What kind of travel insurance do I need for Schengen visa and Why do you need travel insurance for a Schengen visa?

As we’ve covered above, travel insurance for a Schengen Visa is mandatory. You won’t get your visa without it! However, not any travel insurance is valid to get your visa. A minimum requirement should be met in order your visa is approved.

Here are the Schengen Visa travel insurance requirements:

•           A minimum coverage of €30,000 for medical emergencies and accidents: keep in mind that European medical expenses aren’t cheap. If you buy cheap European travel insurance that only covers the minimum of 30,000 euros and you end up needing an operation that costs €50,000, you’ll have to pay €20,000 out of pocket. Do yourself a favor and shell out a bit more for extra coverage and security.

•           Coverage of repatriation fees in case of medical incidents or death: if you suddenly need to return to your country, your insurance has to cover the cost.

•           Coverage of all 26 Schengen Area countries that lasts the entire length of your trip: Even if you’re not planning to visit all 26 countries (which would be mega ambitious!), you need to be covered in all of them. Make sure you check the fine print of your insurance policy to ensure you don’t have any problems when you apply for your visa.

Why do you need travel insurance for a Schengen visa?

There are many reasons why you need travel insurance for a Schengen visa, but here are just a few.

1) Health emergencies

Travel insurance ensures that any health emergencies are taken care of during your travel. These could range from having an accident to falling sick and requiring medical attention. If this were to happen, you may be looking at expensive medical bills. Not only that, some countries might not even give you access to medical help if you do not have travel insurance. In addition, each country’s health system is different, for example, some hospitals provide their ambulance services through a private company, so you would be expected to pay for that.

2) Travel delays

It may have never happened to you before and the likelihood is small, but lost luggage, cancelled or delayed flights do happen which could seriously affect your trip, so this is another reason why travel insurance is so important.

3) Schengen Visa

If you are applying for a Schengen visa, you must provide proof of adequate travel insurance. Without this, there is really no point in applying because it is a mandatory requirement for all visa applicants. It is one of the most important documents that needs to be submitted to the embassy when you apply for your visa.

According to the “Regulation (EC) No 810/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 July 2009”:

“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”