Travel Insurance: France
Compare travel insurance for France
Have a fabulous time in France – and remember to sort out travel insurance so you can fully kick back and enjoy your break.
Have a fabulous time in France – and remember to sort out travel insurance so you can fully kick back and enjoy your break.
Whether it’s a summer-long trip or a short city break you’re planning, don’t go to France without travel insurance.
Having cover will protect you in case you are injured or become ill while you’re away, and it will cover you if your belongings are lost or stolen. Also, it will provide a financial safety net in the event that you have to cancel or cut short your holiday.
Before you go to France, you should buy a travel insurance policy that provides the following:
All insurance policies come with exclusions, and travel insurance is no exception.
It’s important to be aware of the things that you’ll probably be unable to claim for.
They include:
Always check the excess on your travel insurance policy, too. Though it might seem tempting to opt for a higher excess in exchange for a lower premium, never set yours so high that you’d struggle to pay it in the event you needed to make a travel insurance claim.
Finally, start your travel insurance policy from the date you book your holiday - not the date on which you’re due to travel.
This is to ensure that, if an emergency should arise in the intervening period and prevent you from going to France as planned, you will not lose all the money you’ve spent on your trip.
The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) scheme, of which France is a member, is designed to give EU visitors to European countries access to the same state-subsidised healthcare that citizens of those countries would themselves receive.
This means that, whatever state provided healthcare a French person would get if they fell ill, an EHIC holder would get too - but, crucially, it doesn’t necessarily mean that any or all medical treatment received in France would be free.
Britain is still participating in the EHIC scheme even though it is not part of the European Union. EHIC cards issued in the UK will continue to be accepted in the EU until they expire. The new UK Global Health Insurance Card – GHIC – will replace the EHIC cards, but they will work in the same way in the EU.
The EHIC is a useful safety net, but it is no substitute for proper travel insurance. An EHIC won’t cover repatriation if it’s needed, would not cover the cost of air-lifting you to hospital in an emergency and provides no protection in the event of other emergencies, such as baggage loss or the theft of your purse or wallet.
1. When in France…
Speak as much French as you can. While many French nationals speak good English, they invariably prefer not to - and being able to ask for what you need using the local lingo will stand you in good stead for great service.
At the very least, learn to say ‘Parlez-vous anglais?’ en francais!
2. Try the train
If you’re planning to travel around in France, why not use public transport? France’s train network is one of the best in Europe, with the Train a Grande Vitesse (TGV) rail system providing high speed services between cities across the country.
3. Know the rules of the road
You probably know that you’ll need to drive on the right hand side of the road if you take your car to France. But did you know that by law you must carry a warning triangle in your vehicle, along with a high visibility jacket for every passenger?
If you’re planning a road trip in France, do your research - make sure you understand any rules that may differ from those you are used to at home.
It is also vital to make sure your car insurance policy will cover you in France if you will be driving your own vehicle.
4. Relish every repas
France is known as the gastronomic capital of the world - and for good reason. From Michelin-starred meals to simple, sensational bread, cheese and wine, make a point of sampling the local delights wherever you go.
5. Pucker up
If you get to know some of the locals while you’re on holiday, they may greet you in the French style - that is by kissing you, usually once on each cheek.
Famously reserved Brits may struggle with this somewhat intimate gesture, but relax! It’s the Continental equivalent of a handshake.
Just be prepared to react quickly if you see someone lean in: headbutting the locals is never a good look.