Schengen Travel Insurance: EU Requirements, Best Plans & Affordable Options for Visa Approval

Travelers from these countries are required to submit Schengen-compliant health insurance when applying for a visa:

• Afghanistan
• Algeria
• Angola
• Armenia
• Azerbaijan
• Bahrain
• Bangladesh
• Belarus
• Belize
• Benin
• Bhutan
• Bolivia
• Botswana
• Burkina Faso
• Burma/Myanmar
• Burundi
• Cambodia
• Cameroon
• Cape Verde
• Central African Republic
• Chad
• China
• Comoros
• Congo
• Côte d´Ivoire
• Cuba
• Democratic Republic of Congo
• Djibouti
• Dominican Republic
• Ecuador
• Egypt
• Equatorial Guinea
• Eritrea
• Eswatini
• Ethiopia
• Fiji
• Gabon
• Gambia
• Ghana
• Guinea
• Guinea-Bissau
• Guyana
• Haiti
• India
• Indonesia
• Iran
• Iraq
• Jamaica
• Jordan
• Kazakhstan
• Kenya
• Kuwait
• Kyrgyzstan
• Laos
• Lebanon
• Lesotho
• Liberia
• Libya
• Madagascar
• Malawi
• Maldives
• Mali
• Mauritania
• Mongolia
• Morocco
• Mozambique
• Namibia
• Nauru
• Nepal
• Niger
• Nigeria
• North Korea
• Oman
• Pakistan
• Papua New Guinea
• Philippines
• Qatar
• Russia
• Rwanda
• Sao Tome and Principe
• Saudi Arabia
• Senegal
• Sierra Leone
• Somalia
• South Africa
• South Sudan
• Sri Lanka
• Sudan
• Suriname
• Syria
• Tajikistan
• Tanzania
• Thailand
• Togo
• Tunisia
• Turkey
• Turkmenistan
• Uganda
• Uzbekistan
• Vanuatu
• Vietnam
• Yemen
• Zambia
• Zimbabwe

Now that you know what can go wrong, here’s a quick side-by-side comparison to help you distinguish between visa-compliant insurance and policies that often lead to rejections:

These examples will give you a clearer understanding of what your Schengen medical insurance certificate should look like and ensure it meets all the visa requirements.

Some Schengen consulates ask you to submit all of your visa application documents, including your Schengen trip protection certificate, in person. In this case, you have to locate the nearest embassy of the country you want to visit and make an appointment to submit your documents.

Please note that some embassies require you to submit an original certificate of your Schengen medical insurance.

A few Schengen countries have made it possible to submit your certificate along with your documents online. In this case, you just have to attach an electronic copy of the certificate (such as a PDF file) on the application portal.  You will typically receive an electronic copy of your insurance letter on your email, especially if you purchase the policy online.

Please note that even if you submit your documents online, in most cases, when you visit the embassy in person for your biometric submission, you may need to bring a physical copy of your documents, including your medical protection letter.

Rarely, some EU embassies or consulates may ask you to send the documents by post. In this case, they may ask you to arrange your documents in particular order, and your insurance letter will most likely be somewhere in the middle.

However, this depends on the embassy or consulate, so please make sure you contact the corresponding embassy or consulate for more detailed information.

Key Takeaways

• • Short trips (7 days): MondialCare (€17) and AXA Low-Cost (€20) are top value.
  • One month (30 days): Mutuaide Basic Lite (€45) beats all others.
  • Long stay (90 days): Mutuaide Basic Lite (€135) remains the cheapest.
  • Best premium upgrade: AXA Schengen Essential (€100,000 coverage, €5/day) for travelers wanting higher protection and wider coverage area (Schengen + UK + Ireland + Cyprus).

Travel insurance comparison websites allow you to compare and buy travel insurance policies offered by different providers. These sites serve as intermediaries between you and the insurance company as insurance brokers.

So, it’s important to note that comparison sites do not offer travel insurance of their own but sell health insurance policies provided by other insurance companies. They usually have a contract with specific companies and sell the insurance plans those companies offer.

Every insurer is different; however, there are ones that offer to cover additional costs if necessary. If not, additional insurance must be purchased to cover explicit costs like:

• Preexisting conditions (e.g. Asthma, diabetes)
• Sports with an element of risk (e.g. skiing, scuba diving)
• Travel to high-risk countries (e.g. Due to war, natural disasters or acts of terrorism)
• Acute onset of pre-existing conditions – It means a sudden and unexpected occurrence of pre-existing medical conditions without any prior warning from a health care professional. If you have pre-existing conditions, get this coverage to protect you against any emergency that arises due to pre-existing conditions despite taking care.

