Schengen Visa Travel Insurance Requiremnts, Options, and FAQs (2024)

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You can buy your Schengen insurance either in person or online at a local insurance provider in your country. To do this, you need to find the website of the Schengen embassy of the country where you’re applying for your visa. There you will find a list of local insurance providers that the Schengen embassy has approved.

You can pick out any insurance provider from this list and then buy your Schengen insurance without any worries about whether your insurance will be accepted or not.

Of course, you can also pick out a local provider that is not included in the list; you just need to make sure of the following things:

• The Schengen embassy where you’re applying for your visa doesn’t mind if you use a provider from outside the list, and
• The insurance provider you’ve chosen can sell you insurance that meets the Schengen visa requirements.

Another option where you can buy your Schengen insurance is an international insurance company or provider. This kind of insurance is usually sold by EU-based companies, and some of the most popular companies among visa applicants include the following:

• AXA.
• Allianz.
• Europ Assistance.
• MondialCare.
• Dr-WALTER.

In this case, you can buy your insurance entirely online. After you complete your payment, the insurance provider will email you the insurance certificate. Some Schengen embassies will also include these companies in their pre-approved list of insurance providers.

An insurance broker is an intermediary between you, the person who wants to buy the insurance, and the insurance company, the provider who is selling you the insurance.

So, you can also use an insurance broker to buy your Schengen insurance because it comes with its own advantages:

• Firstly, the insurance broker will do the searching for you and find you valid Schengen insurance from reputable providers and all you have to do is buy the insurance.
• Secondly, insurance brokers sell “products” from many insurance companies, which means you’ll have a wider range of options.

For example, US residents can use Insubuy to find Schengen insurance, as it offers many US-based companies that sell it. Insurte, on the other hand, offers several policies from famous companies like AXA and Allianz.

Both of them, Insubuy and Insurte, allow you to compare two or more providers side by side and their policies so you have a better understanding of what each company and each provider offers you.

If you book your Schengen trip via a travel agency, you can buy your insurance at that agency. Typically, travel agencies are aware of which insurance policies are accepted by Schengen embassies, so they work with the providers who sell those policies.

So, you can be at peace knowing that you are buying your Schengen insurance from a respectable insurance company, which means the embassy will not have an issue with your insurance.

The best option for selecting a provider is to find a list of approved insurance providers that each Schengen embassy posts on its website.

For example, let’s say you want to apply for a German visa from the Philippines. The website of the German embassy in Manila has a list of recommended insurance companies where you can buy insurance, as shown here. You can pick any provider from the list and buy your insurance from them, and you know for sure it’s a reputable provider since it’s being recommended by a Schengen embassy.

Most Schengen embassies will have a similar list of preferred insurance providers, so you can’t go wrong if you pick out a provider there.

However, you also have the option of buying your Schengen insurance from another provider outside the list as long as the insurance meets the Schengen visa requirements.

If you opt for this option, you need to find a reputable provider. But we’ve made this part easy for you by finding some of the best Schengen insurance companies and their plans.

Once you pick out a provider, check out the benefits of the Schengen policies they offer. Of course, it’s important that the policy meets the basic Schengen requirements, which include the €30,000 medical coverage, validity in all Schengen countries, and a validation period of your entire stay.

That being said, Schengen insurance can come with additional benefits, such as trip cancellation coverage, lost or stolen items, luggage coverage, liability coverage, etc. It can also offer you higher coverage for medical expenses up to €100,000.

Some other additional benefits you can look out for if you need them include:

• Sports coverage; if you plan on participating in any sports during your visit to the Schengen Area.
• Coverage for expensive gadgets if you plan on carrying equipment like your laptop or an expensive camera.
• Trip delay coverage; in case your trip gets delayed and not canceled.
• Car rental insurance if you plan on renting a car while in the Schengen Area.
• Coverage to other European countries if you plan on visiting other countries than the Schengen members.

Benefits and limitations go hand in hand, so it’s also very important to know your policy’s limitations and what it doesn’t cover— which, in the majority of cases with travel insurance, includes the following:

• Pre-existing conditions.
• Regular medical check-ups outside of medical emergencies.
• Dental and vision care outside of emergencies.
• Pregnancy coverage.

