How Schengen Travel Insurance works

What is Schengen travel insurance?

All Schengen visa applicants are required to have travel insurance coverage. This is because it is one of the Schengen visa requirements. The policy you choose has to meet several different criteria. Schengen travel insurance is specifically designed to meet them.

Schengen visas are necessary for some travelers heading to the Schengen zone, which is an area of free movement in Europe. Citizens, residents, and travelers can move from country to country without having to go through customs and passport control at each border, and without having to apply for multiple visas.

The Schengen area has 29 member countries, including most of the countries in the European Union (except for Ireland and Cyprus). It also includes a few non-EU countries: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland.

The 29 countries in the Schengen area are: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.

Travel insurance is mandatory

Schengen travel insurance, sometimes called Schengen visa insurance, is mandatory for short-stay Schengen visa applications (Type C).

It's important to understand that there are several types of visas for the Schengen area, such as short-stay, long-stay, and even airport transit visas. The short-stay Schengen visa allows travelers to stay up to 90 days in the Schengen zone (within any given 180-day period).

One of the key requirements (Regulation (EC) No 810/2009) for being granted a Schengen visa (short stay) is having a travel insurance certificate that meets specific requirements, covering you in all Schengen member countries.

This ensures that any potential fees relating to urgent medical attention, medical repatriation, or even death abroad are covered during your trip overseas. Because of the free movement agreement between member countries, visa applicants must choose coverage covering them across the entire zone (all 29 countries).

When you apply for a Schengen visa, you will need to include your travel insurance certificate with your application. This means that you need to purchase a compliant policy before your trip and before your visa appointment.

Other types of visas, such as long stay or airport transit, may have other or varying insurance qualifications you'll need to meet.

The type of coverage required

You can choose which insurance you'd like to buy, but you'll need to make sure that it is 100% compliant with Schengen visa requirements.

To be compliant, your policy must meet these specific requirements:

• It has to cover you for the entire duration of your stay in the Schengen zone.
  • This means that the dates of your insurance validity must match the dates on your Schengen visa application.
• It must cover you in every Schengen country.
• It must provide a minimum coverage of €30,000 for emergency medical expenses, hospitalization, and repatriation.

Make sure you also pay close attention to the official checklist that you receive from the visa application center or consulate. If there are additional requirements you need to fulfill, you will find them there.

This could include guarantees like COVID-19 coverage, policies without deductibles (no excess), or one with no maximum day limit per trip.

Europe travel insurance vs Schengen travel insurance

European travel insurance and Schengen travel insurance can cover the same things, and are often confused for one another. Many travelers who need Schengen travel insurance search for Europe travel insurance (and vice versa).

Europe travel insurance covers you in Europe. However, what it covers, and to what extent, varies. This means that the policy you find may not meet Schengen visa requirements. The countries you're covered in can also vary.

Schengen travel insurance is designed to meet Schengen visa requirements. This means that when you take out a Schengen travel insurance policy, you can be sure the basic visa requirements are met. Though it is also technically a type of European travel insurance, it serves a very specific purpose.

While it's possible to find European travel insurance that meets Schengen visa requirements, some travelers find it easier to purchase Schengen travel insurance, so they're certain the policy is sufficient.

At the end of the day, both Europe and Schengen travel insurance will cover you for a range of unforeseen travel expenses, including medical expenses, during your trip abroad. However, if you need a visa, make sure that all of the requirements are met.

Schengen travel insurance vs Schengen travel medical insurance

They are the same thing. Schengen travel medical insurance is included within Schengen travel insurance. In short, it's the medical coverage part of the policy. Some policies that just focus on the fundamentals (so, medical coverage).

Schengen travel insurance can include additional coverage for a range of concerns outside of medical coverage, like:

• Lost or stolen belongings: Coverage for the loss or theft of personal belongings like luggage, passports, and other valuable items.
• Personal liability: Protection in the case of personal accidents or injuries abroad.
• Sports: Search and rescue assistance.
• Travel assistance: Access to 24/7 support services for travel-related issues, such as medical referrals, translation services, and travel advice, before and during your trip.
• COVID-19 coverage: Specific coverage for emergency COVID-related expenses.

The exact coverage of your insurance will depend on the policy terms.

Is travel insurance required for Europe?

