Best Travel Insurance to Portugal: Which Companies Offer the Best Deals

7 min read

Life in Portugal, Lifestyle and culture

Are you planning a trip to Portugal? Did you think about travel insurance? Do you want to which is the best travel insurance to Portugal? There are so many options out there, so I’ll try to answer your most-asked questions about how to find the best travel insurance. Most of the companies mentioned below are going to offer travel insurance for US citizens. If you are not from the US, find out if you should get travel insurance by reading our article: Do I Need Travel Insurance for Portugal?

Which is the best travel insurance to Portugal?

Let’s first answer this question: Why do I need travel insurance? If you like to risk in your life in extreme sporting activities, you probably need it. And also, if you would like to enjoy your holidays with no worries, you will definitely need it. Imagine… You’ve had your luggage stolen or you had an accident during your holiday, what will you do? Probably start to panic, because you’re in a foreign country with a language that you don’t speak. But, if you have travel insurance, you don’t have to worry as most policies cover all of those situations. Travel insurance provides you with a financial safety net.

What should your travel insurance policy to Portugal include?

In my opinion, the best travel insurance to Portugal should include cover for:

  • Medical expenses;
  • Repatriating to your country;
  • Costs of cancellation or curtailment of your holiday;
  • Costs for delays and missed departures;
  • Costs of travel abandonment;
  • Lost or stolen baggage;
  • The loss or theft of your passport; and
  • Personal liability.

The best travel insurance to Portugal varies from person to person as we all have different expectations and a different financial status. Need some tips for your vacation to Portugal? Read this article about Top 20 Portugal Travel Tips Every Visitor Should Know.

Who offers the best travel insurance to Portugal?

There are a number of factors that determine the costs of travel insurance like your age, total trip costs, length of staying and if you travel “solo” or with a “family”. Three of the best travel insurance companies based in the US are: • [ins-worldnomads] • [ins-hccmis] • [ins-axa] Let me compare these for you so you can have a general overview.

1. World Nomads

[ins-worldnomads] is also a travel insurance company that provides services to citizens from all over the world. They specialise their policies for backpackers or active travellers who partake in surfing, cliff jumping, etc. Our 38 year-old New Yorker can get a Standard Plan for $84 for two weeks in summer in Portugal which covers:

  • Emergency accident, sickness and dental costs;
  • Hospital costs;
  • Repatriation expenses in case of injury from over 200 adventure sports and activities;
  • Trip cancellations, interruptions and delays; and
  • Lost or stolen baggage and personal effects.

To get your personal quote, use this link: [ins-worldnomads] You just need to fill in the country of travelling to, your country of residence, the duration of your travel and your age. Also, you can buy travel insurance after having your trip has started.

2. HCC Medical Insurance Services

[ins-hccmis] offers an international travel insurance that works for citizens from all over the world. One of the best is Atlas Travel Insurance. For the same 38 year-old from New York travelling to Portugal for two weeks in summer, it will cost about $38 (for worldwide cover, not just Portugal). This policy covers:

  • $2 million maximum coverage;
  • Emergency dental;
  • $500 for lost checked luggage; and
  • Emergency medical evacuation.

Use this link for your specific trip to see how much it will cost: [ins-hccmis] HCC Medical Insurance Services also offers travel insurance for Seniors but there is NO age limit! It will rate the cost based on the age you enter. But if you’re over the age of 70 or 80, the limits of coverage decrease, which means that unfortunately you’ll have to pay more than a younger person for the same amount of insurance. The good news about this company is that you can buy your travel insurance even if you already started your trip, you don’t have to be at home, or in your country to buy this travel insurance or to extend your existing policy.

Algarve beach holiday Portugal
Algarve beach holiday in Portugal – Want to visit this beach? Check out our article on visiting the Algarve here.

3. AXA

[ins-axa] offers travel insurance with a number of options. Depending on the plan, you can have a policy that covers everything from emergency medical care to lost rounds of golf. The quote generator was easy to use, too. We looked up cost estimates for a 44-year-old woman traveling solo. Our sample person plans to travel from California to Portugal for a-two week vacation, with a trip cost of $2500. The four plans offered by AXA were:

Silver:

Silver covered the basics, including trip interruption, missed connections, baggage delay, and emergency medical treatment. As you might expect, the coverage levels are lower than on the Gold or Platinum levels. Still, this looks like a solid option.

Gold:

At the Gold level, you have higher reimbursement limits than with Silver. Plus, there’s the addition of non-medical emergency evacuation (natural disasters, for example). It also has optional riders for auto collision or pre-existing conditions.

Platinum:

As expected, Platinum is very similar to Gold, but with significantly higher limits. Platinum is the only AXA plan we saw that offers payment toward pet boarding if your return is delayed. It also covers lost golf or ski days, if you’re into that sort of thing.

Adventure:

If you’re a skier, diver, or other sports enthusiast, the Adventure package might be just what you need. Adventure is tailored specifically to travelers who like skiing, diving, golfing, or other active pastimes. This is the only AXA package that includes search and rescue coverage. You might have noticed that our estimate for Adventure is less than for Platinum. That’s because the Adventure package actually has less coverage in certain areas than Platinum. It’s only a good choice if you’re definitely going on an active vacation. Click here to estimate costs for your specific trip: [ins-axa]  

rock climbing Portugal
Rock climbing at Serra da Estrela, Portugal.

Serra da Estrela is a beautiful mountain reserve that is an amazing place to visit all year-round. Check out things to do in Serra da Estrela here.

How to compare travel insurance companies

To find the best travel insurance to Portugal for you, I would recommend that you compare travel insurance policies from different providers. If you would like to make the calculations on your own, you can also check a few websites that are comparing travel insurance policies, for example:

What is the cheapest travel insurance to Portugal?

The cheapest, as well as the best travel insurance to Portugal is offered by [ins-hccmis]. In our example, it was $38. But since it’s cheaper than the others, it may not cover all types of extreme activities. If you want to buy it, just make sure it covers the activities you intend to do. If you’re planning to stay in Portugal for longer, it’s a good choice as it’s suitable for trips of any lengths ranging from someone’s round-the-world backpacking trip to a student on a short exchange study trip or an annual travel insurance for long holidays.

walking in Porto Portugal
Romantic Porto is a must for couples.

So, is it worth having travel insurance to Portugal?

Definitely YES! You know, anything can happen, so it’s better to protect yourself if you can and travel with no worries. Of course I don’t wish anything bad to happen, I just want you to stay safe and enjoy this amazing country to the fullest! Do you have any other questions about the best travel insurance to Portugal? Let us know in the comments below.For more tips and advice about travelling to Portugal, sign up for our newsletter today!

about the author
I’m a freelance copywriter from Poland. I fell in love with Portugal, especially Lisbon, since the first visit in 2014 during the Erasmus Programme Exchange. I hope I’ll be able to share with you my passion for this amazing country. I graduated in Economics and I’m interested in Social Media and creating content. I love travelling and experiencing new cultures. One of my biggest passions and way of life is dancing.

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