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Schengen Area travel insurance

Schengen Travel Insurance

If you’re going for a short trip to the Schengen area, travel insurance isn’t compulsory. If you’re staying for longer and need a Schengen visa, travel insurance becomes an entry requirement. But it’s worth considering travel insurance, even if it’s not legally required.

If you’re ready to get travel insurance, compare quotes to find cover. Otherwise, here’s what you need to know about travel to the Schengen area.

Alvaro Iturmendi - Confused.com travel insurance expert

Reviewed by Alvaro Iturmendi Travel insurance expert 8 min read | Published 08/08/2024

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Important information

Travel insurance doesn’t protect you against known events. For example, if you travel against Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) advice. Or if you fail to comply with the entry requirements at your destination, your travel insurance won’t cover you.

There are no current travel advisories or restrictions for the Schengen area*. This means your travel insurance should cover you for travel to all Schengen area countries.

You should always check the FCDO advice for the country in question before you go though. For instance, the risk of terrorism against UK nationals globally is high. As such, it’s important to always be aware of your surroundings. But it’s also worth remembering that the majority of trips to Schengen area countries will pass without incident.

*Correct as of August 2024

Do I need Schengen travel insurance?

It depends. If you don’t need a visa for your Schengen trip, then travel insurance isn’t a legal requirement. If you’re making a short journey such as a holiday, getting cover isn’t compulsory - but it is worth considering.

Travel insurance protects you if things go wrong during your trip, such as lost baggage, flight cancellations, or delays. It also covers you if your trip is cancelled altogether. More importantly, it covers medical treatment you may need while abroad if you’re injured or fall ill.

If you do need a visa to travel to the Schengen Area, then you will need to have appropriate travel insurance in place.

Do I need a visa for the Schengen Area?

As a UK citizen, you can travel to all Schengen Area countries without a visa, as long as you’re not staying for more than 90 days in a 180-day period.

Whether you need a visa also depends on the reason you’re travelling. A trip of up to 90 days won’t require a visa if you’re a tourist, travelling for work or a medical procedure, for instance. You can see the full list of Schengen visa requirements at GOV.UK.

If you need to apply for a Schengen visa, you should do this via the embassy of the country you’re visiting, or the embassy of the country you’re spending the most time in. Applications should be made up to 6 months in advance, and no fewer than 15 days in advance.

To apply for a Schengen visa, you’ll need:

A completed Schengen visa application form
A valid passport. Some countries require a minimum of 6 months left on your passport. If you have less than this, you may need to renew your UK passport
Two identical passport photos
Travel insurance covering up to €30,000 for medical costs, hospitalisation and repatriation
Supporting documents detailing the purpose of your trip, your financial means, where you plan to stay, and your intention to return to your home country after your stay

Also, it’s worth knowing that - from mid-2025 - you’ll need to apply for a European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) to visit 30 EU and Schengen countries.

Choosing the right policy for your trip to the Schengen Area

Here are the travel insurance options for visiting countries in the Schengen area:

Single-trip travel insurance

This may be a cheaper option if you're only planning on taking one trip to the Schengen area. It covers you for 1 trip to a single location, normally protecting you for up to 31 days.

Learn more about single-trip travel insurance

Annual travel insurance

Planning to take more than 1 trip in a year, including to the Schengen area? An annual policy may be cheaper than buying individual policies each time you travel abroad.

Learn more about multi-trip travel insurance

Backpackers travel insurance

If you're travelling to multiple countries in a single trip - including one or more in the Schengen area - you could benefit from a backpacker insurance policy. These can last up to 18 months.

Learn more about backpacker travel insurance

What our travel insurance expert says

“If you’re heading to any Schengen area countries for a short trip or holiday, travel is likely to be straightforward. But if you’re staying for longer, it’s worth looking into visa requirements to make sure you tick the right boxes. It’s also worth considering a backpacker policy if you’re visiting a range of countries.

“It’s also important to be aware that - from mid-2025 - things are going to change. It’s a good idea to find out more about ETIAS before it’s introduced, to make sure future travel plans go as smoothly as possible.”

Alvaro Iturmendi Travel insurance expert

What does Schengen travel insurance cover?

Travel insurance varies between providers, so it’s important to familiarise yourself with what a policy covers before you buy. But generally speaking, you can expect policies to cover and exclude the following:

What's usually covered:

Medical expenses and repatriation

If you’re injured or become ill, travel insurance can cover your medical expenses or emergency travel home.

