How Much Travel Insurance Cost for Schengen Visa: 2025 Price Guide
How much travel insurance cost for Schengen visa is one of the first questions travelers ask the moment an embassy confirms their appointment. The good news is that it is cheap compared to your flights and hotels. Most people pay between €20 and €60 for a short trip, and the coverage you are required to buy is the same everywhere in Europe.
There is no single flat fee, though. Price depends on how long you are staying, your age, the countries you are visiting, and the insurer you pick. In this guide I break down real numbers, explain the coverage rules embassies actually check, and show you where to get a valid policy without overpaying.
What Schengen Visa Travel Insurance Actually Covers
Schengen visa rules are set by EU Regulation EC 810/2009, and every one of the 29 Schengen countries (the 27 EU states plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland, along with Bulgaria and Romania after their 2025 full membership) enforces the same minimum standard. Your policy only has to meet these four tests:
- At least €30,000 in medical coverage. This is the floor. It must cover emergency medical treatment, hospital stays, and emergency medical evacuation.
- Medical repatriation. If you get seriously ill, the insurer must pay to get you home, including repatriation of remains in the worst case.
- Validity across the entire Schengen area. You cannot buy a policy that covers only France, for example. The certificate must state “Schengen” or list all member states.
- Coverage for your full stay. The insurance dates must match or exceed your visa dates, down to the day. A gap of even 48 hours can get your application rejected.
A typical travel medical policy also throws in trip interruption, lost baggage, and 24/7 emergency assistance, but none of those extras are mandatory. The embassy cares only about the €30,000 medical and repatriation line. Keep that in mind before a salesperson up-sells you a policy ten times bigger than you need.
How Much Travel Insurance Cost for Schengen Visa
For a standard tourist visa, here is what you can expect to pay with mainstream insurers that embassies across Europe already recognize. These are real price bands, not list prices, and they assume a healthy adult under 60 with no medical history:
| Trip Length | Budget Plan | Mid-Range Plan | Comprehensive Plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 week | €18–€30 | €30–€50 | €50–€90 |
| 2 weeks | €25–€40 | €40–€70 | €70–€120 |
| 1 month | €50–€80 | €80–€130 | €130–€220 |
| 90 days | €110–€170 | €170–€280 | €280–€450 |
That works out to roughly €2 to €6 per day of coverage, which is why a two-week city break rarely costs more than a restaurant dinner for two. The price does not climb in a straight line, either: longer policies get cheaper per day, so a 90-day student or seasonal worker visa will cost far less than twelve one-week policies would.
What Actually Moves the Price
Five factors explain nearly every quote you will see, and understanding them saves you money faster than comparison shopping for hours:
- Age. Under 60 is the cheapest band. Prices step up after 60 and rise more sharply after 70, because the statistical risk of a hospital stay climbs fast.
- Trip length. Longer means more premium in total but less per day.
- Pre-existing conditions. Most basic Schengen policies exclude them. Declaring a condition (diabetes, asthma, heart issues) can add 20% to 60% to the premium, or push you into a specialist plan.
- Deductible. Choosing a €100 or €250 deductible instead of €0 can cut the premium by 15% to 30%. For a younger traveler it is usually worth it.
- The insurer and region. A UK or Polish insurer often undercuts a German or Swiss one for identical coverage. Where the company is licensed, not where you live, drives the base rate.
Budget vs. Comprehensive: What You Are Really Buying
The cheapest policy that meets the €30,000 rule is technically all an embassy requires. The real question is whether a basic plan protects you, and that depends on the trip.
| Factor | Budget Plan (~€20–€40) | Comprehensive Plan (~€70–€120) |
|---|---|---|
| Medical max | €30,000–€50,000 | €100,000–€1,000,000 |
| Repatriation | Included (required) | Included, with higher limits |
| Trip cancellation/interruption | Usually not included | Included |
| Baggage & personal effects | Limited or none | Included |
| Pre-existing conditions | Excluded | Often covered on higher tiers |
| Adventure activities | Excluded | Some sports covered |
If you are flying budget into Paris for a long weekend, the €22 policy is genuinely fine. If you are landing for a three-week ski, sailing, or hiking trip with expensive non-refundable bookings, the comprehensive plan pays for itself the first time a connecting flight cancels.
