Travel Insurance for Italy
Before you go on holiday to the beautiful (translation: bella) country of Italy, it is important to take out a comprehensive travel insurance policy to protect you against the unexpected. If you are looking for a trusted insurance provider that offers flexible cover tailored around your holiday plans, then you've come to the right place. Holiday Extras has been voted best insurance provider 15 years in a row by the Globe Travel Awards.
Despite the numerous options circulated online, finding the best travel insurance for you is easier than you think. Here at Holiday Extras, we want to remove the hassle associated with organising your holiday. After you've booked your flights and hotel, securing the money you invested should be next on your list, leaving you free to soak up the sunshine on the Amalfi coast, or relax in the lusciously green hills of northern Italy.
Compare travel insurance cover levels
When you book travel insurance online with Holiday Extras you have the freedom and flexibility of three different cover levels to choose from. As award-winning providers of travel insurance we offer a range of cover options, from essential to premium.
Check out our table below to see what type of cover you want for your holiday to Italy:
Do I need travel insurance for Italy?
When the flight time to Italy is only a mere two hours from the UK, you may wonder whether it's worth taking out travel insurance for a European country so close to home. However, if something unexpected, or out of your control happens, travelling uninsured can be a costly mistake. There are a host of reasons why taking out reliable travel insurance to Italy should be on your 'to-do-list' before leaving the borders of the UK.
Medical cover for Italy
Most insurers will agree that medical cover is one of the main reasons holidaymakers take out travel insurance. The cost of healthcare abroad varies from country to country, and while it's most travellers' worst nightmare, sometimes medical emergencies happen while on holiday. The Association of British Insurers (ABI) state that the average medical claim now supasses £1,300, which would be an incredibly expensive add-on to your holiday if you travel uninsured.
If you are travelling and have a pre-existing medical condition then securing a travel insurance policy is an important measure to take to protect you against the unexpected. Should you fall ill while on holiday and you haven't declared a medical condition, you could render your policy invalid. With a Holiday Extras travel insurance policy in place you can relax knowing you can be insured for the majority of pre-existing medical conditions, and that all conditions are considered.
Lost and delayed luggage
Unfortunately, even with modern luggage tracking technology, it's still entirely possible for luggage to get lost or delayed in transit. If this happens, what can you do? Well, for those savvy travellers who knew to book travel insurance in advance, help is but a phone call away. A decent travel insurance policy with lost and delayed baggage cover will offer you monetary remuneration for the lost contents of your luggage, or for the duration spent without your stuff, so you won't be left out of pocket should your baggage be lost somehow. To find out more information on what you can expect from our policies in this regard, check out our lost luggage travel insurance page.
Protect your gadgets in Italy
While not an essential part of a travel insurance policy, adding gadget cover is always a good idea if you plan to bring tech with you. Getting gadget travel insurance for Italy, is particularly advised given the common problems with thieves and pick-pockets operating in major tourist areas in Italy. While gadget cover can't replace any lost photos or memories stored on a phone or camera, it will save you the monetary burden.
Interrailing through Italy?
Owing to the extensive railway network in Italy, the country is a popular interrailing destination. If you plan to visit Italy during your interrail tour, this presents a whole new set of considerations when choosing a travel insurance policy. Check out our interrail travel insurance page for more information on how to choose the best insurance policy for an interrail holiday.
Italy: at a glance
- What is the currency in Italy? Euro (€)
- How long is the flight time to Italy? Just over 2 hours
- What language do they speak in Italy? Italian
- How many hours ahead is Italy than the UK? 1 hour ahead
- What is the capital of Italy? Rome
- What are the best islands to visit in Italy? Sardina, Sicily and Capri
Italy travel tips
Italian food is more than just pizza and pasta!
Yes, believe it or not, Italian's do in fact live off more than just plates of tagliatelle and Margaritas, enjoying a rich and varied cuisine. There are a host of meat and seafood dishes with seasonal and regional variations to try. Find out what the local specialities are, and be sure to try them.
