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When travelling to the Schengen Area in Europe, visitors must be prepared to handle any unforeseen medical expenses in case of accidents or injuries.
To ensure financial support and peace of mind during their journey, travellers must obtain travel insurance when applying for a Schengen visa.
Schengen Visa Insurance Requirements
Medical insurance for a Schengen visa must meet the following criteria:
- A minimum coverage of medical costs: at least 30,000 EUR (equivalent to 33,000 USD as of March 2024).
- It should cover all member states of the Schengen Area.
- Cover any expenses arising with repatriation for medical reasons, urgent health attention and/or emergency hospital treatment or death.
Europ Assistance, a leading travel insurance company and the popular comparison website vti.travel through its partners, offers the essential insurance certificate required for a Schengen visa application. vti.travel by Insurte allows you to compare prices and coverage options from multiple insurers to find the best policy for your needs.
Even though travel health insurance is worth having for all travellers to Europe, not everyone is required to have it. A travel insurance policy is mandatory only for travellers applying for a Schengen visa. This group of travellers is always required to have the needed coverage for the entire period of their stay in Europe, regardless if they go there for business, tourism, studying, holidays, or other reasons.
Foreign travellers visiting Europe who enjoy visa-free travel to the Schengen zone can get their preferred European travel insurance policy if they want to, and while it is highly recommended – they are not required to.
Travel Insurance Is a Must When Applying for a Schengen Visa
Extract from “Regulation (EC) No 810/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 July 2009”, which entered into force on April 5, 2010:
“… Applicants for a uniform visa for one or two entries shall prove that they own adequate and valid travel medical insurance to cover any expenses which might arise in connection with repatriation for medical reasons, urgent medical attention, and/or emergency hospital treatment or death, during their stay(s) on the territory of the Member States.
The insurance shall be valid throughout the Schengen Area Member States territory and cover the entire period of the person’s intended stay or transit. The minimum coverage shall be EUR 30,000” (…)
Selecting & Buying the Right Schengen Visa Insurance Plan
Ensure that the insurance company and policy you select are licensed and approved by Schengen Embassies and Consulates. Additionally, confirm that it meets all the specified requirements. Failure to do so could result in the denial of your visa application.
Get Free Quotes and Compare Schengen Travel Insurance Plans From the Most Reputable Providers
Compare various insurance plans offered by reputable companies such as AXA, Europe Assistance, Allianz, Mondial, Mutauide, and more. All the listed plans meet the Schengen visa requirements and are accepted by Schengen Embassies and consulates globally.
Europ Assistance Schengen
- Assistance in the event of illness or injury: Up to €30,000
- Assistance in the event of death
- Coverage area: Covers trips in the Schengen area
- Cost: starting from €3
Plan Details Get a Quote
Europ Assistance Schengen Plus
- Assistance in the event of illness or injury: Up to €60,000
- Assistance in the event of death
- Coverage area: Covers trips in the Schengen area plus Bulgaria, Cyprus, Ireland, and Romania
- Extension of stay
- Return and location of companion
- Accompaniment of minors
- Cost: starting from €5
Plan Details Get a Quote
Mondial Care Schengen Travel Insurance
- Assistance, search & rescue coverage
- Medical expenses & hospitalization: Up to €100,000
- No age limit for subscription
- Cost: €17 to €29
Plan Details Get a Quote
AXA Silver
- Coverage: medical expenses abroad up to EUR30,000
- Cost: Starting from EUR 4.5 per day, for a 7-day trip
- Deductible: from EUR 30 to EUR 50
Plan Details Get a Quote
Allianz Serenity
- Coverage for medical expenses up to EUR 30,000
- Cost: Starting from EUR 7 per day, for a 7-day trip
- Deductible: from EUR 30 to EUR 100
- Luggage insurance
- Sports (search and rescue costs)
Plan Details Get a Quote
AXA Gold
- Coverage: Medical expenses abroad up to EUR 50,000
- Coverage Area: Schengen Area, plus French overseas territories, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Ireland, Romania, and the UK.
