Why you need insurance for Schengen

Medical insurance is a mandatory document for a Schengen visa. Its requirements are the same for all Schengen countries and are set out in the EU Visa Code. Without a suitable policy the visa centre or consulate will not accept your documents, and you may be asked to show the policy again at the border.

Policy requirements for a Schengen visa

  • Sum insured — at least EUR 30,000.
  • Territory — all countries of the Schengen Area, even if you are visiting only one.
  • Period — every day of the trip. An additional 15-day “grace period” is not mandatory, but insurers often add it to Schengen policies: when you buy through the calculator on polisre.ru, the policy is automatically extended by 15 days after your return date.
  • Cover — emergency medical care, hospitalisation, medical transportation home and repatriation in the event of death.
  • Deductible — consulates require a policy with no deductible.
  • Multiple-entry visa — a policy for the first trip is enough when applying; a new policy must be bought for each subsequent trip.

Which countries are in Schengen

The Schengen Area includes 29 states: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. Bulgaria and Romania became full members on 1 January 2025, Croatia in 2023. If your route passes through Bulgaria, Romania or Croatia, check that these countries are listed in the policy and, if necessary, add them separately in the calculator. Cyprus and Ireland are not part of Schengen.

Which sum to choose in practice

EUR 30,000 is the minimum for a visa, but treatment in Europe is expensive and a serious injury may exceed it. For trips with children, older travellers or a ski resort we recommend EUR 50,000 or more. For the Alps, be sure to add the skiing and snowboarding option. If you are worried about a visa refusal, look at the “Visa refusal” and “Trip cancellation” options.

How to buy insurance to the Schengen Area in a few minutes

On polisre.ru there is no need to fill in a request and wait for a call. The calculator above the text compares prices from 16 insurance companies via Polis Re’s partner, the Cherehapa service. The policy is issued by the insurer you choose and sent straight to your e-mail.

  1. Set the dates, the number of travellers and their ages.
  2. Choose the sum insured and, if necessary, add visa refusal, trip cancellation, skiing, baggage cover.
  3. Pick a plan by comparing price, deductible and assistance company.
  4. Enter your first and last name in Latin letters exactly as in your international passport, then pay by card.
  5. Receive the policy by e-mail and save the assistance phone number in your contacts.

What to do if something happens in the Schengen Area

Your first step is a call to the assistance company whose phone number is shown in the policy. The assistance company will choose a clinic, approve the treatment and pay for it directly. If someone’s life is at risk, call the local ambulance at once and notify the assistance company as soon as you can.

  1. Call or message the assistance company (many accept requests via messengers); give the policy number, your full name, your location and what happened.
  2. Go to the clinic named by the assistance company and take your passport and policy with you.
  3. If you had to pay yourself, keep the doctor’s report, invoice, receipts and prescriptions: after you return, attach them to your claim to the insurance company.

Step-by-step guidance is available in the “Insured event” section.

Nearby destinations

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