A Schengen visa allows travellers to visit several countries in Europe. The 27 Schengen countries are Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
Some people don’t realise that it is mandatory for Schengen visa applicants to take out travel insurance. This is a blanket requirement regardless of whether the reason for travel is business or tourism. Your visa application will automatically be rejected if you do not have an insurance policy in place when you apply.
There are a few important things to know when it comes to taking out insurance for Schengen countries. Let’s take a look at what those are.
Your application for a Schengen visa will not be considered if you do not submit a certificate that proves you have taken out travel insurance, and if the policy you have selected does not meet the criteria for Schengen travel insurance. It is vital to check all the requirements so you don’t waste time and money on an incorrect application.
Your insurance must be valid for all 27 countries in the Schengen Zone, even if you do not plan to visit all of them. Make sure you get an insurance policy where all countries are included in the coverage.
If your cover lapses before your return date you will not be eligible for a Schengen visa. Ensure that you have consolidated your travel dates before you take out your policy and apply for your visa.
It is important to ensure that you have a policy that covers medical emergencies and accidents. You also need to have a policy that provides a minimum of €30,000 in funds for an event of this nature. It’s also important to know exactly what qualifies when it comes to claiming from your policy. For example, you are typically not insured for illness or injury sustained due to high-risk activity.
With almost all travel insurance companies, the premium for a policy will vary from individual to individual. Influencing factors include age, length of stay, and the maximum coverage limit. The older you are, the higher your premium will be, as younger people are considered by insurers to be less at risk of illness. With the length of your stay, companies typically work out your cost of coverage per day, meaning the longer you stay, the higher the amount. And lastly, your premium will of course scale in cost depending on the amount of funds you want available in your cover.
If you intend to enter the Schengen Zone more than once, you have to account for this when proving your travel insurance in the application. Travellers need to have proof of insurance for their first trip otherwise their application will be rejected. Along with this proof, you will need to sign a document stating that you acknowledge you will need to apply for insurance for future trips too.
While these requirements might seem somewhat daunting, as long as you have everything in order your Schengen visa application should be hassle-free. Make sure your insurance ticks all the boxes and, most importantly, enjoy your travels!
Allianz Travel and Allianz Assistance gives you the security of Schengen travel insurance, with coverage of up to USD 50,000 for any emergency medical expenses including illness or injury.
Theft or loss of your travel documents are also covered up to an additional USD 300, with USD 5,000 as cover in the event of any personal accidents.
Get in touch with us today to speak to one of our highly experienced consultants about our travel insurance services.
