Do you need travel insurance in Europe?
While it isn't a legal requirement to have travel insurance for Europe it will give you peace of mind if something goes wrong before or during your trip.
Co-op Travel Insurance covers you for travel even if you have pre-existing medical conditions though they will only be covered if they were agreed when you bought your policy. Our insurance will cover you for medical emergencies while abroad, which can help with unexpected medical bills and unnecessary complications when you’re away.
European countries we cover
We provide cover for any European country including the UK in our single and annual multi-trip policies.
If you choose our annual multi-trip policy for Europe, we'll not only cover your travels within Europe but also include some countries outside of Europe. Countries included are Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia and Turkey as they are close to Europe in terms of claims costs. This means we can include these countries in our Europe travel insurance, so our customers don’t have to pay out for more expensive worldwide cover.
Co-op Member Prices
As well as 5% off Co-op Travel Insurance, members also get:
- lower prices in our food stores and online
- personalised offers every week
- access to presale tickets for Co-op Live, the UK's biggest arena
- a say in how Co-op is run
If you’re not yet a Co-op Member, you can sign up when you buy Co-op Travel Insurance. Your first insurance payment will include a one-off £1 joining fee.
5% travel insurance discount is valid for the life of the policy and does not apply to add ons or the extra cost to cover existing medical conditions.
Co-op Members can win
to Co-op Live when they buy a new policy
What if your insurance came with tickets to the gig of your dreams? Co-op Members who buy a new insurance policy direct from us by 31 October 2025 can win one of 100 pairs of Dreamseats to Co-op Live.
If you're not yet a Co-op Member, you can sign up when you buy Co-op Travel Insurance. Your first insurance payment will include a one-off £1 joining fee.
Reasons to choose
Pre-existing conditions covered
Our insurance covers everyone, even with pre-existing conditions. You just need to let us know what they are.
Unlimited medical expenses
This covers you for injury, illness or serious accidents.
24 hour medical assistance
We will help you if you are ill or injured outside the UK or the Channel Islands.
Cover for cancelling or cutting short your holiday
If you have to cancel or cut short your trip due to reasons beyond your control.
Repatriation cover
Helping you get back to the UK following an injury or illness.
Over 150 years experience
Put your trust in a brand who have provided insurance since 1867.
Which? Best Buy
Consumer champion Which?, have rated our Platinum and Gold cover for Annual multi-trip and Single trip travel insurance a Best Buy.
5 Star rated cover
Independent financial experts Defaqto have given their highest rating to Gold and Platinum cover for our Annual multi-trip and Single trip travel insurance.
Do you need travel insurance if you have a GHIC card?
The Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) has replaced the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).
This card means you’ll receive the same healthcare and treatment as a local citizen if needed when travelling in the European Economic Area (EEA). It also covers you in countries like Montenegro, Switzerland and Australia.
The healthcare provided may be free, or you may be charged the same as a local citizen.
Please note that not all European countries accept the GHIC, so make sure you check before your trip.
The GHIC is not a substitute for travel insurance as it doesn’t cover you for:
- the costs of rescue and repatriation
- healthcare that’s not free, even to local citizens
- treatment in a private medical facility
- extra travel and accommodation costs due to illness
- losses from your trip getting cut short, delayed or cancelled
- lost or stolen property such as passports, baggage, gadgets and valuables
Why do you need travel insurance?
Travel insurance can give you extra protection if your holiday or trip doesn't go as expected.
It's there to help cover the cost of things like emergency medical treatment or the loss of valuables while you're away.
It can also protect you before you go on holiday. That could be if you need to cancel and cannot get a refund, or if something unexpected stops you from travelling.
To make sure you're covered, it's best to arrange travel insurance as soon as you book your trip.
There are two types of travel insurance you can get: annual multi-trip travel insurance and single trip insurance.
Annual multi-trip travel insurance
An annual multi-trip policy covers you for an unlimited number of trips over 365 days. You state when you get the quote whether you are travelling within the United Kingdom, Europe or worldwide. This means you can travel as many times as you like during any one year, as long as no single trip lasts longer than 55 days, up to a total maximum of 183 days with our highest level of cover.
Single trip travel insurance
You can get immediate cover for a single trip over specific dates for up to 365 days.
A single trip travel policy covers you for one journey, even if you visit more than one place. You can have multiple stops in different countries, as long as you don’t come home in between. The trip can last up to a year, and the countries you visit need to be listed when you buy your policy. Once you come back home, that trip ends, and so does the cover
Serious medical conditions
In rare cases, we may not be able to cover you due to serious medical conditions or the cost may be too high.
Get free and impartial help backed by the government with MoneyHelper.
Call 0800 138 7777 or visit MoneyHelper.
Get your travel money
Co-op Insurance introduces eurochange, for your travel money needs.
With currencies including euros, dollars, and yen available at over 240 UK branches. There is also free next day delivery on orders over £600, with 0% commission on all transactions.
Existing customers
If you're one of our existing customers we're here to help
Travel insurance is promoted by Co‑op Insurance Services and arranged by IES Limited and administered by Insure and Go Insurance Services.
eurochange is promoted by Co-op Insurance Services Limited (CISL). CISL acts as an introducer only and is not part of Eurochange Ltd
Calls are charged at local rates from landline and mobiles. If your phone has inclusive minutes these calls are normally included.
Applicants for insurance are subject to normal underwriting criteria.
Co-op Insurance Services Limited will receive a percentage commission from your insurance payments.