For instance, in Florence you might want to try the 'Bistecca Fiorentina', a rare steak made from the loin cut of a Tuscan breed of cattle. If you're visiting Milan, be sure to try the Ossobuco, a rich and hearty dish of veal shanks braised with vegetables in a white-wine broth, traditionally served with risotto alla milanese. In regions close to the Adriatic sea, you'll find many traditional Italian seafood dishes like Coze alla Zafferano, a dish of mussels served with saffron.
When to eat
When it comes to food and eating, remember that in Italy, everything is much slower. If you're eating out, whether it's lunch or dinner, make sure to give yourself plenty of time. Most of the shops, restaurants and even petrol stations close from 1-4pm, so bear this in mind when planning your day and when to have lunch. Perhaps the most unusually for tourists from the UK is how late the Italians have their evening meal, sometimes as late as 10pm. Most restaurants won't even open again till 7pm.
How to order
For an evening meal in Italy, it's common to have a 'prima pilati' (1st plate) and 'segunda pilati' (2nd plate). The prima pilati is usually some kind of pasta and the segunda pilati is usually a meat dish. In many places they will only bring dishes classed as a 2nd plate, only after the 1st plate as been finished. This means that if you order a 1st plate and your friend orders something classed as a 2nd plate, they won't get their meal until after you've finished yours! Just be sure to ask for all the food to be brought out at the same time to avoid this confusion.
Getting around in Italy
By far the best way to get around Italy is by train. Although Italians have a reputation for being lax when it comes to punctuality (when an Italian says to meet at 7pm, they really mean 7:30-8pm) this is not so when it comes to the train services. Much like in the UK, trains run largely run on time, and it's possible to track delays to services online.
Remember to validate your ticket - Something that could potentially catch you out when using public transport in Italy is the need to 'validate' your ticket. This usually means getting your ticket stamped in one of the green boxes at train stations or the yellow boxes on buses. It's important to validate your ticket as you could end up being landed a hefty €50 fine!
Using taxis - In Italy, you can't hail a taxi. Knowing this and planning ahead can save you a lot of stress and a potentially long walk home in the dark. The only ways to arrange for a taxi is to either call a taxi company, or find a taxi stand where you can pick one up. Beware that not all taxi's companies will be willing or able to make bookings in English over the phone, so unless you know enough Italian, this may not be a good option if you need transport after a night out. You're best bet if you need a taxi in the evening is to ask your server at a restaurant for directions to the nearest taxi rank, or simply get them to call for a taxi in your behalf.
Paying for things
Though there are places that do offer the option to pay by card, Italy is essentially a cash-centric country. Don't expect to be able to pay for anything by card like you might in the UK. It's always best to carry a good chunk of euros on you, between 40 to 50, just in case a restaurant doesn't accept card.
Staying safe in Italy
Italy is a largely safe country and you aren't likely to encounter any severe dangers to safety if you use good common sense and behave as you might in your home country. What is more of a problem is petty crime. Pickpockets do operate in the cities on public transport and around popular tourist sites, and there have been incidents of bag snatching. Taking simple precautions like using a money belt, not flashing expensive items and remaining vigilant are usually enough to ensure you against this.
Holiday Extras Travel Insurance is sold and administered by Holiday Extras Cover Limited, registered office address: Ashford Road, Newingreen, Hythe, Kent CT21 4JF.
Holiday Extras Cover Limited is an insurance intermediary authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, registration number 828848. You can check this by visiting the Financial Services Register
Holiday Extras™ is a Trading Name of Holiday Extras Cover Limited. The insurance is underwritten by Great Lakes Insurance UK Limited. Great Lakes Insurance UK Limited is a company incorporated in England and Wales with company number 13436330 and whose registered office address is 10 Fenchurch Avenue, London, United Kingdom, EC3M 5BN.
Great Lakes Insurance UK Limited is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. Firm Reference Number 955859. You can check this by visiting the Financial Services Register