Europ Assistance travel insurance reviews: Advantages & disadvantages

If you’ve made it this far, you’re probably planning a trip and looking for a reliable insurance provider to keep you protected while you’re away. We’re here to help. In this post, you’ll find everything about Europ Assistance travel insurance reviews, coverage, and prices — so you can decide if it’s the right fit for your next adventure.

What is Europ Assistance and what travel insurance do they offer?

Europ Assistance is a popular insurance provider among travellers, offering assistance in over 200 countries. It was founded in France in 1963 and has a network of 750,000 providers and 39 assistance centres. It stands out from other companies due to the diversity of its portfolio. Here are its policies: 

• Traveller: Provides medical assistance and basic travel protection. It includes repatriation and allows you to add coverage for cancellations, pre-existing conditions, and sports. You can get this policy from €9 ($9.80).
• International Student: For students living in a country that’s not their own. It meets the requirements for obtaining student visas and offers up to one year of medical coverage. From €13 ($14.15).
• Business Traveller Annual Long Stay: For professionals who travel abroad for long periods. It offers annual coverage and unlimited transfers for residents in Spain. You can get this insurance for €830 ($904).
• Premium Traveller: The most comprehensive option for those seeking maximum protection. It includes medical assistance, cancellation, coverage for pre-existing conditions, and sports. Available from €15 ($16.30).
• Snow Traveller: For €14 ($15.20) per day, you can get insurance for winter sports. It covers medical emergencies, luggage issues, and other unexpected events during the trip.
• Cruise Traveller: A policy designed for those travelling on a cruise. It provides medical assistance, cancellation coverage, and protection for pre-existing conditions. It costs €6 ($6.50).
• Trip Cancellation: Covers expenses if you can’t travel due to unforeseen circumstances. It protects both before and during the trip. From €5 ($5.40).
• Accommodation Cancellation: For €5 ($5.40), you can get insurance to protect you in case of accommodation reservation cancellations.
• Annual Multi-Trip Basic: Annual coverage for those who take multiple international trips each year. Includes medical assistance, repatriation, and cancellation. From €98 ($107).
• Annual Multi-Trip Premium: For €152 ($166), you can get this extended version of the annual insurance, with higher coverage and protection for trips up to 90 days each.
• Traveller Plus: One of its most popular policies. It offers medical protection on international trips with the option to include cancellation, pre-existing conditions, and sports. From €12 ($13.05).
• Business Traveller: For professionals who make occasional business trips abroad. It covers medical assistance, repatriation, and cancellation-related expenses. From €6 ($6.50).
• Business Traveller Annual Short Stay: An annual version for those who travel frequently for work, with unlimited transfers and coverage abroad. You can get it for €356 ($388).
• Annual Long Stay Plus: Insurance for those who stay abroad for long periods. It includes comprehensive coverage and the option to add cancellation and other supplements. Fee €330 ($360).

What do their travel insurance policies cover?

Do you think one of these policies might suit your next trip? Before deciding, it’s important to check exactly what’s included. While the exact coverage will depend on the Europ Assistance policy you choose, here’s what you can expect:

• International medical assistance: Includes coverage in case of illness or accident during the trip. Depending on the policy, medical expenses can go up to €5,000,000 in policies such as Business Traveller Annual Long Stay.
• Repatriation and medical transport: Covers the costs of transport back to the country of origin in case of medical emergency or death. In policies like Traveller Plus, this coverage is unlimited.
• Trip cancellation expenses: Cancellation coverage can reach €15,000 per person, with over 40 reasons covered.
• Luggage loss, theft, or damage: Compensation for the loss or damage of checked luggage. For example, in the Premium Traveller insurance, coverage reaches up to €1,500.
• Delays: Covers expenses resulting from flight or transport delays. Depending on the plan, compensation may be included for missed flight connections, trip interruptions, or luggage delivery delays.
• Liability insurance: Protection against third-party damage. In some policies, such as Business Traveller, the coverage goes up to €500,000.
• Psychological assistance and medical guidance: In policies like International Student, it includes in-person consultations with psychologists, medical guidance by chat, and physiotherapy coverage.

What travel insurance doesn’t cover

As you can see, Europ Assistance policies are quite comprehensive. However, it’s always recommended to keep the exclusions in mind. Knowing which incidents or situations are not covered will help you react quickly if the situation arises.

• Pre-existing conditions without additional coverage: Any illness diagnosed before taking out the policy will not be covered. If you have any complications arising from a previous condition, such as heart problems or diabetes, medical services you require won’t be reimbursed.
• Cancellation due to changes in plans: The Trip Cancellation and Accommodation Cancellation policies are only valid if the reason for cancellation falls within the 28 covered causes.
• Trip cancellation once at the destination: Although the Trip Cancellation insurance covers interruption, it has a limit of €1,000 ($1,090).
• High-risk activities without specific coverage: Even if you take out the Snow Traveller insurance, many high-risk activities (e.g., off-piste skiing, rock climbing, or skydiving) may not be covered unless you purchase specific additional coverage.
• Luggage loss or theft without security measures: Europ Assistance covers luggage loss, theft, or damage with compensation up to €1,500 in some policies like Traveller Plus. However, if you didn’t take security measures (e.g., using a hotel safe or not leaving your luggage unattended), the claim may be rejected.
• Medical assistance without prior authorisation: If you need medical assistance, you must first contact Europ Assistance before going to a medical facility. If you go to a hospital without notifying the insurer, the costs may not be reimbursed.
• Costs related to lost or expired documents: The insurance does not cover costs arising from the loss of passports or expired visas. If you need to process emergency documents to continue your trip, you will have to bear the expenses.
• Non-urgent or cosmetic medical treatments: Any medical procedure that is not essential, such as cosmetic surgery, routine check-ups, or dental treatments not related to emergencies.
• Accidents due to recklessness or under the influence of alcohol: If you have an accident while driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

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How is Europ Assistance’s customer service?

