Schengen Travel Visa Insurance for Europe: How Much Does It Cost?

Whether you need a compliant plan for a Schengen visa or simply want extra protection in Europe, understanding Schengen travel insurance costs is crucial. Fortunately, AXA offers several affordable, visa-compliant plans suited for every type of traveler — from short getaways to frequent trips throughout the year!

And in our costs guide below, we explore how Schengen travel insurance pricing works, comparing each of AXA’s comprehensive plans side by side. All this should help you find the most cost-effective Schengen coverage for your European journey in no time!

Name: Axel Strauss
Date: 09.10.2026

Schengen Travel Insurance costs: Table of Contents

• 🛡️ What is Schengen visa travel insurance (and who needs it)?
• 📋 What are the travel insurance requirements for a Schengen visa?
• 💶 Price of AXA BASIC Schengen insurance
• 💶 Price of AXA ESSENTIAL Schengen insurance
• 💶 Price of AXA PREMIUM Schengen insurance
• 💶 Price of AXA ANNUAL Schengen insurance
• 📊 Compare AXA's plans side by side
• 📉 What is AXA's Sliding Scale Pricing?
• ✅ What does AXA Schengen travel insurance cover?
• ➕ AXA's optional coverage and add-ons
• ❓ FAQs about Schengen travel insurance prices

What is Schengen visa travel insurance?

Schengen travel insurance is insurance designed specifically for travelers visiting any of Europe’s dozens of Schengen countries. And that’s whether you’re going to one, any, or all of them. Who needs Schengen travel insurance?

Schengen travel insurance is a mandatory requirement for anyone applying for a Schengen visa — which is actually the majority of travelers to Europe.

📍PRO TIP: But don’t worry, AXA can help you quickly answer whether you need a Schengen visa or not too.

Do I need Schengen travel insurance if I don't need a Schengen visa?

Legally speaking, no. But even if it’s not required, a solid plan provides 24/7 support and financial protection for both unexpected travel disruptions and medical emergencies. Moreover, Schengen travel insurance covers you seamlessly in not just one but across dozens of European destinations (and beyond). So visa or no visa, a comprehensive plan is always the best way to explore Europe safely — and without breaking the bank.

Travel insurance requirements to be granted a Schengen visa

If you do need a visa, the European Union mandates that your Schengen visa travel insurance plan:

• be purchased from an insurance company validated by the consular authorities of all Schengen countries
• have a minimum coverage of €30,000 in medical expenses (including hospitalization, emergency treatment, etc.)
• cover repatriation expenses (including in case of death)
• cover you in all the Schengen member countries
• be valid for the entire duration of your stay in the Schengen Area

IMPORTANT NOTE: And you’ll need to have a visa-compliant plan in place before you apply for your Schengen visa. Otherwise, your Schengen visa application will be automatically refused.

📍PRO TIP: AXA has all the deets about Schengen visa travel insurance requirements too.

👍GOOD NEWS!

All of AXA’s plans meet the EU requirements above. Plus, we email you an official Schengen visa-compliant AXA certificate instantly upon purchase — to then include with your visa application file.

Meanwhile, each AXA plan is custom-tailored to your budget and specific travel needs.

How much does AXA BASIC Schengen insurance cost?

Starting from €4.90

AXA BASIC is the budget option for travelers who need Schengen visa-compliant medical and repatriation coverage without paying for extensive extras. Its rate decreases as the insured trip gets longer.

• Medical coverage: Up to €30,000 (i.e., the Schengen visa minimum requirement).
  
• What's included: Emergency medical expenses, hospitalization, repatriation, 24/7 assistance and medical teleconsultation, plus other core benefits.
  
• Coverage area: Schengen Area + Andorra, Monaco, San Marino and Vatican City.
  
• Maximum trip: Up to 180 consecutive days.
  
• Optional upgrades: Medical coverage up to €50,000 and baggage protection up to €500 (for €9.90).

👉 Discover AXA BASIC here

How much does AXA ESSENTIAL Schengen insurance cost?

From €8.90

AXA ESSENTIAL provides higher medical coverage and broader European protection, including for Cyprus, Ireland, and the UK. Its daily rate also decreases for longer trips.

• Medical coverage: Up to €100,000 (with an optional increase to €250,000).
  
