Travel insurance Ireland: what it covers, what it costs and how to choose
A. FruchardCo-Founder & Travel Insurance ExpertLast updated: 13 November 2026Do you need travel insurance when you leave Ireland?
Yes, in practice: travel insurance is not a legal requirement for a holiday in the EU, but it is strongly advised for any trip abroad, because it pays the emergency medical, hospital and repatriation costs that neither the HSE nor your EHIC covers in full once you leave Ireland. Look at the medical limit, cancellation, excess and exclusions before the price. Cover starts from €18.65 for a week in Spain.
Also called travel medical insurance or holiday insurance, it protects you financially and organises help when something goes wrong far from home. The spread is wide: for the same week in Spain, the eleven plans we priced for a 34-year-old Irish resident run from €18.65 to €198.88, with medical limits from €250,000 to €500,000.
- 📌 Mandatory? Not for Irish citizens in the EU, 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? From €18.65 for a week in Spain, about €2.66 a day. A week in the USA costs €50.34 with WorldSecure Platinum.
- 🏥 What matters most: the medical limit for your destination (at least €300,000 in Europe, €500,000 or more for the USA or Canada), plus repatriation at actual cost, which every plan we compare includes.
- ⛔ Biggest risk: exclusions (high-risk sports, alcohol, a pre-existing condition outside the plan’s terms) are the top reason claims are refused.
- 💳 A credit card is usually not enough: low limits, short durations and activation conditions apply.
Use the comparison form above to line plans up side by side for your own trip and dates. Below, we explain what to look at, 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 (no. 21008038), supervised by the ACPR.
Learn moreWhich travel insurance is best for an Irish resident?
WorldSecure Platinum is the best all-rounder for most Irish travellers up to 65, at €29.66 for a week in Spain, and WorldSecure Basic is the cheapest at €18.65. We priced eleven plans for an Irish resident; the right one still depends on your destination, your age and whether you have already paid for the trip.
Our pick for Irish travellers
If you fall ill abroad, you want the hospital paid directly and a flight home organised without paying anything upfront. For a week in Spain, my pick for most travellers up to 65 is WorldSecure Platinum: €300,000 of medical cover in Europe (€500,000 for the USA), repatriation at actual cost, €4,500,000 of personal liability and a high-risk sports option for off-piste skiing or scuba diving. It excludes pre-existing and chronic conditions. If you have already paid for the trip, Go Protect costs about the same and includes cancellation up to €12,000; it covers travellers up to 99 and stable pre-existing conditions, on trips of up to 90 days. For the highest medical limit in Europe, Go Explore +, Safe Care, Safe Start and SafeTrip Tourism reach €500,000; for the USA, Safe Extreme goes to €1,000,000 and World Travel to €700,000. WorldSecure Basic, the cheapest of our shortlist, is the budget choice for travellers up to 39, without cancellation. The cards below are priced for a week in Spain; the form at the top of the page prices your own dates.
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Prices in euro for 1 traveller aged 34, 7 days in Spain from 11 January 2027, departing Ireland. HelloSafe data, priced on 13 November 2026.
HelloSafe is available as an app inside ChatGPT. Install it from ChatGPT’s Apps tab, then type @HelloSafe and pick “HelloSafe Travel Insurance”: give your destination and dates to compare travel insurance, or ask what your bank card covers.
How much does travel insurance cost from Ireland?
Travel insurance from Ireland costs from €18.65 for a week in Spain, about €2.66 a day, and the median of the eleven plans we priced for that week is €55.37. Your destination, your age and the medical limit you choose drive the price, as the quotes below show.
