Schengen Travel Insurance: Visa-Approved Cover You Can Buy Online
Applying for a Schengen visa requires providing a medical insurance certificate that meets strict rules: at least €30,000 in medical coverage, repatriation, and validity across all Schengen countries for the exact dates of your trip. VFS, TLScontact and consulates check these details carefully, and a simple mistake — a missing date, a limited coverage zone or a name that doesn’t match the passport — can delay or block the application.
This guide explains clearly and practically what a “Schengen-compliant” insurance policy must include, how consulates verify it, how much it usually costs, and how to avoid refusals linked to insurance.
- Schengen visa insurance is mandatory for all nationalities requiring a visa (see below table).
- Your certificate must show: €30,000 minimum, repatriation, full Schengen area, correct dates, exact passport identity.
- Errors in insurance documents are among the most common causes of refusals (wrong dates, missing repatriation, unclear zone).
- A compliant policy typically costs €10–€50, depending on trip length and country of residence.
- Choosing an insurer that provides an instant Schengen certificate and offers refunds if your visa is refused helps secure your application.
Is Schengen visa insurance mandatory?
Yes. Anyone who needs a short-stay Schengen visa must provide medical insurance covering at least €30,000, including emergency care, hospitalisation and repatriation. Consulates and VFS/TLS check that the certificate clearly states the coverage amount, the Schengen Area, the exact dates of travel and the insured person's identity. Without a compliant certificate, the application is considered incomplete and cannot be accepted.
What your Schengen visa insurance must include
To be accepted by VFS, TLScontact or a Schengen consulate, your insurance certificate must follow a clear set of rules. Each point below must appear explicitly on the document.
Minimum medical coverage of €30,000
Your policy must include at least €30,000 for:
- emergency treatment
- hospitalisation
- medically necessary care
- medical transport
The amount has to be written exactly on the certificate. Anything unclear, listed in a different currency, or described without a clear euro amount tends to trigger corrections.
Valid in all Schengen countries
Your insurance must cover the entire Schengen Area, not just your entry country.
Acceptable wording includes:
- “Valid in the Schengen Area”
- “Coverage in all Schengen states”
Mentions like Europe, EU only or a single country are often considered non-compliant because the geographic scope is not explicit.
Exact dates matching your trip
Your certificate must cover:
- the first day you enter Schengen, and
- the last day you leave,
with no gaps.
If your travel dates change, request an updated certificate before your appointment so your file remains fully consistent.
Clear identity and verifiable details
These elements must be easy to read and match your passport. For international applicants, certificates are commonly presented in English, which is widely accepted by visa centres and consulates:
- Full name exactly as written in the passport
- Coverage dates
- Schengen Area clearly mentioned
- €30,000 minimum
- Repatriation included
- Insurer name, policy number and 24/7 assistance contact
If the certificate looks vague, incomplete, or cannot be verified, the visa centre may request a correction before accepting the file.
Multi-entry visas and annual insurance
Multiple-entry visas
For the multiple-entry visa application, you generally need to insure only your first trip, not the full validity of the visa. However, border officers may still ask for proof of insurance on later entries.
Annual travel insurance
Some annual policies are rejected because they don’t provide a Schengen-specific certificate that includes:
- exact travel dates
- €30,000 minimum
- explicit Schengen zone
- clear repatriation wording
A dedicated Schengen policy is often the safest option for avoiding administrative issues.
When VFS/TLS and consulates check your insurance
Your certificate is usually reviewed at two stages:
- During the submission appointment: they verify your name, dates, Schengen Area wording and the €30,000 + repatriation requirement.
- At the border: officers may ask for proof of valid insurance, especially if travel dates changed or if you hold a multi-entry visa.
A certificate that is unclear, incomplete or misaligned with your itinerary often requires correction and may delay the entire application.
Using a provider like HelloSafe helps you receive a visa-ready certificate with the correct wording, dates and Schengen zone, which makes the administrative review smoother.
Choose insurance with a refund if your visa is refusedHow much does Schengen visa insurance cost?
The price of a Schengen visa insurance policy usually starts at just a few euros for short trips. Costs vary mainly according to the length of your stay (up to 90 days), the level of benefits, and sometimes the traveller’s age or country of residence.
These ranges reflect typical prices observed for travellers applying from countries such as India, Nigeria, Pakistan, South Africa, the UK and the US.
