When you pay for your trip on the Disneyland Paris website, a box offers you optional insurance. In fact there are two, and they don’t cover the same things. Before you tick the box (or not), it’s worth knowing what you’re buying.
Don’t confuse this with free cancellation: a flexible booking can already be cancelled at no cost up to 7 days before arrival, as I explain in my guide to cancelling a Disneyland Paris holiday. Here, I focus on the two paid policies. And to see where insurance fits into your overall plans, have a look at my guide to planning your trip.
Cancellation or comprehensive: don’t mix them up
The difference fits in one sentence: cancellation insurance protects you before you leave, comprehensive insurance protects you before and during your stay.
Cancellation insurance refunds the costs you lose if you have to cancel your trip for a reason listed in the policy. The comprehensive policy includes this cover and adds cutting your trip short (the nights you miss), luggage, medical assistance and repatriation, plus a lump sum in case of an accident.
| Cover | Cancellation | Comprehensive |
|---|---|---|
| Cancellation before departure | Yes (up to €10,000/person) | Yes |
| Delayed travel | Yes | Yes |
| Trip cut short or extended | No | Yes (up to €200/night) |
| Luggage (theft, loss, damage) | No | Yes (up to €800) |
| Medical assistance and repatriation | No | Yes (up to €10,000) |
| Accident lump sum | No | Yes |
The two optional policies offered when you book. Limits are a guide, per person.
What cancellation insurance covers
You aren’t refunded for just any reason: it has to be a reason listed in the policy. The list is long, and here are the main ones:
- a health problem (illness, accident, hospital stay) that stops you or a close relative from going
- the death of a close relative
- being made redundant or, conversely, starting a new job that requires you to be there
- a work transfer that means moving more than 150 km (93 miles) away
- your home becoming uninhabitable (fire, water damage, burglary)
- a summons (jury service, adoption), theft of your travel documents or a failed exam for a student.
There’s even a reason covering "any sudden, unforeseeable event beyond your control", refunded at 95% (an excess of 5% is left for you to pay).
What isn’t covered
A few exclusions to know about before you rely on it:
- an illness already known or diagnosed in the 6 months before booking
- an event already known when you take out the policy
- alcohol, drugs, a deliberate act
- sports competitions and extreme sports
- a trip to a destination the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs advises against.
And to be covered, you must live in France and the trip must last less than 90 days.
How much does it cost?
You pay for it in one go, when you book, and it’s charged per person. As a rough guide, allow around twenty euros per person for cancellation, a little more for the comprehensive policy, with a much lower price (or even free) for the very youngest. These amounts change, so always check the price shown when you book.
Good to know: it’s a roughly fixed price per person, not a percentage of your trip. For a family, it soon adds up. On an expensive trip, it stays relatively modest.
Is it worth it?
The right question isn’t "do I need insurance?" but "what do I really stand to lose?".
With a flexible booking, you can already cancel for free up to 7 days before arrival. So what the insurance really protects is mainly a cancellation in the last 7 days, or a trip booked at a non-refundable price.
The maths is simple: compare the price of the insurance (around twenty euros per person) with the amount you’d actually lose by cancelling at the last minute. It becomes worthwhile when:
- the trip is expensive or non-refundable
- you book a long time in advance (more chance of something unexpected)
- the risk of cancelling is real in your case (young children who are often ill, fragile health, plans still uncertain).
On the other hand, for a flexible, affordable trip with no particular risk, the cost is harder to justify.
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What if I just want to cancel?
If your question is simply "can I cancel my trip and get my money back?", insurance isn’t necessarily the answer: it all depends on your type of booking and how much notice you give. I explain everything (conditions, fees, how to do it) in my dedicated guide to cancelling a Disneyland Paris holiday.
Frequently asked questions
01 What’s the difference between Disneyland Paris cancellation insurance and comprehensive insurance?
Cancellation insurance refunds you if you have to call off your trip before you leave, for a covered reason. Comprehensive insurance includes this cover and adds assistance during your stay: medical care and repatriation, luggage and holiday interruption (nights not used).
02 Is Disneyland Paris cancellation insurance worth it?
It depends on your situation. A flexible booking can already be cancelled free of charge up to 7 days before arrival, so the insurance is mainly useful for a last-minute cancellation, a non-refundable price or an expensive holiday booked a long time in advance. Also check your bank card, which often already includes cancellation insurance.
03 How much does cancellation insurance cost at Disneyland Paris?
Allow about twenty euros per person, paid once when you book, a little more for the comprehensive option, with a much lower price for little ones. The amount changes, so always check the price shown when you book.
04 Which reasons for cancellation are covered?
The main reasons are a health problem (illness, accident, hospital stay) that stops you from travelling, the death of a relative, redundancy, a work transfer, your home becoming uninhabitable or the theft of your documents. An "any sudden and unforeseeable event" reason is also included, refunded at 95%. Watch out: illnesses already known before booking are excluded.
