Travel insurance Ireland: what it covers, what it costs and how to choose
A. FruchardLast updated: 5 August 2026Do you need travel insurance in Ireland, and how do you compare it?
For any trip abroad, travel insurance is strongly advised: it pays your emergency medical, hospital and repatriation costs, which neither the HSE nor your EHIC covers in full once you leave Ireland. Compare the medical limit, cancellation, excess and exclusions before the price. Cover starts from about €2.60 a day.
Also called travel medical insurance or holiday insurance, it protects you financially and organises assistance when something goes wrong far from home. For the same trip, medical limits and prices vary threefold to tenfold between insurers, which is exactly why comparing plans is worth a few minutes.
- 📌 Mandatory? Rarely, but strongly advised: the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) warns that hospital bills abroad can quickly run into thousands of euro, and a medical evacuation back to Ireland can cost thousands more.
- 💰 How much? About €2.60 to €12.50 a day; for equivalent cover, prices differ threefold to tenfold between insurers.
- 🏥 What matters most: the medical and hospital limit, not the price (aim for at least €300,000 in Europe and €1 million for the USA or Canada), plus repatriation at actual cost.
- ⛔ Biggest risk: exclusions (sports, alcohol, undeclared conditions) are the top reason claims are refused.
- 💳 A credit card is usually not enough: low limits, short durations and activation conditions apply.
This page is the starting point. Use the comparison form above to line plans up side by side for your own trip and dates. Below, our experts explain what to compare, what it costs in euro and which cover fits your trip.
Every year, our experts audit each plan against its binding policy wording: coverage, limits and exclusions, cross-checked with real customer feedback and live market prices. The analysis is fully independent, with zero paid placements and no insurer able to pay to influence a rating. We compare travel insurance across every country and currency, using the plans, prices and cover actually offered in your country, not a single guide translated. HelloSafe is an ORIAS-registered insurance broker (n° 21008038), supervised by the ACPR.
Learn moreWhat is the best travel insurance when you compare the Irish market?
There is no single best policy, only the best fit for your destination, age and trip. After comparing the eleven plans priced for Irish residents, WorldSecure Platinum stands out as the strongest all-rounder at €28.88 for a week in Spain, and WorldSecure Basic as the cheapest at €18.15.
Our pick after comparing the Irish market
If you fall ill abroad, you want the hospital paid directly and a flight home organised without advancing a cent: WorldSecure Platinum does both, with €300,000 of medical cover, repatriation at actual cost, a cancellation option up to €9,000, €4,500,000 of personal liability and extreme sports included, for €28.88 a week in Spain (note it stops at age 65). Go Protect matches that price at €28.82 and is the value pick for prepaid holidays: cancellation up to €12,000 is included and there is no upper age limit, though trips cap at 90 days. For the highest medical limit, Go Explore + and Safe Start reach €500,000, and World Travel accepts travellers up to age 84. WorldSecure Basic is the budget choice at €18.15, but only under 40 and without cancellation. A. Fruchard, Co-Founder & Travel Insurance Expert at HelloSafe.
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Prices in euro for 1 traveller aged 34, 7 days in Spain, departing Ireland. HelloSafe data, captured 3 August 2026.
HelloSafe is available as an app inside ChatGPT. Install it from ChatGPT’s Apps tab, then type @HelloSafe followed by your destination and dates to compare travel insurance.
How much does travel insurance cost when you compare quotes?
Travel insurance costs roughly €2.60 to €12.50 a day for an Irish traveller, or 3% to 6% of your trip cost, from €18.15 for a week in Europe. The price is driven mostly by your destination, your age and the medical limit you choose, as the profile-by-profile quotes below show.
Profile | Budget | Average | Premium (plan) | Key point |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Standard adult 1 traveller, 7 days | €18.15 WorldSecure Basic | €53.90 | €28.88 WorldSecure Platinum | The medical limit matters more than the price |
Family 2 adults + 2 children, 7 days | €41.78 Go Protect | €176.00 | €115.50 WorldSecure Platinum | Limits apply per person, not per family |
Senior (65) 1 traveller, 7 days | €28.82 Go Protect | €59.40 | €44.00 Safe Start | Fewer plans as age rises; check the age cap |
Backpacker 25 years, 30 days, multi-country | €42.90 WorldSecure Basic | €97.90 | €62.37 WorldSecure Platinum | Valid up to 365 days, with cancellation and sports |
The same week costs far more in high-cost destinations: WorldSecure Platinum is €49.01 for a week in the United States against €28.88 for the same week in Spain. Meanwhile, moving from a €300,000 medical limit to €500,000 can cost as little as €15.12 more for the week, which is why the price of travel insurance should never be read without the cover behind it.
