Travel Insurance for a Schengen Visa from India (2026)
Last reviewed: 15 July 2026 · Verified against current VFS Global India fees
Schengen visa travel insurance from India: minimum EUR 30,000 cover, valid across all Schengen states, for your full trip. Rules, costs in INR and rejection traps.
Quick answer: A Schengen visa from India needs travel medical insurance with a minimum of EUR 30,000 (about INR 27-28 lakh) in medical cover, valid across all 29 Schengen countries, covering medical emergencies, hospitalisation and repatriation for the entire duration of your trip. You can buy it online from Indian insurers in minutes; from 2026 some missions (like Austria) only accept policies from an approved list of companies, so confirm your insurer is accepted before you apply.
Is travel insurance mandatory for a Schengen visa?
Yes. Travel medical insurance is a compulsory document for every Schengen short-stay visa application. It is not optional and it is not something you can add later. If it is missing, wrong, or does not meet the rules, your file is incomplete and the visa can be refused.
The requirement is uniform across the Schengen Area, and the wording on the official checklists is very specific. For example, the German mission's tourism checklist asks for "Overseas travel medical insurance that is valid for all Schengen countries and covers the entire duration of the Schengen trip as per your application, minimum coverage for medical expenses: EUR 30,000." Every Schengen country applies the same core standard.
Not sure whether your case is even strong enough to file? Run the free 60-second visa profile check on our homepage and see transparent all-in fees on our pricing page. If you go ahead, we file the whole application for you, including a compliant insurance certificate, so nothing gets rejected on a technicality.
What exactly must the insurance cover?
Four things must all be true at the same time. Miss any one and the policy is not "Schengen-compliant", even if it is a genuine, paid insurance plan.
Medical cover of at least EUR 30,000 (roughly INR 27-28 lakh). Higher is fine; lower is an automatic problem.
The certificate must say it is valid throughout the Schengen Area (all 29 countries), not just the one country you are visiting.
Must cover emergency medical treatment and in-hospital care abroad.
Must cover emergency repatriation and repatriation of mortal remains back to India.
The cover must also run for the full duration of stay as shown in your application, from your intended date of entry to your intended date of exit. Many consulates expect you to insure the entire validity window you are requesting, not just the exact travel dates, so build in a small buffer.
Schengen insurance requirements at a glance
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Minimum medical cover | EUR 30,000 (about INR 27-28 lakh); higher limits are accepted |
| Geographic validity | Valid in all Schengen countries (worldwide-including-Schengen plans also qualify) |
| What it must cover | Emergency medical treatment, hospitalisation, and repatriation (including of mortal remains) |
| Duration | Must cover the entire stay/visa validity you have requested, with a small buffer |
| Format | An insurance certificate in English (or German/English for some missions) stating the coverage amount, dates and Schengen validity |
| Approved-provider rule (2026) | Some missions accept policies only from an approved list of Indian insurers (e.g., Germany's approved-companies list; Austria from 01 March 2026). Check your mission. |
| Government visa fee (separate) | EUR 90 adult, EUR 45 child 6-12, free under 6 (uniform since 11 June 2024). Insurance is a separate cost. |
Which insurance should I buy for a Schengen visa?
Almost every major Indian general insurer sells a "Schengen travel insurance" or "overseas travel medical" plan designed to meet these exact rules. When the product is labelled for Schengen and shows at least EUR 30,000 cover, it will normally list emergency medical, hospitalisation and repatriation as standard.
Buying online from India
The process is fast and fully online:
Choose a "Schengen" or "Europe" plan, enter your travel dates so the policy covers your whole trip, pick a cover of at least EUR 30,000 (or 50,000+ for extra safety), pay by card/UPI, and download the certificate as a PDF. You then print it and submit it with your other documents at the VFS centre.
The 2026 "approved providers" rule
This is the newest and most important change. Some missions now accept insurance only from a specific list of approved Indian insurance companies:
- Germany: German Missions accept Indian travel medical insurance only from approved Indian insurance companies (a published approved-companies list).
- Austria: from 01 March 2026, travel medical insurance is accepted only if it is issued by one of the insurers on Austria's list of approved companies.
A genuine EUR 30,000 policy can still be rejected if the issuing company is not on that mission's approved list. Always open the specific consulate/VFS checklist for the country you are applying to and confirm your insurer is accepted before you pay.
