Marie Louise Huizing - your insurance broker in Berlin

Travel insurance

Reiseversicherung

Whether it’s a club holiday on the Mediterranean, a study trip to Asia, or a snowboard adventure in the Alps, modern travel offers countless opportunities. But even the best vacations come with risks.

While no one wants to think about accidents, illness, lost luggage, or disputes with tour operators, proper insurance ensures you are well-protected in case of emergencies.

Key travel insurance options:

Trip cancellation insurance (Reiserücktrittversicherung) – covers costs if you must cancel your trip.
Travel baggage insurance (Reisegepäckversicherung) – protects against lost or damaged luggage.
International travel health insurance (Auslandsreise-Krankenschutz) – ensures medical coverage abroad.
Mallorca policy – extended travel liability coverage.
Auto assistance and breakdown insurance (Autoschutzbrief) – support for vehicle issues during your trip.

With the right coverage, your vacation remains enjoyable without turning into an expensive ordeal.

Trip cancellation insurance

Unexpected events can force you to cancel or cut short a planned vacation—for example:

A serious traffic accident
A fire in your home
Your child hospitalized with appendicitis

What the insurance covers:

Reimbursement of cancellation fees charged by your tour operator if you must cancel a booked trip.
Early return coverage if you need to cut your vacation short and cannot use pre-paid services—for instance, due to:
- Serious illness or death of a close relative
- Unexpected pregnancy complications
- Severe vaccine reactions
- Burglary, fire, storm damage, or other natural disasters requiring you to return home quickly

This insurance ensures you are financially protected against the costs of unavoidable travel disruptions.

Travel baggage insurance

Sometimes mishaps occur right on the day of arrival—for example, your suitcase gets stolen. Tour operators are usually liable only up to a limited amount, leaving you exposed to additional losses. Travel baggage insurance covers these costs and can be purchased as a short-term (weekly/monthly) or annual policy.

Coverage:

Protects your belongings worldwide against loss, damage, or destruction.
Includes personal travel items, clothes and items worn on the body, checked or hand luggage, souvenirs and gifts, as well as sports equipment and protective gear.

Compensation:

Typically reimburses the current value (time value) of items—new value minus depreciation for wear, age, and usage.
For damaged items, the insurer covers repair costs up to the time value.

This ensures that you aren’t left out of pocket if your belongings are lost or damaged during your travels.

International travel health insurance

When traveling outside Germany, a private international travel health insurance provides strong protection. Statutory health insurance typically reimburses medical costs only in EU countries or countries with a social security agreement with Germany.

Even then, coverage is limited to the cost level customary in Germany. Outside Europe, you are usually treated as a private patient and may face very high medical or hospital bills, which can easily exceed an annual income—for example, in the USA. Statutory insurance also does not cover repatriation.

Coverage includes:

Medical treatment for acute illnesses and accidents
Hospitalization and inpatient care
Pain-relieving dental treatment
Medications, bandages, and other medical aids
Medically necessary repatriation to Germany
Transport of a deceased insured person and funeral costs abroad

Policy options:

Short-term coverage for a specific number of travel days
Annual coverage for unlimited trips within one year

This insurance ensures that medical emergencies abroad are fully covered, so you can travel with peace of mind.

Rental car insurance

Exploring your destination with a rental car
Many travelers prefer to explore on their own using a rental car. Especially in Southern Europe, minimum insurance coverage for rental vehicles is often lower than in Germany.

If you cause an accident and the damages exceed the rental car’s coverage limit, you are personally responsible for paying the difference out of pocket.

Affordable protection with the “Mallorca-Policy”
A smart solution is to take out a rental car liability insurance—commonly called the “Mallorca-Police”—before leaving home. This coverage is available from most German insurers for just a few euros.

Basic coverage: valid in European countries, can be purchased for a few weeks or several months.
Often included in your existing car insurance—check your policy or ask your insurer.
For worldwide coverage, a “Traveller” policy can be chosen.

Tips in case of an accident:

Notify the police immediately and inform the rental company.
Have any injuries documented by a doctor, otherwise your claims may not be recognized by the liable party’s insurance.

This ensures that unexpected costs and liability while driving a rental car abroad are minimized.

Traveling by car abroad

Maximum coverage
Even when driving your own car abroad, having the right insurance coverage is essential. For car liability insurance (KFZ-Haftpflicht), it is recommended to choose the maximum coverage limits available.

Supplement with comprehensive coverage

Partial comprehensive insurance (Teilkasko) covers damages caused by theft, fire, storms, collisions with animals, and broken glass.
Full comprehensive insurance (Vollkasko) also covers self-inflicted damages and pays for damages in case the responsible party abroad does not properly settle the claim.

Always carry:

The green insurance card as proof of coverage
A European accident report form, which provides guidance in 10 languages

Affordable and useful: the car assistance plan (Autoschutzbrief)
A car assistance plan is inexpensive and practical. It covers, up to certain limits:

Vehicle towing, recovery, and storage
Shipping of spare parts
Return transport if the driver falls ill
Necessary overnight stays
Rental car costs if required

Car assistance plans are available through all German motor insurers and automobile clubs, making them a convenient addition to your insurance for peace of mind while traveling abroad.

Travel insurance

Personal advice for travel insurance