New and unfamiliar food, culture, climate, environment, people; as satisfying and pleasurable travelling to another country is, it certainly comes with its own risks. In times like these, it is certainly essential to stay insured. If your visit is to the much coveted Europe, a Schengen visa insurance is a crucial entity.
Although it is not an obligatory requirement for all travellers to Europe, it certainly is mandatory for people applying for a Schengen visa. The Schengen visa travel insurance will act as a financial cover in case of medical emergencies such as an accident, injury, or even other sudden unfortunate events. Be it compulsory or not, insurance is highly recommended while travelling.
Schengen Visa Insurance Requirements
Among the documents required while applying for the Schengen visa, the travel insurance is once of the most important. Without insurance, your application will almost always be rejected. As per the regulations, the travel insurance must be according to the following Schengen visa insurance requirements -
- It must cover the entire travel period of the applicant in the Schengen. (up to 90 days in a half-year).
- It must have a minimum coverage of at least 30,000 Euros.
- The insurance must be valid all of the Schengen states regardless of whether the applicant is planning to visit them or not.
- It should cover expenses that arise in case of medical emergencies including death.
- There must be zero deductibles.
Every applicant for the Schengen visa must possess this document regardless of the purpose of the visit. In other words, travel insurance is a must when applying for a Schengen visa. Even if they are just travelling on a 24-hr transit visa, they are still mandated to get the insurance. However, for individuals who do not require a visa to enter the Schengen, there is no requirement to get this. Although, it certainly is strictly advised to get one as medical expenditure in Europe can be quite expensive.
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Who must purchase Schengen Visa Travel Insurance?
All the travellers visiting any of the Schengen countries from a country that is not under the visa-exempt category must possess the Schengen travel insurance. This includes individuals or a group of travellers regardless of the age of the applicant, duration of stay, or purpose of visit.
Since India is not among the visa-exempt countries, all Indians nationals must purchase a Schengen visa travel insurance India before applying. Although there are various options while doing so, you must purchase an insurance that at least meets the requirements mentioned above.
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Who provides Schengen Travel Insurance?
There are various insurance providers in today’s market. In fact, the provider with whom you have a health insurance policy might even cover international travel. However, they usually have certain limitations. As a result, you must still check if they meet the conditions required for the Schengen visa insurance.
These days, you can even apply for a Schengen visa travel insurance online. Nevertheless, it is essential to note that you must select an insurance provider that has been licensed and is accepted by the Schengen country’s embassies and consulates.
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How much does Schengen Travel Insurance Cost?
Purchasing your Schengen visa insurance policy can be a complicated process. However, here are a few tips that will help you with this and choose the best policy to ensure a stress-free trip.
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- Before proceeding to buy a new one, check your current health insurance for the details on what it covers. In certain cases, your current insurance may already cover international trips to Europe.
- If it does cover medical costs for international travel, check the conditions and limitations on the policy. You must also check if it meets the requirements for the Schengen visa insurance. (min 30,000 Euros)
- In case you are travelling via road to the Schengen, it is always better to get add ons to your medical insurance that covers your valuable possessions in case of road accidents.
- Apart from normal insurance covering medical emergencies, you can also choose policies that cover loss or theft of your valuable possessions, flight cancellations and so on.
- If you are travelling to a high-risk zone, taking part in adventure sports, or if you are travelling with pre-existing conditions, it is recommended that you purchase additional insurances to cover these.
- Since you might be exposed to various climate and environmental conditions, there is a high risk of illnesses. As a result, if you possess any pre-existing medical conditions, it is always advised to carry your medical file describing the condition, as well as any prescription for the drugs. This can help in case an emergency arises while you are in the Schengen region.
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What does Schengen Travel Insurance Policy usually covers?
Based on the individual Schengen visa insurance policy offered by the providers, they may cover a number of situations. Although the mandatory insurance is required to cover medical emergencies mainly, good insurance for the Schengen would cover the following -
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- Medical emergencies including injuries, accidents and any illnesses.
- Emergency evacuation.
- Repatriation of remains in the case of death.
- Flight cancellations.
- Flight delays or interruptions to the travel.
- Funeral expenses overseas.
- Valuable personal belongings in case of theft, loss or damage.
- Baggage delay or loss.
- Travel delays due to weather conditions.
- Hijacking or other emergency situations.
- Pregnancy-related emergencies.
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Should Travel Visa Insurance Policy cover all Schengen Area Countries?
Even if you plan on visiting only one Schengen country, travel insurance for Schengen area must be valid and cover all the Schengen area countries. This is for your own benefit in cases where you might need medical attention from other countries. The Schengen visa insurance policy must cover Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Lithuania, Latvia, Malta, Norway, Netherlands, Portugal, Poland, Spain, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland.
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How to find cheap Schengen Visa Insurance?
Travel insurances come in various shapes and sizes. A cheaper travel insurances don’t necessarily mean it’s lower quality. In fact, a lot of good insurances are cheap. In order to find a Schengen visa travel insurance cheap, you will have to spend a good amount of time researching about the various insurances services in the market.
While doing so, you must compare the features of the policies such as the cost, the losses they cover, the coverage, and all the other conditions. You must also check if these meet the minimum requirements for the Schengen visa insurance.
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Which Nationals are required to purchase Travel Insurance for Schengen Visa?
Nationals of the countries that do not require a visa to enter the Schengen also do not necessarily require insurance. However, all the people who require the Schengen visa must also purchase travel insurance for Schengen area. Nationals of the following countries must acquire insurance as per the Schengen visa insurance requirements -
| 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 |
| Cote D’Ivoire | Cuba | Dem. Rep. of Congo | Djibouti |
| Dominican Rep. | Ecuador | Egypt | Equatorial Guinea |
| Eritrea | Ethiopia | Fiji | North Korea |
| Gabon | Gambia | Ghana | Guinea |
| Guinea-Bissau |
Guyana | Haiti | India |
| Indonesia |
Iran | Iraq | Jamaica |
| Jordan |
Kazakhstan | Kenya | Kosovo |
| Kuwait |
Kyrgyzstan | Laos | Lebanon |
| Lesotho |
Liberia | Libya | Madagascar |
| Malawi |
Maldives | Mali | Mauritania |
| Mongolia |
Morocco | Mozambique | Namibia |
| Nepal |
Niger | Nigeria | Northern Mariana’s |
| Oman |
Pakistan | Papua New Guinea | Palestinian Authority |
| Philippines | Qatar | Russia | Rwanda |
| Sao Tome and Principe | Saudi Arabia | Senegal | Sierra Leone |
| Somalia |
South Africa | South Sudan | Sri Lanka |
| Sudan |
Suriname | Swaziland | Syria |
| Tajikistan |
Tanzania | Thailand | Timor-Leste |
| Togo |
Tonga | Tunisia | Turkey |
| Turkmenistan |
Uganda | Uzbekistan | Vietnam |
| Yemen |
Zambia | Zimbabwe |