Planning a trip is fun. Planning an Italian trip-of-a-lifetime is even more fun. But aside from planning how you’ll get from A to B, what you’ll eat and where you’ll sleep, it’s important to consider the more practical side of travel: insurance. Adulting may not be sexy, but it is necessary.
To answer the first question, yes, you need travel insurance for Italy. Even in a relatively safe country like Italy, things can (and do!) still go wrong. Travel insurance protects you from unexpected delays, cancellations, medical emergencies and more.
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How to choose travel insurance for Italy
There are many types of insurance coverage. While you can buy individual riders, we recommend a comprehensive policy, such as World Nomads. They’re our recommended vendor because they provide comprehensive coverage without breaking the bank.
Trip cancellation
While no one plans a trip with the intention of cancelling, sometimes things happen (and most tours don’t offer our Life Happens Guarantee).Trip cancellation and interruption insurance covers you if you or your travel companion fall ill. It will also help if there’s a natural disaster, or if a close family member back home is sick.
Medical coverage
This is the most common type of policy, and it’s important to ask a few questions to ensure you’re fully covered. Medical coverage should cover hospital stays, medication, and ambulance rides abroad. There are a few other questions you’ll want to ask. Will your insurer fly you home if medically necessary? Can you claim emergency dental work? Medical is the most critical type of insurance to have when travelling. Stress levels are high enough when bringing a travelling loved one home without worrying about the financial burden as well.
Luggage
Luggage insurance is coverage that you won’t be happy about using, but you’ll be happy to have. It covers bags that are lost or delayed in transit. It also lets you claim stolen items or passport replacement costs. Luggage insurance covers the cost of replacing medications if they’re lost, damaged or stolen, so it is important if you need to take medicine regularly.
Flight insurance
Imagine you’re at the airport when a thunderstorm rolls in and your flight is cancelled. Having flight insurance means you’ll still get home, and you won’t have to empty your savings account.
Rental cars
Accidents happen in any country, and if you’re renting a car to tour Italy, this is coverage you’ll want to ensure you have. It will cover you if your rental car is damaged in a collision, by weather, or if it’s stolen or vandalized. This includes everything from dents caused by a hail storm to a flat tire while searching for your latest farm to table feast.
Activity coverage
Your travel insurance for Italy won’t be complete without activity coverage. This makes sure that you’re protected in case of an accident while enjoying the great outdoors. Often times insurance for specific activities, such as hiking, canoeing or skiing, carries extra charges. If your vacation plans include the Dolomites (and they should, it’s an incredible area), you’ll want activity coverage. While apres is almost as much fun as fresh powder, you’ll be glad you’re covered if a stumble knocks you off your game. World Nomads covers 250 activities, so you can feel confident even if you’re venturing outside your comfort zone.
Family insurance
Once you have kids, their safety becomes your primary concern. When looking into family travel insurance for Italy, make sure that your policy includes all members of your family. It should clearly quote benefit amounts for each person that you’re travelling with. If you’re pregnant or there’s a chance you’ll become pregnant, make sure you check the pregnancy clause as well.
Seniors insurance
If you’re over 65, you may need to look into seniors policies that will cover pre-existing medical conditions. Some policies need a medical appointment and medical history disclosure. They may even include a premium, depending on what pre-existing conditions you have. Start looking at insurance options early if you’re a senior buying insurance coverage. That way you’ll be ready for your Italian vacation.
Things to watch out for when choosing travel insurance for Italy
There are a few things that you should be aware of when you’re purchasing travel insurance for Italy. One is extra payments, the amount that you need to pay when you make a claim on your policy. Much like a deductible on your car insurance, this is applicable only if you make a claim.
Time limits are another consideration. For example, most travel policies will have a defined period of time for flight delay claims. A few hours you likely won’t be able to claim, so be sure to familiarize yourself with the specifics of your policy.
There are, of course, limitations to everything. If you’re travelling with expensive items, the full cost of replacement may not be included in your policy. It’s important to have a good grasp of exactly what your policy covers, and to buy extra coverage if needed.
Don’t leave for Italy without your Proof of travel insurance
If anything goes wrong, you don’t want to have to sort through old emails to find out what’s covered and what’s not. That’s why it’s important to take a hard copy or have a PDF of your insurance documents saved. Making sure that your provider is readily available is also important. World Nomads has a 24/7 emergency number – make sure you find the 24/7 number on your policy, and make note of it. Easy access to this number in case of emergency will make a tough situation a little bit easier.
