Traveling safely: health and travel insurance

Okay, let's be clear. Travel insurance is perhaps the most tedious and confusing part of organizing a vacation.
Just when you think you're done, that's when the Hamletic doubt pops up: "Will I need it? What if nothing happens later? But what if instead...?"

It is the classic question we all ask ourselves, with our suitcase almost packed and a thousand thoughts in our heads. And the answer, as is often the case, is: it depends.

It depends mostly on where you're going (and where you're from). A weekend in Berlin has very different implications than an on-the-road trip to California, and the protections you need change dramatically.

At PassTuristici.com, our mission is to make your life easier, not more complicated. That's why, instead of overwhelming you with endless comparison tables, we did the research work for you.
After analyzing several companies and tourist insurance policies, we chose to recommend Heymondo: according to our analysis, it is the company that today offers the best balance between an honest price, comprehensive coverages and a service department that responds when you need it.

But this is not an advertising page.
In this guide we will help you understand in a simple and straightforward way what you really need, depending on your specific travel situation.
Let's see together when insurance is a smart choice, when it's not needed, and when it becomes an absolute necessity.

If you already have a clear idea and want to calculate a quote right away, click below.
We'll take you directly to Heymondo's website with our exclusive discount already activated:

When is it appropriate to take out a travel policy?

Technically always.
When traveling within the European Union, if we are European citizens, we have health conventions that guarantee access to medical care with just a health card, but all the rest of the protections are excluded.
Given the often almost negligible cost of a travel policy, capable in case of need of saving the fortunes of an entire trip, one should always consider taking one out.
Totravel safe is to travel better, no matter how short and undemanding the trip.

In cases, on the other hand, of more important trips outside the conventions of the European Economic Area, travel insurance becomes an essential piece of equipment, which should never be dispensed with.
Leaving uncovered even medically exposes you to unnecessary risks, which - in the unfortunate event of necessity - result in enormous costs, in addition to the inconvenience of a ruined trip.

Key advice: when to buy the policy?

Many people think insurance is only needed during travel, but one of its most important protections,Trip Cancellation, comes into play before you leave.
As soon as you book a non-refundable flight or hotel, your money is 'at risk' in the period between booking and departure. Should a major unforeseen event force you to cancel your trip, you will lose everything.
By purchasing the policy immediately after making your main reservations, you immediately activate coverage on this risk. On the other hand, if you wait until the last day, the entire period before departure remains uncovered and your money is not protected.

What is travel insurance and what does it cover?

Before we delve into the details, let's get some clarity. When we talk about "travel insurance," everyone often has something different in mind.
For some it is just medical coverage, for others it is protection on the loss of luggage, and for others it is protection and reimbursement for the trip if an unforeseen event prevents me from leaving.

Actually, proper travel insurance is not just one thing, but a package of protections designed to protect you from the major contingencies that can happen away from home.
The most important coverages you need to know about are:

• Medical expenses: most important. Covers the costs of doctor's visits, medicines, hospitalization, and urgent surgeries abroad.
• Travel assistance: a real guardian angel available to you 24/7. It includes basic services such as telephone medical consultations, sending an interpreter, and most importantly, medical repatriation, which means arranging and paying for a flight home if the situation is serious.
• Baggage: reimburses you if your suitcase is stolen, lost, damaged, or delivered late by the airline.
• Trip cancellation or interruption: reimburses you for penalties and costs of ground services (hotels, tours, etc.) if you are forced to cancel or interrupt your vacation for serious and documentable reasons, such as a sudden illness, serious injury, or family emergency.
• Liability: covers you in case you unintentionally cause damage to people or property during your trip.
• Legal protection: covers expenses to be incurred in case of the need for legal support while traveling, for handling claims or any inherent issues.

Now that we have a clear picture of what travel insurance can do for us, the crucial question becomes: which of these protections do you really need?

The answer all depends on your destination.

Where are you headed? Find your profile

To help you figure out what you need right away, we have divided the question into two main scenarios. Look for the one that represents you and find out our advice.

CASE A: You are a European citizen and you travel to another country in Europe (EU/Schengen area).

If your trip is within European borders, you are likely thinking, "But I have the European Health Card (TEAM), what do I need another insurance for?"

This is a very good point, and the answer is: you are partially right. The EHIC entitles you toprimary health care on the same terms as residents of the country you visit.
This means that for a doctor's visit or an emergency room emergency, you are covered.

