Schengen insurance certificate checker

Last updated: October 3, 2026 · By the SchengenCompare editorial team

Quick answer

What must a Schengen visa insurance certificate show? At least €30,000 of cover, valid in every Schengen state, for your whole stay, covering medical repatriation, urgent medical care or emergency hospital treatment, and death. Tick what your certificate says below and the checker tells you what to fix before your appointment.

Open the PDF you plan to attach, not the plan page, and answer seven questions about it. Nothing you tick is stored or sent anywhere.

Check your certificate

1. Medical cover of at least €30,000 is stated.Look for the medical expenses limit. If it is in another currency, it must be worth at least €30,000 today.

Ask the insurer for a certificate showing a medical limit of at least €30,000. A figure in dollars close to $35,000 can fall below the line, so a euro-denominated plan is safer.

2. It is valid in all Schengen states."Schengen Area", "Europe" or "worldwide excluding your home country" all work if every Schengen state is included. A certificate naming one country does not.

Ask for a certificate stating validity in all Schengen member states, even if you only plan to visit one.

3. The dates cover your whole intended stay.The start date is on or before your entry date and the end date is on or after your planned departure, including connecting days.

Ask for an updated certificate with dates that cover the full itinerary. A gap of a single day is a defect.

4. Medical repatriation is covered, and the certificate shows it.The law requires repatriation for medical reasons. The officer checking your file should be able to see it without reading the policy wording.

Ask the insurer for a certificate that clearly states medical repatriation cover. If the policy limits it to a small sum, check that against the cover you need.

5. Urgent medical care and emergency hospital treatment are covered.This is the core of the €30,000 limit. It is usually described as emergency medical expenses or hospitalisation.

Ask the insurer to confirm in writing that emergency medical treatment and hospitalisation are included in the certificate.

6. Repatriation in case of death is covered.The regulation lists death alongside medical repatriation. It is usually written as repatriation of mortal remains.

Ask the insurer to include repatriation of remains on the certificate.

7. Your name is spelled exactly as in your passport, and every traveler is named.Not a legal rule, but a mismatch is a quick reason for questions. For families, each applicant should appear on the certificate.

Ask for a corrected certificate. Most insurers reissue a PDF within a day.

Answer the questions above to see your result.

What the rule actually says

The requirement comes from Article 15 of the EU Visa Code (Regulation (EC) No 810/2009). It asks for insurance that is valid in all Member States, covers the whole intended stay, has a minimum cover of €30,000, and covers any expenses that might arise in connection with repatriation for medical reasons, urgent medical attention and/or emergency hospital treatment, or death. It does not say a particular word has to appear on the certificate. The practical point is different: the person checking your file works from the certificate, so every item above should be easy to find on it.

Source: EU Regulation (EC) No 810/2009, Article 15 · checker written October 3, 2026

What the checker cannot tell you

It cannot tell you whether a consulate will accept your file. Visa decisions are made by the consulate. This is a checklist against the written rule, not a guarantee.
It does not review the policy terms. Exclusions, deductibles and sub-limits can matter when you claim, and are covered in our coverage database.
It covers short-stay (Type C) visas. Long-stay national visas follow the rules of the individual country. See the long-stay guide.
Multiple-entry visas need cover for your first intended trip only, plus a declaration on the form. See the requirements guide.

Which of our providers have we checked

Our comparison marks SafetyWing, EKTA, AXA, Europ Assistance and Heymondo as meeting this checklist (EKTA only for travelers under 60, where its cover is cut; see the coverage database for the figures behind each). For AURAS we have not yet verified how its certificate reads, and its entry plan in US dollars sits just under the euro minimum, so use the euro plan and run your own certificate through the checker above.

Frequently asked questions

What does a Schengen visa insurance certificate have to show?

Article 15 of the EU Visa Code requires cover of at least €30,000, valid in all Schengen states for the whole intended stay, covering repatriation for medical reasons, urgent medical attention and/or emergency hospital treatment, and death. The certificate should show this clearly, with your name and travel dates.

Does the word "repatriation" have to appear on the certificate?

The regulation requires the cover, not a specific word. In practice, a certificate that clearly states medical repatriation cover is the safest, because the officer checking your file has to be able to see it without reading the full policy.

Is a policy in US dollars accepted for the €30,000 minimum?

The requirement is €30,000, so a dollar figure has to be worth at least that at the current exchange rate. A $35,000 limit is close to the line and can fall below it when the euro is strong, so a plan quoted in euros is the safer choice.

My trip dates changed after I bought the policy. What now?

Ask the insurer for an updated certificate before your appointment. The dates on the certificate should cover your whole intended stay, so a certificate with the old dates is a defect even if the policy itself could be amended later.

Does everyone in the family need their own certificate?

Each applicant's name and cover amount should be shown on the certificate. A family policy can be the product underneath, but check that every traveler is named.

Certificate failed a check?

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