Travel Insurance: Which Ones You Really Need

2. Trip Cancellation Insurance – When It Is Worth It

Trip cancellation insurance reimburses your cancellation costs if you cannot take a booked trip for certain reasons. Typical covered reasons include: serious illness, accident, pregnancy, job loss or death of a close relative.

Particularly worthwhile for:

• Trips with high upfront costs (from approx. 1,000 euros per person)
• Early-bird deals with long lead times
• Trips with children (higher risk of illness)
• Older travellers or those with known pre-existing conditions
• Group trips where one cancellation affects the entire plan

Costs typically run at 3 to 5 per cent of the trip price. Important: the insurance must be taken out within 14 to 30 days of booking.

3. Trip Interruption Insurance – The Often Forgotten Cover

While cancellation insurance applies before departure, trip interruption insurance protects you during the trip. If you must end your holiday early – due to illness, accident or a bereavement at home – it reimburses unused travel services.

In practice, trip interruption insurance is often offered as a bundle together with cancellation insurance. The surcharge is small (usually only 0.5 to 1 per cent of the trip price).

5. Personal Liability Insurance – Indispensable Even on Holiday

Not a travel insurance in the strict sense, but absolutely essential: your personal liability insurance should also apply abroad.

The good news: most liability insurance policies apply worldwide and cover stays abroad for up to a year. Still, check your policy before travelling, particularly for:

• Renting holiday apartments (rental property damage often requires an add-on)
• Water sports or other high-risk activities
• Long-term trips exceeding 6 weeks
• Use of rental cars or e-scooters abroad

If you do not yet have liability insurance: get it! Good tariffs cost 40 to 80 euros per year and protect you against potentially ruinous compensation claims.

6. Credit Card Insurance – Cover Already Included?

Many premium credit cards (Gold, Platinum, Infinite) already include travel insurance.

What to watch out for:

• Activation requirement: Often the trip must be paid with the credit card
• Restrictions: Maximum trip duration often only 30–45 days, limited cover amounts
• Excess: Frequently 100–250 euros per claim
• Family cover: Travelling partners/children only included with more expensive cards
• Cancellation terms: Cover ends immediately if you switch cards

Our advice: read the fine print carefully. Credit card insurance can be a good supplement but should not replace dedicated international health insurance.

8. Families vs. Solo – Different Needs

Families and solo travellers have fundamentally different insurance needs.

For solo travellers:

• International health insurance (annual, approx. 10 euros)
• Trip cancellation only for expensive trips
• Check liability – done

For families with children:

• Family international health insurance (15–40 euros/year for the whole family)
• Trip cancellation strongly recommended – children fall ill more often
• Trip interruption as a bundle makes sense – one sick child often means everyone goes home
• Family tariffs are almost always cheaper than individual contracts

Important for families: ensure children are covered until at least age 18 in the family tariff.

9. Comparison Tips – Finding the Best Tariff

The insurance market is confusing. Here are proven strategies:

• Independent consumer tests: The most reliable source for insurance comparisons
• Use comparison portals critically: They do not show all providers
• Go direct to the insurer: Often cheaper tariffs than via portals
• Do not buy at the airport: Policies offered there are almost always overpriced
• Do not add on at the travel agency: You usually pay more than necessary there too

When comparing, look not only at price but especially at: cover limit (at least 300,000 euros), excess (0 euros with good tariffs), validity per trip and cancellation terms.

10. Special Case: Long-Term Travel – Different Rules from 6 Weeks

Standard travel insurance typically covers trips up to 42–56 days. Anyone travelling longer needs special long-term tariffs:

• Long-term international health insurance: 30–150 euros per month depending on age and destination
• Pre-existing conditions: Must often be declared, can lead to exclusion
• Home visits: Some tariffs allow interim visits to your home country
• Repatriation: Particularly important for long-term travel to remote regions

Tip for digital nomads: providers like SafetyWing or World Nomads specialise in this target group and offer flexible monthly tariffs.

11. Rental Car Insurance – The Underestimated Trap

Anyone renting a car on holiday faces an insurance jungle. The rental company's basic insurance (CDW/LDW) often has an excess of 500 to 2,500 euros.

The cheaper alternative:

• Excess waiver insurance: From approx. 30–60 euros/year
• Check credit card insurance: some premium cards cover rental car excess
• Accept CDW/LDW from the rental company but do not book add-ons at the counter
• Photograph everything before collection – including scratches and dents