In order to get an approved Schengen visa, all applicants are required to get the correct Schengen travel insurance coverage. According to the Schengen visa rule enacted in 2010, all uniform visa applicants must prove possession of adequate and active travel medical insurance. This valid travel medical insurance must cover any expenses connected to medical emergencies that require hospitalization, urgent treatment, and/or repatriation while staying within the Schengen area.
Despite the clarity and directness of this Schengen visa rule, many still ask whether having a travel insurance is an option or not. To avoid any confusion or errors while applying for a Schengen visa, this article shall discuss the different facets of the Schengen travel insurance coverage. Expect that after reading this article, you will be enlightened of the many advantages of having travel insurance as well as the coverage of such an insurance.
Before proceeding to the Schengen travel insurance coverage, here are the other equally important requirements to get an approved Schengen tourist visa What is a Tourist Schengen Visa?:
- Valid passport and copies of the front and back pages
- Current passport-sized photos with white background
- Completed Schengen Visa application form
- Proof of travel such as flight booking, travel itinerary, and hotel booking – You may get a Flight Booking for Visa and Hotel Reservation for Visa just for your visa application without having to pay for the airfare or hotel booking.
- Travel Insurance – It is better to acquire this from Schengen Travel Insurance, an affordable and reliable insurance company.
- Personal Coverage Letter
- Bank Documents
- For employed travelers, a No Objection Letter is highly recommended
Schengen Travel Insurance Coverage – What comes with the fee?
Of course, purchasing any travel insurance will cause a certain amount but the question is “Is this an unnecessary expense or is it a good investment?” Many tourists, sadly, just purchase travel insurance just for the sake of complying with the embassy’s requirements. However, the truth is there are many benefits attached to having a legit travel insurance. Well to truly enjoy all these benefits, the travel insurance provider must be credible enough. A run-off-a-mill type of insurance company might just sell travel insurance on paper but doesn’t have any ready protection for their customers. So before you purchase one, make sure you research the insurance provider you are patronizing.
How much should the travel insurance cost?
The cost to purchase a valid travel insurance for Schengen travel depends on the length of travel and the age of the traveler. If the length of travel is less than 9 days and the traveler is an adult (over 18 years old), the average travel insurance cost is around €30. If the length of travel is between 9 to 17 days and the traveler is an adult, the average travel insurance cost is €55. Again, there may be other travel insurance providers that charge slightly higher or lower than this. For more information about the cheaper travel insurance coverage,
What must be the coverage of a valid Schengen travel insurance?
Schengen embassies do have a minimum coverage requirement for a travel insurance to be considered valid for travel. Here are the minimum coverage requirements for the Schengen travel insurance:
- A medical coverage of at least €30,000 or no less than $50,000
- A validity period that covers the entire duration of stay within the Schengen area
- A repatriation coverage for medical emergencies or death
These required coverage are really very basic which is probably one of the reasons why travelers do not see purchasing a travel insurance as a good enough investment. However since this is a requirement, there is no other choice but to get one. On the contrary, many travel insurance providers have thought of giving better travel insurance coverage for the same fee. Doing this gives insurance providers better edge over competing providers as well as more options for travelers.
Here are some upgrades to the basic Schengen travel insurance coverage:
- Full or partial refund of a cancelled trip due to natural causes or medical emergencies
- Allowance for an interrupted trip due to natural causes or medical emergencies
- Accidental death, injury or disablement benefit
- Lost or stolen luggage benefit
- Damaged personal property or travel documents benefit
- Act of terrorism benefit
These are just some of the travel insurance coverage upgrades. There may be more or less depending on the insurance provider you choose. To get a better quotation, better check the Schengen Travel Insurance, an online insurance provider that can give you a quick quotation.
What are the advantages of having a travel insurance?
There are many advantages of having a travel insurance, especially when you are visiting a highly developed country with a high cost of living. The Schengen area is definitely counted as a highly developed area and the cost of living in any of the member countries are very high. This means that getting sick while in transit or while vacationing within the Schengen area will cost a lot of money. That is if you are not insured. This is also the reason why the Schengen group decided to make a travel insurance rule to Schengen tourist visa applicants. It is not to give travelers a harder time or a dearer travel expense but to protect them from a potentially high medical expense if in case a medical emergency occurs while within the Schengen area.
Apart from the obvious medical coverage benefit, another advantage of getting an upgraded travel insurance is having a safety net in case of theft, misplaced or broken luggage, or worse trip interruption. All of these cost extra pocket money but if you are insured, all these extra expenses will be covered by your insurance provider. See how important it is to be insured?
Schengen Travel Insurance Coverage – Get One Now!
Now that you know the benefits of being insured, you may let go of any doubts and worries about getting one. Should you have any more questions about your trip or the travel insurance coverage, just contact us and one of our friendly agents will respond to your queries.
What are you waiting for? Inquire now about your desired Schengen travel insurance coverage from your preferred insurance provider and have a stress-free trip to the Schengen area.
