While citizens of U.S. do not need a Schengen visa, other nationalities living in the U.S. and traveling to Schengen countries need to buy Schengen travel insurance while applying for the visa.
Before traveling to any Schengen country, it is essential to purchase Schengen visa travel insurance to meet the visa requirements. On American Visitor Insurance, you can easily buy travel insurance online and obtain the visa letter required for your application at the consulate. Once your insurance is purchased, you will receive detailed policy information, including a toll-free number, a virtual ID card, and the Schengen insurance visa letter, which serves as proof of coverage for your visa application.
U.S. citizens do not need Schengen Visa for visiting Europe for up to 90 days. However if they wish to live, work, study or do business in Europe for a long duration then they need to apply for resident visa or national visa of that European country. One of the necessary documents that they need while applying for long term Europe residence permit is travel health insurance with a minimum of 30,000 Euros medical coverage, evacuation and repatriation coverage which must be valid though out the entire duration of stay in Europe.
After buying adequate health insurance a visa letter will be emailed to you that you can use while applying for visa. The long stay Europe insurance Visa Letter will indicate that the traveler is insured for medical expenses, emergencies and hospitalization throughout the stay in Europe. As health care is expensive in Europe and the domestic insurance doesn't offer coverage outside U.S. buying the best travel insurance for Europe is required to be financially safe while traveling.
Travel insurance for Schengen countries is mandatory if you need a Schengen visa and must meet specific coverage criteria. If you do not need a visa then travel insurance is optional yet it is still highly recommended due to potential high medical costs for foreigners.
Individuals who are not citizens of the European Union (EU), European Economic Area (EEA), or Switzerland and who plan to stay in Schengen country for up to 90 days within a 180-day period for tourism, business, or family visits need to apply for an Schengen Visa. This visa allows travel to Schengen Area countries. Exceptions may apply depending on the nationality of the traveler, as some countries have visa exemption agreements with the Schengen Zone.
Nationalities who needs a Schengen visa
To apply for a Schengen Visa, follow these steps:
Travelers who need an Schengen visa should buy travel insurance satisfying Schengen visa requirements:
The benefits of having Schengen Travel insurance
The cost for the Schengen visa travel insurance depends mainly on the age of the traveler and the duration of coverage required. The older the traveler the higher will be the cost. The longer the duration of travel insurance coverage Schengen visa required, the greater will be the cost for the travel insurance for Schengen visa. The Schengen visa insurance application quote facility on our website lists the travel insurance that satisfy Schengen visa consulate requirements. You can find the cheapest insurance for Schengen visa on American Visitor Insurance.
All the insurance plans listed below meet the Schengen visa requirements and are recognized by Schengen/EU embassies and consulates globally. Additionally, each provider allows you to download your Schengen visa letter on buying the policy. Travel medical insurance plans for Schengen countris can start at just $1 per day.
| Insurance Plans | Provider Network | Cost* | How to download Visa letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlas International WorldTrips |  |
$8 | WorldTrips insurance ID cards via Client Zone |
| Patriot International Lite IMG | |
$10 | IMG insurance ID cards from My IMG |
| Atlas Premium International WorldTrips | |
$11 | WorldTrips insurance ID cards via Client Zone |
| Safe Travels Outbound Insurance Trawick International |  |
$20 | Trawick International insurance ID cards via Client Zone. |
* The average cost of travel insurance for Schengen visa per week for 25 years old traveler.
Insurance for older travelers for visiting the Schengen countries
If you are a non-U.S. citizen or a U.S. Green card holder traveling to Europe, you may need visa that satisfies Europe travel insurance requirements which are the Schengen visa requirements, depending on your nationality. Do check the specific requirements based on your citizenship. Travelers from the USA visiting Europe will in any event need to apply for a Schengen visa if their visit is for tourism, business, or family reasons and they plan to stay for up to 90 days. When applying for a visa to Europe (or any other Schengen Area country), travel insurance is a mandatory requirement. The purpose of this travel insurance for the Europe visa is to cover unexpected expenses related to medical emergencies, accidents, or trip disruptions during your time in Europe.
The policy must cover emergency medical expenses of at least €30,000 (around US $50,000). It must include coverage for emergency medical evacuation which is transporting you to the nearest hospital or even back to your home country if needed. The insurance must cover the entire period of your stay in the Schengen Zone, from the date you enter Europe until you leave. American Visitor Insurance offers international travel insurance that meets the Europe travel insurance requirements, providing the necessary proof of travel health insurance required when applying for a visa. You can call us at (877)-340-7910 if you need any help to buy travel insurance for Europe which satisfies visa requirements.
