Europ Assistance Schengen Visa Insurance: Is It a Good Choice in 2026?

Choosing a Europ Assistance Schengen visa insurance remains a common reflex for many travelers. The brand enjoys strong name recognition and inspires trust, notably because it has existed for several decades and is frequently mentioned in Schengen visa applications. However, this recognition does not automatically mean that the offer is the most cost-effective, nor the best suited for a simple short stay.

This page provides a factual, data-driven and unbiased analysis of the Schengen visa insurance offered by Europ Assistance: actual coverage levels, pricing, refund conditions in the event of a visa refusal, attestation content, and limitations to be aware of. The goal is to help travelers make an informed decision, while highlighting that there are now Schengen insurances equally accepted by consulates but significantly cheaper, especially through online comparison tools.

Is Europ Assistance a good Schengen visa insurance in 2026?

From a strict reliability standpoint, the Schengen visa insurance offered by Europ Assistance remains a safe choice. The insurer is well established, clearly identified by consulates, and its certificates meet the criteria required for a Schengen application. For travelers primarily seeking to minimize administrative risk, it is a reassuring option.

However, when adopting a comparative perspective, Europ Assistance tends to sit in the upper-middle range in terms of pricing, with compliant but not particularly distinctive coverage. For a short stay, certain elements weigh heavily in the balance, notably the waiting period and refund conditions.

Expert opinion: Europ Assistance is a reliable and accepted insurance for a Schengen visa in 2026, but it is not always the most economical choice for a simple short-stay application.

✅ Strengths of Europ Assistance Schengen visa insurance

• Long-standing insurer recognized by consulates 🏛️
• Certificate compliant with official Schengen visa requirements 📄
• Two coverage levels available (€30,000 or €60,000 in medical expenses)
• Fast subscription with immediate downloadable certificate ⚡

⚠️ Weaknesses of Europ Assistance Schengen visa insurance

• Prices often higher than specialized visa insurances 💸
• 7-day waiting period after subscription ⏳
• Refund in case of visa refusal subject to strict conditions 📑
• Coverage sometimes oversized for a simple short stay

👉 For those who want to quickly compare Schengen visa insurances recognized by consulates but offered at significantly more competitive prices, the HelloSafe comparison tool helps identify in just a few minutes the plans best suited to Schengen visa requirements.

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💰 Refund if your visa is refused🔐 Secure payment📄 100% visa-compliant✅ Accepted by all consulates

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Is Europ Assistance Schengen visa insurance accepted by consulates?

This is one of the key questions when applying for a visa: will the insurance be accepted by the consulate? For a short-stay Schengen visa, authorities do not validate a brand, but rather compliance with strict official criteria, identical across all Schengen countries.

These requirements, defined by the Community Code on Visas, relate to coverage levels, geographical area, validity period, and the clarity of the insurance certificate provided.

📌 Compliance of Europ Assistance Schengen visa insurance

Yes, Europ Assistance Schengen visa insurance complies with the official requirements of Schengen consulates.

📄 What the Europ Assistance certificate contains (and what to submit)

The certificate provided after subscription includes all the information expected by consulates:

• full identity of the insured (as per passport)
• exact coverage dates
• explicit mention of Schengen Area coverage
• medical coverage limit ≥ €30,000
• coverage of medical repatriation

👉 In the vast majority of cases, only the PDF certificate (1 page) needs to be attached to the application. Full policy terms are only very rarely requested.

⚠️ Common mistakes to avoid: dates shorter than the declared stay, misspelled name, imprecise geographical area, or certificate generated before modifying dates.

What does Europ Assistance Schengen visa insurance really cover?

What these guarantees mean in practice

• Medical expenses: the €30,000 limit of the Schengen plan corresponds exactly to the minimum required for a Schengen visa. The €60,000 level provides additional margin but is not required for application approval.
• Repatriation: included in both plans, this is an essential point often checked by consular authorities.
• “Comfort” guarantees (companion, stay extension): useful in case of serious medical issues, but with no impact on the consulate’s decision.

Compare best Schengen insurance policies in seconds with HelloSafe.

What assistance and services are included with Europ Assistance?

Schengen visa insurance is not only about financial guarantees, but also about the quality of assistance abroad. On this point, Europ Assistance offers a service base that meets expectations for a short stay in Europe.

