Who needs Travel Insurance and why do we need Travel Insurance for a Schengen visa?

Generally, anyone who is traveling to any of the countries in the Schengen area needs to take out travel insurance. However, for citizens who enjoy visa-free status it is not mandatory to have travel insurance although it is still a good idea to have some. For citizens who need a visa to be able to enter the Schengen area, as mentioned above, it is a mandatory requirement of the visa application process. Proof of travel insurance must be provided to the embassy to avoid a rejected application.

Why do we need Travel Insurance for a Schengen visa?

There are many reasons why we 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”

Requirements for travel insurance when applying for a Schengen visa

As the above law states, when you apply for travel insurance for a Schengen visa, the policy must meet the following requirements:

1.       Insured for at least €30,000

2.       Cover is valid in all the member states of the Schengen area

3.       Must provide cover for emergency hospitalization, emergency medical attention, repatriation and death

4.       Must provide cover for the entire trip regardless of your reason for traveling.

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