Starting in 2025, U.S. travelers to Europe will need to apply for an ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorization System). ETIAS is an electronic travel authorization system similar to the U.S. ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization). However, ETIAS is not a visa. It is be a pre-travel clearance for short stays up to 90 days in Europe. Along with ETIAS it is important for US travelers to buy travel insurance for Europe from USA on American Visitor Insurance, since Medicare and most US health insurance plans will not provide coverage outside USA in Europe.
Green Card holders will need a European visa if the country of their passport requires a Schengen visa for travel to Europe. Travel insurance for a European visa is mandatory when applying for a Schengen visa. Green Card holders must meet common Schengen visa insurance requirements, which can be satisfied by purchasing travel insurance from American Visitor Insurance.
The best travel insurance for a US senior vacationing in Europe are available on American Visitor Insurance. A very economical plan for seniors under 70 years is the Altas International plan which costs about $170 per month. You purchase it for the days you need coverage. For seniors under 80, the Patriot International Lite plan is the most economical which costs about $270 per month. If you are over 80 years of age and want at least $50,000 coverage (which would be required for a Long Term Europe visa), you must purchase the Safe Travels Outbound plan which costs about $670 per month. All of these plans will give you a "visa letter" you can download and print out if you need it for a Long Term stay and all are excellent options for visitor insurance while abroad. Note that prices are for a $50,000 maximum with a $0 deductible imitating the visa requirements, but if you do not need to satisfy those requirements, you can put a higher deductible on the policy and reduce the cost of the plan.
American health insurance plans do not provide full coverage in Europe, as most U.S. based plans are designed for domestic use and do not work outside US borders. While some policies may include limited international emergency care, they do not cover routine medical expenses, extended stays, or repatriation costs. For comprehensive international travel health insurance coverage, it’s important to buy international travel insurance from USA to Europe that meets Schengen visa requirements which is offered on American Visitor Insurance, and includes the required €30,000 in medical coverage.
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Satisfy Schengen visa requirements to apply for visa
Compare several plans to find what fits your needs best
Travel medical insurance protection for health emergency
Travel to Europe in peace with good insurance coverage
The cost of Europe long term visa insurance depends on the following:
Complete the travel insurance quote request form by providing details of the traveller and insurance requirements.
Compare the price and the benefits of the different travel insurance options to identify what fits your needs best.
Purchase the plan that fits your needs and budget best by using a credit card and completing the online application.
Review the 30,000 euro travel insurance cost documents received by email closely for coverage details and relevant contact numbers.
#1 Policy Maximum is the maximum eligible medical expenses that the plan will cover.
#2 Deductible is the amount of expenses that must be paid out of pocket before an insurer will pay any expenses.
#3 Europe travel insurance for US residents Click here to read more »USA citizens can apply for various types of Schengen visas based on their travel purpose
There is no single Schengen travel insurance plan which will work best for all travelers to Europe. The best Schengen visa travel insurance plans will vary from traveler to traveler depending on their unique needs. While some Europe travelers will look for the cheapest Schengen visa insurance cost specifically to satisfy the Schengen visa requirements, others will look for the most comprehensive Schengen travel insurance coverage.
The price will be higher if you need health insurance for Europe travelers with pre-existing conditions. It is recommended to compare different low cost Schengen visa travel insurance plans based on price as well as the different benefits coverage options. Europe travelers should also read different Schengen travel insurance reviews before buying a Schengen visa travel insurance plan.
The cheapest Schengen travel insurance is surely dependent on the travelers' requirements. The traveler will have to do research online to find the cheapest travel insurance for Schengen visa based on his or her requirements. It is advisable to compare cheapest travel medical insurance for Schengen visa before buying the cheap travel medical insurance for Schengen visa that satisfies Schengen consulate requirements.
U.S. citizens traveling to the Schengen region will need to carry the following documents:
Travel insurance for a Schengen visa application in U.S. must satisfy the following conditions:
Yes, one can enter the Schengen Area on a land border crossing.
Yes, one can travel to many Schengen countries with a single entry visa, as long as all the travel is done within one trip and without exiting from the Schengen region. A single entry visa allows a traveler to enter the Schengen Zone only once for the period that it is issued. Once the traveler leaves the Schengen Zone, he or she cannot enter again to the Schengen region with a single entry visa. However once the traveler has entered the Schengen region, he/she can travel to different countries within the Schengen zone.
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Cheap travel medical insurance for Schengen Visa FAQs.
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