Schengen visa insurance is required by Community law when applying for Schengen visa. When applying for Schengen visa, one must provide a number of attachments to the Schengen visa application, and Schengen visa insurance is one of the mandatory documents.

In issuing Schengen zone visitors' visas, Embassies and Consulates are bound by the relevant provisions of Community law.

In accordance with the European Council regulation, travellers must have travel insurance that covers any expenses incurred as a result of emergency medical treatment or repatriation for health reasons. You need to have a health insurance to cover urgent medical attention, emergency hospital treatments, and other health expenses.

Schengen visa insurance

Visa holders are required to have travel health insurance valid for the entire Schengen zone with a minimum coverage of EUR 30,000.

Although Schengen visa insurance may be purchased by the traveler's host or by the traveler in the destination country, as a rule Schengen visa insurance should be acquired in the applicant's own country. Schengen visa insurance can be purchased on-line from well-known insurers. You can find on-line providers here: Schengen insurance.

Schengen insurance can be purchased on-line from reputable providers . Schengen insurance medical coverage typically can be purchased in limits of $50,000, $100,000, $500,000, and $1 million. Depending on your age and the amount of coverage selected, you can expect Schengen insurance premium to range from $1 to $10 per day.

The proof of Schengen visa insurance must be submitted by the applicant along with the Schengen visa application. Copies of your Schengen visa insurance documents may be submitted with the application, but originals must be presented to the application processing clerk. Contact your Embassy or Consulate for specific details. Original documents proving your Schengen insurance coverage may be required by the border patrol as well.

Your Schengen visa insurance must cover the duration of the requested visa. If you are requesting a multiple-entry Schengen visa, the processing Embassy or Consulate may require annual Schengen visa insurance.

Schengen visa insurance for transit

The requirement to obtain Schengen insurance applies to most types of visa and to any reason for traveling to the Schengen zone. Regardless of if you stay ("stay" = Schengen visa category C) in one or several Schengen countries or just travel through ("transit" = Schengen visa category B), you still must demonstrate, in support of your visa application, that you are in possession of adequate and valid travel Schengen insurance. This means that Schengen visa will not be issued if you do not provide a proof of travel Schengen insurance.

There is one exception to the Schengen visa insurance requirement. The airport transit visa (category A visa) does not require travel insurance.

Schengen insurance important note

Even though all Schengen countries are in Europe, do not confuse Shengen countries with European Union (EU) countries. The Schengen zone and the European Union demarcate two different agreements between European countries. See Schengen zone and compare to the EU member countries. The requirement to purchase Schengen visa insurance relates to the Schengen zone.

Questions about where to get best rates for Schengen insurance?

You are welcome to ask your questions and discuss the Schengen visa insurance in our discussion forum. You can find two threads related to Schengen visa for example here: Can I work in Germany with the Schengen visa? or here Need Schengen visa to travel from UK to France? (I am from India).


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