• What's included: Medical and repatriation assistance, 24/7 teleconsultation, personal liability, family assistance, search and rescue, and other extended benefits.
  
• Coverage area: Schengen Area + EU countries + UK + four European microstates.
  
• Maximum trip: Up to 180 consecutive days.
  
• Optional upgrades: Medical coverage up to €250,000 and baggage protection up to €1,000, including delayed-delivery compensation up to €400. The current AXA page lists the baggage option at €10.90.

👉 Discover AXA ESSENTIAL here

How much does AXA PREMIUM Schengen insurance cost?

From €23.90

AXA PREMIUM is the all-inclusive option, with AXA's highest medical limit and enhanced travel protections included as standard.

• Medical coverage: Up to €2 million.
  
• What's included: Medical and hospitalization expenses, repatriation, 24/7 assistance and teleconsultation, baggage protection, delayed-baggage coverage, family assistance and more.
  
• Coverage area: Schengen Area + EU countries + UK.
  
• Maximum trip: Up to 180 consecutive days.
  
• Optional upgrades: None required — PREMIUM is already all-inclusive.

👉 Discover AXA PREMIUM here

How much does AXA ANNUAL Schengen insurance cost?

From €349.95 per year

AXA ANNUAL is designed for frequent travelers to Europe as it covers multiple trips throughout the year (with each trip lasting up to 90 days).

• Medical coverage: Up to €100,000 per trip.
  
• What's included: Medical assistance and teleconsultation, repatriation, personal liability, death and disability cover, family assistance and other travel benefits.
  
• Coverage area: Schengen Area + EU countries + UK + European microstates.
  
• Duration: 1 year (with multiple trips of up to 90 days per trip).
  
• Optional upgrades: Medical coverage up to €2 million and enhanced baggage protection, including delayed-baggage compensation.

👉 Discover AXA ANNUAL here

Compare AXA’s Schengen travel insurance plans

Now, to help you easily choose the right level of coverage for your budget and trip, let’s break down AXA’s starting prices, medical limits, geographic coverage, and optional enhancements side by side:

How are Schengen travel insurance costs calculated?

Generally speaking, Schengen travel insurance pricing across the industry is primarily determined by the following factors:

• trip duration
• coverage limits
• destination scope
• traveler’s age
• optional policy add-ons.

And while standard baseline policies charge a daily rate to cover minimum emergency medical requirements, comprehensive plans like AXA’s adjust pricing based on individual traveler needs and circumstances.

How AXA prices its travel insurance plans

We strive to keep our overall costs affordable, straightforward, and transparent. All of our plans offer Schengen-visa-compliant coverage. And with 4 distinct plans to choose from, you can choose increased levels of protection, bonus features, and optional extras.

💡 Good to know:

• AXA Schengen prices are shown as net prices, with no hidden fees.
  
• Prices are not calculated on a daily basis, but according to duration brackets: you pay the same price for a 31-day stay as for a 25-day stay.
  
• A €20 flat fee may apply to claim payments made by bank transfer outside the European Union.

🙂GOOD NEWS! Moreover, AXA applies an automated multiplier system — aka “Sliding Scale Pricing” — where longer stays automatically lower your effective daily price (see below)!

And you can further personalize your coverage with higher medical limits and extra baggage protection too (see further below).

How AXA’s Sliding Scale Pricing works

For AXA’s BASIC, ESSENTIAL, and PREMIUM plans, the daily rate automatically decreases as your trip duration increases! So instead of charging a flat daily fee, your policy cost is calculated using an automated duration multiplier system.

This is known as Sliding Scale Pricing. And here’s how our progressive discount model reduces the daily price for each plan across different trip lengths (with daily rates and the corresponding savings):

We know — that’s a lot of math. But the gist of it is that prices drop as low as:

• €1.05/day for BASIC
• €1.66/day for ESSENTIAL
• €2.44/day for PREMIUM

In other words, extending your stay from a short weekend getaway to a long-term trip can cut your effective daily insurance cost by up to a whole 80%!

What does AXA Schengen travel insurance cover?

