Do I need travel insurance for France or Paris?
With over 9 million British visitors per year, France is one of the country’s favourite holiday spots, topped only by Spain. Although travel insurance isn’t a legal requirement for entry, it’s great to have if your trip goes off course.
La Belle France might be just across the Channel, but the costs of an unexpected mishap can feel a world away from home. While a Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) or European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) can help with state-provided healthcare, it won’t cover lost belongings, mountain rescue or getting you back to the UK if you’re not fit to return on a regular commercial flight. That’s where Avanti steps in.
We offer flexible cover with up to £7,500 for cancellations*, unlimited emergency medical costs* and £3,000 for baggage*. You’ll be protected whether you’re vineyard-hopping in Bordeaux, cruising the Rhône** or cheering on Les Bleus at the Stade de France – at any age, with or without pre-existing medical conditions.
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Top tip: will I be asked for proof of insurance at the French border?
The EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) is now rolling out across the Schengen Zone. This means border officials (or their digital kiosk counterparts) might ask to see proof of travel insurance before you board at airports or cross border checkpoints at St Pancras, Dover, Folkestone, and the like.
As far as we know, you’ll still be able to get through even if you don’t have travel insurance. However, having your policy documents to hand will help prove you could pay for any emergency medical costs, and make for a much smoother start to your holiday.
What does France holiday insurance cover?
Here’s a quick look at when your policy will and won’t apply. If you’re not sure how any of these points might affect you, our friendly team can talk them through over the phone and help you understand what your cover includes.
We can usually help if you…
- have to cancel your trip or come home early
If illness, injury or bereavement means you can’t travel or need to cut your holiday short, we’ll help with the costs you can’t get back.
- need emergency medical treatment abroad
If you fall ill or get injured overseas, we’ll cover hospital treatment, ambulance transport and – if needed – medical repatriation, with help from our 24-hour assistance team.
- lose your bags or passport
If your baggage, valuables or travel documents are lost or stolen, we’ll help you replace essentials so you can carry on with your trip.
- are disrupted by bad weather or strikes
If your flight or connection is delayed because of unexpected bad weather, strike action or a vehicle breakdown, we’ll help cover reasonable travel or accommodation costs to get you where you need to be. (This doesn’t apply if the strike or disruption was already public knowledge when you booked your trip).
- are delayed on your journey (Classic and Deluxe)
If your flight or ferry is delayed for 12 hours or more, you’ll get a fixed payment to help with the inconvenience.
- can’t stay in your accommodation (Classic and Deluxe)
If a fire, flood or major power cut means you can’t stay in your hotel or apartment, we’ll help arrange and pay for somewhere else.
- are admitted to hospital while abroad (Classic and Deluxe)
If you’re kept in hospital overnight, we’ll pay a daily benefit to help with small personal costs while you recover. (If you’re injured in a mugging, an extra payment may also apply).
- are delayed by volcanic ash (Deluxe only)
If a volcanic ash cloud grounds your flight for more than 12 hours, you’ll receive a fixed payment to help with the delay.
- accidentally cause injury or damage
If you unintentionally injure someone or damage their belongings, your policy includes personal liability protection.
- are injured in an accident abroad
If you need legal help after being injured overseas, we’ll cover your legal costs, so you’re not left to manage it alone.
Cover won’t apply if you…
- haven’t told us about a medical condition
If you don’t declare a pre-existing condition, or if your health changes before you travel and you don’t update your policy, we won’t be able to cover related claims.
- travel against UK Government or medical advice
There’s no cover if you travel somewhere the UK Foreign Office has advised against, or if your doctor says you shouldn’t travel for medical reasons.
- have an accident because of alcohol or drugs
We can’t cover claims if alcohol or drugs directly or indirectly contribute to an accident, injury or loss.
- miss a flight because of personal delays
If you don’t leave enough time to reach the airport or check-in, we can’t pay for missed flights or connections.
- leave belongings unattended
There’s no cover if something is lost or stolen after being left unattended – for example, on a sunbed, in an unlocked car or in a public place.
- are travelling for arranged medical treatment abroad
Travel insurance is designed for unexpected illness or injury, not for medical procedures, tests or check-ups arranged before you go.
- booked during a known strike or disruption
If strike action or travel problems were already public knowledge when you booked, your policy won’t apply to those delays or cancellations.
- take part in an activity that isn’t covered
Some higher-risk activities – such as certain winter sports – aren’t automatically included unless you’ve added the right optional cover.
- are waiting for a medical procedure
If you’re awaiting an operation or follow-up test, cancellation and curtailment claims won’t be covered unless it’s an accepted procedure shown on your validation certificate.
Top tip: am I covered for driving to France?
Going on a road trip to France? Whether you’re loading up the car and boarding the Eurotunnel or hopping on a ferry from Dover, it’s worth knowing what your travel insurance will and won’t cover.