Sometimes. All Schengen visa applicants must hold a compliant travel insurance policy. That said, not all travelers need it to visit the Schengen area. If you are visa-exempt, having travel insurance for Europe is not a legal requirement dictated by the zone.

That said, some countries can require you to take out travel insurance before visiting. Visa or not, always refer to an official embassy website to make sure you're prepared to meet all of the entry requirements.

At the end of the day, it is highly recommended to get insurance for your trip, since medical costs within Europe can be very expensive for non-citizens. While much of Europe has strong medical safety nets, they're typically reserved for citizens and legal residents.

Visa-exempt travelers

If you meet one of the following requirements, then you may be exempt from needing a Schengen visa:

• You are a citizen of a country that has a visa-free arrangement with the Schengen zone, such as the USA, Australia, the United Kingdom, or Canada. Citizens from these countries can freely enter the Schengen zone without needing a visa and are permitted for short-term stays (90 days within 180).
• You are traveling on a diplomatic, official, or other type of special passport.
• You are a British citizen. Since Brexit, British citizens can stay within the Schengen zone for up to 90 days in a 180-day period, provided that they are visiting as a tourist or for certain other reasons such as journalism or medical treatment (source). Britons can travel to any number of countries within the Schengen area during this 180-day period, provided that the total time within the zone does not exceed 90 days.

How to find the best Schengen travel insurance

One of the best ways to find a good insurance policy is by using a travel insurance comparison tool. It is the easiest way to compare and contrast travel insurance for your Schengen visa application.

Insurte's travel insurance comparison tool gathers information on multiple insurance providers to help you identify which policy is best suited to your needs. Plus, all of the policies shown meet the bare minimum visa requirements.

With tools like this one, you can filter your results according to the type of trip you want, like a single-trip or multi-trip, as well as the regions you want to cover.

Some of the most well-known insurance providers that offer Schengen visa travel insurance include Axa, Allianz, and Mutuaide. They can be compared apples to apples on Insurte to make sure that you're getting the right coverage at the best price.

The cheapest travel insurance for Schengen visas

It's never a bad idea to look at multiple policies when you're choosing your coverage, especially if your priority is the cheapest insurance option available.

Insurte's insurance comparison tool allows you to compare prices of different policies and select the most affordable choice, while still finding one that meets the requirements you need to fulfill.

Generally speaking, the cheapest travel insurance options are going to be those that offer a more basic level of coverage. There are ways to cut costs even further, though. Reducing the length of your stay will also bring down your cost, as will increasing your deductible (or excess). Again, make sure that you still meet your Schengen visa requirements (you must be covered for the entire duration of your trip).

Ultimately, it's worth remembering that the cost of insurance is a relatively small expense compared to the potential financial risk of traveling without it. Plus, for Schengen visa applications, it's mandatory, and your visa application won't be approved without it.

Comprehensive Schengen travel insurance

To ensure you have a premium policy that will protect you against an array of unforeseen events during your travels, you'll want to opt for comprehensive Schengen travel insurance.

Comprehensive options have higher thresholds in the payouts they offer, and they also may include more specific options, such as COVID-19 coverage. They may also be deductible-free, meaning in the moment of a crisis, you don't need to pay anything upfront before your coverage kicks in to support you.

When looking for comprehensive insurance, make sure you review the policy terms and conditions carefully to understand what is and isn't covered. Some of the things you should pay attention to are:

• Coverage limits: It's always a good idea to opt for higher coverage limits if possible, just in case.
• Deductibles: Comprehensive policies often come without deductibles, but not always. Make sure you check before you purchase.
• Additional Benefits: Look for additional benefits like lost luggage protection, sports coverage, and personal liability.
• Customer reviews: Check that previous customers have had a positive experience with the insurer.

Schengen travel insurance costs

There isn't a single, standardized cost. The prices vary depending on the coverage that you choose and the provider that you go with. The overall cost depends on the length of your stay, how many people need coverage, and the specific guarantees you want to be covered for.

On average, you might expect to pay €21+ for a Schengen travel insurance policy for a short-term stay, but again, this varies.

Generally speaking, Schengen travel insurance starts at a few dollars a day and goes up from there. In some cases, travelers opt for annual policies, which usually come at a flat rate.

The least expensive options are policies that provide the bare minimum coverage. More comprehensive policies come at a higher premium, but offer additional benefits and have higher cover limits.