Paris offers world-class museums, including the Louvre, quintessential outdoor cafes, abundant shopping and historical sites throughout the city.
If you’re planning a trip to Paris, consider buying the best travel insurance that can compensate you if unexpected circumstances disrupt your trip.
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Trip Cancellation Insurance
A trip to Paris can be an expensive proposition with many nonrefundable outlays. Comprehensive travel insurance plans include trip cancellation insurance, which can safeguard your trip investment.
“The cost of attractions in Paris is an important consideration,” says Scott Adamski, spokesperson with AIG. “There are a lot of museums and other attractions—such as the recently reopened Eiffel Tower—that are fairly costly, and a lot of them need to be prepaid.”
Unexpected emergencies can happen before a scheduled trip that may cause you to change travel plans. Trip cancellation insurance reimburses 100% of prepaid, nonrefundable trip outlays if you cancel for a reason listed in your policy.
Reasons that can be used for a trip cancellation claim generally include:
- Severe illness or injury to you, an immediate family member or a travel companion.
- Death of a close family member, business partner or travel companion.
- A sudden family emergency.
- Unplanned jury duty.
- A sudden job loss.
- A national transportation strike.
- Your travel supplier goes bankrupt.
- Severe weather.
‘Cancel For Any Reason’ Travel Insurance
There is another solution if you want cancellation coverage without restrictions. “Cancel for any reason” (CFAR) travel insurance is a policy upgrade that allows you the freedom to cancel your trip for any reason, as long as you cancel at least 48 hours before you’re scheduled to depart.
CFAR typically compensates you for 50% or 75% of your trip expenses. CFAR coverage increases travel insurance costs by about 50%, and you usually must buy it within 14 days of making your first trip deposit.
Travel Delay Insurance
There are many direct flights from the U.S. to Paris, but you may be able to buy cheaper airfare if you agree to a connection. The downside is that adding a connection also increases the risk of a delay.
If your itinerary is from Chicago to Madrid to Paris and your plane gets grounded in Madrid due to an emergency at the airport, travel delay insurance can provide some financial reimbursement for a hotel stay, personal care items and a meal.
It’s common for your policy to have a minimum delay period, such as six or 12 hours, before you’re eligible to file a travel delay claim.
If your flight delay is due to a problem listed in your policy, such as severe weather or aircraft maintenance issues, you can also be reimbursed for prepaid, nonrefundable expenses for portions of your trip you miss.
Trip Interruption Insurance
If during your day trip to Versailles you receive news that a family member has been hurt in an accident, you likely will want to cut your trip short and return home.
Trip interruption insurance won’t only cover the cost of your economy airline ticket home, but will also reimburse you for any forfeited trip expenses that are nonrefundable.
Travel insurance won’t cover all the reasons you might want to return home early. If your weather app predicts torrential rain for the next five days and you don’t want to experience Paris with an umbrella, you will have to pay your own way home early.
‘Interruption for Any Reason’ Travel Insurance
“Interruption for any reason” (IFAR) travel insurance lets you file a trip interruption claim for any reason, not just for the reasons listed in the based policy. IFAR coverage won’t apply until you’re a specified time into your trip, typically at least 48 hours.
IFAR coverage is typically purchased as an add-on to a traditional travel insurance plan. This coverage usually reimburses you for up to 75% of prepaid travel expenses when you make a claim. This coverage typically adds between 3% and 10% to the total cost of a travel insurance policy.
You must insure 100% of your prepaid and nonrefundable trip costs to buy IFAR coverage. You generally have to buy IFAR coverage within 15 to 20 days of your first trip payment or deposit.
Travel Medical Insurance
When you’re traveling outside the U.S., travel medical insurance is especially vital.
“Your health insurance plan may not provide coverage abroad, so having a travel insurance policy with emergency medical coverage may help provide reimbursement for medical bills if you suffer an illness or injury during a trip to Paris,” says Megan Walch, spokesperson with InsureMyTrip, a travel insurance comparison site.
If you’re in a foreign country and become ill or injured without travel insurance, you might have to pay out-of-pocket for any treatment costs. On the other hand, if you have travel insurance, the policy should help cover the cost of medical care, diagnostic tests and even medication.
Medical Evacuation Travel Insurance
Medical evacuation travel insurance can come in handy if you’re visiting a rural area or some other place far from a medical center.
For example, if you suffer a medical emergency far from care and need to be airlifted to a hospital, your travel insurance policy can cover the cost. Without such benefits, you could be personally responsible for excessive costs that add up to many thousands of dollars.
Baggage Loss Insurance
European airports are busy, which may increase the need for baggage insurance.
“Charles de Gaulle Airport, outside of Paris, is second only to the UK’s Heathrow Airport in terms of the number of Europe-bound passengers on any given day,” Adamski says.
The high volumes of traffic mean travelers need to remain on their toes.
“Visitors should plan their arrival times at Paris travel hubs accordingly and should also check their travel insurance policies for coverage details on trip delay and baggage mishaps,” Adamski says.
Adamski notes that while airport staff does a tremendous job sorting and delivering passenger luggage, a bag might be lost from time to time, or arrive late.
Baggage insurance can pay you the depreciated value of your lost, damaged or stolen luggage and its contents, but note that you usually must first file a claim with your airline or home or renters insurance. If your bags arrive late, baggage delay insurance can help pay for necessities like toiletries and a change of clothes that you buy to tide you over until your stuff arrives.
Baggage delay benefits don’t apply until after a specified waiting period outlined in your policy, such as six or 12 hours.
Baggage insurance also extends to your personal effects while you travel. Petty theft can be a problem in Paris and pickpockets can swipe your belongings quickly. Baggage insurance can pay you the depreciated value of your lost, stolen or damaged possessions. Note that there are caps on some items and exclusions apply, so read your policy carefully.
Once you realize you’re the victim of a crime, file a report with the local authorities, your hotel manager or a tour operator. You will be asked to submit this paperwork when you file a claim.
If you have a wallet or passport stolen, your travel insurance carrier’s 24/7 emergency assistance hotline can also be a helpful resource. A representative can provide language translation services and assist with passport replacement.
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