However, there are important gaps that the Health Card does NOT cover:

• Medical repatriation: if something serious happens to you and you need a special flight with medical assistance to get home, EHIC does not pay. This alone can cost tens of thousands.
• Medical expenses in private clinics: In many tourist locations, private facilities are quicker and more accessible, but are not covered by EHIC.
• Trip cancellation: if an unforeseen event forces you to cancel your departure, you lose all the money you have already spent.
• Baggage: If the airline loses your suitcase or it is stolen, there is nothing TEAM can do about it.
• The assistance of an interpreter or the support of an operations center in Italian to guide you in a time of trouble.

Our advice for travel in Europe: properly balanced travel insurance is the smart complement to your Health Card.
Less essential than in other situations, but given the absolutely affordable cost, it is that plus that makes for peace of mind traveling without significantly affecting your vacation budget.
You don't need it for a fever, but it becomes your safety net for all those more serious and costly unforeseen events that can ruin a vacation, guaranteeing above all the peace of mind of returning home, no matter what happens.

CASE B: You are about to take a trip outside Europe (or you are arriving in Europe from a non-EU country)

Here the subject changes completely. The answer is stark and direct: travel insurance with excellent coverage for medical expenses is not an option, it is a absolute necessity.

Your Health Card outside Europe has no value (except for a few specific agreements). This means that you would be completely on your own to deal with unexpected costs that can be very impactful.

The most classic example (significant in number of departures/attendances) is the United States, where the health care system is entirely private and the prices of medical care are truly exorbitant: a simple visit to the emergency room for a fracture can cost thousands of dollars, a hospitalization tens of thousands. To leave without coverage is to really put your wealth and peace of mind at risk.

Our advice for non-EU travel: insurance would be the first ticket to make - in importance - even before air travel.
A good travel policy is the ideal solution even - and especially - in this context because it is designed precisely for these scenarios, and must offer:

• Significant spending ceilings for medical care, adequate to withstand the costs of countries such as the U.S. and Canada.
• 24/7 telephone support in your own language, invaluable help when you find yourself in trouble on the other side of the world.
• No money advance for medical expenses in most cases: the operations center takes care of everything, contacting the hospital directly.
• All other ancillary coverages (baggage, cancellation, assistance) that give you all-around protection.

The insurance premium you have to pay for your peace of mind on important trips should be regarded as a necessary investment in travel.
Consider it on a par with any other essential service, as is trivially the hotel for sleeping.

At this point, whether you are going to Lisbon or Los Angeles, you have a clear picture of what you need.
But among the many companies in the market, which one offers us the best policies on the best terms?

Our pick: travel policies from Heymondo

The reality is that every insurance company with travel policies offers products that are potentially suitable for you.
In our analysis work for PassTuristici.com, we apply the same rigor we use to study passes to other travel tools.
We do not settle for "unobtrusive" service. We strive forexcellence and simplicity, always with an eye toward savings.

And after a very careful analysis of all the major solutions on the market, after years of testing and use, to date we have chosen to recommend to our readers the policies of Heymondo.
Heymondo, in our opinion, represents the perfect synthesis of these values.

All at an excellent value for money, in our opinion currently the best among all the insurance companies we have tried and tested that offer similar solutions.

• Very good value for money: offers very high coverage and premium service at a competitive cost.
• H24 assistance in your own language: in a time of emergency abroad, being able to talk to someone in your own language who guides you step by step is priceless. Their operations center is a real added value.
• Intuitive and functional app: you can manage everything from your smartphone. From consulting your policy to requesting assistance with a free internet call, to sending documents for a claim. Simple and modern.
• Direct payment of medical expenses: this is a key factor. In case of hospitalization or major medical expenses, you will not have to advance a single euro. Heymondo will contact the medical facility directly and take care of the payments.
• Transparency: conditions are clear, coverages well explained, and there are no hidden clauses. Their policy is easy to understand, even for those who are not insurance experts.

In a nutshell, it is the solution we use ourselves for our travels. And there is no more sincere recommendation than this.

Let's be clear, there are several other companies that offer the same plusses and completeness.
Heymondo is simply - in our opinion - the most balanced company, the one that offers what you really need at a good price.
And-which is never insignificant-with extreme clarity in explaining their products, along with a great ease of use of their website and app, which makes it accessible to everyone, even those who are unfamiliar with it.