Even at the upper range (around 132 USD for 90 days), Schengen visa insurance remains one of the lowest costs in the overall visa application budget (visa fees, VFS/TLS charges, travel, etc.).
With a provider like HelloSafe, you can get a Schengen-ready certificate in minutes and, in many cases, benefit from a refund if your visa is refused — which helps protect applicants financially.
Get Schengen visa insurance from €1/dayWho needs Schengen visa insurance and who buys it
Schengen medical insurance is mandatory for all travellers who require a short-stay visa (Type C). Visa centres and consulates check the certificate carefully, and a missing detail — name, dates, coverage zone or the €30,000 minimum — is enough to delay or block the file.
Visa-exempt travellers (US, UK, Canada, Australia, etc.) do not submit insurance for a visa, but border officers may still request proof of coverage on arrival. It is therefore strongly recommended to have travel medical insurance, as it effectively becomes your health coverage while abroad — covering emergencies, hospitalisation and repatriation, which can be extremely costly without a policy.
Nationalities most often applying for Schengen visas
Based on 2024 Schengen Statistics, several English-speaking or predominantly anglophone countries submit large numbers of applications, with refusal rates that vary widely. These travellers almost always need Schengen-compliant medical insurance.
Country | Visa applications (2024 approx.) | Refusal rate |
|---|---|---|
India | 1,108,239 | ≈ 15% |
Nigeria | 111,201 | ≈ 46% |
Pakistan | 78,362 | ≈ 47.5% |
Philippines | 218,301 | ≈ 6% |
South Africa | 193,768 | ≈ 5.7% |
Kenya | 66,329 | ≈ 29% |
Ghana | 56,032 | ≈ 45.5% |
USA | 201,602 | ≈ 4% |
United Kingdom* | 470,569 | ≈ 6.9% |
*UK travellers are visa-exempt but often choose travel insurance for medical protection or for potential checks by airlines or border authorities.
In countries with high refusal rates (30–40% and above), consulates examine documents very closely. A clear, compliant insurance certificate removes one of the simplest causes of administrative refusal.
Traveller profiles who most often buy Schengen insurance
- Parents and grandparents visiting family in Europe: often travelling for 2–4 weeks and prioritising a readable certificate with exact dates and clear Schengen wording.
- Students travelling to Europe: typically choose affordable compliant options, focusing on instant certificates accepted by visa centres.
- Expats and workers living in the Gulf: often need an instant PDF and sometimes an invoice; accuracy of identity and dates is essential.
- Partners joining a spouse or family member in Europe: files may be reviewed closely, so applicants prioritise flawless certificates (identity, dates, repatriation).
- Business travellers: short trips with tight schedules; need fast delivery and verifiable documents (assistance contact, policy number).
Many applicants share in online communities (including Reddit) that the most frustrating delays come from certificates that don’t match the application exactly.
Using a provider like HelloSafe helps travellers receive an instant, Schengen-ready document that meets the formatting consulates expect, reducing one of the most common sources of administrative corrections.
What Schengen visa insurance covers and what it does not
Schengen visa insurance protects travellers in case of medical emergencies during a short stay in Europe. Consulates require only a specific set of guarantees. The table below clarifies what is mandatory, what is recommended, and what each element means in practice.
Mandatory and recommended guarantees for Schengen visa insurance
Guarantee | Mandatory for the visa? | What it means | Expert tip |
|---|---|---|---|
€30,000 minimum medical coverage | ✅ Yes | Required by all Schengen states; must appear clearly on the certificate. | Consider higher limits for seniors or longer stays. |
Emergency care and hospitalisation | ✅ Yes | Must be included under the medical limit. | Ensure “emergency medical expenses” is explicitly written. |
Repatriation | ✅ Yes | Must be explicitly mentioned; missing this is non-compliant. | Prefer wording that clearly states medical repatriation. |
Coverage valid in the entire Schengen Area | ✅ Yes | Single-country coverage is not accepted. | The certificate should state “Schengen Area” clearly. |
Exact trip dates | ✅ Yes | Dates must match flights, forms, hotel bookings. | Update the certificate if your appointment or flights change. |
Identity matching the passport | Required for verification | Consulates check spelling and order of names. | Make sure hyphens, spacing and double names match exactly. |
24/7 medical assistance | Recommended | Useful for emergencies, especially abroad. | Prefer providers with multilingual support. |
Higher medical limits | Recommended | Extra protection for longer stays or higher risk. | Often useful for older travellers. |
Baggage protection | Optional | Not required for the visa. | Useful only if you carry valuables. |
Trip cancellation | Optional | Not considered in visa approval. | Relevant only for non-refundable bookings. |
What Schengen visa insurance does not cover
Schengen-compliant insurance meets visa rules, but it does not replace full international health insurance. Common exclusions include:
- Pre-existing medical conditions known before the trip
- Routine or planned treatments (check-ups, long-term care)
- Extreme sports or risky activities unless specifically included
- Alcohol- or substance-related incidents
- Costs after the insured dates (overstays)
- Intentional acts, self-inflicted harm or fraud
- Non-urgent medical procedures
These exclusions are standard across many travel policies, regardless of nationality.
