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Our methodology

Last updated: September 6, 2026 · By the SchengenCompare editorial team

This page exists so you don't have to take our comparison on faith. Here's exactly what a provider has to clear to appear on this site, and where every number in our tables actually comes from.

How we select providers

We currently compare five providers: AXA Schengen, Europ Assistance, Heymondo, EKTA and SafetyWing. Every one of them is checked against the same four-point test drawn directly from Article 15 of EU Regulation 810/2009:

• At least €30,000 in emergency medical coverage
• Valid across all 29 Schengen countries, not just the main destination
• Coverage for the entire length of the trip, matching the travel dates
• Medical repatriation stated explicitly on the certificate

A provider that doesn't clear all four doesn't appear on this site, regardless of price. We don't rank by which provider pays the highest commission — see the "Who runs it" section on our About page for the affiliate disclosure.

How we price plans

The homepage price estimator uses a per-provider base daily rate, observed from each insurer's own published pricing, adjusted by two factors:

• Age band — insurers price differently for under-18s, 18-39, 40-59, 60-69 and 70+ travelers, since claims frequency rises with age. Multipliers range from roughly 0.9× for the youngest band up to 2.3× for the oldest, depending on the provider.
• Trip duration — most providers discount the effective daily rate on longer trips (a 90-day booking prices lower per day than a 7-day one). SafetyWing is the exception: it bills in fixed, non-prorated 4-week subscription blocks rather than a daily rate, so we show the flat 4-week price with a "(4-week policy)" note instead of multiplying it out.

Starting prices shown across this site are calibrated against providers' own published rates at the time of writing, not live API quotes. Your exact price will depend on your specific age, trip length and country of residence — the insurer's own checkout page is always the final word on what you'll actually pay.

One transparency note on EKTA: EKTA doesn't publish an itemized public rate table the way AXA, Europ Assistance and Heymondo do, so its figures in our tables are directional — calibrated against the pricing pattern of the other providers rather than a live quote pulled from ektatraveling.com. Treat EKTA numbers as an estimate and confirm the exact price at checkout before comparing it head-to-head with the other four.

What "Best for..." tags mean

The badges on our comparison table (Embassy favorite, Best price, Best app, Best for long stays) reflect a specific trade-off each provider is strongest at, not an overall ranking. AXA is tagged for certificate recognition and refusal refunds, not because it's the cheapest — it usually isn't. EKTA is tagged for price, not for having the largest company track record. We'd rather be specific about what each provider is actually good at than force a single "best overall" answer that doesn't hold up across every traveler's situation.

How often we check the data

Provider pricing, certificate requirements and page content are reviewed periodically and updated when we identify a change — a provider adjusting its rates, discontinuing a discount, or a shift in how a specific consulate handles applications. Each guide's byline shows when that specific page was last checked. If you spot something out of date, the contact page tells you how to reach us.

What we don't do

We're not a licensed insurance broker or agent in any country, and this page — like every page on this site — is general information, not personalized insurance advice. We don't collect payment details; every "Get a quote" link sends you to the provider's own site to complete the purchase there. See our privacy policy for how we handle data, and About for who runs this site.