Visa-free travel rule. This program allows visa-exempt travelers to stay in the Schengen Area for up to 90 days within a 180-day period.

Since the 90-day limit is cumulative across all Schengen countries, it’s important to track the length of your stay if you visit multiple destinations. If you spend 30 days in Italy, for instance, you may only remain in other Schengen Zone countries for up to 60 days until the 180-day period ends. If you plan to stay longer than 90 days, you may need to apply for a long-stay Schengen Visa (type D).

Travelers may also visit many other non-Schengen European countries visa-free for up to 90 days, including Ireland. As of 2025, the United Kingdom requires travelers to obtain an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) before entry, even for short visits Other countries may also require you to apply for a visa electronically or in advance. Check with the embassy of the country you plan to visit.

Schengen Area

The Schengen Zone consists of 29 European countries that allow unrestricted travel across borders upon entry. This makes it easier for travelers to visit multiple countries without additional border control stops. As of 2026, the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) will gradually require visa-exempt travelers to register online with a small fee, personal information and passport details before entering the Schengen Zone. An ETIAS is valid for three years or until your passport expires, whichever comes first.

Do You Need Travel Protection for a Trip to Europe?

While travel protection isn’t mandatory for most short-term visits to Europe, it comes with many advantages and could protect against financial loss, trip disruption, emergencies and more.

Help Protect Your Plans

Trip cancellations, flight delays, and missed connections can disrupt your itinerary and significantly impact travel plans. For example, missed or canceled flight connections may cause you to forfeit non-refundable accommodation bookings, potentially leaving you stranded and without reimbursement.

Whether you’re embarking on a high-end and luxurious vacation or backpacking and staying at hostels, flights, accommodations and other travel expenses can be costly. With travel insurance, Trip Cancellation and Delay coverage may help cover you for non-refundable flights, accommodations and activities in the event of illness, severe weather, airline problems or other reasons included in the plan. Some plans also cover the cost of alternative transportation or compensation if delays disrupt your travel plans.

Help Protect Your Belongings

Lost luggage, damaged items or stolen valuables can turn a vacation into a stressful situation. Travel Protection may help you recover costs for baggage loss, theft or damage during your trip. Some plans may offer additional coverage for sports, specialty equipment and high-value items. If your baggage is delayed, certain plans provide daily allowances for clothing, toiletries and other essentials while you wait for your belongings to arrive.

Help Protect Yourself

Medical emergencies and healthcare needs are important, but they can strain your budget if they occur when you’re overseas. Health insurance plans, such as Medicare, generally don’t cover medical expenses abroad except in specific scenarios. Without travel protection, you may have to pay out-of-pocket for medical emergencies while visiting Europe.

Travel protection may help cover medical needs while abroad in case of emergency treatment for unexpected illnesses or injuries, such as hospital visits, prescriptions and doctor consultations. If you must be medically evacuated and repatriated, travel protection may save you from high costs for last-minute flights. It may also cover flights, accommodations and other trip cancellation costs for pre-existing medical conditions or if a travel companion or family member experiences a health emergency and you need to return home sooner than planned.

How Do You Get Travel Protection for a European Trip?

Travelers can choose from different plans based on their needs. Generali Global Assistance offers three main packages:

Standard: Offers essential travel protection, including coverage for Trip Cancellations, Interruptions, lost baggage, medical expenses and 24/7 Emergency Assistance.
Preferred: Offers everything included in the Standard Plan, with higher coverage limits for Trip Interruptions and Baggage coverage.
Premium: Designed for high-value or luxury trips, such as cruises and tours, this plan includes maximum coverage amounts, and coverage for pre-existing medical conditions. Travelers may also claim up to 75% of penalty fees if they cancel for any reason.

When selecting travel protection for your European trip, consider coverage limits for the most likely or financially impactful expenses, such as trip cancellations, medical expenses and lost belongings. Keep additional benefits in mind, including Rental Car Damage coverage, adventure travel, and extended-stay protections. For example, an accident during a standard ski trip in Austria or Switzerland is usually covered, but heli-skiing, rock climbing and other high-risk activities may be excluded.

You can rely on Generali Global Assistance to help protect you while traveling to Europe. Each package includes 24-Hour Emergency Assistance Services, which allows policyholders to access Generali Global Assistance’s support for a wide range of unexpected problems, including medical referrals, emergency cash transfers and locating lost or stolen items. Start planning for your trip to Europe by exploring other benefits included in Generali Travel Protection Plans.

Travel Tips for Europe

Europe is rich with history, diverse cuisine, fascinating art and more, making it an exciting destination for travelers. However, navigating different countries, currencies and customs can be challenging. Consider these travel tips to get the most from your trip.

Use Public Transportation

Most major European cities have efficient and affordable public transit systems, including buses, trains, metros and trams. Public transportation is not only cheaper but also often faster than driving or taking a taxi. Most map and transit smartphone apps include travel information for public transportation systems to enable straightforward navigation.

For long-distance travel to multiple European countries, consider a Eurail pass. This pass gives you unlimited access to trains, which feature comfortable spaces and amenities. They travel across 33 countries and offer major savings compared to point-to-point train tickets or other travel options.

Bring a Power Adapter

European countries use different electrical plugs that are incompatible with most U.S. devices. Some accommodations may have USB charging ports, but a power adapter ensures reliable access for phones, laptops and other devices.

Consider a Credit Card with No Foreign Transaction Fees

Most credit cards charge a fee for every foreign currency transaction, and using cash for every purchase isn’t always practical or secure. Travel-focused credit cards often have no foreign transaction fees and can help travelers save money on purchases abroad. Many also include other travel benefits, such as airport lounge access and other bonuses.

Book Accommodation and Experiences in Advance

Paris, Rome, Barcelona and other major European cities attract millions of visitors annually, and last-minute accommodations or reasonably priced flights are difficult to find. Book your plans early to secure competitive rates. Many museums, tours and experiences also require reservations, and purchasing tickets ahead of time helps you avoid lines.

By organizing travel protection, preparing in advance and following essential travel tips, you can enjoy a safe trip across Europe without compromising any excitement. Explore plan options from Generali Global Assistance to help start planning your trip.