Travel insurance for Europe: coverage, costs & tips
For Europe you want emergency medical travel insurance because Canadians can't use European health cards and OHIP pays almost nothing abroad. Schengen visa travellers may need to show proof of coverage. Costs vary by country, and skiing or hiking can need extra coverage.
Key takeaways
- Canadians can't use the UK's GHIC or EU health cards — those are for residents.
- OHIP covers almost nothing abroad and never pays providers up front.
- Schengen visa applicants may need to show proof of travel medical coverage.
- Add Sports & Activities coverage for skiing in the Alps or serious hiking.
Europe feels low-risk to Canadian travellers — developed, well-serviced, familiar — so insurance is easy to skip. But Canadians cannot tap European public health systems, OHIP does not follow you, and a few situations (a Schengen visa, a ski trip) add specific requirements worth knowing before you book.
Why coverage matters here
European healthcare is generally good, but their public systems and health cards — the UK’s GHIC, the EU’s arrangements — are for residents, not Canadian visitors. In most settings you are a private payer, expected to pay or provide an insurer’s guarantee of payment. Costs vary a great deal by country, and a serious emergency can still be substantial, before any repatriation on a long flight home. Emergency medical travel insurance covers the treatment and medically necessary evacuation and repatriation.
The OHIP gap
OHIP will not help you here. Ontario largely eliminated out-of-country coverage in 2020, and any small reimbursement is paid after you return, never to the European hospital up front. Travel insurance covers the real cost and lets an assistance team coordinate payment directly.
The Schengen and proof question
Most Canadian tourists travel to Europe visa-free for short stays and do not need to show insurance at the border. If, however, you are applying for a Schengen visa, travel medical coverage meeting a minimum amount is typically required, and you may need to present proof. Requirements change, so confirm what applies to your situation and carry evidence of your coverage.
Activities: the Alps and beyond
Europe’s active side often needs a closer read. Skiing and snowboarding in the Alps, Pyrenees or Dolomites, and serious hiking, may be limited under a base plan. Our optional Sports & Activities add-on can extend coverage for these pursuits — check the limits, and note that off-piste or backcountry skiing is often treated differently from groomed runs.
What to look for
Choose a solid emergency medical limit with explicit evacuation and repatriation coverage, and 24/7 assistance you can reach across time zones. TripCovered provides around-the-clock help in multiple languages, useful when you are moving between countries and languages. Declare any pre-existing condition and confirm it meets the stability period — unchanged for a defined window before departure for related claims to be covered.
What drives the cost
Premiums depend on your age, trip length, the coverage amount and your health. Travellers 60 and over complete a short medical questionnaire that sets the premium, not eligibility — TripCovered has no age limit, and under 60 there are no medical questions. Match the policy to your real dates, and if Europe is one of several trips this year, compare a multi-trip annual plan with single-trip coverage — a common saving for travellers who cross the Atlantic more than once.
Practical tips
Keep your policy number and the assistance line separate from your phone, and carry proof of coverage if a visa requires it. If you need care, call assistance early so they can arrange payment. Save itemised bills and medical reports, and for a ski incident keep the resort or clinic’s details.
Europe is one of the easiest regions to travel and still one where a medical bill lands entirely on you without cover. Before you go, compare your options and get a quote matched to your dates, your health and your itinerary.
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Frequently asked questions
Does OHIP cover medical care in Europe?
Not meaningfully. Ontario largely eliminated out-of-country coverage in 2020, and any reimbursement is small and paid after you return — never to the European hospital. Emergency medical travel insurance covers the real cost and coordinates payment for you.
Can Canadians use the European health card or the UK's GHIC?
No. Those cards cover residents of the issuing countries, not Canadian visitors. As a traveller you are a private payer in most settings, which is why emergency medical travel insurance is the practical protection.
Do I need proof of insurance for a Schengen visa?
Visa-exempt Canadian tourists generally don't need a visa for short stays, but if you are applying for a Schengen visa, travel medical coverage meeting a minimum amount is typically required. Check the current requirement for your situation and keep proof of coverage with you.
TripCovered is a licensed insurance referral service operating in Ontario. Insurance is administered by North American Air Travel Insurance Agents Ltd., doing business as TuGo®, a licensed insurance broker in all provinces and territories. The issuer of the contract is Industrial Alliance Insurance and Financial Services Inc. and Industrial Alliance Pacific General Insurance Corporation. Coverage is subject to the terms, conditions, limitations and exclusions of the policy. This website provides general information only and is not a contract of insurance. Always read your policy wording before you travel.