Does Schengen travel insurance cover COVID-19?
Short answer: it depends on the provider. SafetyWing, AURAS and EKTA spell out COVID-19 treatment, Europ Assistance's Schengen Plus is the one that mentions trip cancellation, and Heymondo's general conditions have no COVID-specific clause. The extras, such as quarantine costs and testing, differ the most.
The Schengen visa rule does not single out COVID-19. Article 15 of the EU Visa Code asks for at least €30,000 of cover for emergency medical care, urgent hospital treatment and repatriation for medical reasons. What the policy does about COVID is in its own wording. See our requirements guide for what a consulate checks.
What each provider's wording says
SafetyWing: medical treatment of COVID-19 is covered on the same terms as any other disease, up to the overall limit. Testing is covered only if a physician considers it medically necessary, and the antibody test is not covered. Quarantine outside your home country pays $50 per day for up to 10 days, once in a 364-day period, only if your active insurance period is 90 days or more and a physician and the authorities have mandated it because you tested positive or are symptomatic and waiting for results. SafetyWing is not sold past age 69.
AURAS: the policy lists COVID-19 and acute respiratory viral infections (ARVI) as a covered event with its own sub-limit that rises with the tier, reimburses PCR testing, and pays a daily amount for mandatory observation if local law requires it and the test is positive. Check the schedule for the exact figures on your tier. Like all its cover, any single event is capped at $3,000 per person.
EKTA: the schedule includes a PCR test benefit and a COVID-19 treatment limit that differ by program, and the policy notes that COVID-19 medication and quarantine accommodation apply to the Max+ program only. The $3,000 per-event cap applies as well.
Europ Assistance (Schengen Plus): the plan includes compensation of €130 for trip cancellation due to COVID-19, in two cases: travel restrictions imposed by the authorities that cancel the trip, or you contract COVID-19 and are not fit to travel. You must provide your tickets, the supporting documents and a copy of your request to the visa center or consulate to cancel the visa, and postponed or delayed trips do not qualify. Its exclusions also cover epidemics and infectious diseases that spread rapidly, so treatment for COVID-19 is not spelled out clearly in the sections we read. The standard Schengen plan does not include the cancellation benefit.
Heymondo: we found no COVID-specific clause in the general conditions we hold. Heymondo does have a cancellation-expenses cover, but that section excludes restrictions imposed by governments or health authorities in quarantines, epidemics or pandemics that make it impossible to start the trip. Heymondo is not sold past age 69.
AXA Schengen: we have no policy wording for AXA, so ask AXA in writing.
Illness versus restrictions
Two different risks hide behind the question. Falling ill with COVID-19 on the trip is a medical claim, and several providers treat it like any other illness. A border closure or a quarantine rule that stops you travelling is a cancellation risk, and the visa-focused plans mostly do not cover it. Europ Assistance's small Schengen Plus benefit is the exception we found.
What to do
If COVID-related costs worry you, compare the quarantine and testing benefits in the schedule, not only the headline limit. Keep test results and any official quarantine order, since claims depend on them. The provider comparison shows medical limits side by side, and our guide to what Schengen insurance covers explains how per-event caps work.
This information is general comparison guidance, not insurance advice. Coverage details and prices are set by the insurers and may change; verify the policy wording on the insurer's official website before purchasing.
Frequently asked questions
No. Article 15 of the EU Visa Code asks for €30,000 of cover for emergency medical care, urgent hospital treatment and repatriation for medical reasons, and does not mention COVID-19. What the policy does about it depends on its wording.
SafetyWing pays $50 a day for up to 10 days if the period is 90 days or more and the quarantine is mandated. AURAS pays a daily amount for mandatory observation after a positive test, and EKTA lists quarantine accommodation for the Max+ program only.
Mostly not. Europ Assistance's Schengen Plus pays €130 for cancellation due to COVID-19 under conditions, and the standard Schengen plan does not include it. Heymondo's cancellation cover excludes government restrictions that make it impossible to start the trip.
It depends: SafetyWing covers testing only if a physician finds it medically necessary and excludes the antibody test, while AURAS and EKTA list PCR testing among their benefits.