How to choose a Schengen-compliant insurance policy in 10 minutes
Choosing insurance for a Schengen visa is not just about price — it’s about getting a certificate that visa centres and consulates will accept immediately. HelloSafe simplifies the process so travellers can secure a compliant document in just a few minutes.
Step 1: enter your details and see only Schengen-compliant options
Start by entering your country of residence and travel dates.
HelloSafe filters policies that can issue a certificate meeting the Schengen rules, which helps travellers applying from higher-scrutiny regions keep documentation precise.
Visa-exempt travellers (US, UK, Canada, Australia) can also use the tool to obtain coverage recommended for border checks and medical protection.
Step 2: compare guarantees that consulates verify line by line
Each policy displayed meets the essential Schengen requirements:
- €30,000 medical coverage
- repatriation included
- Schengen Area clearly stated
- exact travel dates
- identity matching the passport
Optional extras (higher limits, baggage, cancellation) can be added, but they are not required for the visa.
Step 3: get your visa-ready PDF instantly
Once purchased, the certificate is generated quickly and sent by email as a PDF ready for your VFS/TLS appointment.
Travellers often use this to:
- buy for themselves or for a parent abroad,
- receive the certificate immediately,
- request date or spelling corrections if plans change.
This prevents common delays caused by a certificate that doesn’t match the rest of the file.
Refund if your visa is refused
If your visa is denied, the insurers available through HelloSafe offer a refund when the official refusal letter is provided. This helps protect applicants from losing money in regions where refusal rates are high.
How does the refund process work?
- You send the official refusal document to hellotravel@hellosafe.fr or via the HelloSafe chat.
- The team checks the validity of the document.
- Once approved, the refund is issued through Stripe.
- The amount is usually credited within 2 to 3 days.
HelloSafe works only with insurers who issue Schengen-specific certificates, delivered instantly and formatted for visa submissions.
If your travel dates or appointment change, you can request an updated certificate so your file stays aligned, which prevents many administrative corrections.
Schengen visa refusals linked to insurance: mistakes to avoid
Insurance is one of the easiest parts of your visa file to get right, yet it remains a frequent cause of refusal. Most issues come from certificates that are unclear, incomplete or misaligned with the application.
The five mistakes that lead to insurance-related refusals
- Coverage below €30,000: even slightly under the threshold, or unclear currency conversions, can make a certificate unacceptable.
- No explicit mention of repatriation: if “repatriation” isn’t clearly written, the document is treated as incomplete.
- Coverage limited to one country: single-country coverage is automatically non-compliant for a Schengen visa.
- Dates that don’t match your itinerary: a one-day gap often leads to corrections or delays.
- Certificate not verifiable: missing insurer details, no assistance contact, wrong spelling of your name, or unclear formats.
These issues don’t depend on the traveller’s profile; they simply block the administrative process.
What a refusal can cost you
A rejected visa can mean losing:
- the visa fee
- the VFS/TLS service fee
- the insurance cost
- time, appointments and potential travel bookings
In many cases, the financial loss reaches €150–€200, not counting the delay of the trip.
Checklist before going to VFS/TLS/consulate
To check | Why it matters |
|---|---|
Name matches passport exactly | Spelling, order, hyphens and spacing can cause issues |
Dates match your itinerary | One missing day can trigger a correction request |
“Schengen Area” clearly stated | Single-country wording is not accepted |
€30,000 and repatriation | Mandatory for all Schengen states |
Insurer and assistance details | Certificate must be verifiable |
Updated certificate if dates change | Keeps the file coherent |
Print this checklist: it covers the most common reasons for administrative corrections.