Now that we know what their insurance policies include and don’t include, it’s time to look at Europ Assistance’s customer service. This is one of the most decisive factors when choosing an insurer. There’s no point in a company offering extensive coverage if, when the time comes, they don’t provide efficient assistance to their policyholders. 

In this case, it stands out that the service seems to depend on the country of the insured. At least, from what we’ve observed in reviews on Google Play, the App Store, and forums, ratings vary significantly from one country to another. In general, the contact methods for their customer support are: 

• 24/7 assistance phone line: Policyholders can contact customer service at any time of the day, 365 days a year.
• Mobile app: It seems to be unavailable in all countries. For example, Spain doesn’t have an app, but in Belgium’s App Store, it has a rating of 4/5.
• Email and web form: For non-urgent queries, customers can send their claims through a form on the website or by email. Generally, response times range from 24 to 48 business hours.
• Social media: General queries can also be made on platforms like Facebook and X (formerly Twitter). However, in case of an emergency, it’s advisable to use the direct contact channels.

As mentioned, opinions about customer service and the channels available for policyholders vary greatly depending on the country. It’s difficult to give a definitive answer about their service across the 200 countries where they operate. In general, their overall ratings on Trustpilot are low in all countries. For example, in the USA, they have a rating of 1.5/5✭.

“Terrible customer service, extreme bureaucracy, misleading information before signing up.”— Europ Assistance travel insurance reviews: user SC on Trustpilot USA.

“It was a terrible experience, as the direct line doesn’t answer when you have an emergency. We had to wait three hours in ICU before they contacted us and sorted out the issue with the hospital. “— Europ Assistance travel insurance reviews: user Hans on Trustpilot USA.

Europ Assistance website and platform review

These days, any company without an efficient website to meet its customers’ needs is at a disadvantage compared to its competition. In the case of Europ Assistance, it seems they’ve done a good job in this regard.

We’ve checked the websites of several countries, and all of them have a clear and simple structure for the user. The policies available and the coverage included in each one are perfectly reflected. The prices for each insurance policy are also visible. Additionally, customers can purchase insurance directly through the website.

As for their mobile app, in countries where it’s available, it also seems quite functional. It’s simple and has a profile where the insured can check their contract and coverage. It also includes sections with frequently asked questions and ways to contact customer support.

Advantages and disadvantages of Europ Assistance travel insurance

As you can see from this analysis, this insurer has both strengths and areas where it could improve. To make it clearer, we’ve prepared a summary table of its strengths and weaknesses.

Advantages and disadvantages of Europ Assistance travel insurance

Europ Assistance user experiences and customer reviews

When it comes to choosing an insurance provider for our travels, it’s important to take a moment to find out what others who have already used their services say. To make it easier for you, we’ve done the research. Here’s what we found after checking pages like Trustpilot, Google Reviews, and travel forums: 

Europ Assistance travel insurance: medical assistance and expenses abroad reviews

Medical coverage is one of the aspects you’ll need to pay the most attention to when taking out any travel insurance. In the case of Europ Assistance, reviews vary depending on the destination and the urgency of the required medical assistance.

• Positive points: Europ Assistance’s medical coverage is wide and allows access to private hospitals in many destinations. Some travellers have noted that the insurer managed their assistance well at contracted clinics.
• Areas to improve: several customers have reported that contacting the insurer in an emergency can be difficult. In some cases, they had to pay out of pocket because the insurer was slow to authorise treatment. Complaints have also been made about the long waiting times to receive a reimbursement after submitting the required documents.

Luggage protection and tools

One of the most common concerns among travellers is the potential issues with luggage. Europ Assistance offers specific coverage for theft, loss, and delays in luggage delivery, but reviews of its handling are not entirely positive.

• Positive points: Europ Assistance’s insurance includes financial compensation in case of loss or damage to checked luggage.
• Areas to improve: Many travellers have pointed out that the claims process is slow and requires a lot of paperwork. The insurer demands invoices and detailed evidence to approve reimbursements. In some cases, claims have been rejected due to “lack of evidence,” despite all required documentation being submitted.

Europ Assistance travel insurance: trip cancellation and reimbursement reviews

This insurer provides policies that cover cancellations, but customers have mixed reviews regarding their effectiveness.

• Positive points: The insurer covers cancellations due to serious illness, death of a family member, or medical issues that prevent travel. Some policyholders have received full reimbursements when meeting all the requirements specified in the policy.
• Shortcomings: Many reimbursement claims have been denied because the insurer deemed the cancellation reason invalid. Some customers have complained that Europ Assistance requests excessive documentation and that the reimbursement process is very slow.

Europ Assistance travel insurance: activities and liability coverage reviews

The insurer offers specific policies for high-risk sports, but customers’ experiences haven’t always been positive.

• Strengths: Covers certain winter sports and outdoor activities in specific policies.
• Areas to improve: Many customers have noted that adventure sports coverage is limited and that some activities considered high-risk are not included unless additional coverage is purchased. There have also been complaints about the difficulty of receiving assistance after a sports-related accident.

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