Flight cancellations due to unforeseen circumstances

Missed connections could also be covered by your policy.

Lost, stolen or damaged luggage or passports

If your items are missing, stolen or damaged, travel insurance can help to cover the cost of your belongings.

Cancellation or curtailment

Travel insurance can also help cover the costs if your trip is unexpectedly delayed, cancelled or cut short.

What's usually not covered:

Certain sports and activities

Adventurous or extreme sports and activities aren’t normally covered. You usually need a specialist policy for this.

Undeclared pre-existing medical conditions

Certain conditions might require a specialist policy.

Incidents involving alcohol and drugs

Insurers tend to exclude incidents that occur while you’re under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Travelling against government advice

If you travel against FCDO advice, your policy is unlikely to cover you, or you may not be able to buy a policy for your destination at all.

How much does Schengen travel insurance cost?

The price you pay for travel insurance depends on your personal circumstances, the country you're travelling to, plus the type of policy you need. Here are some example costs for different policies:

Policy type	Policy cost
Single trip travel insurance	£3.80¹
Couples travel insurance	£6.15²
Family travel insurance	£10.80³

Pre-existing medical conditions could push up the price of your policy. This is because having these kinds of conditions increases the risk of needing medical attention abroad and also the cost of treatment. You may also get travel insurance quotes from fewer providers.

If you're struggling to find suitable cover, the Money and Pension Service (MaPS) has a directory of insurance providers willing to cover customers with pre-existing medical conditions.

You can find the directory of insurers on the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) website. Alternatively, you can phone them on 0800 138 7777 for free and impartial advice.

¹Cheapest single-trip travel insurance policy. Based on 1 adult aged 30 with no pre-existing medical conditions, travelling in France for 1 week. Confused.com data, July 2024.
²Cheapest single-trip travel insurance policy. Based on 2 adults aged 30 with no pre-existing medical conditions, travelling in France for 1 week. Confused.com data, July 2024.
³Cheapest single-trip travel insurance policy. Based on 2 adults and 2 children with no pre-existing medical conditions, travelling in France for 1 week. Confused.com data, July 2024.

Medical care in the Schengen Area

If you’re travelling to the Schengen area, you can receive certain state-provided medical care if you have a Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) or European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).

This includes Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway, which aren’t in the EU, but are in the European Economic Area (EEA). You can also use these cards in Switzerland - which is neither in the EU or EEA - although you may be asked to prove your nationality. British citizens are entitled to UK GHIC and EHIC benefits, though.

It's always important to check exactly what's covered in the area you're visiting before you go.

It’s also worth noting that these cards only provide access to state-provided medically necessary healthcare, such as visits to A&E. The cost will be the same as for citizens of that country. But what’s covered is likely to be far from comprehensive. And it certainly won’t cover repatriation.

According to ABI, medical treatment accompanied by repatriation can run into tens or even hundreds of thousands of pounds. It gives an example of a tourist who fell and injured themselves in Spain, and their treatment and emergency travel home cost £124,000.

So, neither card is a replacement for appropriate travel insurance cover. Travel insurance will cover you for a far wider range of treatments, up to a certain level set out in your policy. This is why it’s a good idea to consider having both a GHIC (or EHIC) and comprehensive travel insurance in place.

What countries are in the Schengen Area?

Schengen is an area designated to free movement of its citizens, and is made up of the following EU countries:

Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.

Note that two EU countries are not part of the Schengen area: Cyprus and Ireland.

In addition, there are four non-EU countries which are also in the Schengen area: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.

Travel insurance for popular activities in the Schengen Area

Before you travel, it’s important to get the right level of travel insurance, making sure you have cover for any activities you have planned. Certain activities may push up the price of your policy, so it’s a good idea to consider if they’re worth the additional cost.

Winter sports insurance will cover you on the slopes for activities such as skiing or snowboarding. Policies are specifically tailored to the sport, and can cover things like piste closure due to bad weather or lack of snow.
Cruise travel insurance can cover you if you’re taking a cruise round the Mediterranean, for example. These tend to cover missed departures and excursions.
Other adventurous activities can be covered by activity travel insurance. This could be useful if you’re planning on hiking, scuba diving or skydiving, for instance. Regular travel insurance policies are unlikely to cover more thrilling activities, so - if you’re seeking a hit of adrenaline - it’s important to look for a policy which does.