Schengen Visa Insurance – Europe Travel Insurance for Schengen Visa

When visiting Europe, travellers should be able to handle and financially cover medical services in case of an accident, injury or any other sudden event.

To take care of unexpected expenses that arise while travelling, having travel insurance has been proven to help travellers with financial support and comfort to continue their travel journey without worries.

Schengen Visa Insurance Requirements

Medical insurance for Schengen visa must meet the following criteria:

• Minimum coverage of at least 30,000 EUR (equivalent to 34,000 USD).
• It should cover all member states of the Schengen Area.
• Cover any expenses which might arise in connection with repatriation for medical reasons, urgent health attention and/or emergency hospital treatment or death.

Two travel insurance companies Europ Assistance and AXA provide the mandatory insurance certificate required when applying for a Schengen visa.

Even though travel health insurance is worth having for all travellers to Europe, not everyone is required to have it. Travel insurance policy is a mandatory requirement only for travellers who need to apply 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 for other reasons.

Foreign travellers visiting Europe who enjoy visa-free travel to the Schengen zone can get their preferred travel insurance policy if they want to and while it is highly recommended – they are not required to.

Travel Insurance plans like: Schengen Plus from Europ Assistance and Europe Travel from AXA not only provide the mandatory insurance certificate needed for a Schengen visa, but also offer an extended coverage wherever you travel in the Schengen area or in the EU. The countries covered include the Schengen area, plus EU countries: Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Cyprus, Ireland, as well as the U.K.

Travel Visa 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 of 2010:

“… Applicants for a uniform visa for one or two entries shall prove that they are in possession of 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 territory of the Schengen Area Member States and cover the entire period of the person’s intended stay or transit. The minimum coverage shall be EUR 30,000” (…)

Who must purchase Schengen Travel Insurance for Europe?

Anyone travelling temporarily to Europe from a country that is subject to visa requirements, be it an individual visitors or group visitors, tourists, or business travellers.

The Schengen VISA Insurance policy can easily be purchased online from Europ Assistance or AXA for a very low cost.

Who provides Schengen Travel Insurance?

First and foremost, the health insurance policy that you might already possess through your employment contract might cover international medical emergency expenses, however, there are usually limitations to this what is covered. Therefore, one shall be well aware of what to expect and what not to expect when having a medical issue in a Schengen territory.

Usually, travellers purchase an individual Schengen travel insurance policy for the days planned to spend in Europe at the rightful insurance provider.

Make sure the company you choose is licensed and accepted in the Schengen country you are planning to travel to.

We recommend buying Schengen visa insurance from Europ Assistance or AXA. Both companies are accepted by European Embassies and Consulates worldwide. You can also cancel it free of charge, if you present proof that your visa has been rejected.

How much does Schengen Travel Insurance cost?

The cost for Schengen visa insurance varies from company to company. Here are the premiums from AXA Schengen.

For more information about choosing the best Schengen insurance plan for your needs, please visit AXA website or Europ Assistance.

Helpful Tips about Europe Visa Insurance

As aforementioned, before purchasing another travel insurance policy for your upcoming travel to Europe make sure that the one you already have doesn’t cover or alleviate any international health emergency costs.

In case your policy does cover some international medical costs carefully check the restrictions and limitations to the travel insurance policy.

If you are travelling by car in the Schengen region and cannot afford to pay crazy amounts of money in case of an unpredictable car accident – or simply you are not willing to give all that money away, you should consider purchasing combined travel insurance including health matters as well as valuable possessions.

Depending on the travel destination the risk of illness varies with the changes in the climate or the natural habitat (unfamiliar microbe residents). It’s highly recommended for people with preexisting conditions like allergies, for example, to carry their medical file from their personal physician describing the condition and the drugs prescribed to maintain it. In case one has a chronic disease, again, it’s smart to be carrying the prescribed drugs in the amount needed for the days spent travelling in Europe.

What does Europe Travel Insurance policy usually cover?

A good travel insurance policy for Europe should cover the following costs:

• Medical emergency (accident or sickness) while in the Schengen Area
• Emergency evacuation
• Repatriation of remains
• Return of a minor
• Trip cancellation
• Trip interruption
• Accidental death, injury or disablement benefit
• Overseas funeral expenses
• Lost, stolen or damaged baggage, personal effects or travel documents
• Delayed baggage (and emergency replacement of essential items)
• Flight connection missed due to airline schedule crash
• Travel delays due to weather
• Hijacking
• Usually, the insurers cover pregnancy-related expenses, if the travel occurs during the first trimester. After that, insurance coverage varies from insurer to insurer.

Travel Medical Insurance policies for travelling to Europe that fulfil Schengen Visa requirements can be purchased online directly on AXA website or Europ Assistance.

Should travel visa insurance policy cover all Schengen Area countries?

Yes, travel health insurance policy should cover all member states: Austria, Belgium, 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 travel 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 to war, natural disasters or acts 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, make sure to get this coverage to protect you against any emergency situation that arises due to pre-existing conditions in spite of taking care.