Holidays abroad: how to be well insured?

Verified 03 May 2024 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

During your holidays abroad, you may be faced with unforeseen events (e.g. accident, theft of luggage). Purchasing an insurance and/or support contract helps protect you. We'll give you the information you need to remember.

Before the trip

A guarantee travel cancelation can be purchased from the travel agency. Depending on the scope of the warranty travel cancelation, your trip may be canceled for example in one of the following cases:

  • You get sick
  • You're in an accident
  • One of your loved ones just passed away
  • Your leave is modified at the initiative of your employer

An insurance contract (car, house...) or a bank card can integrate assistance services. An assistance contract may also include insurance guarantees.

Before taking out an insurance or assistance contract:

  • Check the collateral you already have to avoid stacking it
  • Assess your needs based on your personal situation

Before going abroad:

  • Make sure your destination is on the list of countries covered by your assistance and insurance guarantees
  • Check the exclusions in your contract

FYI  

The closer you are to the date of departure to cancel your trip, the lower the amount refunded.

Find out if the accommodation you are renting abroad is insured.

Your multi-risk housing contract may include a warranty resort civil liability. This guarantee covers your liability when you are a tenant or occupant of a accommodation (excluding a hotel) during the duration of your stay. For example, if you cause water damage, you damage the appliances in the dwelling.

Third-party liability insurance is usually built into your home insurance contract. This warranty covers any damage you may cause to others during your trip and outside of the rented accommodation. For example, if you break an item at a store or accidentally hurt a passerby by by pushing it.

If you use your car, car insurance purchased in France includes obligatory one liability insurance. This insurance is intended to cover compensation for damage you have caused to others.

If you are using a rented vehicle, it is normally the renter's insurance that must repair the damage. Often, the insurance of renters provides deductibles in the event of an accident which will remain at your expense. They can be high.

Examples of support services related to car insurance include:

  • Dispatch of a driver to repatriate the vehicle if it is impossible to drive it
  • Towing and/or repatriation of the vehicle in case of breakdown or accident
  • Accommodation costs during repair

During the journey

In case of damage, loss or theft of your luggage, you can benefit from the following guarantees:

  • The holiday guarantee can be included in multi-risk housing contracts, either as an option or as an option. It can guarantee some of your property damaged or lost during your holidays.
  • The baggage guarantee can be offered by the travel agency, the carrier or your bank. It covers goods you have taken or purchased.

FYI  

Air carriers have obligations to provide lump-sum compensation for loss or damage to your luggage. This obligation arises from the purchase of an airline ticket.

The covering your healthcare costs abroad is different if you are going on holiday in Europe or another country:

Supplementary health insurance may be used to cover some of your remaining costs.

Some contracts include guarantees in the event of an accident or illness. For example: death and disability insurance, contract multi-risk housing.

Personal assistance services are typically offered in multi-risk housing or auto insurance contracts.

These services most often include the following:

  • Repatriation, transport and admission to hospital in case of illness or injury
  • Payment of transport costs in the event of interruption of the journey following the death of a relative
  • Return ticket for a relative, if you are hospitalized, without repatriation for a specified period in the contract
  • Advances in case of loss or theft of money
  • Coverage of search costs in the event of rescue or rescue operations
  • Support for urgent on-site procedures

The legal protection guarantee allows you to benefit from a cover of fees and lawyer fees if you encounter a dispute with a third party (travel agency, airline, hotel).

These contracts usually provide for a legal information service.

Guarantees of legal protection are frequently included in credit card contracts.

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