A road trip needs more cover than a fly-and-flop holiday: travel insurance for you, cover for the car (or the hire car's excess), and breakdown cover that works abroad. This guide explains each one, what the GHIC does and doesn't cover, the traps to avoid, what it all typically costs, and how to make a claim.
Why Standard Travel Insurance Is Not Enough for Road Trips
Most off-the-shelf travel insurance policies are designed for fly-and-flop beach holidays. They cover medical emergencies, lost luggage, and cancelled flights. But road trips introduce a whole set of risks that standard policies either exclude or barely cover:
- Vehicle breakdown and recovery in a foreign country
- Collision damage to your own car or a rental vehicle
- Roadside assistance that actually works across borders
- Personal belongings stolen from a vehicle (often excluded or severely limited)
- Legal expenses if you are involved in an accident abroad
You need to think of road trip insurance as a combination of three things: personal travel insurance, vehicle cover, and breakdown assistance. You need all three.
Types of Insurance You Actually Need
1. Comprehensive Travel Insurance
This is your foundation. A good comprehensive policy should include:
- Medical cover: Consumer advisers commonly suggest at least 2 million GBP for Europe and considerably more (5-10 million GBP) for the USA
- Repatriation: Covers the cost of getting you home if you are seriously ill or injured, including air ambulance if needed
- Personal liability: At least 1 million GBP in case you injure someone or damage their property
- Cancellation and curtailment: Reimburses pre-paid costs if you have to cancel or cut your trip short
- Personal belongings: Check the single-item limit. Many policies cap individual items at 200 to 300 GBP, which will not cover a laptop or camera
Always declare pre-existing medical conditions, even minor ones. An undeclared condition is one of the most common reasons insurers reject claims. It is not worth saving a few pounds on premium only to have a claim worth thousands denied.
2. European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC)
If you are a UK resident travelling in Europe, the GHIC (which replaced the EHIC after Brexit) entitles you to state-provided healthcare in EU countries at the same cost as locals. This is not a replacement for travel insurance, but it is a valuable supplement.
Key things to know about the GHIC:
- It is completely free. If a website charges you, it is a scam
- It covers state-run hospitals only, not private clinics
- It does not cover repatriation back to the UK
- It does not cover all treatments. Dental, for example, may only be partially covered
- It is valid in all EU countries and Switzerland. Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein have different arrangements, so check the NHS website before you go
Apply well before your trip. Processing can take weeks, though it is usually faster. If your old EHIC is still in date, it remains valid until it expires.
3. Breakdown Cover Abroad
Your domestic breakdown cover almost certainly does not work outside the UK. You need European or international breakdown cover, which typically includes:
- Roadside repair: A local mechanic comes to fix the issue on the spot
- Towing: If it cannot be fixed roadside, your car is towed to a garage
- Alternative transport: Covers a rental car or train tickets while yours is being repaired
- Accommodation: Pays for a hotel if you are stranded overnight
- Vehicle repatriation: Ships your car home if repairs take too long or it is written off
The major UK providers (AA, RAC, Green Flag) all offer European cover as an add-on. Compare them carefully because the details differ. Our guide to breaking down abroad covers what happens if you need it. Some have a maximum vehicle age or mileage limit. Others exclude certain countries or require you to have held domestic cover for a minimum period.
Save your breakdown provider's international phone number in your phone before you leave. The standard UK numbers often do not work from abroad. Also download an offline map of your route so you can describe your location accurately if you break down in an area with poor signal.
4. Rental Car Excess Insurance
If you are hiring a car, the rental company's Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) usually still leaves you with an excess of 500 to 2,000 EUR. That means you pay the first chunk of any damage claim.
You have two options to eliminate this risk:
- Buy the rental company's excess waiver: Convenient but expensive. Expect 15 to 30 EUR per day. Over a two-week trip, that is 210 to 420 EUR
- Buy standalone excess insurance: A dedicated annual policy from a provider like iCarhireinsurance or Insurance4carhire costs 40 to 60 GBP per year. That covers every rental all year, not just one trip
The standalone option is almost always better value (see our car rental tips for the rest of the hire small print). Just make sure it covers the specific excess amount on your rental agreement and includes damage to tyres, wheels, roof, and underbody, which rental companies often exclude from their own CDW.
