The answer is nuanced: a small number of very specific profiles can travel without dedicated travel insurance, provided their existing cover genuinely meets their needs. For the vast majority of travellers, however, those protections have significant gaps, particularly outside Europe, on longer trips, or whenever medical repatriation comes into play.
What you already have without taking out a policy: EHIC and bank cards
Before deciding whether you need additional travel insurance, it is worth understanding precisely what the cover you may already hold actually includes.
The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)
The EHIC, free to obtain from your national health authority, gives you access to emergency medical treatment in EU member states, the European Economic Area, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. It entitles you to care at the same rates as a local resident.
Its limitations are significant:
- It never covers medical repatriation, which can cost anywhere from €3,000 to €20,000 or more depending on the destination.
- It is only valid in Europe. There is no cover in the United States, Canada, Asia or Africa.
- It excludes private clinics (unless they have an agreement with the local public health system).
- It does not cover trip cancellation, lost luggage or high-risk sports.
Cover built into Gold bank cards
Gold and premium bank cards (Visa Premier, Mastercard Gold, and equivalents) include travel benefits, but with specific conditions that travellers often overlook:
- Conditional activation: the insurance guarantees (cancellation, medical expenses) only apply if the trip was paid for entirely or in part with that card. If you paid another way, the cover does not apply.
- Duration cap: cover is limited to 90 consecutive days abroad. That is not enough for a round-the-world trip, a Working Holiday Visa stay or an extended relocation.
- Variable medical limits: typically €150,000 to €300,000 for Gold cards depending on the issuer, but high-risk sports, pre-existing conditions and epidemics are generally excluded.
- Capped cancellation cover: often €5,000 per insured person per year.
Standard cards (Visa Classic, Mastercard Standard) offer virtually no meaningful travel cover.
The rare profiles who can reasonably go without
These profiles do exist, but they are few, and their situation must meet several conditions at once.
Short trip in Europe with an EHIC and an active Gold card
A traveller in good health, with no pre-existing conditions, heading to an EU country for a few days, who paid for the entire trip with their Gold card, and accepts that repatriation and private clinic costs will not be covered, has partial protection that is sufficient for certain common risks.
Even in this case, they remain exposed to the cost of medical repatriation and any care received at a private clinic.
The traveller already resident in the destination country
Someone already living abroad and enrolled in the local healthcare system has different needs from a passing tourist. They fall under an expatriate or local insurance policy, not a standard travel insurance plan.
Why virtually all travellers need dedicated travel insurance
Outside Europe, you bear the full cost of medical care
The EHIC has no value outside Europe. Without dedicated insurance, you pay 100% of medical costs from the very first euro.
To put some figures on that: in 2025, the average cost of a hospital stay abroad exceeds €25,000. In the United States, an appendectomy costs between €40,000 and €60,000. A single visit to an American emergency room can reach €2,760. International medical repatriation runs from €30,000 to €150,000 depending on the destination and the severity of the situation.
For a concrete sense of what a medical emergency in the United States actually costs, our article I break a tooth in New York: how much will I pay? sets out the figures in full.
Get cover tailored to my destinationLong stays, Working Holiday Visas, digital nomads: card cover ends at 90 days
Bank card cover stops after 90 consecutive days abroad. A traveller on a Working Holiday Visa, a student or a digital nomad routinely exceeds that limit, often without realising it.
For a round-the-world trip or an extended stay, the insurance requirements are quite different. Our guide How to insure yourself on a round-the-world trip? sets out the plans designed for these situations.
The unexpected events that the EHIC and bank cards do not handle
Flight delays, lost luggage, last-minute cancellation for a family emergency, admission to a private hospital: these are precisely the situations that travel insurance covers, and that neither the EHIC nor a bank card addresses fully.
For a clearer picture of what travel insurance covers compared to a standard health insurance policy, see our article on the differences between travel insurance and health insurance.
How to assess your level of cover before you travel
Before deciding whether you need additional insurance, ask yourself these questions:
- What is my destination? Outside the EU/EEA/Switzerland, the EHIC does not apply.
- How did I pay for my trip? If not with a Gold card, the card’s guarantees will not activate.
- How long am I going for? Beyond 90 consecutive days, card cover lapses.
- Do I have any health conditions? Pre-existing conditions are often excluded from bank card cover.
- Does my trip involve any risky activities? Thrill sports, high-altitude trekking, scuba diving: generally excluded from bank card policies.
If you answer “no” or “not sure” to any of these questions, dedicated travel insurance is worth considering.
At Yupwego, cover adapts to your destination, your trip length and your personal profile. You can take out a policy online, with health cover, repatriation and assistance included according to your contract’s guarantees.
FAQ
Is the EHIC enough to travel in Europe?
The EHIC covers emergency medical care in EU and EEA member states, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, at the same rates as a local resident. It never covers medical repatriation, excludes private clinics (unless under a formal agreement) and does not cover cancellations or luggage. For a short trip with no risky activities, it provides a basic safety net, but additional cover is still recommended for repatriation.
Does my Gold bank card give me enough protection abroad?
Partially, and only under strict conditions. The insurance guarantees (cancellation, medical expenses) only activate if the trip was paid for with the card. Cover is capped at 90 consecutive days, and high-risk sports, pre-existing conditions and epidemics are generally excluded. For destinations outside Europe and longer trips, dedicated travel insurance is recommended.
How much could a hospital stay abroad cost without insurance?
In 2025, the average cost of a hospital stay abroad exceeds €25,000. In the United States, an appendectomy runs between €40,000 and €60,000. International medical repatriation can cost between €30,000 and €150,000 depending on the circumstances. Without adequate cover, you bear these costs in full.
Is travel insurance compulsory for certain destinations?
Some countries require proof of insurance to enter (Schengen visa holders from certain nationalities, Cuba, Costa Rica, and others). Even when it is not formally required, travel insurance is strongly recommended for any trip outside the European Union.
Does a student or Working Holiday Visa traveller need travel insurance?
Yes. Gold bank card cover does not extend beyond 90 consecutive days, and the EHIC is only valid in Europe. A student studying abroad or a traveller on a Working Holiday Visa, often outside Europe for up to a year, must take out insurance designed for long-stay travel.
