Travel Insurance for Austria

Austria is a splendid country rich in natural beauties, great attractions, outstanding art and music, and hearty food.

MoneySuperMarket’s guide explains what you need to know about travel insurance for Austria. This will allow you to make the most of your getaway with peace of mind and enjoy the country’s stunning landmarks.

Do I need travel insurance for Austria?

Travel insurance is essential if you’re planning a holiday in Austria. So much can go wrong, and if you fall ill, have an accident, lose your baggage, or something is stolen while you’re on holiday, your travel insurance policy will cover you for the inevitable expense.

Travel cover also provides financial protection if you need to cut short or cancel your trip in an emergency. In fact, knowing you’re covered means you can relax and enjoy your holiday.

What type of travel insurance do you need for Austria?

Austria is covered under any European travel insurance policy. When you’re comparing travel insurance policies with MoneySuperMarket, your trip will fall into one of the following categories:

• One holiday to Austria only: If you are only taking one trip, select single-trip travel insurance and put Austria as your destination.

• One trip to Austria and other countries: If you are visiting other countries during the same trip, select multi-trip insurance and then pick each country you plan to visit as multiple destinations. If you are backpacking, select backpackers’ insurance.

• Several holidays throughout the year that include the USA, Canada, or the Caribbean: You might be able to save money by selecting an annual multi-trip travel insurance policy. If you plan to visit the USA, Canada, or a Caribbean country, you need to select a worldwide policy that covers these countries.

• Several holidays throughout the year that do not include the USA, Canada, or the Caribbean: Again, you could save by selecting an annual multi-trip travel insurance policy. If you don’t plan to visit the USA, Canada, or the Caribbean, you can select a worldwide policy that excludes those countries.

What should your Austrian travel insurance include?

A good travel insurance policy for Austria should include the following:

• Cover for medical expenses, usually up to a limit of £5m. The new Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC), will be accepted in Austrian hospitals for Brits needing treatment. However, It only covers emergency healthcare, and should not be a substitute for good travel cover.

• Cover for the cost of bringing you back to the UK, otherwise known as ‘repatriation’.

• Cover for cancellation or curtailment of your holiday. This is in case you have to head home earlier than planned or an emergency prevents you from going in the first place.

• Delay and missed departure cover, in case events beyond your control (such as a car breakdown) cause you to miss your flight.

• Travel abandonment cover protects you against unusual circumstances where the journey to your destination becomes unfeasible.

• Baggage cover, which can help in case your belongings are lost or stolen during your trip. Make sure you include cover for any particularly costly items you’ll have with you, such as jewellery.

• Passport cover, because getting a replacement for a lost or stolen passport while abroad can be both complicated and costly.

• Personal liability cover protects you in case something you do causes injury to someone else. What’s more, it can cover for the loss or damage of their possessions.

Austrian travel insurance: exclusions and what to watch out for

Many standard travel insurance policies won’t include the following:

• If you have a pre-existing medical condition or you’ve had one in the past for which you’ve received advice or treatment. In this case, you may find you’re charged a higher premium for your policy if you want your condition to be covered. You might even have to take out a special policy for pre-existing conditions.

• Cover for unexpected incidents that may affect your holiday, like civil unrest, war, terrorism, and natural disasters.

• Cover for accidents or injuries that can be linked to you drinking too much.

• Cover for travel to locations that the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) has said British holidaymakers should avoid.

• Cover for accidents or injuries that happen during high-risk sporting activities, such as

  skiing and snowboarding. If you know you’ll be doing something adventurous while in Austria, check to make sure you have adventure or winter sports cover in place first.

How much should my travel insurance excess be?

The excess on your travel insurance is the amount you will have to pay before your travel insurance company will pay out on a claim. A higher excess might reduce the cost of your cover. That said, you shouldn’t increase it to the point that you wouldn’t be able to afford to pay it if you made a claim.

When should my travel insurance policy start from?

Start your travel insurance policy from the day you book your trip, not from the date when you are planning to travel. If you delay the start of your policy, you will not be covered if you unexpectedly need to cancel.

Compare travel insurance for Austria before you buy

While travel insurance for Austria is a necessity, the price of a policy varies. Different companies will sell the same level of cover at completely different prices, so it’s important to compare before you buy.

MoneySuperMarket’s comparison tool asks you a few simple questions about you and your holiday. Where are you going and how long for? What do you want your policy to cover? In just a couple of minutes, you can compare prices from a range of leading travel insurers.