Schengen Travel Insurance: How to buy the best one online
You are planning a trip to Europe and more specifically to the Schengen Area. 29 countries which have agreed to allow travellers to move freely, without inner border control between its member states. However, before entering the land of the so-called old continent, it is very likely that you will need to subscribe to mandatory medical travel insurance, especially if you need a Schengen visa.
Here is a quick and easy guide to compare Schengen travel insurance offers and choose the best one for you: the one meeting all the requirements demanded by embassies and consulates, offering the best value for money and comprehensive coverage to protect you during your stay.
- Who needs travel insurance to enter Europe?
- What mandatory requirements must a Schengen travel Insurance meet?
- 10 golden rules to compare Schengen insurance policies.
- Why buy AXA Schengen Travel Insurance online?
- AXA Schengen Travel Insurance: which option suits you best?
Who needs travel insurance to enter Europe?If you need a Schengen visa…
Several billion people need a visa if they wish to enter the Schengen Area. This concerns the citizens of over a hundred countries. Check this list to find out if this applies to you.
Among the many documents required with your Schengen visa application, you will need to provide a travel insurance certificate. To be valid, it must meet several criteria (see below) imposed by the EU Visa Code.
Travel insurance is mandatory to apply for a Schengen visa.
PLEASE NOTE: You must subscribe to a Schengen travel insurance BEFORE applying for your visa. A travel insurance certificate features among the demanded documents to enclose with your visa application file prior to its examination.
If you don’t need a Schengen visa…
Your nationality does not require you to obtain a visa to enter the Schengen Area?
In this case, travel insurance is not mandatory but highly recommended by authorities. Why? Because no one is immune to health problems, accidents or other mishaps during a trip.
Adapted travel insurance covers, among other things, medical expenses in Europe. They can be very expensive for foreign visitors, particularly when sanitary repatriation is necessary.
Without international medical insurance, you risk having to pay huge medical bills without the possibility of being reimbursed when you get home. The cost of home repatriation can skyrocket in a (failing) heartbeat!
What mandatory requirements must a Schengen travel Insurance meet?
Your Schengen travel insurance must include the following guarantees to be accepted with your visa application:
- Minimum coverage of €30,000 for medical expenses.
- It must be accepted by all the countries and member states of the Schengen Area.
- It must provide coverage in all the Schengen Area countries.
- It must guarantee that expenses linked to hospitalisation and medical care due to health problems occurring during your trip are covered.
- It must allow you to be repatriated to your home country in case of serious health issues.
- It must be valid during the entire duration of your stay in the Schengen Area.
IMPORTANT
1. In order for your travel insurance to be in compliance with prevailing regulations, make sure your policy is accepted by all the member states of the Area, even if you plan to visit only one. Otherwise your visa application could be denied.
Here is the list of the countries which must be covered by your Schengen travel insurance:
- Austria
- Belgium
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Czechia
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Italy
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- The Netherlands
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
2. Don’t forget: if you fail to subscribe to mandatory travel insurance, your visa application might not be granted. Make sure to provide an approved travel insurance certificate to European embassies and consulates.
To find out more, read our article: How to choose your Schengen visa insurance?
10 golden rules to compare Schengen insurance policies
To make the wisest choice when it comes to Schengen travel insurance, make sure to compare the different products available on the market and ask yourself the following questions to determine which one is the best for you:
- Does it meet all the requirements (stated above) demanded to obtain a Schengen visa?
- Is the insurance company approved by the embassies and consulates of the country you wish to visit and by all of the Schengen states?
- Is there a deductible fee?
- Are there age limits for travellers?
- Does its price vary depending on the age of the insured?
- Is there a compulsory medical exam prior to your subscription?
- How long to do you have to wait to get the insurance certificate which must be enclosed with your visa application?
- Does it offer the best value for money?
- Is a refund guaranteed if your visa application is rejected?
- Does it offer additional cover guarantees: coverage extended to other countries, lost or stolen ID documents, search and rescue expenses, etc?
Our advice: read the General Terms and Conditions of all insurance contracts and make sure you are familiar with the exclusion clauses. We often focus on what IS covered and forget to check what is NOT!
AXA travel insurance is accepted with all Schengen visa applications.
- Schengen visa insurance meets all the European visa requirements.
- It is approved and accepted by the consulates and embassies of all the countries of the Schengen Area.
- It guarantees coverage of at least €30,000 and up to €100,000 (depending on the chosen option).
- It covers medical expenses, hospitalisation, sanitary repatriation and death of the insured.