- Cost: Starting from EUR 6.35 per day for a 7-day trip.
- Deductible: from EUR 30 to EUR 50
- Air ticket cancellation & Luggage insurance
- Sports (search and rescue costs)
- Terrorism &Covid-19
Plan Details Get a Quote
AXA Platinum
- Coverage: Medical expenses abroad up to EUR 100,000
- Coverage Area: Schengen Area, plus French overseas territories, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Ireland, Romania, and the UK.
- Cost: Starting from EUR 3.75 per day for a 120-day trip
- Deductible: from EUR 30 to EUR 50
- Air ticket cancellation & Luggage insurance
- Sports (search and rescue costs)
- Terrorism &Covid-19
- Annual - Max. 120 days per trip
Plan Details Get a Quote
How Much Does Schengen Insurance Cost?
Schengen travel insurance can be very affordable, with prices for a one-week insurance policy as low as €18 – €20. However, the cost of Schengen insurance ultimately depends on several factors – your age, how much coverage you want, the trip duration, as well as the specific insurance company.
Here are the travel insurance premiums from Europ Assistance.
| Duration of travel | Schengen (Schengen area only) | Schengen Plus (Extended protection Schengen + EU countries) |
| up to 7 days | 18 EUR | 28 EUR |
| up to 15 days | 30 EUR | 49 EUR |
| up to 31 days | 46 EUR | 73 EUR |
| up to 45 days | 56 EUR | 85 EUR |
| up to 63 days | 72 EUR | 99 EUR |
| up to 90 days | 88 EUR | 125 EUR |
| up to 105 days | 107 EUR | 159 EUR |
| up to 158 days | 165 EUR | 239 EUR |
| up to 365 days | 285 EUR | 429 EUR |
| Find out more | Find out more |
For more information about choosing the best and the cheapest Schengen insurance plan for your needs, please visit Europ Assistance or vti.travel.
Medical Insurance for Seniors
If you want to buy travel insurance for seniors, read our article ““.
Do Medical Insurance Plans Cover COVID-19?
Yes, some Schengen insurance policies cover COVID-related illness, provided that when you travel, you respect the laws and regulations of your country’s government and the World Health Organization (WHO). COVID-19 insurance covers the following:
- Health emergencies related to COVID-19, including medical treatment, medication, and hospitalization.
- PCR test (sometimes).
Expenses related to quarantine requirements, such as accommodation, are not covered.
The amount of COVID insurance coverage depends on the specific policy. For example, AXA covers your medical and repatriation costs if you fall ill with COVID-19 and “related illnesses”, whereas MondialCare covers all medical consequences of contracting COVID-19 and a positive PCR test (but not a negative one).
On the other hand, under any circ*mstances, some insurance companies do not cover any expenses related to epidemics or pandemics, including COVID-19.
Visit vti.travel, the leading European comparison website in partnership with industry giants AXA, Allianz, and Mutuaide, to confidently browse and compare various insurance policies. With their selection of insurance policies that provide comprehensive coverage for Covid-19, all epidemics, and epidemic quarantine costs, you can enjoy your travels with complete peace of mind. Start comparing now on vti.travel!
Whether an insurance company covers COVID-19 will be stated in their policy features and terms and conditions, so make sure you read the fine print well.
What if the embassy asks for a Schengen insurance certificate with COVID protection?
If your insurance policy includes Schengen protection, it should state so on the certificate. If your insurance certificate does not explicitly state that you have COVID protection, you could ask your insurer to provide you with one that does.
Can I extend my travel insurance policy if I need to prolong my trip due to COVID-19 travel restrictions?
If your trip in Europe is extended due to COVID travel bans, and your travel insurance is about to expire, you can purchase a new insurance policy or renew your existing one. You will, of course, have to pay an additional charge. Check with your travel insurance company regarding their rules on the extension or renewal of a policy.
If I need to prolong my trip due to a closure of the airport or due to official travel restrictions, can I extend my insurance policy?
Each travel insurance company applies its own rules. Contact their customer service/support team to know the details. It should be possible to either get a refund for your current policy or be able to extend your current travel policy.