AXA Schengen travel insurance offers both the core protection required for a Schengen visa and plenty of practical benefits that can help if something goes wrong during your trip. For example:

Every AXA plan includes:

• Schengen visa-compliant travel medical insurance
• An instant online insurance certificate accepted by Schengen embassies worldwide
• Emergency medical expenses
• Hospitalization and emergency treatment + Emergency dental care
• Medical repatriation (including in case of death)
• 24/7 Medical Assistance
• Coverage across all Schengen countries
• ️Free remote medical consultation with our Doctor, Please! feature
• A refund guarantee if your Schengen visa is refused!

AXA’s optional coverage and add-ons

Depending on the AXA plan you choose, you can further personalize it accordingly by

• Increasing your medical expense limit
• Upgrading your baggage protection

Here’s a simple breakdown of these bonuses (and remember — the effective daily cost falls as your stay gets longer!):

🙂 GOOD NEWS: Meanwhile, AXA PREMIUM already provides our most comprehensive protection as standard — i.e., up to €2,000,000 in medical expenses, plus all the enhanced travel guarantees above!

Why choose AXA as my Schengen travel insurance?

So as you can see, AXA combines competitive pricing with comprehensive, first-class coverage well beyond the minimum Schengen visa requirements.
But — just in case — here’s a quick recap of why travelers the world over choose AXA Schengen travel insurance again and again.

AXA’s plans:

• Are Schengen visa compliant
• Provide an instant online certificate — via email — accepted by all Schengen embassies worldwide
• Are designed to fit every budget and travel style
• Have no upper age limit
• Require no medical exams
• Offer coverage across most of Europe (and beyond)
• Offer 24/7 expert emergency assistance (in human form!)
• Are fully refundable if your visa is denied
• Come with the peace of mind and reliability of being backed by an international, world-renowned travel insurance brand!

And to further see which plan, upgrade options, and add-ons work best for you, check out:

Better yet — get a few quotes, do your own math, and make your future European adventure safe, affordable, Schengen visa-compliant, and 100% worry-free today!

Here are a few more Schengen travel insurance guides that might help:

• How to choose the best Schengen travel insurance for my trip to Europe
• What is the best insurance for a multiple-entry Schengen visa?
• How to buy Schengen travel insurance online

FAQs about Schengen travel insurance prices

How much does AXA Schengen insurance cost for a 7-day stay?

For a 7-day trip, the 7–8 day duration bracket applies. The price varies depending on the level of coverage you choose:

• BASIC plan: €21.95
• ESSENTIAL plan: €32.90
• PREMIUM plan: €54.95

What's the difference between Schengen travel insurance and regular travel insurance?

Good question! Schengen travel insurance is specifically designed to meet the official Schengen visa requirements (minimum coverage of €30,000, repatriation, and validity throughout the Schengen Area). Regular travel insurance doesn't always meet these legal requirements.

Does AXA Schengen insurance cost more as you get older?

The price depends on the length of your stay and the plan you choose. AXA Schengen has no upper age limit, which means senior travellers can take out a policy regardless of their age.

A slight age-related adjustment may apply, but longer stays benefit from lower daily rates based on duration brackets.

Is the ANNUAL plan worth it if I travel to Europe several times a year?

It depends on the length of your trips and the plan you would otherwise choose for each journey.

In practice, ANNUAL can be particularly useful if you travel to Europe several times a year or hold a multiple-entry Schengen visa. You pay €349.95 once and can take as many trips as you wish, provided you comply with the 90-day rule in any 180-day period.

Beyond the potential cost savings, ANNUAL means you do not need to take out a new travel insurance policy before every trip. You also have a single insurance certificate valid throughout the year.

Which Schengen insurance plan should I choose if I want to spend as little as possible?

If your priority is to pay the minimum amount required to meet the visa requirements, BASIC is the most affordable option.

If you want higher medical coverage and additional protection, ESSENTIAL offers an intermediate level of cover. PREMIUM is designed for travellers looking for more comprehensive protection, while ANNUAL is intended for those who travel to Europe several times a year.

Can I purchase an AXA plan for someone else?

Definitely! AXA lets you easily take out a travel insurance plan for guests, loved ones, colleagues, employees, or anyone else. Simply provide their name, DOB, address, passport number, and itinerary, and purchase their plan. We’ll email the certificate — and they’re good to go to Europe!IMAGE