Do you need insurance for a trip to France

France is a Schengen country, so medical insurance is mandatory for a visa. The policy is checked at the visa centre and may be requested again on entry to Schengen. France’s insurance requirements are common to all Schengen countries.

Insurance requirements for the visa

  • Sum insured — at least EUR 30,000.
  • Territory — all countries of the Schengen Area.
  • Period — every day of the trip. Insurers often add a 15-day grace period to Schengen policies; it is convenient but not mandatory: when you buy through the calculator on polisre.ru, the grace period is added automatically.
  • Cover — emergency medical care, hospitalisation, medical transportation and repatriation.
  • Deductible — consulates require a policy with no deductible.

Which sum to choose for France

EUR 30,000 is enough for a visa, but we recommend EUR 50,000 for city trips and EUR 100,000 for skiing. Healthcare in France is paid and not cheap for foreigners, and mountain rescue operations and helicopter evacuation are especially expensive.

Features of travelling in France

  • The Alps. Courchevel, Val d’Isère and Chamonix are among the most popular ski resorts. You need the skiing or snowboarding option, and for off-piste skiing check the terms separately: not all plans cover freeride. Make sure the policy includes helicopter evacuation and search and rescue.
  • Paris. Lots of walking, the metro and tourist crowds — pickpockets and document theft. The “Loss of documents” option is useful.
  • The Côte d’Azur. Nice, Cannes, Antibes — sun, sea and water activities. Diving and water sports require the active sports option.
  • Car rental. Trips through Provence, Brittany and the Loire Valley are often made by car. Consider the accident option.
  • Expensive bookings. If the trip is costly, add trip cancellation cover: it reimburses non-refundable costs for reasons listed in the policy terms.

If you plan to visit neighbouring countries — Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Germany — the Schengen policy is valid there too.

How to buy travel insurance to France on polisre.ru

The calculator at the top of the page is already set to “France”. Quotes and purchase are handled by Polis Re’s partner, the Cherehapa service: you compare plans from 16 Russian insurance companies and buy a policy online, and the policy itself is issued by the insurer you choose.

  1. Enter your travel dates and the age of each traveller.
  2. Choose the sum insured and add the options you need: skiing and snowboarding, helicopter evacuation, loss of documents, trip cancellation.
  3. Compare plans: the deductible, the assistance company, limits for individual risks and the exclusions in the policy terms.
  4. Enter your first and last name in Latin letters exactly as in your international passport, then pay by card.
  5. The policy is sent to your e-mail. Save it on your phone and print it if that is convenient.

If you fall ill or get injured in France

Do not go to a random clinic: without approval from the assistance company the insurer may refuse to pay or reimburse only part of the costs. Here is the procedure.

  1. Contact the assistance company using the phone number in the policy. Call costs are reimbursed if the policy includes this service.
  2. Describe the situation and get a case number and the clinic address.
  3. Keep all medical documents and receipts, even if the assistance company paid for treatment.
  4. In an emergency, call an ambulance and report the case to the assistance company as soon as you can.

What counts as an insured event and how to get reimbursed is explained in the “Insured event” section.

Nearby destinations

If your route covers several countries, see the other pages too: insurance to the Schengen Area, insurance to Italy, insurance to Spain, insurance to Germany. The full list of destinations, annual policies and tips on choosing cover are on the travel insurance page.