• As previously mentioned, travel insurers don’t cover preexisting conditions internationally. If you have a condition before your departure to Europe, you’ve consulted a doctor and are already on treatment, and you’ve decided to travel out of the country, in this case, you are not prone to any medical cost alleviations via your insurer. However, if one is proclaimed fit to travel having the condition under control, most commonly, travel insurance is ought to cover an unexpected emergency related to the condition when travelling in an international domain, an acute onset of the preexisting condition.
• Sports – Participation in high-risk activities such as extreme sports, e.g., scuba diving, skydiving, etc., can be excluded.
• War – Policies may exclude coverage for injuries caused by war when travelling to an endangered war zone.
• Duration – Many policies specify a time limit for coverage (e.g., 60 days), and the costs differ accordingly.
• Suicide in an international or domestic domain is excluded from any policy for self-inflicted injuries.
• In the case of any substance abuse, drugs or alcohol, domestic or international, the medical expenses won’t be covered by your insurance policy.

Most Europe travel insurance plans do not have trip cancellation benefits since they’re set up to include only medical coverage as required by the EU guidelines.

To get trip-cancellation benefits, you must buy a separate add-on and use it with your Schengen medical visa insurance.

To secure trip cancellation benefits, you may need to explore these options:

• Purchase an add-on policy specifically for trip cancellations through your existing provider.
• Opt for a separate travel insurance policy from another provider that includes trip cancellation benefits.
• Confirm whether your Schengen policy includes limited trip interruption coverage, which reimburses costs for returning home early due to unforeseen circumstances (e.g., family emergencies or natural disasters).

Important: These additional protections may increase the overall cost of your insurance plan.

Despite its name, a trip-cancellation benefit is limited in what situations it covers you in case you cancel your trip— it usually covers your cancellation only if you have strong reasons such as the following:

• A health emergency that makes it impossible for you to travel to the Schengen Area.
• A death in your immediate family.
• A natural disaster that hinders your trip.
• Unemployment which makes it impossible for you to go on your trip.

CFAR or “cancel for any reason” type of benefit, which allows you to cancel your trip for any reason and receive reimbursement from your insurance, is not available with Schengen travel insurance. This kind of add-on differs from trip cancellation because it’s not limited to the reasons why you can get reimbursement from your insurance in case you cancel your trip.

However, because Schengen medical insurance plans are designed to meet the EU visa guidelines and are considered a low-cost type of insurance, they don’t come with CFAR benefits, which might increase the cost of the overall policy.

Similar to trip-cancellation, you can buy a separate travel insurance policy which includes CFAR.

The trip cancellation benefit is worth it only in cases where you booked an expensive trip, and it’s non-refundable. In the case of Schengen insurance, because you have to buy it separately, more often than not, it is not worth it.

It’s an extra cost you have to pay for the possibility that you might end up canceling your trip, and you get reimbursement for only specific reasons.

If you’re really concerned about needing to cancel your trip to the Schengen Area and whether you can get a reimbursement, then we recommend you try to book a trip that has refund benefits built-in.

For example, you can book a hotel that refunds your reservation in the event of a cancellation or a flight ticket, and you can also get a reimbursement if your flight gets canceled.

No. If you hold a UK passport, you do not need a visa or mandatory insurance for short stays (up to 90 days within 180 days) in the Schengen Area. However, many travelers still buy European travel insurance for extra protection against medical emergencies, cancellations, or lost luggage.

No. The NHS only provides healthcare in the UK and is not valid in the Schengen Area. To meet EU visa rules, you must purchase embassy-approved travel health insurance with at least €30,000 coverage.

Yes. If you have a UK residence permit but your passport is from a country that requires a Schengen visa (e.g. India, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Bangladesh, Egypt, China, Ghana, Algeria, etc.), you must show proof of compliant Schengen health insurance when applying.

British citizens travelling to the EU must have one of the following types of health insurance:

• Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) – Apply for a GHIC for free on the NHS website.
• UK-issued European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).
• A private travel health insurance plan from an EU company.
• A private travel health insurance plan from a local UK company.

