Many travelers who want to go to Europe need to get a visa. Candidates need to meet a series of specific requirements, one of which is getting travel insurance that meets the Schengen travel requirements.
Each year, millions of Schengen visa applications are submitted worldwide, and if the chosen policy doesn’t meet the criteria, the application will be denied.
With 29 countries in the Schengen area, including popular places like France and Spain, it is important to understand what the requirements are before finalizing and submitting your paperwork.
Coverage across all Schengen countries
It can be easy to assume that your insurance needs to cover you in your destination and only your destination, but this just isn’t the case. Per Schengen visa requirements, the chosen policy actually has to extend across all 29 member states, regardless of whether you’re heading to one country or five.
There is a good reason for this, though.
In the vast majority of cases, when you get approved for a Schengen visa, you gain access to not just one country, but 29. Even if you aren’t planning to travel to the other countries in the zone, you still have to have insurance that covers you there. Before purchasing a policy, make sure you check that the one you’ve selected covers you in all 29 countries.
Match policy dates with visa dates
Next, it’s really important to pay close attention to coverage dates. Consulates require that your Schengen travel insurance policy be valid for the entire duration of your visa. If a policy starts after your intended arrival date or ends before your departure, it won’t be accepted.
The minimum coverage requirement
In order to meet the Schengen rules, your insurance needs to cover you for at least €30,000 in emergency medical expenses. Travel insurance policies don’t automatically cover you for that minimum, so you need to check to make sure the one you’ve selected does.
If you want to have higher coverage, however, that is entirely up to you. The €30,000 threshold is a minimum. You can choose policies with higher coverage, of course. Companies like Insurte offer travel insurance designed to meet the requirements.
Repatriation and hospitalization
When it comes to medical expenses, policies also need to cover costs for emergency hospitalization and medical evacuation (repatriation). Hospitalization coverage ensures that you can get the necessary care after an accident, severe illness, or other emergency medical issue while you’re in the Schengen zone, without having to drain your savings account or be fronted by your host country.
On top of that, depending on where you are going, the right emergency services, equipment, and professionals might not be available nearby. Repatriation ensures that if something serious happens, you will be able to get medical evacuation, even back to your home country, if it is deemed warranted.
Even when policies seem to meet the core requirements, read the fine print before you purchase. The fine print will give you specific details that aren’t usually highlighted on the product page, exclusions specifically.
When you show your proof of compliant travel insurance, you need to show a certificate or letter from the insurance provider that has specific details on it, including the applicant’s name, coverage amount, validity dates, and geographic scope. Make sure that the insurance provider you purchase from gives you a proof of insurance certificate, not just a receipt showing proof of payment.
While it can feel natural to want to wait until after your visa has been approved to get your travel insurance, that isn’t possible when you’re applying for a Schengen visa. Your compliant insurance needs to be secured before your visa appointment so it can be submitted with your application, not afterward.
This means that you need to purchase your travel insurance early, ahead of your visa application appointment.
Make sure you get a policy that also covers what is important to you, such as lost or stolen luggage or passports.
Look for a company that offers refunds in case of visa refusals, such as Insurte, that way you’re not out the money you spent on your policy.
It can be helpful to have both printed and digital copies of your insurance certificate, so you can easily access a copy when requested by visa application center workers, consulate officers, or border officials.