- You are covered in all the member states of the Schengen Area as well as other non-Schengen European countries such as the United Kingdom (depending on the chosen option).
- It remains valid during the entire duration of your stay in the Schengen Area.
Other advantages of choosing our Schengen Travel Insurance
When you choose AXA, you benefit from:
- International reputation and expertise,
- 24/7 assistance with a team always available to attend your needs,
- Quick and simple online subscription,
- Immediate access to your Schengen Travel Insurance certificate. All you have to do is print it!
- Time saved: simply enclose the certificate with your application file.
- No age-limit.
- 0 deductible on medical files,
- The best value for money,
- A cheap travel insurance for the Schengen Area (from €22/week),
- The refund of your subscription if your visa application is denied,
- Many additional guarantees: shipment of prescription drugs, glasses and prosthesis, coverage of anticipated repatriation of other insured parties travelling with the victim as well as their luggage, coverage in case of anticipated return if the insured must interrupt their stay in Europe because of an emergency (a sick relative, for example)…
- COVID: all our insurance certificates subscribed online mention: “All Covid-19 related medical expenses covered.”
- 3 different options available, adapted to the needs and budget of all.
Don’t wait any longer and subscribe online to your travel insurance to visit the Schengen Area!
AXA Schengen Travel Insurance: which option is the best for you?
Because each trip to Europe is different and we all have different needs, AXA has designed 3 custom-made travel insurance options, all meeting the requirements of the Schengen visa application.
AXA Low Cost
Our cheapest option (from €22/week) is nonetheless perfect to obtain your Schengen visa! It meets all the requirements demanded, covers you in all the countries of the Schengen Area as well as 4 European microstates (Andorra, Vatican City, Monaco and San Marino). It includes maximum coverage of €30,000 (medical expenses, emergency hospitalization) and repatriation.
AXA Europe Travel
It meets all the Schengen Visa requirements. This option is the best choice for those who wish to travel within the Schengen Area as well as in other European countries. It provides coverage in the 27 Schengen countries + the European microstates + all the EU countries (including Cyprus, Bulgaria, the Republic of Ireland and Romania) + the UK.
It offers additional guarantees such as:
- coverage of search and rescue costs,
- the insured traveller’s trip home if they must interrupt their stay because of an emergency,
- transportation, accommodation and travel insurance for a relative to come visit the hospitalised or ill traveller if they are alone…
Other guarantees are also available. Starting price at €33 a week for a coverage of up to €100,000.
AXA Multi-Trip
It meets all the Schengen Visa requirements. This annual travel insurance is ideal for those who often travel to Europe as well as multiple-entry Schengen visa holders.
It covers the 27 Schengen countries + the European microstates + all the EU countries (including Cyprus, Bulgaria, the Republic of Ireland and Romania) + the UK. Its additional guarantees are the same as those of Europe Travel. It offers a €100,000 coverage at a starting price of €328 a year.
Comparative table of the 3 AXA Schengen travel insurance options
| Coverage duration | Max. Coverage | Countries Covered | Average price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low Cost | Up to 180 days | €30,000 | Austria, Belgium, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland | 22 € per week |
| Up to 180 days | €100,000 | Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom | 33€ per week (approx. US$ 35) | |
| Multi Trip | Illimited number of stays of 90 days max. during 1 year | €100,000 | 328€ per year approx. US$ 349) |
If you want to find out more, make sure to read the following articles:
The 27 countries of the Schengen area:
Which countries can I visit with Schengen travel insurance?
Which countries are the easiest to obtain a Schengen visa from?
How long does it take to get a Schengen Visa?
What mandatory guarantees must a Schengen visa insurance meet to be accepted?
To be accepted with your Schengen visa application, your international medical insurance must meet several criteria: medical expenses covered up to at least €30,000, coverage of repatriation (sanitary or of the body in case of death) - it must remain valid during the entire duration of your stay in the Schengen area- it must cover all the countries of the Schengen zone and it must be valid in all countries part of the Schengen area even if you do not intend on visiting them.
What does a certified Schengen visa insurance mean?
It means that the insurance company where you have subscribed your travel insurance is officially recognized as valid by the consulates and embassies of the Schengen countries. If the international medical insurance is not considered as valid your visa application will be denied.
Can Schengen visa travel insurance subscription be refunded if the visa application is denied?
Some companies –such as AXA Schengen insurance- guarantee the refund of the subscription fee if the visa application is denied. A written proof supporting the refusal and delivered by the consulates and embassies will need to be provided.