Is Schengen Visa Travel Insurance Mandatory for Indians?

Why is Travel Insurance Mandatory for a Schengen Visa?

Schengen countries require visa applicants to have travel medical insurance so that eligible medical and emergency expenses during the trip are covered by an insurance policy rather than becoming an immediate financial burden.

For an Indian traveller, this means you’ll normally need to submit a valid insurance certificate along with your other visa documents. Simply having any overseas travel insurance isn’t enough. The policy needs to satisfy the applicable Schengen requirements.

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How Much Travel Insurance Is Required for a Schengen Visa?

The minimum required medical cover is €30,000 per traveller.

This amount refers to the policy's medical sum insured. It is the policy’s medical sum insured that matters here, not the premium you pay.

For example, if your travel insurance policy provides €50,000 in medical coverage, it exceeds the €30,000 minimum. The premium you pay will depend on factors such as your age, destination, travel dates, and the plan you select.

What Does Schengen Visa Travel Insurance Need to Cover?

Before buying a policy, check the insurance certificate and policy wording carefully. For the Schengen visa requirement, the policy generally needs to provide:

• At least €30,000 of medical coverage
• Eligible emergency medical treatment and hospitalisation
• Medical evacuation, where applicable
• Repatriation as required under the policy
• Validity across the Schengen Area
• Coverage for the entire intended period of your stay

Other benefits, such as baggage loss, flight delay or trip cancellation, may be available depending on the plan. These additional benefits aren't what makes a policy compliant with the basic Schengen medical insurance requirement.

What Should Indian Travellers Check Before Buying Schengen Visa Travel Insurance?

Don't look at the premium alone. Before purchasing, check the following points in the plan:

• Medical coverage amount for illness and accidents
• Hospitalisation expenses covered
• Doctor visit (out-patient) expenses covered
• Deductibles, the amount you pay before the insurance starts paying
• Pre-existing conditions: whether they are covered, and if so, only in life-threatening or acute situations, or more broadly
• Sublimits: whether specific costs are capped, or whether the plan offers full coverage
• Whether the policy is valid across the entire Schengen Area

Does Schengen Travel Insurance Need to Cover All Countries?

Yes. If your itinerary includes more than one Schengen country, your insurance should have geographical validity across the Schengen Area rather than being restricted to just one destination.

For example, if you’re travelling from India to France and then visiting Germany and Italy, check that your policy covers the Schengen Area for the complete period of your trip.

How Long Should Schengen Travel Insurance Be Valid?

Your insurance needs to cover your whole stay in the Schengen Area. Before you submit your policy certificate with your visa application, check the start and end dates carefully.

If your travel dates and your insurance dates don’t line up, it can cause problems with your documents that are easy to avoid. And if your itinerary changes after you’ve bought the policy, ask the insurer whether the dates can be amended.

Can I Apply for a Schengen Visa Without Travel Insurance?

For a standard Schengen visa application, you generally need travel medical insurance that meets the requirements. The insurance certificate goes in with the rest of your supporting documents.

So if you’re putting your documents together in India, don’t leave the insurance until the last minute. Settle your travel dates first. Then make sure the policy you pick meets the required medical cover, is valid across the Schengen Area and ticks the other conditions.

When Should I Buy Schengen Visa Travel Insurance?

It makes sense to arrange your insurance once your travel dates are fairly firm, and before you submit your visa application, because the certificate goes in with your supporting documents.

Before you pay, check that the traveller details, destination, travel dates and medical cover are all correct. When the certificate arrives, check them again, and then keep it safe with the rest of your visa papers.

If you’re an Indian traveller applying for a Schengen visa, the main point is this: travel medical insurance is generally mandatory, and your policy must meet the Schengen requirements, including at least €30,000 of medical cover. Read the policy wording carefully and check it against the visa requirements that apply to your application.

Is Schengen Travel Insurance Mandatory for Indian Senior Citizens?

Yes. Being older doesn’t exempt you from the insurance requirement if you need a Schengen visa. If you’re a senior traveller, make sure the policy you buy meets the Schengen requirements.

If you have a pre-existing medical condition, don’t assume it’s covered automatically. Whether it is depends on the insurer, the plan and the policy terms, so check before you buy.

How to File a Travel Insurance Claim while in Schengen Area?

Follow these steps or check our travel insurance claim process guide for complete details.

Know before you buy

What Is Not Covered Under Schengen Travel Insurance?

Understanding exclusions helps you avoid claim surprises. Most Schengen travel insurance plans do not cover:

• Undisclosed pre-existing conditions - unless you've purchased a specific pre-existing condition add-on.
• Medical tourism - Travelling specifically to receive medical treatment isn’t covered.
• Self-inflicted injury or intoxication-related claims - standard exclusion across insurers.
• Losses from your own negligence - for example, an unattended bag that goes missing.
• War, civil unrest, or acts of terrorism - check your specific policy wording for exact terms.

Always read the full policy wording before you buy, our team can walk you through the exclusions for any plan on this page.

Can I Renew Travel Insurance while in Schengen Area?

If you're extending your stay for a Schengen visa, check that your insurance remains valid for the full period required by the relevant visa rules.

If your stay is extended and your travel insurance is about to expire, you can renew the policy or extend your coverage online. Please fill in the renew Schengen travel insurance form online and submit the relevant documents to our insurance advisors. Our customer support team will then send them to the underwriting team for review and approval.

Once approved, you can renew the policy and make the payment online while you are overseas.

It is better to request an extension before your current policy expires. A renewal is not automatic, and coverage for a pre-existing condition will depend on the terms of the renewed policy.