What to Avoid: Common Insurance Traps
Not all insurance is worth buying. Here is what to skip or scrutinise carefully:
- Gadget cover bolt-ons: Often expensive and loaded with exclusions. A standalone gadget policy is usually cheaper and more comprehensive
- Duplicate cover: Check what your bank account, credit card, or home insurance already includes. Many packaged bank accounts include travel insurance and breakdown cover. Some credit cards provide rental car excess cover if you pay for the rental on that card
- Single-trip policies for frequent travellers: If you take two or more trips a year, an annual multi-trip policy is almost always cheaper
- Policies with unreasonably low claim limits: A medical cover limit of 500,000 GBP might sound high, but an air ambulance from southern Europe alone can cost 20,000 to 50,000 GBP. If you need surgery abroad, costs escalate fast
- Policies that exclude driving: Some cheap travel insurance policies exclude cover for incidents that occur while you are driving a vehicle. Read the exclusions carefully
The Documents You Need to Carry
Insurance is only useful if you can prove you have it. Carry these documents on your road trip, both as physical copies and digital backups in cloud storage:
- Insurance policy documents with your policy number clearly visible
- 24-hour emergency contact numbers for your insurer
- GHIC or EHIC card
- Vehicle insurance certificate (UK drivers don't need a Green Card in the EU, but some non-EU countries ask for one)
- Breakdown cover membership details
- Rental agreement if using a hire car
- European Accident Statement form (available free from your insurer). This standardised form makes documenting an accident abroad much simpler
Email all your documents to yourself so you can access them from any device. Also share them with a trusted person at home who can help if your phone and paperwork are lost or stolen.
How to Make a Successful Claim
If something goes wrong, follow these steps to give your claim the best chance of success:
- Call your insurer immediately. Most policies require you to notify them within 24 to 48 hours of an incident. For medical emergencies, call the emergency assistance number first so they can direct you to an approved facility
- Document everything. Take photos and videos of any damage, injury, or the scene of an incident. Get names and contact details of any witnesses
- Get a police report where needed. Police should attend if anyone is hurt, if drivers disagree or if the other driver leaves. For a minor bump with no injuries, the European Accident Statement is often enough (in France, police don't usually attend). For theft, you'll need a police report for any claim
- Keep all receipts. Every expense related to the incident, from medical bills to hotel stays to replacement clothing, needs a receipt. Insurers will not reimburse undocumented costs
- Complete the European Accident Statement. If you are in a collision with another vehicle, both drivers should fill in this form at the scene. It is available in multiple languages and creates a clear record of what happened
- Do not admit liability. Be polite and cooperative, but do not say the accident was your fault, even if you think it was. Let the insurers determine liability
- Submit your claim promptly. Most policies have a deadline for submitting claims, typically 30 to 90 days after returning home. Do not wait
Country-Specific Considerations
Different countries have different requirements and risks. Here are a few to be aware of:
France
French law requires you to carry a high-visibility vest inside the car (not in the boot) and a warning triangle. You also need a UK sticker on your car. Fines for not having these are enforced at the roadside.
Spain
If you wear glasses, carrying a spare pair is recommended. Carry warning triangles (Spanish-registered cars now use a V-16 beacon instead). Spanish hospitals may ask for payment upfront before checking insurance, so carry your GHIC and insurance details prominently.
Italy
ZTL zones (limited traffic zones) in city centres catch out thousands of tourists every year. Driving into one without a permit results in fines that can follow you home. Your insurance will not cover these fines, so research ZTL zones carefully before driving into any Italian city.
USA
Medical costs in the United States are very high; treatment for a simple fracture can run to many thousands of dollars. Make sure your policy has high medical cover for the US, and check what it says about driving a hire car there.
How Much Should You Expect to Pay?
For a typical two-week European road trip, budget for the following insurance costs:
- Comprehensive travel insurance: 20 to 60 GBP per person depending on age and pre-existing conditions
- European breakdown cover: 40 to 120 GBP per year, or 30 to 60 GBP for single-trip
- Rental car excess insurance: 40 to 60 GBP per year (standalone) or 15 to 30 EUR per day from the rental company
- GHIC: Free
All in, a well-insured couple should expect to pay roughly 120 to 250 GBP for comprehensive road trip cover. That is a fraction of what a single uninsured incident could cost.
Frequently asked questions
Does my UK car insurance cover me to drive in Europe?
Every UK policy must give at least the minimum third-party cover required in EU countries, but what else you get varies. Many comprehensive policies keep full cover abroad for a set number of days (often up to 90 a year); others drop to third-party only unless you pay extra. Check with your insurer before you go. You don't need a Green Card for the EU (since August 2021).
Can I just rely on my GHIC instead of buying travel insurance?
No. The GHIC only covers state-provided healthcare at local rates. It does not cover repatriation to the UK, private medical treatment, vehicle breakdown, personal liability, trip cancellation, or lost belongings. Think of it as a helpful supplement to travel insurance, not a replacement. In a serious medical emergency abroad, repatriation alone could cost tens of thousands of pounds.
What happens if I have an accident and do not speak the local language?
The European Accident Statement form helps here because it uses diagrams and numbered boxes that are the same in every language. Your insurance emergency assistance line will also have multilingual staff who can help translate. In the immediate aftermath, focus on safety, call the police (112 is the pan-European emergency number), take photos, and exchange details with the other driver using the accident statement form. Your insurer's 24-hour helpline can guide you through the rest, and our guide on what to do after an accident abroad goes step by step.