• 🚑 24/7 medical assistance: access to an international platform to direct the insured to appropriate healthcare facilities and coordinate emergency care
• ✈️ Organization of medical repatriation: arrangement of return to the home country or transfer to an appropriate medical center in case of serious illness or accident
• 🌍 Emergency management abroad: coordination during hospitalization, communication with relatives and local authorities, and coverage of organizational costs under contract terms
• 📞 Centralized phone assistance: standard service, without WhatsApp chat or dedicated instant messaging, which may lengthen certain procedures
• ⚠️ Process limitations: procedures sometimes more administrative and less streamlined than with insurers specialized in “visa-only” insurance

👉 In practice, Europ Assistance provides reliable and comprehensive assistance, but some travelers prefer partner insurances available via HelloSafe, which offer simpler and faster processes, particularly suited to Schengen visa insurance purchased solely to meet consular requirements.

How much does Europ Assistance Schengen visa insurance cost?

The price of Europ Assistance Schengen visa insurance is based on a simple pricing structure with two distinct plans. Contrary to some assumptions, Europ Assistance is not positioned as the cheapest option on the market for a Schengen application, especially when compared with specialized insurances available through comparison tools.

📅 Europ Assistance price examples by length of stay

(Quotes observed for a 25-year-old adult, Schengen stay – France)

These prices correspond to real online simulations and accurately reflect Europ Assistance’s pricing position for standard Schengen visa insurance. They may vary slightly depending on age or country of residence, but the gap with competing offers remains structural.

📊 Price positioning: Europ Assistance vs HelloSafe alternatives

To place Europ Assistance in market context, here is a concrete comparison on an identical basis:

7-day Schengen visa insurance, equivalent administrative guarantees (€30,000 + repatriation + compliant certificate).

Price does not influence visa approval: a €17 insurance is accepted by consulates in exactly the same way as a €30 insurance, as long as official Schengen criteria are met.

Key takeaway: Europ Assistance remains a reliable and recognized option, but it is priced above many specialized Schengen insurances. Through HelloSafe, it is possible to access contracts backed by Mutuaide, MGEN, VyV, or AIG, often cheaper, while benefiting from a fully compliant certificate for a Schengen visa application.

Can you get a refund if your Schengen visa is refused with Europ Assistance?

The issue of refunds in case of visa refusal is one of the most sensitive for travelers and frequently arises in feedback. With Europ Assistance, a refund is possible, but it is strictly regulated. It is therefore essential to fully understand the rules before subscribing.

🧠 What to remember with full transparency

Europ Assistance does not offer automatic refunds in case of visa refusal. Refunds are conditional, contractual, and subject to specific supporting documents. For a simple Schengen application, this level of strictness may represent an unnecessarily high financial risk.

At HelloSafe, several insurers offer either simpler refund conditions or prices low enough that the financial risk remains very limited, even in case of visa refusal.

✅ What are the exact refund conditions?

Europ Assistance provides a refund only if all of the following conditions are met:

• the Schengen visa has been officially refused by a consular authority
• the trip has not started (no entry into the covered territory)
• no claim has been declared or compensated
• an official refusal document issued by the consulate is provided
• the refund request is submitted within contractual deadlines

When these criteria are met, the insurance premium may be refunded according to the contract terms.

❌ When does the refund not apply?

In practice, several situations lead to refund refusal, even if the visa is not obtained:

• lack of official written proof of refusal
• visa not refused but application not processed or appointment canceled
• errors in dates or information declared at subscription
• claim declared, even minor, before the consulate’s decision
• request submitted late or incomplete

These points explain why some travelers consider refunds “difficult”: the clause exists, but it is applied rigorously, without room for interpretation.

What alternatives to Europ Assistance are accepted for a Schengen visa?

Although Europ Assistance is a recognized insurer, Schengen consulates do not impose any specific provider. What matters is contract compliance with official criteria: minimum €30,000 medical coverage, repatriation included, validity throughout the Schengen Area, and a named certificate.

In practice, several specialized Schengen insurances, often significantly cheaper, are accepted in exactly the same way by consulates. They meet the same administrative requirements and are used daily for Schengen visa applications.