How much does Schengen travel insurance cost in India?
Cost depends on your age, trip length and the cover amount you choose, so treat these as rough bands only. Always confirm the live premium on the insurer's own page.
| Trip length | Typical adult premium (indicative) |
|---|---|
| Short trip (up to about 7-10 days) | A few hundred to around one thousand rupees |
| Standard holiday (about 2-3 weeks) | Roughly one to two thousand rupees |
| Longer / multi-country trip (a month) | Around two to three thousand rupees and up |
| Senior travellers or higher cover limits | Meaningfully higher; premiums rise with age and cover |
Premiums vary widely by insurer, age and add-ons, so the figures above are only ballpark ranges to set expectations, not a quote. Get the exact price from the insurer before buying.
Single-trip vs multi-trip insurance
Both can satisfy the Schengen rules as long as each covered journey meets the EUR 30,000 / full-duration / Schengen-wide standard.
Covers one specific journey between fixed dates. Cheapest and simplest, and the right choice for most first-time visa applicants.
Covers several trips in a year, usually with a cap on days per trip. Good if you travel to Europe often. Make sure each trip's dates and cover still meet Schengen rules.
For a first Schengen visa, buy a single-trip policy that exactly matches your planned dates. It is cheaper, easier for the officer to verify, and avoids questions about per-trip day limits.
Common reasons Schengen insurance gets rejected
Most insurance-related refusals come down to a handful of avoidable mistakes:
Coverage too low. Anything below EUR 30,000 medical cover fails, even by a small margin. Choose EUR 30,000 or more.
Dates don't cover the whole trip. The policy must span your entire requested stay. A one-day gap at either end can sink the file. Match the dates to your itinerary and add a buffer.
Not valid Schengen-wide. A domestic or single-country policy is not enough. The certificate must clearly state validity across the Schengen Area.
Missing repatriation. The policy must include emergency medical repatriation and repatriation of mortal remains, not just treatment costs.
Insurer not on the approved list (2026). For missions like Germany and Austria, a policy from a non-approved company is rejected regardless of the cover amount.
Where does insurance fit in the overall visa process?
Insurance is one document in a larger checklist that also includes your application form, passport, photo, itinerary, accommodation, financial proof and the biometric appointment at a VFS centre. It is checked at the VFS counter along with everything else, so it needs to be ready before your appointment.
Not sure which centre handles your country or how the appointment works? See our VFS visa application centres guide for how submission, biometrics and document checks are handled across India.
Buy insurance last, once your travel dates are locked, so the policy dates exactly match your final itinerary. But do buy it before your appointment, not on the day.
Frequently asked questions
The minimum is EUR 30,000 in medical cover (about INR 27-28 lakh), valid across all Schengen countries. It must include emergency treatment, hospitalisation and repatriation, and cover your entire stay. Higher limits are accepted; lower ones are rejected.
Buy a plan clearly labelled for Schengen or Europe from an Indian insurer, with at least EUR 30,000 cover and repatriation included. For missions like Germany and Austria, first confirm the insurer is on that mission's approved-providers list before paying.
Yes. It is a compulsory document. A missing, underinsured or non-compliant policy makes the application incomplete and can lead to refusal. There is no way to skip it.
Yes. Most Indian insurers let you buy fully online: choose your dates and cover, pay by card or UPI, and download the certificate PDF instantly. Print it and submit it with your other documents at the VFS centre.
For a typical two-to-three-week trip it is often around one to two thousand rupees for an adult, but it varies with age, trip length and cover amount. Seniors and higher cover cost more. Always confirm the exact premium on the insurer's page.
It must cover your entire requested stay, ideally with a small buffer at both ends. Gaps between the policy dates and your itinerary are a common cause of rejection, so match them carefully.
No. From 2026, some missions accept policies only from an approved list of Indian insurers. Germany requires approved Indian companies, and Austria applies an approved-companies rule from 01 March 2026. Check your specific mission's checklist.
No. The government visa fee (EUR 90 adult, EUR 45 for children 6-12, free under 6) and the VFS service fee are separate from your insurance premium. You pay for insurance on top of these.
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Written by
Rohit GirDocumentation & Financial Profile Support · M.Com (2022)
Rohit Gir supports the team with document review, financial-profile organisation and applicant communication. He helps ensure that income proof, bank statements, business documents, salary records and supporting evidence are presented clearly and consistently.
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