Profile | Cheapest | Median | Our pick | Key point |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Adult (34) 1 traveller, 7 days | €18.65 WorldSecure Basic | €55.37 | €29.66 WorldSecure Platinum | WorldSecure Basic only takes travellers up to 39 |
Family 2 adults + 2 children, 7 days | €106.58 Go Protect | €180.80 | €118.65 WorldSecure Platinum | Limits apply per person, not per family |
Senior (65) 1 traveller, 7 days | €29.61 Go Protect | €61.02 | €45.20 Safe Start | WorldSecure Platinum stops at 65; Go Protect runs to 99 |
Backpacker (25) 1 traveller, 30 days | €44.07 WorldSecure Basic | €100.57 | €54.69 Go Protect | Go Protect gives €500,000 of medical cover in Asia, cancellation included |
A week in the USA costs more: WorldSecure Platinum is €50.34 there against €29.66 in Spain, and its medical limit rises to €500,000. Go Protect, at €32.54, also gives €500,000 in the USA; for the highest limits, World Travel reaches €700,000 (€122.04) and Safe Extreme €1,000,000 (€232.78, up to age 49). In Spain, moving from €300,000 to €500,000 costs €15.54 more with Safe Care (€45.20), which is why what each policy covers matters as much as its price.
What does a travel insurance policy actually pay for?
A comprehensive policy pays for five things: medical and hospital care, assistance and repatriation, personal liability, cancellation, and baggage. Read the limit for each one rather than the headline price.
Cover | What it pays for | What to look at |
|---|---|---|
Medical & hospital Emergency care abroad | Emergency treatment, hospitalisation, surgery, medicines | Europe at least €300,000 USA/Canada €500,000 or more |
Assistance & repatriation | 24/7 help, medically assisted return, hospital paid directly | Repatriation at actual cost No upfront payment |
Personal liability | Injury or damage you cause to someone else | At least €1,000,000 |
Cancellation | Non-refundable costs if you cancel for a covered reason | Covered reasons, excess and limit* |
Baggage & delay | Theft, loss, delayed luggage | Per-item sub-limits |
Single trip, annual or long stay: which policy do you need?
Match the type of policy to the length and purpose of your trip before you look at prices: a single-trip policy for one holiday, an annual multi-trip policy if you travel two or three times a year, and a long-stay or backpacker policy for a gap year.
Type | Best for | Recommended limits | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
Single trip | One holiday | Medical at least €300,000 (€500,000 or more for the USA/Canada) | Maximum trip length: 90 days on Go Protect |
2 or more trips a year | Medical at least €300,000; worldwide if you leave Europe | The maximum length of each trip | |
Where you travel | Worldwide including the USA costs more | “Worldwide excluding USA” if you are going to the States | |
Gap year, round-the-world | Medical at least €500,000 plus search and rescue | WorldSecure Basic covers up to 12 months, to age 39 | |
A week on the slopes | Medical at least €300,000 plus search and rescue | Off-piste needs a high-risk sports option | |
Schengen visa | Non-EEA visa applicants | €30,000 medical + repatriation (the legal Schengen minimum) | A non-compliant policy means a visa refusal |
What cover do seniors, families and backpackers need?
The right medical limit depends on your age, destination and situation. Here is what to check, profile by profile, with a link to our detailed guide for seniors, families, backpackers, pre-existing conditions and the USA.
Profile | Recommended medical limit | What to check |
|---|---|---|
At least €300,000 in Europe (€500,000 or more for the USA) | Age caps: Go Protect to 99, World Travel to 84, Go Explore to 80, Safe Start to 69 | |
At least €300,000 per person | Limits apply per person; child cover | |
At least €300,000 | Go Protect and Safe Start cover stable conditions; World Travel, Go Explore and WorldSecure exclude them | |
Student abroad | At least €500,000; liability at least €1,000,000 | Paid internships often excluded |
Working holiday | At least €500,000 | Manual jobs often excluded |
At least €500,000 outside Europe | Maximum trip length and high-risk zones | |
€500,000 or more | Go Explore and Go Explore + cover the USA and Canada up to 65; World Travel caps those trips at 90 days | |
Pregnant traveller | At least €300,000 | The pregnancy clause of each plan |
Digital nomad | At least €500,000 | Long-stay rules and trips home |
Group travel | At least €300,000 (€500,000 or more outside Europe) | Limits per person, not for the whole group |
Au pair | At least €500,000; liability at least €1,000,000 | Work activity may count as professional |
Pre-existing conditions are where our plans differ most, and our comparator asks no health question when you buy: each plan’s clause is applied when you claim. Go Protect covers a stable condition that needed no hospital stay, day admission included, in the 3 months before departure. Safe Start covers a sudden worsening of a stable condition if you had no hospital stay in the previous 6 months, up to age 69. World Travel, Go Explore, Go Explore + and both WorldSecure plans exclude pre-existing conditions, and WorldSecure Platinum also excludes chronic illnesses. Our guide to travel insurance with a pre-existing condition goes through each case.