What Does Schengen Insurance Policy Usually Cover?
A good travel insurance policy for the Schengen area should cover the following costs:
- Medical emergency (accident or sickness) while in the Schengen Area
- Emergency evacuation
- Repatriation of remains
- Return of a minor
- Accidental death, injury or disablement benefit
- Overseas funeral expenses
- Usually, the insurers cover pregnancy-related expenses, if the travel occurs during the first trimester. After that, insurance coverage varies from insurer to insurer.
Can I Get a Schengen Visa Without Travel Insurance?
Every person applying for a Schengen visa to visit Europe must hold a valid travel insurance policy regardless of the reason for travel (tourism, leisure, business, studies or other).
Should Travel Visa Insurance Policy Cover All Schengen Area Countries?
Yes, a travel health insurance policy should cover all member states: Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.
What Is Presumably Excluded or Optional In a Common Schengen Insurance Policy?
Every travel insurance company is different; however, there are ones that offer to cover additional costs if necessary. If not, additional insurance must be purchased to cover explicit costs like:
- Preexisting conditions(e.g.Asthma,diabetes)
- Sports with an element of risk (e.g. skiing, scuba diving)
- Travel to high-risk countries (e.g. Due towar,natural disastersoracts of terrorism)
- Acute onset of pre-existing conditions – It means a sudden and unexpected occurrence of pre-existing medical conditions without any prior warning from a health care professional. If you have pre-existing conditions, get this coverage to protect you against any emergency that arises due to pre-existing conditions despite taking care.
How To Find Cheap Schengen Travel Insurance?
Finding the right cheap travel visa insurance for Europe calls for individual and more in-depth research. This means having to search online for the appropriate medical insurance policy. It is recommended that you compare products and companies before you decide which company has the cheapest and the best travel insurance for the Schengen visa.
Not to be confused about the price, as not all low-cost travel insurance policies contain low-quality services and not all expensive insurance plans offer a high-quality offer. That is why the safest way to choose amongst boundless offers of medical insurance companies properly is by choosing not the cheapest travel insurance but the policy which covers all the areas as required by the Schengen visa application requirements.
Which Nationals Are Required to Purchase Medical Insurance for a Schengen Visa?
Nationals and passport holders of any of the following countries must buy travel insurance to apply for a Schengen visa.
- Afghanistan
- Algeria
- Angola
- Armenia
- Azerbaijan
- Bahrain
- Bangladesh
- Belarus
- Belize
- Benin
- Bhutan
- Bolivia
- Botswana
- Burkina Faso
- Burma/Myanmar
- Burundi
- Cambodia
- Cameroon
- Cape Verde
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- China
- Comoros
- Congo
- Côte d´Ivoire
- Cuba
- Democratic Republic of Congo
- Djibouti
- Dominican Republic
- Ecuador
- Egypt
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Eswatini
- Ethiopia
- Fiji
- Gabon
- Gambia
- Ghana
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Guyana
- Haiti
- India
- Indonesia
- Iran
- Iraq
- Jamaica
- Jordan
- Kazakhstan
- Kenya
- Kuwait
- Kyrgyzstan
- Laos
- Lebanon
- Lesotho
- Liberia
- Libya
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Maldives
- Mali
- Mauritania
- Mongolia
- Morocco
- Mozambique
- Namibia
- Nauru
- Nepal
- Niger
- Nigeria
- North Korea
- Oman
- Pakistan
- Papua New Guinea
- Philippines
- Qatar
- Russia
- Rwanda
- Sao Tome and Principe
- Saudi Arabia
- Senegal
- Sierra Leone
- Somalia
- South Africa
- South Sudan
- Sri Lanka
- Sudan
- Suriname
- Syria
- Tajikistan
- Tanzania
- Thailand
- Togo
- Tunisia
- Turkey
- Turkmenistan
- Uganda
- Uzbekistan
- Vietnam
- Yemen
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
What Is Travel Medical Insurance?
