Travel Insurance for Schengen Visa

Buy Travel Insurance for Schengen Visa

Schengen region is Europe’s passport-free zone of 28 European countries that allows travellers to move freely within their boundaries with a standard visa and Schengen visa insurance.

Whether you travel for a vacation, business tour, or as a student, any emergency in a European country may be enough to spoil your entire trip. Even a single-day hospital stay in a European country may ruin your trip budget. However, you do not have to worry if you have travel insurance for International journey in place. Read more about how Schengen travel insurance secures your European trip most easily.

A Schengen visa is a short-stay visa that allows you to travel visa-free to 29 countries that have signed the Schengen agreement. As per Regulation 810/2009 of the European Union, you must have valid Schengen area travel insurance with a minimum of €30,000 coverage to apply for a Schengen visa.

While exploring European countries, unforeseen medical and non-medical emergencies can derail your trip budget. Here, a Schengen travel insurance policy comes into play by covering unforeseen emergencies incurred while travelling to a country in the Schengen region.

The Schengen visa insurance covers you for unexpected healthcare or travel-related emergencies, such as hospitalisation, accidents, passport loss, and more. Before your permit, the immigration officers check your travel insurance coverage for the Schengen area and other required documents that help you travel safely.

What are the Salient Features of Schengen Visa Travel Insurance

Schengen travel insurance by Care Health Insurance comes with the following features:

• Budget-friendly premium: At Care Health Insurance, the premium of Schengen travel medical insurance for a Schengen visa starts from as low as INR 678* for a week-long journey for an individual with no pre-existing disease.
• Automatic Trip Extension: If you stay in Europe for a prolonged duration of up to 7 consecutive days due to reasons such as natural calamity, hospitalisation, or death, the travel medical insurance bought from Care Health Insurance automatically extends the duration of your policy.
• Cashless Claim Processing: The cashless claims benefit in Care’s Schengen Travel Insurance helps you avail emergency medical assistance through the wide network of healthcare providers in various European regions.
• All-inclusive Protection: Whether you have missed one of your checked-in baggage or have lost your passport in a burglary in Europe, Care’s travel insurance for the Schengen region promises to be at your rescue providing financial aid in retrieving your belongings.

*Please note the mentioned features of the plan are for reference purposes only. Readers should refer to the brochure for more details on product features

Schengen Travel Insurance: Plan at a Glance

When purchasing Schengen Travel insurance, always understand the plan highlights carefully. First, decide whether you need standalone, family or student travel insurance. Further, consider whether you wish to buy a single-trip or multi-trip option. Often, various plans may need clarification on the minimum and maximum entry age of a travel insurance plan for a Schengen visa. Here, the table mentioned below can be of help:

*Family option is only available on Single Trip Policies.

What is Covered under Schengen Travel Insurance?

Our Schengen travel insurance from India promises access to quality medical care. Below are some top covers included under our Schengen travel plan:

• Hospitalization Expenses: The best travel insurance for Schengen region covers you for any emergency medical assistance you need to recover from illness or injuries. The medical insurance covers you for in-patient and out-patient care benefits.
• Daily Allowance: We will reimburse the daily expenses for a specified amount per day, in case of hospitalization maximum of up to five days per claim.
• Compassionate Visit: The Schengen travel insurance by Care Health Insurance reimburses the 2-way cost of economy class flight tickets for the immediate family member of the insured under the “compassionate benefit”.
• Personal Accident: The Schengen travel insurance bought from Care Health Insurance offers a lump sum amount up to the sum insured in the event of the insured’s death or long-term disability.
• COVID-19 Coverage: The travel insurance for Schengion region covers standardised medical expenses incurred due to the infection of Covid-19 virus.
• Trip Delay & Cancellation: Any loss incurred due to delay or flight cancellations shall be indemnified by your Schengen travel insurance bought from Care Health Insurance.
• Delay & Loss of Checked-in Baggage: The travel insurance for Schengen visa makes sure you are not alone when retrieving your lost belongings. Thus, the plan covers non-medical emergencies such as trip delays or loss of checked-in baggage.
• Loss of Passport & International DL: The travel insurance plan by Care Health Insurance helps you reduce stress by giving financial aid when you are stuck in problems such as losing a passport or an international driving license.