Where to Buy a Policy That Embassies Accept
You do not have to buy through the embassy’s preferred agent, but you should stick to insurers whose Schengen certificates are routinely accepted. The most common vendors travelers use include AXA Schengen, Europ Assistance, Allianz, SafetyWing, and the US-focused brokers Insubuy and VisitorsCoverage. Most sell a plan in minutes, email you a signed certificate instantly, and cancel with a refund if your visa is denied — ask about the refund clause before you pay.
A few practical points embassy staff quietly confirm:
- You can often buy online after your appointment is booked, but have the certificate ready for the appointment itself, not after.
- The certificate must be in English (or the language of the embassy) and must state the €30,000 figure and “Schengen area” explicitly. Vague wording gets flagged.
- Some embassies in countries with high refusal rates maintain a short approved-vendor list. Check the consulate site before buying, because a rejected policy wastes both money and time.
For more on what insurance should cost generally, see how much travel insurance cost, and if you are pricing a trip from the UK, our guide to how much travel insurance cost in the UK breaks down those numbers separately.
For current benchmarks and deeper how-to detail, the team at NerdWallet keeps regularly updated reference guides worth bookmarking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is travel insurance mandatory for a Schengen visa?
Yes. Under EU Regulation EC 810/2009, you must show a policy with at least €30,000 in medical coverage and repatriation for the entire Schengen area, valid for your whole stay. Applications without a compliant certificate are rejected outright. The line is not negotiable, even for a three-day trip.
How much travel insurance cost for Schengen visa for one week?
Most adults under 60 pay between €18 and €50 for one week, with the typical quote landing around €25 to €35. Plan on €50 to €90 if you want comprehensive extras like trip cancellation and baggage cover on top of the required medical minimum.
Can I use my credit card travel insurance for a Schengen visa?
Sometimes, but rarely cleanly. Many card policies meet the €30,000 threshold, yet banks are reluctant to issue the exact certificate embassies demand. If your card issuer gives you a dated, signed letter stating Schengen-wide €30,000 medical and repatriation coverage, it can work. If not, buy a dedicated policy — the €25 is cheaper than a rebooked appointment.
What happens if my Schengen visa is refused?
Most major vendors (AXA Schengen, Europ Assistance, and the brokers) refund the full premium if you submit the official refusal letter and have not started your trip. Confirm this refund clause before purchase, because it is not standard across every insurer.
Does age matter for the price?
Yes, considerably. Under 60 sits in the cheapest band, 60 to 69 adds a moderate step-up, and 70 and older can cost two to four times the base rate for the same trip. If you travel with older relatives, quote their ages together before comparing plans.
The Bottom Line
How much travel insurance cost for Schengen visa comes down to roughly €2 to €6 per day for a healthy adult, which means a typical two-week trip sets you back €30 to €70. That buys the €30,000 medical and repatriation coverage every embassy requires — and nothing more is mandatory.
Buy the minimum if your trip is short and your bookings are cheap or refundable. Step up to a comprehensive plan if you are carrying non-refundable deposits, managing a medical condition, or planning activities a basic policy excludes. Compare two or three recognized vendors, check the visa-refusal refund clause, and keep the certificate with your passport when you travel. For a fuller picture of what a policy should cost across trip types, see our guide on how much travel insurance should cost.
A note on planning. Quotes change frequently, and regional labor markets can shift the final figures by 10-20% either way. Always collect at least two or three written estimates before signing a contract, confirm what is included in the quote (materials, removal, cleanup, and permits), and ask whether the price is fixed or subject to change. A little diligence up front consistently prevents surprise line items and keeps the project on budget.