What does travel insurance cover, and how do plans compare?
A comprehensive travel insurance policy is built around five pillars: medical and hospital care, assistance and repatriation, personal liability, cancellation, and baggage. When you compare plans, read each pillar's limit rather than the headline price.
Cover | What it pays for | What to compare |
|---|---|---|
Medical & hospital Emergency care abroad | Emergency treatment, hospitalisation, surgery, medicines, repatriation | Europe at least €300,000 USA/Canada at least €1 million |
Assistance & repatriation | 24/7 help, medically assisted return, advance of costs | Repatriation at actual cost No upfront payment |
Personal liability | Injury or damage you cause to a third party | At least €1,000,000 |
Cancellation (optional) | Non-refundable costs if you cancel for a covered reason | 3% to 6% of trip cost* |
Baggage & delay | Theft, loss, delayed luggage | Check per-item sub-limits |
Which type of travel insurance should you compare?
Not every policy meets the same need. Match the type of travel insurance to the length and purpose of your stay before you compare prices: single-trip for one holiday, annual multi-trip if you travel often, plus backpacker, Schengen-visa and cancellation-only options.
Type | Best for | Recommended limits | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
Single-trip (up to 90 days) | One holiday | Medical at least €300,000 (at least €1M USA/Canada) | A credit card is rarely enough |
Annual multi-trip | 2 or more trips a year | Medical at least €300,000; worldwide if you leave Europe | Per-trip day cap (often 30 to 90 days) |
European vs worldwide | Where you travel | Worldwide including the USA costs more | 'Worldwide excluding USA' is a common trap |
Backpacker / long stay | Gap year, round-the-world | Medical at least €500,000 plus rescue | High-risk zones and sports excluded |
Schengen visa | Non-EEA visa applicants | €30,000 medical + repatriation (the legal Schengen minimum) | Non-compliant policy means visa refusal |
Cancellation only | Prepaid, non-refundable trips | Total trip cost | No medical cover |
Which travel insurance fits your traveller profile when you compare?
The right medical limit depends on your age, destination and situation. Here is what to check when you compare, profile by profile, with a dedicated guide for each.
Profile | Recommended medical limit | What to check when you compare |
|---|---|---|
Senior (60+) | At least €500,000 (at least €1M USA/Canada) | Age caps and pre-existing-condition terms |
Family | At least €300,000 (at least €1M USA) | Limits apply per person; child cover |
Pre-existing conditions | At least €500,000, condition declared | Declare everything; an undeclared condition voids a claim |
Student abroad | At least €500,000; liability at least €1,000,000 | Paid internships often excluded |
Working Holiday (WHV) | At least €500,000 (at least €1M USA/Canada) | Manual jobs often excluded |
USA / Canada | At least €1 million | Direct payment; hospitals often ask upfront |
Pregnant traveller | At least €1 million (complications) | Cover often stops after 24 to 28 weeks |
Digital nomad | At least €500,000 | Long-stay rules and home-country trips |
Group travel | At least €300,000 (at least €1M outside EU) | Limits per person, not the whole group |
Au pair | At least €500,000; liability at least €1,000,000 | Work activity may count as professional |
Pre-existing conditions deserve extra care. Declare your full medical history when you buy: an undeclared condition is the fastest way to void a claim, and the CCPC (Competition and Consumer Protection Commission) advises comparing the cover and terms of different policies rather than assuming a condition is covered. If a plan will not take your condition, compare specialist cover before travelling uninsured.
Which travel insurance exclusions must you compare before buying?
Exclusions are the most common reason travel insurance claims are refused, so comparing them matters as much as comparing prices. Here is what to look for, and the traps that catch Irish travellers out.
- A medical limit that fits the destination: At least €300,000 in Europe, and €1 million for the USA or Canada.
- Repatriation at actual cost: Avoid plans that cap medical evacuation.
- Direct payment of hospital bills: So you are not left paying thousands upfront abroad.
- A transparent excess: Know the amount you pay per claim before you buy.
- The activities you will actually do: Tick the extreme sports option if you ski, dive or ride a scooter.
- Undeclared pre-existing conditions: The single biggest cause of refused medical claims.