Exclusions under the Schengen Travel Cover

The Schengen travel Insurance does not offer coverage in the following scenarios:

• Drug Misuse: Any expenses incurred due to use/ overuse/ misuse of alcohols, drugs or sedatives shall not be covered in the travel insurance for Schengen region.
• World War: Medical or non-medical claims arising from national/ international wars or nuclear wars shall not be indemnified in the Schengen travel insurance.
• Self-inflicted Injury: Injuries caused due to intentional actions such as suicide attempts shall not be covered in your travel insurance.
• Hazardous Activities: Your travel insurance for the Schengen region shall not cover any claims involving hazardous activities, such as fire stunts, road stunts, etc.
• Breach of Law: Your Schengen travel insurance shall not cover claims arising due to liability or breach of law.
• Dental Treatment: Expenses incurred due to a planned dental treatment or surgery shall not be covered until mandated by a dentist due to acute pain.

Note: Plan features, benefits, coverage, and claims underwriting are subject to policy terms and conditions. Please refer to the brochure, sales prospectus, and policy documents carefully.

What is the Premium of Schengen Travel Insurance?

The travel insurance for Schengen visa offered by Care Health Insurance is affordable and budget-friendly. CHI's travel healthcare insurance premium for the Schengen zone starts at around Rs. 450 *for a single traveller on a week-long visit. For instance, if you are travelling from India to France, Spain, and Italy on a week-long, one-time visit, the approximate premium cost of your travel insurance with a sum insured of $50k is calculated as below:

*The above-mentioned travel insurance premium is calculated subject to no pre-existing medical conditions of the insured member. It considers that the insured members have not been diagnosed, hospitalised, or undergone any treatment in the last 48 months. Also, the premium amount is subject to change if the insured person has already claimed any travel policy before.

Factors Affecting Premium of Travel Insurance for Schengen Visa

Choosing the right travel insurance plan can be challenging, especially if this is your first European journey. At Care Health Insurance, we will assist you in finding the perfect travel health insurance that meets your unique healthcare and trip-related needs so that you can enjoy a hassle-free tour. Here are a few essential things to consider before finalising travel medical insurance for Schengen countries:

• Schengen Approved Travel Insurance: While travelling to the Schengen territory, it is necessary to cross-check if the travel insurance is valid for a Schengen visa.
• Frequency of Trip: Before opting for Schengen travel insurance, always determine whether you are travelling once in a while or will take multiple trips during the year! Suppose you have plans to also travel to Dubai and Thailand in the coming year then, rather than opting for separate travel insurance for Dubai, Schengen region and travel insurance for Thailand, you can also opt for multi-trip travel insurance that caters to your needs.
• Trip Duration: The insurance premium is calculated based on the number of days you plan to spend in Schengen destinations. The shorter the trip, the lower the premium.
• Medical history: While buying travel insurance for Schengen region, always ensure that your plan accommodates your pre-existing health conditions.
• Adventure Sports Activities: Your adventurous trip to Europe doesn’t mean it has to be vulnerable to your pocket. If you are heading to a Schengen country famous for adventurous activities, you must check if your policy covers adventure or sports injuries.

How to File a Claim under Travel Insurance for Schengen Countries?

List of Countries in Schengen Region

The Schengen region is a zone in the European continent where 28 European countries have abolished their borders to allow visitors to visit without any hassle of applying and re-applying for a visa.

