VFI Brochure: Italian Travel Advice.

Holiday and travel insurance (assicurazione sul viaggio) are recommended for all who don’t wish to risk having their holiday or travel ruined by financial problems or to arrive home broke. As you probably know, anything can and often does go wrong with a holiday, sometimes before you even get started (particularly when you don’t have insurance). The following information applies equally to residents and non-residents, whether you’re travelling to or from Italy or within Italy. Nobody should visit Italy without travel (and health) insurance.

Travel insurance is available from many sources, including travel agents, insurance companies and brokers, banks, motoring organisations and transport companies (airline, rail and bus). Package holiday companies and tour operators also offer insurance policies, some of which are compulsory, overpriced and don’t provide adequate cover. You can also buy 24-hour accident and flight insurance at major airports, although it’s expensive and doesn’t offer the best cover. Before taking out travel insurance, you should carefully consider the range and level of cover you require and compare policies. Short-term holiday and travel insurance policies may include cover for holiday cancellation or interruption, missed flights, departure delay at both the start and end of a holiday (a common occurrence), delayed, lost or damaged baggage, lost belongings and money, medical expenses and accidents (including evacuation home), personal liability and legal expenses, and default or bankruptcy, e.g. a tour operator or airline going bust. You may also need cover for transport strikes in Italy!

Always check any exclusion clauses in contracts by obtaining a copy of the full policy document, as all relevant information won’t be included in an insurance leaflet. High risk sports and pursuits should be specifically covered and listed in a policy (there’s usually an additional premium). Special winter sports policies are available and more expensive than normal holiday insurance (‘dangerous’ sports are excluded from most standard policies). Third party liability cover should be €3 million in North America and €1.5 million in the rest of the world. However, this doesn’t usually cover you when you’re driving a car or other mechanically propelled vehicle.