- A 'worldwide excluding USA' territory: Check the cover really includes where you are going.
- A short maximum duration per trip: Annual plans often cap each trip at 30 to 90 days.
- High-risk sports excluded by default: Off-piste skiing, diving and motorbikes usually need an add-on.
- Low baggage or valuables sub-limits: A €500 baggage limit will not replace a stolen laptop.
- Alcohol or behaviour clauses: A claim can be refused if alcohol was involved in the incident.
The usual causes are an exclusion (a sport, a scooter, alcohol or an undeclared condition), a medical limit too low for the destination, or the excess. The CCPC reminds travellers that the excess is the first part of any claim you pay yourself: a €300 lost-bag claim with a €100 excess pays out €200. Comparing exclusions and excess matters as much as comparing prices.
Does the EHIC replace travel insurance for Irish travellers?
No, the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) does not replace travel insurance. It gives access to state healthcare at reduced or no cost in the EU, plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, but it never covers private treatment, repatriation to Ireland or mountain rescue, and it is worthless outside Europe.
The EHIC, issued free in Ireland by the HSE, gives access to state healthcare in the EU, but:
- it does not cover private treatment,
- it never covers repatriation to Ireland,
- it does not cover mountain rescue,
- it is not travel insurance.
Source: HSE.
The numbers explain why cover is worth it. The Department of Foreign Affairs warns that hospital bills abroad can quickly run into thousands of euro, that a medical evacuation back to Ireland can cost thousands more, and that the State cannot pay those bills for you. Insurance Ireland recommends taking at least €1 million of medical cover, a threshold quoted in the DFA's own travel advice; the strongest plans sold to Irish residents reach €500,000 with repatriation on top at actual cost.
How do you compare travel insurance and find the cheapest?
The most efficient way to compare travel insurance is an independent platform like HelloSafe, which ranks plans on their cover-to-price ratio rather than on advertising. Set your essential cover first, then keep the cheapest plan that meets it, and buy as soon as you book so cancellation cover starts straight away.
- Compares multiple insurers in real time
- Shows each medical limit clearly
- Makes exclusions transparent before you buy
- Issues your certificate instantly
Ready to start? Enter your destination and dates in the form at the top of this page to compare travel insurance plans side by side on medical limit, cancellation and price, and get your certificate in minutes.
What should you check before you compare travel insurance?
The best travel insurance is the one that matches your destination, age, trip length and activities. A policy suited to the United States needs a far higher medical limit than a week in Spain. Compare the cover-to-price ratio, not the advertising.
About €2.60 to €12.50 a day for a single adult, from €18.15 for a week in Europe. The price depends mainly on your destination, age and the medical limit you choose.
Usually not enough. Card cover often has low medical limits, a short maximum duration (frequently 90 days) and an activation condition (paying for the trip with the card). Sports and pre-existing conditions are commonly excluded. A card can complement, but not replace, travel insurance.
Travel insurance is not a legal requirement for Irish citizens in the EU, and no visa or ETIAS is needed on an Irish passport. But the EHIC only covers state healthcare and never repatriation, so cover is strongly advised for any trip, even inside Europe.
Only if they are declared and accepted by the insurer. Never travel on an undeclared condition, as the claim will almost certainly be refused. If a plan will not cover your condition, compare specialist policies rather than going uninsured.
High-risk sports, scooters and motorbikes, travel to high-risk zones, pre-existing conditions, pregnancy limits, and alcohol or behaviour clauses. Comparing exclusions is just as important as comparing medical limits.
The excess is the part of a claim you pay yourself. The CCPC gives a simple example: a €300 claim with a €100 excess pays out €200. A cheap policy can hide a high excess, so check it before you buy.
Usually from two to three trips a year. Watch the maximum duration covered per trip, which is often 30, 60 or 90 days, and check whether the cover is European or worldwide.
As soon as you book. Cancellation cover starts from the day you buy, so waiting leaves your deposit unprotected against illness or disruption before departure.
No. Two policies at the same price can have very different medical limits, exclusions and excess amounts. The level of cover matters far more than the headline price.
No. The EHIC covers only medically necessary state healthcare in the EU and a few neighbouring countries. It does not cover private care, repatriation or rescue costs, and it is not travel insurance.
High-risk and winter sports are usually excluded by default. You need to add the option before departure. On HelloSafe you can filter plans that include skiing, diving and other activities.
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