What do policies leave out, and why are claims refused?
Exclusions are the most common reason travel insurance claims are refused, so they deserve as much attention as the price. 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 €500,000 or more for the USA or Canada.
- Repatriation at actual cost: Every plan in our comparison pays it in full, with no cap.
- Direct payment of hospital bills: So you are not left paying thousands upfront abroad.
- A clear excess: Know the amount you pay per claim before you buy.
- The activities you will actually do: Tick the extreme sports option in the comparison form if you go off-piste or dive.
- A pre-existing condition outside the plan’s terms: Our comparator asks no health question, so read the clause before you buy: it is checked when you claim.
- A “worldwide excluding USA” territory: Check the cover really includes where you are going.
- A maximum trip length: Go Protect stops at 90 days, and World Travel at 90 days for the USA and Canada; WorldSecure Basic goes to 12 months.
- High-risk sports without the option: On WorldSecure Platinum, off-piste skiing and scuba diving with tanks need the high-risk sports option.
- 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 without the option, alcohol, a pre-existing condition outside the plan’s terms), a medical limit too low for the destination, or the excess. Ireland’s consumer watchdog, the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (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.
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. Our plans cover that risk with limits that depend on where you go: up to €500,000 in Europe with Go Explore +, Safe Care, Safe Start or SafeTrip Tourism, and for the USA up to €1,000,000 with Safe Extreme or €700,000 with World Travel, with repatriation at actual cost on top.
How do you find the cheapest policy that still covers you?
Set the cover you need first, then keep the cheapest plan that meets it: HelloSafe ranks plans on what they cover for the price, not on advertising. Buy as soon as you book, so your cancellation cover is in place early.
- Compares up to eleven plans for Irish residents in real time
- Shows each medical limit clearly
- Makes exclusions clear 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 see the plans side by side on medical limit, cancellation and price, and get your certificate in minutes.
What else do Irish travellers ask about travel insurance?
For a week in Spain, WorldSecure Platinum (€29.66) is our pick for most travellers up to 65, and Go Protect (€29.61) for prepaid trips and older travellers. The best plan is still the one that matches your destination, age, trip length and activities: a trip to the United States needs a higher medical limit than a week in Spain.
From €18.65 for a week in Spain for a 34-year-old with WorldSecure Basic, about €2.66 a day. The median of the eleven plans we priced for that week is €55.37. 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 medically necessary state healthcare in the EU and a few neighbouring countries: it never pays for private care, mountain rescue or repatriation to Ireland, and it is not travel insurance. Cover is strongly advised for any trip, even inside Europe.
It depends on the plan. Go Protect covers a stable condition with no hospital stay, day admission included, in the 3 months before departure. Safe Start covers a sudden worsening of a stable condition with no hospital stay in the previous 6 months. World Travel, Go Explore, Go Explore + and the WorldSecure plans exclude pre-existing conditions. Our comparator asks no health question when you buy: the clause applies when you claim.
High-risk sports without the option, scooters and motorbikes, travel to high-risk zones, pre-existing conditions outside the plan’s terms, pregnancy limits, and alcohol or behaviour clauses. Exclusions matter as much as 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 or three trips a year. Check the maximum length of each trip and whether the cover is European or worldwide.
As soon as you book. With Go Protect, take out the policy within 48 hours of booking, or at least 20 days before departure; bought less than 30 days before you leave, its cancellation cover only starts after a 5-day waiting period, while medical cover and assistance are not affected. World Travel can be bought up to the day of departure.
No. Two policies at the same price can have very different medical limits, exclusions and excess amounts. In Spain, WorldSecure Platinum and Go Protect cost about €29.60 for a week, yet one includes cancellation and the other does not.
Everyday sports such as hiking and swimming are covered on every plan we compare. High-risk activities such as off-piste skiing or scuba diving need cover for them: tick the extreme sports option in our comparison form before you leave and it shows the plans that include them.
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