The concept of travel health insurance relates to covering your medical expenses in case of an injury or unexpected sickness that arises during your trip. Whether you need health insurance when travelling to a foreign country depends on the desired destination and the ability to personally cover any health care needs during your stay in a certain foreign country.
However, travel insurance is a must for most people, especially the elderly, who have predetermined medical conditions and are bound to constant therapy or, most importantly, if the traveller’s destination is an underdeveloped region.
Besides medical expenses, travel insurance will cover different losses suffered during the trip, including one’s own country and internationally. Unexpected happenings like lost luggage, cancellation of your flight at the last moment, travel agency or accommodation bankruptcy will ruin your trip. Therefore, a travel insurance policy is designed to provide cancellation insurance by means of a full or partial refund.
Whether you are travelling once or several times during a short period of time, the insurance policy will match and cover the exact number of days spent in the international territory, in this case, the Schengen territory, with the price ranging accordingly.
What Are the Common Restrictions and Limitations?
- As previously mentioned, travel insurance companies don’t cover preexisting conditions internationally. If you have a condition before your departure to Europe, you’ve consulted a doctor and are already on treatment, and you’ve decided to travel out of the country, in this case, you are not prone to any medical cost alleviations via your insurer. However, if one is proclaimed fit to travel having the condition under control, most commonly, travel insurance is ought to cover an unexpected emergency related to the condition when travelling in an international domain, an acute onset of the preexisting condition.
- Sports – Participation in high-risk activities such as extreme sports, e.g., scuba diving, skydiving, etc., can be excluded.
- War – Policies may exclude coverage for injuries caused by war when travelling to an endangered war zone.
- Duration – Many policies specify a time limit for coverage (e.g., 60 days), and the costs differ accordingly.
- Suicide in an international or domestic domain is excluded from any insurance policy for self-inflicted injuries.
- In the case of any substance abuse, drugs or alcohol, domestic or international, the medical expenses won’t be covered by your insurance policy.
For more information about European visa requirements and the application process for US, UK, Canadian and Australian residents, please read the following articles:
- How to apply for a Schengen visa from the UK
- How to apply for a Schengen visa from the USA
- How to apply for a Schengen visa from Canada
More Travel Insurance Guides
France Visa Insurance, Spain Visa Insurance, Germany Visa Insurance, Italy Visa Insurance, Switzerland Visa Insurance, Travel Insurance by Europ Assistance, Schengen Visa Insurance UK, Greece Visa Insurance, Portugal Visa Insurance, Netherlands Visa Insurance, Schengen visa insurance from Singapore
FAQ
Is Travel Health Insurance Mandatory for Visa-Free Third-Country Nationals Entering the Schengen Area?
Travel medical insurance is not mandatory for visa-free third-country nationals. Nonetheless, getting one is highly recommended if you travel to the Schengen countries.
Should We Choose Travel Insurance With a 0 Eur Deductible?
It is not a strict requirement to get a Schengen travel visa insurance with 0 EUR deductible; however, we strongly suggest that you get one without a deductible to be 100% sure that your Schengen visa application will not be rejected because of the travel insurance policy.
Are Diplomatic Passport Holders Exempt From the Requirement of Travel Insurance?
Yes, holders of diplomatic passports are exempt from the mandatory travel medical insurance requirement. They are not required to provide proof of insurance when travelling to the Schengen Area.
Is Travel Medical Insurance Mandatory for Seafarers Traveling to the Schengen Area?
No, travel medical insurance is not mandatory for seafarers travelling to the Schengen Area. Seafarers are exempt from the requirement of Schengen travel insurance based on their professional situation. Their existing medical insurance coverage, obtained due to their work activities, is considered adequate and fulfils the insurance requirement for their stay in the Schengen Area.
What if I’m Applying for a Schengen Multiple-Entry Visa?
If you are applying for a Schengen multiple-entry visa you must demonstrate that you have sufficient and valid travel medical insurance that covers the duration of your initial planned visit. However, it’s important to note that you should maintain valid insurance whenever you plan to travel to the Schengen area in the future.
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