Here are some of the UK-based companies that offer travel health insurance that covers Europe:

• AllClear Insurance
• AIG UK
• Aviva
• Catholic Insurance
• Columbus Insurance
• Coverwise
• Ergo Travel Insurance
• Export and General Insurance
• Flexicover
• HSBC
• IMG Europe
• Insuder and Go UK
• Leisure Guard
• NatWest
• UK Post Office
• Profile Insurance
• Staysure
• TSB
• Voyager Insurance
• Worldwide Travel Insurance

The GHIC (Global Health Insurance Card) and the older EHIC (European Health Insurance Card) let UK citizens access state-provided healthcare when visiting EU countries, often at a reduced cost or even free. However, these cards only cover basic medical treatment that is considered necessary; they don’t protect you against every possible cost.

For example, a GHIC/EHIC will not cover:

• Treatment in private hospitals or clinics
• Medical repatriation back to the UK
• Trip cancellations or delays
• Lost or stolen luggage and belongings

This is where a separate travel insurance policy makes a difference. A travel insurance for Europe plan gives you broader protection, including emergency medical care, repatriation, trip interruption, and baggage coverage.

In short: GHIC/EHIC = limited healthcare access, while travel insurance = full financial protection for your trip.

No, your UK student health insurance will not be accepted for your visa application. You must have a separate Schengen-compliant travel insurance policy.

Under certain conditions specified in Directive 2004/38/EC of the European Parliament, immediate family members of EU/EEA nationals might not require travel insurance when applying for a visa to Europe. These conditions include:

• Accompanying or Joining: The family member must either accompany the EU/EEA national on the trip or be planning to join them in the Schengen Area.
• Financial Dependency: The family member might need to be financially dependent on the EU/EEA national.
• Specific Relationships: Exemptions typically apply to immediate family members such as spouses, registered partners, children under 21 (or older if dependent), or dependent parents.

It is not a strict requirement to get a policy with 0 EUR deductible; however, we strongly suggest that you get one without a deductible to be 100% sure that your Schengen visa application will not be rejected because of the travel insurance policy.

Yes, holders of diplomatic passports are exempt from the mandatory travel medical insurance requirement. They are not required to provide proof of insurance when travelling to the Schengen Area.

No, seafarers are exempt from this requirement based on their professional situation. Their existing medical coverage, obtained due to their work activities, is considered adequate and fulfils the insurance requirement for their stay in the Schengen Area.

According to Regulation (EU) 2019/1155 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 June 2019 amending Regulation (EC) No 810/2009, if you are applying for a Schengen multiple-entry visa, you must demonstrate that you have sufficient and valid travel medical insurance that covers the duration of your initial planned visit.

However, it’s important to note that you should maintain valid insurance whenever you plan to travel to the Schengen area in the future.

Yes, if you’re applying for a short-term EU visa for study, work, or business, you’ll need valid travel insurance. However, for those seeking long-term visas, the rules and insurance requirements can be different.

Yes, children applying for a Schengen visa must have travel health protection in place, usually arranged by their parents or guardians. The policy must comply with all the EU requirements.

Generally, low-cost plans focus on medical coverage only and do not include protection for trip cancellations or interruptions.

If having this type of coverage is important to you—for example, to recover costs if your flight is cancelled or you need to cut your trip short—you’ll need to either:

• Upgrade to a comprehensive travel insurance plan, or
• Add a separate cancellation/interruption rider to your policy.

Yes. Even the most affordable Europe visa insurance plans must include coverage for emergency medical evacuation and repatriation, since these benefits are mandatory under EU visa rules.

This means that whether you choose a low-cost or premium plan, you will still be protected if you need urgent transport to a hospital or medical repatriation back to your home country.

Most low-cost Schengen insurance plans do **not** include high-risk activities such as skiing, scuba diving, or other adventure sports. If you intend to take part in these activities, you’ll need to either:

• Add an optional sports coverage upgrade to your policy, or
• Choose a provider that offers a specialized adventure sports plan.

This ensures you’re fully covered in case of accidents or emergencies during your trip.

Many applicants in the UK and in other countries as well unknowingly purchase general travel insurance from high-street banks or local brokers – only to be rejected at the visa appointment.

Lesson learned? EU embassies/consulates don’t assess insurance based on brand name – they want very specific phrases, coverage levels, and wording. The best way to avoid this hassle is to choose from embassy-recognised providers who issue compliant certificates specifically for visa applications.