This is why comparing before subscribing is recommended. The HelloSafe comparison tool provides access to reliable, accepted alternatives, often 2 to 3 times cheaper than Europ Assistance, with no impact on visa approval.

Ready Schengen 100k

Insured by Groupama

Hospital fees abroad€100,000

Rapatriation assistanceActual costs

Hospital fees at home€100,000

Private liabilityNot included

Insurance compliant with Schengen visa requirements

Medical expenses covered up to €100,000

Coverage valid including in the country of residence

Medical assistance and repatriation included

See more

Gold Plan

Insured by Vyv International Assistance

Hospital fees abroad€80,000

Rapatriation assistanceActual costs

Hospital fees at homeNot included

Private liabilityNot included

Schengen visa-compliant travel insurance

Refund in case of visa refusal

Enhanced medical coverage up to €80,000

Extended emergency dental coverage

See more

Ready Schengen 35k

Insured by Groupama

Hospital fees abroad€35,000

Rapatriation assistanceActual costs

Hospital fees at home€35,000

Private liabilityNot included

Insurance compliant with Schengen visa requirements

Medical expenses covered up to €35,000

Coverage valid including in the country of residence

Medical assistance and repatriation included

See more

Silver Plan

Insured by Vyv International Assistance

Hospital fees abroad€30,000

Rapatriation assistanceActual costs

Hospital fees at homeNot included

Private liabilityNot included

Schengen visa–compliant travel insurance

Refund if the visa application is refused

Advance payment of emergency hospital costs

Emergency dental treatment covered

See more

Cap Schengen

Insured by Vyv International Assistance

Hospital fees abroad€30,000

Rapatriation assistanceActual costs

Hospital fees at homeNot included

Private liabilityNot included

100% compliant insurance for your Schengen visa

Visa refused? Insurance fees refunded

Official certificate sent immediately

Repatriation organized to your country of origin

See more

Schengen Start

Insured by AIG

Hospital fees abroad€30,000

Rapatriation assistanceActual costs

Hospital fees at homeNot included

Private liability€50,000

Insurance compliant with Schengen visa requirements

Immediate insurance certificate by email

Emergency dental care covered

Personal liability insurance abroad

See more

Go Schengen +

Insured by Mutuaide

Hospital fees abroad€30,000

Rapatriation assistanceActual costs

Hospital fees at homeNot included

Private liability€3,500,000

Insurance accepted for Schengen visas

Immediate certificate sent by email

Medical expenses reimbursed from the first euro

24/7 medical assistance

See more

Go Schengen

Insured by Mutuaide

Hospital fees abroad€30,000

Rapatriation assistanceActual costs

Hospital fees at homeNot included

Private liabilityNot included

Insurance accepted for Schengen visas

Instant certificate sent by email

Medical expenses covered from the first euro

24/7 medical assistance

See more

Europ Assistance Schengen visa insurance: customer reviews and feedback

Customer reviews of Europ Assistance should be read with perspective, particularly for Schengen visa insurance, which corresponds to a very specific use case.

On Trustpilot, Europ Assistance shows a generally low rating (around 1.5 to 2 / 5 depending on the country). However, these reviews concern all of the brand’s activities (car assistance, long-term travel insurance, complex claims handling), not solely Schengen visa insurance. The most frequent criticisms relate to processing times and procedures considered cumbersome in refund cases.

For Schengen visa insurance, feedback is significantly more positive: policyholders highlight simple subscription, an immediately issued certificate, and smooth acceptance by consulates. This is precisely what most travelers seek for an administrative application.

Reddit discussions confirm this trend: Europ Assistance is perceived as reliable for visa acceptance, but more rigid when it comes to refunds or non-standard cases.

👉 In summary: Europ Assistance is an administratively reliable solution for a Schengen visa, but remains a generalist insurer with sometimes restrictive procedures. For a simple visa application, this feedback encourages comparison with specialized Schengen insurances, often simpler and better suited to this specific use.

How to contact Europ Assistance Schengen support?

In case of a medical emergency or a question related to Europ Assistance Schengen visa insurance, assistance is available 24/7. Exact contact details are always listed on the certificate and contract, but here are the most commonly used operational contacts for Schengen travelers.

FAQ