On the document list insurance is usually written last and people buy it on the final day. As a result either the amount is below the requirement or the dates do not cover the start of the trip. Yet insurance for a visa is not a formality but a document with specific conditions, and a mismatch can on its own be a reason for refusal. Below I have written those conditions and how to choose.
Why insurance for a visa is a separate requirement
The logic is simple: the country does not want to pay the cost of your treatment from its own budget. So before letting you in it wants to see that an insurance company has taken that risk on. This is a narrower and more specific requirement than the ordinary insurance a tourist buys.
Some countries, Britain and the United States for instance, do not treat insurance as a compulsory document. That does not mean there is no need for it, only that it is not added to the package. In the Schengen countries, though, an application is not accepted without a policy.
The three conditions of the Schengen requirement
| Amount | At least thirty thousand euros of cover |
| Territory | It must be valid throughout the Schengen zone |
| Cover | Emergency treatment, hospitalisation and repatriation |
| Duration | It must cover every day of the stay |
The repatriation clause comes as a surprise to many, but it is an inseparable part of the requirement and must be written openly on the policy. In the territory section the words “Schengen zone” must appear; the name of the country you are going to is not enough on its own. If you are asking for a multiple-entry visa, a policy covering the first trip is enough, and for later trips you declare an undertaking to buy insurance.
Read more: Travel insurance: what it pays, what it does not and which figures to look at
What to look at when choosing insurance for a visa
The first thing to look at is the dates. The policy must cover the period from the first to the last day of the trip, and leaving a day or two in reserve is advisable, because the flight date can change. Write the dates the same as those on the form.
The second point is whether the company is recognised. Some consulates have a list of the companies they accept and a policy from outside it is sent back, so check the list before buying. The third is the language: the policy has to be in English or in the consulate’s language. To assemble the documents in one place, getting help with preparing the visa package shortens these steps. Official information on the Schengen visa requirements is set out on the European Commission site.
Typical mistakes
The first mistake is buying the cheapest policy. In cheap versions the cover amount is below the requirement or the repatriation clause is missing. The second mistake is getting the dates wrong, particularly when the appointment date and the travel date are confused.
The third mistake is hiding a chronic illness. That creates no problem for the visa, but when a real incident happens the payment is refused. The fourth is cancelling the policy after getting the visa, whereas it can be asked for at the border.
In brief
These are the conditions to remember. The cover must be at least thirty thousand euros, it must span the whole Schengen zone, it must include repatriation and it must fully cover the dates of the trip.
Choose a company the consulate accepts, take the policy in English, declare your chronic illness and do not cancel the policy after getting the visa. To check the document package together, fill in the application form.
Note: insurance requirements vary by country, so check the consulate’s current terms before applying.
