Schengen visa insurance, compared the way embassies check it
Every year thousands of visa applications are refused over one missing word on an insurance certificate. Compare plans that pass the consulate checklist — from €0.80 per day, with the certificate in your inbox in minutes.
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The consulate checklist
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Indicative prices based on the insurers' published rates. Your exact quote is calculated on the insurer's site — age, residence and plan options can move the final price.
−37%
Compliant €30,000 Schengen cover at the lowest daily rate on this page, with the certificate emailed instantly.
- €30,000 medical cover, all 29 Schengen states
- Certificate by email within minutes
- Discount applied automatically at checkout
Subscription cover for long trips and remote work — $250,000 medical, cancel any time, visa letter on demand.
- $250,000 cover, repatriation included
- Visa letter downloads instantly from your account
- Kids under 10 free on an insured parent's plan
Estimates only — calibrated against public quotes and reviewed periodically. The insurer's checkout price is the binding one. SafetyWing bills per 4-week period, so its price shown above is for one 4-week block no matter which trip length you pick — a longer stay needs another 4-week period at the same rate. It isn't sold to travelers 70 and older. For ages 0–17 it shows as free, since a child under 10 travels at no extra cost as a dependent on an insured parent's plan (up to 2 children per family) — a child aged 10–17 buying their own policy instead pays the adult rate. EKTA's price is shown with its current −37% site promotion already deducted (struck-through figure is the regular estimate); the discount is applied by EKTA at checkout and can be withdrawn at any time, so confirm the final figure there.
Compare Schengen visa insurance plans
Five providers whose certificates are routinely accepted at Schengen consulates and visa centers (VFS, BLS). Prices are indicative starting rates — your exact quote depends on age, trip length and country of residence.
| Provider | Medical cover | Price from | Refusal refund | Certificate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Embassy favorite
Largest dedicated Schengen visa insurer
|
€30,000 – €2,000,000 | ~€3 / day | Yes | Instant, verifiable online by consulates | Get a quote |
Generali Group — Schengen Plus doubles the required cover
|
€30,000 (€60,000 with Schengen Plus) | from €3 (€5 for €60,000 plan) | Yes | Instant, recognized by all embassies | Get a quote |
|
Best app
24/7 in-app doctor chat, direct hospital billing
|
Up to €10M (plan-dependent) | varies by trip | Check terms | Instant by email | Get a quote |
|
Best price
Budget-focused Schengen visa insurer — reviews mixed, check first
|
€30,000 | −37% today |
Check terms | Instant by email | Claim −37% → |
|
Best for long stays
Subscription-style cover for remote workers and long-term travelers, billed every 4 weeks
|
$250,000 | $62.72 / 4 weeks (~$2.24/day) | Check terms | Instant PDF visa letter from your account | Get a quote |
Starting prices observed at the providers' own websites; always confirm the final price and certificate wording on the insurer's site before purchase. Links on this page are affiliate links — we may earn a commission if you sign up through one, at no extra cost to you.
What the law actually requires
EU Regulation 810/2009, Article 15, defines four conditions. An officer checks your certificate against each one — if any is missing, the application is refused on formal grounds.
Emergency treatment, hospitalization and ambulance transport. Germany and France tend to prefer certificates showing €50,000+.
The certificate must say "valid in the entire Schengen Area". A policy listing only France fails at the German consulate — and vice versa.
Coverage dates must span every day of the stay. A policy ending on your departure date with a next-day connecting flight is a documented refusal reason.
The single most common technical refusal: the policy covers repatriation, but the certificate never uses the word. Read the PDF before you submit.
Provider notes
Short, honest summaries — click through for the full review of any provider.
AXA Schengen
- Certificates accepted by every Schengen consulate, verifiable online
- Full refund on visa refusal with the embassy letter
- Essential and Premium plans extend cover to the UK, Ireland and Cyprus
- Often costs more than online-only competitors for the same trip
- Basic plan covers only the €30,000 minimum
Europ Assistance
- €60,000 cover — double the minimum reads well with visa officers
- Part of Generali, one of Europe's largest insurers
- 24/7 emergency line and repatriation explicitly included
- Fewer plan tiers to choose from
Heymondo
- Direct hospital billing — no paying huge bills and waiting for reimbursement
- 24/7 doctor chat in the app
- Strong option for longer trips and multi-country itineraries
- Verify the certificate explicitly meets visa wording before submitting
- Pricing varies more with destination and duration
EKTA
−37% live discount- Meets the €30,000 minimum at one of the lowest daily rates on this page
- A −37% site-wide discount is running right now, applied automatically at checkout
- Certificate issued instantly by email
- Fewer plan tiers and add-ons than the larger insurers
- Check current customer reviews before buying — experiences are mixed
SafetyWing
- Meets the Schengen requirement — $250,000 cover, all 29 states, repatriation included
- Subscribe once and cancel anytime — no need to rebuy for every trip
- Visa letter downloads instantly from your account
- Kids under 10 travel free as a dependent on an insured parent's plan (up to 2 per family)
- Billed in fixed 4-week blocks, so short trips cost more per day than a daily-rate policy
- Not sold to travelers 70 and older; a child 10–17 buying their own policy pays the adult rate
- Type D long-stay/residency visas (Germany, Spain, Portugal) usually need a different insurer