How does travel insurance work?

Generally, travel insurance is offered through "packages," each with a different and increasing degree of protection for various aspects of a trip.
Each company has its own business formula, which makes it different from the others, although basically all companies have the same goal.

Let's take Heymondo, the company we decided to recommend in this guide, as an example because of what we explained earlier.
Heymondo insures all travelers up to age 74, starting with infants at least 90 days old.
It simplifies choice by offering clear and well-defined packages designed for different travel needs. Let's look at them together.

• Travel Tranquility: It is the smart foundation for those who want no worries. It covers the basics of any safe trip: high maximums for medical expenses, H24 assistance, and essential medical transportation and eventual repatriation. The essentials, done right.
• Travel TOP: The most popular choice and our recommendation for most travelers. In addition to all the guarantees of "Tranquility," it significantly increases the maximum limits and adds two very important protections: coverage for lost or damaged luggage and compensation in case of flight delays.
• Premium Trip: For those who want the highest possible protection, without compromise. It brings all the maximum limits and indemnities to the top and includes a crucial guarantee such as trip interruption. Above all, it is the formula that allows you to add (at the quote stage) the valuable cancellation coverage, which reimburses you if you can no longer leave.

One important point: no matter which package you choose, you will always have included basic assistance guarantees such as telephone medical advice, liability,legal assistance, dispatch of emergency medicines, and an interpreter service to help you with critical issues. What changes are the coverage limits, which increase with the level of the policy.

How much does travel insurance cost?

The cost of travel insurance, that is, the "premium" to be paid, is not fixed.
It varies according to four main factors:

1. The destination: a trip to Europe costs less than one to the United States, where medical expenses are high.
2. The duration of the trip: the more days you are away, the more the cost increases, although non-linearly (the longer you increase the duration, the less it costs proportionally).
3. The package chosen: more comprehensive coverages such as "Premium" cost more than "Tranquility," for obvious reasons of coverages offered
4. Travelers' country of residence: legal and tax regulations of each country may cause insurance premiums to vary on a level playing field

Important aspect: unlike many other companies, Heymondo's premium price does not increase with the traveler's age, up to the maximum insurable limit (which is 74 or 69 depending on the country of residence). This is a rarity in the field of travel insurance policies, which usually calculate risk based on age, increasing the premium slightly as the age of the insured person increases.

Exclusive discounts on Heymondo: up to 25% off

As a PassTuristici.com reader, you are entitled to an immediate 5% or 10% discount on any policy, which is applied automatically by clicking on our links.
The % discount varies from country to country, based on Heymondo's commercial policies, so click on the link below to check your discount.

In addition, if you travel with a family (minimum 3 people with a minor, living together), Heymondo adds an additional 15% discount.
During the process of entering your information, you will find a checkmark to apply for the family discount.
The two benefits can be combined!

Average examples of travel insurance cost

I give you some typical travel examples, with the approximate average cost of a Heymondo travel insurance policy to protect your trip.
The purpose is to give you a first order of magnitude of the economic impact of adding a travel policy, which as you will see is surprisingly small.

In these simulations the country of origin is Italy.
If you do the simulation from other countries the costs may vary (usually by a little), because-as mentioned-the premium to be paid also depends on the country of origin.

The litmus test: calculate your estimate in 2 minutes, for free

Getting a personalized quote is easier done than said.
You don't have to leave personal information or wait to be contacted. The process is immediate:

• Click on our link to access Heymondo's website.
• Enter your trip details: country of residence, destinations, departure and return dates, and number of travelers.
• Get your quote now: You'll see the final price in an instant. You can also customize the policy, increasing the policy limits or adding specific coverages (e.g., for electronic equipment).

Our final advice: your informed choice

In this guide we have done our best to simplify a complex topic, to give you clear direction and an honest recommendation based on our direct experience.

The final and most important step, however, is up to you.
Travel insurance is a personal contract, and its terms, while standardized, may have nuances that depend on your specific trip and needs.

Therefore, we strongly encourage you to take one last step before you buy: take the time to carefully read the Precontractual Information Sep that every company, including Heymondo, mandatorily provides before payment. Check that the maximum limits, deductibles, and especially exclusions are in line with what you expect and need.

This little check will make you an even better prepared traveler and ensure that you leave with absolute confidence that you have chosen the perfect protection for you, without any surprises.