Choosing a provider that issues visa-ready certificates greatly reduces these risks.
With HelloSafe, travellers receive a clear, compliant, instantly downloadable PDF, and can request quick corrections if a name or date needs updating.
Will border officers actually check my insurance?
Even with an approved visa, Schengen border police can ask to see your medical insurance when you arrive. It’s not systematic, but it happens often enough that travellers should keep their certificate ready. A visa allows you to travel to the border, but entry is granted only if your situation still matches what you declared, including valid medical coverage.
The border check is different from the visa-centre or consulate check:
- During the visa process, the focus is: “Does your insurance meet Schengen requirements?”
- At the border, the question becomes: “Is your insurance valid today and for this trip?”
Travellers are more likely to be asked for insurance when:
- they arrive on a different date than declared,
- they use a multiple-entry visa for another trip,
- their stay appears longer than what the certificate covers,
- their itinerary raises questions.
Busy entry points such as Paris, Frankfurt, Madrid, Amsterdam and Rome are often mentioned in traveller experiences.
Typical scenarios where officers ask for insurance
Situation | Likelihood of being asked for insurance |
|---|---|
Entering on the exact dates declared | Low |
Entering earlier or later than planned | Medium |
Using a multiple-entry visa again | Medium to high |
Accommodation or itinerary unclear | High |
Multiple-entry visas in practice
For the visa application, you only need insurance for your first trip.
But once you have the visa, border police may ask for proof of valid insurance on later entries. Many travellers simply buy a short policy for each new trip, unless their annual plan can issue a Schengen-specific certificate with exact dates.
Tip to make border checks easier
A clear, easy-to-verify certificate helps avoid questions. With HelloSafe, travellers receive an instant PDF showing:
- exact travel dates
- “Schengen Area” clearly stated
- €30,000 medical limit
- repatriation
- assistance contact
This includes the elements a border officer may look for if they decide to check your documents.
Real stories from travellers who got their Schengen visa
Travellers using Schengen-compliant insurance through HelloSafe often highlight the clarity of the certificate and the simplicity of the process. Here are a few real-life experiences (results vary depending on each visa file).
Parent visiting family in Europe
“I bought the insurance for my mother in India. The certificate arrived instantly and matched her passport and dates perfectly. Her visa for France was approved without any issue.”
Traveller from the Philippines
“My Schengen appointment was coming up fast. I needed a clear certificate, and I received it quickly. Everything was accepted, and I got my visa the following week.”
Worker based in the Gulf
“I applied from Dubai and needed the certificate plus an invoice for my company. Both were provided immediately. The insurance was accepted with no questions asked.”
Partner joining spouse in Europe
“I wanted my documents to be flawless. The insurance matched my passport exactly, and I could update the dates before my appointment. My visa was approved.”
FAQ
They verify that your full name matches your passport, that the coverage dates align with your trip, that the Schengen Area is explicitly mentioned, and that the policy includes €30,000 medical coverage and repatriation. They also check that the insurer and assistance contacts are identifiable. If any detail is unclear or missing, you may be asked for a corrected certificate.
They can. Border police may request proof of valid insurance when you enter the Schengen Area, particularly if your travel dates changed, if you’re entering on a multiple-entry visa, or if your itinerary raises questions. The visa allows you to travel to the border, but entry is granted only if your documents still match the conditions under which the visa was issued.
Yes. You can purchase Schengen visa insurance from anywhere and enter the insured person’s details exactly as in their passport. The certificate is sent by email as a PDF, so you can forward it for their appointment.
Some policies available through HelloSafe offer a refund if your visa is denied, provided you share the official refusal letter. The insurer validates the document and processes the refund.
Only if the insurer can issue a Schengen-specific certificate showing exact travel dates, at least €30,000 in medical coverage, repatriation, and explicit Schengen Area validity. Many annual policies cannot provide this document, so a dedicated Schengen policy is often safer.
They do not need it for visa purposes because they are visa-exempt for short stays. However, they may still be asked for proof of coverage in some situations, and travel medical insurance is recommended for protection.
Yes. If travel plans shift, request an updated certificate reflecting the new dates. Consulates and visa centres expect the insurance to match the itinerary exactly, and incorrect dates are a common reason for correction requests.