Additionally, some policies have age limitations, where individuals above a certain age are not covered, or time limitations, where you have to wait a specified period to file a claim with your insurance provider.

It’s important you understand all these limitations related to the policy so that when you want to file a claim on your insurance, there won’t be a chance of having your claim rejected.

Another important aspect of insurance is understanding how the claim process works. If you do it incorrectly, your insurance provider will not reimburse you.

Some things to consider about the claim process include:

• Can you do it online or over the phone, or do you have to do it in person?
• What kind of documents do you need? Do you need to provide just medical records, police reports, or other documents like receipts?
• How long does it take for a claim to be reviewed?
• What happens if the claim is denied?
• What happens if you file a claim later than a specified timeline in your policy?

These and other questions you need to discuss with your provider so you understand how the claim process works.

One important tip is to check out customer service and reviews to understand what kind of track record that insurance provider has with claims.

Generally, Schengen travel insurance is not overly expensive, and its costs tend to range between €15 and €100, depending on how long you plan on staying and how many people are insured.

Still, you don’t want to buy a highly expensive insurance plan because you think you need all the benefits it offers. There are some great Schengen insurance options that are affordable and have plenty of coverage. We’ve selected some of the cheapest Schengen insurance out there for you.

Read the fine print of your insurance policy carefully. This section has all the information you need about what your insurance doesn’t cover, how you can make a claim, what you need to make a claim, and pay attention to the language used carefully. Here you can usually spot hidden costs not mentioned in the policy, like additional co-payments.

If there is anything you do not understand, you can always consult with an insurance agent or even a legal professional to make sure you have a clear understanding of the policy you’re purchasing.

No, you need to buy your insurance before traveling so you can submit proof of insurance with your visa application.

If you don’t need a visa, then you can buy your insurance after you arrive or at the airport, but you are not covered for the time you traveled without insurance.

Let’s say you get food poisoning while you’re in the Schengen Area, so you visit an emergency room. Once you’re there, you’re admitted for urgent treatment, and you spend a night in the hospital and receive treatment.

You pay for the medical services and the medicine you need, and you provide your insurance details to the clinic. Meanwhile, you save all the important documents, such as hospital records, admissions, and receipts. Then, immediately after you’re feeling better, you call your insurance provider to file a claim on your insurance.

Once your claim is processed, you will receive a reimbursment from your provider for the services you paid.

Yes, you can. With most insurance providers, if you cancel within a specific timeframe after buying your insurance, for example, after 10 days, you will receive a refund for your insurance. The same will happen if your Schengen visa is denied.

Of course, you need to discuss this option with your insurance provider before you buy your insurance, as some providers won’t give you a full refund or don’t have cancellation timelines.

No, you can use your current travel insurance as long as it’s valid and meets the Schengen insurance guidelines.

But, you must make sure that the embassy of the Schengen country you’re submitting your application for accepts your current insurance.

Yes, if you’re traveling with your friends or family members, you can get a group Schengen insurance policy.

But it’s very important to keep in mind that all of your friends and/or family members need a separate insurance certificate so they can submit it with their visa application.

There are usually no age restrictions for Schengen insurance, as all visa applicants must possess valid insurance regardless of age.

However, some insurance companies may be more hesitant to cover senior citizens. In this case, you need to find an insurance policy that offers specific coverage for seniors.

Yes, in fact, you have no choice but to buy a Schengen travel insurance policy for your visa application, regardless of whether you have a pre-existing condition. In this case, however, you need to find a policy that also covers your pre-existing condition.

If your Schengen visa application is denied, most insurance companies will refund you for the travel insurance. You will also need to provide proof to your insurance provider that your visa was denied.

Of course, a refund option may not be available with all companies—you need to discuss this possibility with your insurance provider before you buy your insurance.

According to Article 15 of Regulation (EC) No 810/2009 of the European Parliament and the Council of 13 July 2009, also known as the Schengen visa code, you can be exempted from having travel insurance if you meet one of the following conditions:

• You belong to a specific professional group and are already covered by the same level of insurance as the Schengen insurance (e.g., seafarers who are already covered by medical insurance because of their profession).
• You are a holder of a diplomatic passport.

Please note that in some cases, family members of EU citizens can also be exempt from the insurance requirement. However, it’s still strongly recommended that you have insurance and verify this option with a corresponding Schengen embassy.

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