Travel Insurance for Greece: What You Actually Need

Greece is generally a safe travel destination, but accidents happen — particularly on the islands, where scooter and ATV accidents are a consistent problem, ferry cancellations are common in rough weather, and medical facilities on smaller islands are limited.

Why the EHIC Alone Is Not Enough

The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) — or its UK equivalent, the GHIC — gives EU/UK citizens access to Greek state healthcare at local rates. In practice, this means:

• Emergency hospital treatment: Covered at public hospitals (but public hospitals in tourist areas can be understaffed in peak season)
• Private hospitals: NOT covered — and Greek private hospitals (generally better equipped and with English-speaking staff) can charge €500–3,000+ per night
• Medical evacuation: NOT covered — helicopter evacuation from a remote island can cost €15,000–50,000
• Trip cancellation: NOT covered
• Lost baggage: NOT covered

The EHIC is a useful baseline but not a substitute for full travel insurance.

What to Cover

Medical and emergency: The most important element. Look for policies with at least €1–2 million medical cover. This should include hospitalisation, emergency dental, and — critically — medical repatriation (getting you home if you need specialist treatment).

Trip cancellation and interruption: Ferry cancellations due to Meltemi wind are common in the Aegean in July–August. A policy that covers transport delays and consequential accommodation costs is worth having.

Baggage: Greek beaches and crowded ferry terminals are common locations for theft. Standard baggage cover (€1,000–2,000) covers most cases.

Activities cover: This is the most commonly overlooked element. Greek island accidents involving scooters, ATVs, and watersports are common enough that Greek hospitals in tourist areas are well-practised at treating them. Most budget policies exclude:

• Motorised two-wheelers (scooters, motorcycles)
• ATVs and quad bikes
• Jet skiing and parasailing
• Rock climbing
• White-water activities

If you plan to rent a scooter in Corfu, ride an ATV in Santorini, or walk the Samaria Gorge, confirm your policy explicitly covers it — or add an activities upgrade.

Comparing Travel Insurance Providers for Greece

No single policy is right for every traveller. Below are providers we regularly recommend, with approximate price ranges for a one-week Greece trip for a healthy adult aged 30 — as of 2026. Prices vary significantly based on nationality, age, trip cost, and cover level.

EKTA Travel Insurance A strong option for European visitors, with clear policy terms and an activities upgrade that covers scooter riding, watersports, and gorge hiking. Online purchase takes under 5 minutes. 24/7 emergency assistance line. Approximate cost for one week in Greece: €18–32 as of 2026, depending on cover level.

Get a quote: EKTA Travel Insurance.

World Nomads Popular with long-term and adventure travellers. Policies cover a wide range of activities by default — including motorcycle riding (with a valid licence), hiking, and watersports — without needing an upgrade. Medical limits are high (€10 million standard). Good for travellers combining Greece with multiple countries. Approximate cost for one week: €25–45 as of 2026. Purchase and claims managed entirely online.

Allianz Travel One of the largest travel insurers globally. Strong cancellation and disruption cover — useful for Greek island travel where ferry delays and cancellations are frequent. Scooter and ATV riding typically requires an add-on or is excluded in standard policies — read the fine print carefully. Medical cover solid. Approximate cost for one week in Europe: €20–40 as of 2026.

AXA Schengen / AXA Travel Widely available across Europe and useful if you need to demonstrate insurance cover for a Schengen visa application. Comprehensive cover with clear activity tiers. Approximate cost for one week: €22–38 as of 2026.

Cover-More (Australian and New Zealand visitors) A well-regarded insurer for Australians visiting Greece. As of 2026, Cover-More’s comprehensive policy for a one-week Europe trip starts from approximately AUD 65–90 for a healthy adult. Activity cover for scooters and watersports available as an add-on.

Key things to compare across any policy:

• Medical cover limit: look for a minimum of €2 million; €5–10 million is better
• Medical repatriation: must be explicitly included
• Activity exclusions: read the list carefully, not just the headline
• Cancellation limit: make sure it covers your actual prepaid costs (particularly Santorini accommodation)
• Ferry delay cover: some policies treat ferries differently from flights — check the trigger delay time

Tips for Making a Claim

• Keep all receipts: Medical bills, pharmacy receipts, taxi receipts to hospital, police reports (for theft).
• Report theft to the police: Greek police report (αναφορά κλοπής) is required for most baggage theft claims.
• Contact your insurer before treatment where possible: Some policies require pre-authorisation for expensive private hospital admission.
• Document everything: Photos of damage, written records of cancellations with reasons (ferry company emails, etc.).

When to Buy Travel Insurance

Buy as soon as you book your trip — not the day before you fly. The main reason: trip cancellation cover only applies to events that occur after the policy start date. If you book Santorini accommodation in January for a July trip, buy insurance in January. That way you are covered if you need to cancel in February due to illness or a family emergency.

Pre-existing medical conditions are a common source of claim disputes. Declare any conditions when purchasing — most insurers offer cover for declared pre-existing conditions, sometimes at a higher premium. Undeclared conditions that lead to a claim are typically denied.

For US and Australian Visitors

Greece does not have reciprocal healthcare agreements with the US or Australia — EHIC does not apply. Without travel insurance, you are responsible for 100% of medical costs at Greek hospitals. US visitors in particular should ensure very high medical cover limits — medical repatriation to the US from a Greek island can cost $50,000–100,000 as of 2026.

For US visitors, providers worth comparing include Allianz Travel, Travel Guard (AIG), and Seven Corners — all offer policies for international travel with high medical limits appropriate for covering potential US-bound repatriation costs.

For Australian visitors, Cover-More and 1Cover are the two most commonly used providers for Greece trips. Both offer dedicated European travel policies with activity cover options.

Get travel insurance for your Greece trip: EKTA Travel Insurance.