Quick Facts about the Schengen Zone

Types of Schengen Visa

A Schengen visa allows visa-holders, a free movement across the entire Schengen Zone up to the visa's validity and period of stay. The Schengen visa can have different restrictions depending on the Embassy's directives. The different types of Schengen visas are as follows:

Prerequisites for a Schengen VISA

The application rules for a Schengen visa are comparatively stricter than other nations, so you must qualify for the below-mentioned Schengen visa requirement:

• Schengen Travel Health Insurance: You need to buy travel insurance for Schengen to get the visa. If you are a Student, you can get a Student travel insurance, whereas a travel insurance for senior citizens can be useful for the elderly.

• Cover Letter:  You need to attach a cover letter along with your Schengen visa application. In this cover letter, you must explain the purpose of your visit, followed by your travel itinerary.

• Essential Documents: You need essential documents such as the visa application form, two identical photos, and bank statements showing a minimum balance of €30,000 for the last six months. Also, you need proof of civil status (birth certificates), employment contract, and income tax proof.

• Appointment with the Embassy: Next, you have to book an appointment at least a month back for an interview to ensure the timely process of your visa.

How to Apply for a Schengen Visa?

The application procedure for a Schengen Visa is seamless and straightforward. One needs to gather all the required documents and purchase travel insurance for a Schengen visa before applying. Here are the steps to apply for a Schengen visa:

Step 1: Choose Your Visa Type

Decide on the type of visa from uniform, airport, single, double, or multiple-entry visas as per your travel requirements. To find out which visa suits you, scroll down to the 'Types of Visa' section.

Step 2: Select Where to Apply

Find out where you need to apply - A visa centre where your destination country's embassy has outsourced visa submission or the embassy itself.

Step 3: Check for the Ideal Time

Find out the perfect time to apply for a Schengen visa. Ideally, you should submit your Schengen visa application three to four weeks before your trip starts.

Step 4: Book an Appointment

To start your application process, you need to book an appointment with the embassy or consulate where you have applied. Appointments can be booked online or in person.

Step 5: Fill out Visa Application Form

There's a common Schengen visa application form for all, no matter which country you are applying from. Fill in all your details, including personal information, background, and the purpose of travelling, among other trip-related information. Don't forget to print out two copies of the form and attest both of them.

Step 6: Have Your Documents Handy 

Similar to any other visa application, you may need documents for the Schengen visa application. While gathering your documents you should collect your valid passport, two identical photos, a travel insurance policy, flight itinerary, proof of accommodation, etc.

Step 7: Attend Visa Interview

Present Your documents to the visa counsellor who will conduct your brief interview concerning your background, travel purposes, security-related checks, etc. The interview ensures that your trip and others are safe and sound.

Step 8: Pay Visa Fees

Generally, the visa fee is non-refundable as per the authorities. We will pay for reimbursement of the visa fee if only the visa rejection happens due to reasons other than negligence by the insured members. However, you must always check for the refund provision before paying the visa fee. You can pay the Schengen visa fee quickly through online modes of payment.

Step 9: Follow-up

Regularly with the embassy about your visa status. Once confirmed, await for your authorised passport to embark on your journey.

Documents Required for Schengen Visa

You can apply for a Schengen Visa for up to 6 months to 15 days before your travel date. However, the visa authorities may take 10-15 days to approve/ reject your visa, it is recommended to not wait till the last minute to apply for a Schengen Visa.

Before buying a Schengen visa having Schengen visa insurance is a pre-requisite. Later, you can submit the below-mentioned documents to the embassy or consulate near to you:

• Travel Insurance Policy
• A signed copy of the visa application form
• Two recently-clicked passport-sized photographs.
• Proof of Date of Birth.
• Address proof
• Employment Contract
• A valid passport (that is not older than ten years)
• Travel itinerary
• Proof of accommodation
• Bank account statement
• Income tax proof

Moreover, you should also carry the offer letter, and proof of work such as employment if you are travelling for a business purpose. If you are a student, you should carry your mark sheet and/or admission proofs.