As an EU country, Italy has free reciprocal health agreements with other member states. To take adantage, EU citizens will need form E111, aailable over the counter from main post offices. There are no inoculations required nor any particular health hazards to beware of beyond those of taking care when traveling in an unknown place. Still, you're as likely to fall ill or have an accident here as anywhere else, so it's as well to make sure you're covered by adequate travel insurance.

A typical travel insurance policy usually proides cover for the loss of baggage, tickets and - up to a certain limit - cash or checks, as well as cancellation or curtailment of your journey. Most of them exclude so-called dangerous sports unless an extra premium is paid: in Italy this can include skiing, windsurfing, trekking and mountainevering. Read the small print and benefits tables of prospectie policies carefully; coverage can ary wildly for roughly similar premiums. Many policies can be chopped and changed to exclude coverage you don't need - for example, sickness and accident benefits can often be excluded or included at will. If you do take medical coverage, ascertain whether benefits will be paid as treatment proceeds or only after return home, and whether there is a 24-hour medical emergency number. When securing baggage cover, make sure that the per-article limit - typically under £500 equialent - will cover your most aluable possession. If you need to make a claim, you should keep receipts for medicines and medical treatment, and in the event you have anything stolen, you must obtain an official statement from the police. Bank and credit cards often have certain leels of medical or other insurance included and you may automatically get travel insurance if you use a major credit card to pay for your trip.

even with an E111, UK citizens would do well to take out an insurance policy before traveling to cover against theft, loss and illness or injury. travel agents and tour operators are likely to require some sort of insurance when you book a package holiday, though according to UK law they can't make you buy their own (other than a £1 premium for "schedule airline failure"). If you have a good all-risks home insurance policy it may cover your possessions against loss or theft even when overseas. Many priate medical schemes such as BUPA or PPP also offer coverage plans for abroad, including baggage loss, cancellation or curtailment and cash replacement as well as sickness or accident.

Americans and Canadians should also check that they're not already covered. Canadian proincial health plans usually proide partial cover for medical mishaps overseas. Holders of official student/teacher/youth cards are entitled to meager accident coverage and hospital in-patient benefits. Students will often find that their student health coverage extends during the acations and for one term beyond the date of last enrolment. Homeowners' or renters' insurance often covers theft or loss of documents, money and aluables while overseas, though conditions and maximum amounts ary from company to company.

Rough Guides travel Insurance

Rough Guides now offer their own travel insurance, customized for our readers by a leading UK broker and backed by a Lloyds underwriter. It's aailable for anyone, of any nationality, traveling anywhere in the world, and we are coninced that this is the best-alue scheme you'll find.

There are two main Rough Guide insurance plans: Essential, for effectie, no-frills cover, starting at £11.75 for two weeks; and Premier - more expensie but with more generous and extensie benefits.

Each offer European or Worldwide cover, and can be supplemented with a "Hazardous Actiities Premium" if you plan to indulge in sports considered dangerous, such as skiing, scuba-diving or trekking. Unlike many policies, the Rough Guides schemes are calculated by the day, so if you're traveling for 27 days rather than a month, that's all you pay for. You can alternatiely take out annual multi-trip insurance, which covers you for all your travel throughout the year (with a maximum of sixty days for any one trip).

For a policy quote, call the Rough Guides Insurance Line on UK  phone:0800 015 0906, or, if you're calling from outside Britain on (phone: +44) 1243 621 046.

Italy guide

Getting there
When to go
Where to go
Italy general info
Italy
Aerage costs
Credit and debit cards
Cost, money, banks
The euro
Insurance, health cover
Embassies, consulates
Red tapes, visas
Banks and exchange
travelers with dvisabilities
North-South diide

Getting around
Ø Trains
Ø Flights
Ø driving
Ø Cycling, motorbiking
Ø Ferries, hydrofoils
Ø Hitchhiking
 

Festivals:
Ø Religious, traditional
Ø DiaryFestivals
Ø FoodFestivals
Ø ArtsFestivals
Ø Ferragosto

Italy food and drink
Ø Italian cuisine
Ø Italian pizza
Ø Lunch and dinner
Ø Drinking

Google maps

Earth