With Avanti, your cover will protect you up to your policy limits for things like medical expenses, cancellation and baggage. That applies whether you’re driving, flying or sailing across the Channel. What it won’t cover is your vehicle. That’s your car insurance’s job. Before you travel, check with your insurer that you’re covered to drive in France and ask for a Green Card for a simple way to prove your cover at the border.
Travelling with a medical condition?
97% of customers who declare a condition are offered cover with us. In fact, since 2014, we’ve helped more than 1.3 million travellers arrange cover for over 1,300 medical conditions (subject to screening) – from high blood pressure and diabetes to cancer and heart disease.
In the rare event we can’t offer you travel insurance for pre-existing medical conditions, we’ll always try to point you in the right direction. We’re proud to be listed in the British Insurance Brokers’ Association (BIBA) directory – a trusted source for specialist insurers who understand complex health needs. You can also contact them directly on 0370 950 1790 or visit biba.org.uk for free, independent guidance.
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Medical conditions we regularly cover
Heart and circulatory conditions
Travelling with a circulatory or heart condition like heart disease, high blood pressure or atrial fibrillation? You’re not alone.
Cancer
Our travel insurance policies can include cover for a wide range of cancers – including some of the most common, such as breast, prostate, bowel, lung and skin cancer.
Breathing and lung conditions
We regularly help travellers with a wide range of breathing conditions, including asthma, bronchitis, COPD and lung fibrosis.
Digestive conditions
Many Avanti travellers live with stomach and bowel conditions such as IBS, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis and acid reflux.
Neurodegenerative diseases
Our policies can include protection for neurodegenerative conditions like Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis and motor neurone disease, as well as rarer conditions such as Huntington’s disease, Batten’s disease, spinocerebellar ataxia and spinal muscular atrophy.
Mental health conditions
Travel can do wonders for mental wellbeing. If you’re managing a condition like anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), we’d love to help you see the world.
Autoimmune conditions
The Avanti team regularly arrange cover for travellers with autoimmune conditions such as arthritis, lupus, Addison’s disease and multiple sclerosis. This can include conditions managed with long-term medication or those that cause occasional flare-ups.
Kidney conditions
We often help kidney patients with conditions such as chronic kidney disease (CKD), kidney stones, renal failure, nephritis and urinary tract infections (UTIs).
Back and chronic pain
Chronic pain can have many causes – including autoimmune, neurological and digestive disorders – and we understand how differently it can affect each person day to day. We often cover those with conditions such as chronic back pain, slipped discs, sciatica, fibromyalgia and other long-term pain conditions.
Allergies
Allergies shouldn’t stop travel in its tracks. Whether it’s a common sensitivity or something more specific like allergic rhinitis or aspergillosis, we’ll do our best to find the right protection for your trip.
How to buy holiday insurance for France and Paris
Step 1
You can get a quote online or over the phone. We’ll start by asking a few quick questions – like whether it’s single trip or annual cover, your travel dates, destination and if you’re going on a cruise.
It’s easy to cover an individual, couple, family or group of up to nine travellers online (or up to 30 by phone).
Step 2
Next, we’ll go through a few details about your health over the past two years – including any diagnoses, symptoms, tests or treatment.
Step 3
Once you’ve shared your details, we’ll talk you through your quote, whether online or over the phone. You can choose your level of cover, add any extras and confirm your policy there and then.
You’ll get instant access to your policy documents in My Avanti, where you can view, download or update your details any time.
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Planning a cruise this year?
Our Classic or Deluxe cruise cover can protect your nautical adventures against missed port departures, cabin confinement, itinerary changes, and more. And because nobody wants to be underdressed at the captain’s table, we’ll even pay up to £100 for emergency evening wear, if yours don’t make it on board. Just let us know you’re cruising when you get a quote for your annual cover.
When to buy travel insurance for France?
Financial gurus often recommend buying your France travel insurance the moment you receive your booking confirmation, whether that’s for a Parisian apartment, Côte d’Azur cruise or ski week in the Alps. Your cancellation cover will usually kick in right away (unless you’ve purchased an annual multi-trip policy and choose to delay your start date), so if you’re forced to cancel before departure, your non-refundable costs are protected.
Money Saving Expert’s Martin Lewis calls this the ASAB principle – As Soon As you Book. And when it comes to France, that advice couldn’t be more on point. France has some of the highest rates of industrial action in Europe. Ferries, Eurostar, airports – strikes can and do happen with little warning. You’ll be covered as long as strike action wasn’t common knowledge at the time of booking your trip or taking out your policy, whichever came later.
How much is France travel insurance?
Travel insurance to France doesn’t have a fixed price. Nor should it. A weekend in Paris usually costs less to insure than a month touring Provence, because a longer stay simply leaves more room for the unexpected. Your age, any pre-existing medical conditions, and the level of cover you pick all play a part, too.
When you’re comparing prices, it helps to think about what’s behind them. Policies that include higher medical cover or cancellation limits might look pricier at first, but they are worth their weight in gold if something unexpected happens. According to GOV.UK, in the last two years, the cost of treatment and repatriation for a broken leg from neighbouring holiday hotspot Spain has risen to above £25,000.
If you head to France more than once a year, annual multi-trip travel insurance can give you better value than buying separate single-trip policies each time. If you’re quoted more than £80 for an annual policy, you can even spread the cost across 12 months.***
How to get cheaper travel insurance for France
France is usually one of the more affordable holiday destinations to insure. It’s short-haul, meaning emergency repatriation costs are lower than, for example, the USA or Australia. The French healthcare system is well-developed, which keeps treatment costs predictable – and your GHIC card entitles you to state healthcare at local rates.
All of this means a better premium for you, however, there are a few more ways you might be able to shrink the cost of your policy.
- Trip duration – shorter trips usually cost less to insure because there’s less time for something to go wrong.
- Destination – some places are more expensive to insure than others. The USA, Canada and the Caribbean have some of the world’s highest medical costs, while Europe and the UK are often cheaper to cover.
- Policy level – Avanti offers three levels of cover – Essentials, Classic and Deluxe. Essentials is the most cost-effective option for travellers looking to keep things simple.
- Luggage cover – think about what you really need to take with you. Packing lighter and setting a lower luggage limit on your policy can bring the cost down.
- Excess – a higher voluntary excess means a lower premium. Just make sure it’s an amount you’d be comfortable paying if you claim.
- Discounts – it’s also worth checking our current offers before you buy. You can find the latest Avanti discount codes on our discounts page.
Avanti pays when it matters most
We know how important it is to feel confident that your claim will be handled quickly and fairly.
Between February 2024 and July 2025, our customers received more than £31 million, with over 18,000 claims settled.
You can expect to hear from our claims team within five working days of submitting your claim, and in most cases, Avanti strives to make a decision within five days of receiving your documents.
That’s one of the reasons Avanti has been awarded Best Insurance Customer Service by the Personal Finance Awards (2025).
Winner 7 years running: Best Travel Insurance
Our Best Travel Insurance award (Personal Finance Awards, 2018-2025) is based on the experiences of real people who travel with us. They’ve trusted us to help when plans change, flights are cancelled or medical emergencies happen abroad.
From updating policies to arranging hospital care or getting someone home safely, we do what good travel insurance should do – put things right.
Does travel insurance for France cover skiing and winter sports?
Planning a snowy break in the French Alps? Our winter sports cover comes standard on our Classic and Deluxe annual multi-trip policies, giving you 17 days of protection on the slopes for skiing or snowboarding, ski touring, sledging, snowshoeing, snow cat skiing, tobogganing and more.
It can also be added to our Classic or Deluxe single-trip policies, and will cover you for:
- Loss, theft or damage of your own winter sports equipment
- Loss, theft or damage of ski pass
- Piste closure
- Avalanches or landslides
- Search and rescue
- Physiotherapy
Does travel insurance for France cover French overseas territories?
Overseas French territories, like New Caledonia, Réunion, French Polynesia or Guadeloupe aren’t considered part of France, so if you’re planning on ticking them off your bucket list, then you’ll need to get worldwide travel insurance.
Simply let us know which destinations you plan on visiting when you get your quote, so we can make sure every stop is covered in your policy.
Does travel insurance for France cover pickpocketing?
France may be one of the most beautiful holiday destinations, but you still have to keep a watchful eye on your belongings, especially in busy areas. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) reports that pickpockets often work together to distract and rob tourists in certain hotspot areas, like on the Paris Métro, in city centres, and restaurants or bars.
It’s best to keep your valuables, like money, bank cards and passports, safely tucked away inside a carry-on bag that you keep slung across your body. Another option is to lock away belongings in your hotel safe and only carry what you need.
If something gets stolen, it’s good to know that with Avanti, your luggage will be covered for up to £3,000, and passports and personal money for up to £600 on Deluxe policies. This includes cancellation fees should your passport be stolen up to seven days before your departure date, and extra travel and accommodation costs you might have to pay abroad to get a replacement.
Hear it from our happy customers…
“Easy to renew, and I had good service from them in the distant past when I had a medical emergency in France.”
Paul, 26 April 2026
“My medical circumstances have changed, and I was worried about getting travel insurance for my upcoming trip to France. I contacted another agency, which refused to give me a quote because of my ongoing medical treatment. Avanti, however, were excellent. The call handler was precise and careful and took me through the medical declaration section. He was then able to offer me the option of at least 2 policies at very reasonable prices. This was a great relief to me as I now have no worries regarding the health issues that stopped me getting the insurance cover.”
Ian, 6 May 2023
“I am travelling with my family to Disneyland Paris. I have cancer and was worried I would not get insurance, or it would be too expensive. We spoke to one of your agents who was professional, very helpful but also sensitive to my condition. I can’t speak highly enough of her. I was slow feeding my card details in, and it came through as an error. She calmly helped by transferring me to Accounts. Amazing lady. I can’t speak highly enough about her. Many thanks to her and the company.”
Lesley, 10 February 2022
