How much travel insurance do you need — and what's actually excluded?
Pick your destination to see the legal medical-cover minimum (including the €30,000 a Schengen visa requires), then tick what you'll actually do on your trip to see how standard policies usually treat it — and get a checklist to confirm before you buy.
EU Visa Code (Regulation (EC) No 810/2009, Article 15): a Schengen visa requires travel medical insurance of at least €30,000 covering emergency medical care, hospitalisation, and repatriation (including of remains), valid across all Schengen states.
Source: EU Visa Code (Reg. 810/2009) · last verified 2026-06-06 · confirm with the consulate you apply to.
The €30,000 figure is a legal minimum, not a recommendation — individual consulates can expect more, and €30,000 does not go far against a serious hospital stay. Confirm the exact requirement with the specific consulate you apply to, and make sure the policy explicitly states Schengen-wide validity and repatriation.
Will my travel insurance cover this?
Tick anything that applies to your trip. We'll show how standard policies usually treat it — then you confirm it in your own policy wording.
This tool explains common travel-insurance patterns and the legal minimums that apply to visas. It is general information, not insurance or medical advice, and it does not tell you whether you personally are or are not covered — only your policy wording and your insurer can. Coverage, limits, and exclusions vary by insurer, country, and date. Always read your policy's wording and confirm legal requirements with the official source before you rely on them.
What does a Schengen visa require for insurance?
A Schengen visa requires travel medical insurance of at least €30,000 that covers emergency medical treatment, hospitalisation, and repatriation (including repatriation of remains), and is valid in all Schengen states. The requirement is set by the EU Visa Code, Regulation (EC) No 810/2009, Article 15. Treat €30,000 as the floor: some consulates expect higher cover, and a serious hospitalisation abroad can exceed it quickly. Confirm the figure and any extra conditions with the specific consulate you apply to — we link the official source rather than restate a number that can change.
Why exclusions matter more than the headline limit
Most travellers compare insurance on price and the big medical number. But denied claims usually come from exclusions — the activities and circumstances a policy quietly leaves out. A €5,000,000 policy is worthless for a skiing injury if it has no winter-sports cover, or for a moped crash if you didn't hold the right licence. The checker above exists to surface those clauses for your trip, so you compare policies on whether they cover what you'll actually do.
How does the checker work?
Tick the activities and circumstances that apply to your trip. For each one, the tool shows how standard policies usually treat it — covered, needs an add-on, covered only within limits, or commonly excluded — with the specific thing to look for in the wording. It then compiles your ticks into a checklist you can copy or share and take to any insurer. It runs entirely in your browser and stores nothing.
Travel insurance questions, answered
How much travel insurance do you need for a Schengen visa?
A Schengen visa legally requires travel medical insurance of at least €30,000, covering emergency treatment, hospitalisation, and repatriation, and valid across all Schengen countries. This comes from the EU Visa Code (Regulation 810/2009, Article 15). It is a legal minimum, not a recommendation — individual consulates can ask for more, and €30,000 does not go far against a serious hospital bill. Always confirm the exact figure with the consulate you apply to.
Does travel insurance cover pre-existing conditions?
Usually only if you declare them and the insurer accepts them, often for an extra premium. Undeclared pre-existing conditions are the single most common reason medical claims are denied — and a non-disclosure can void the whole policy, not just the related claim. Declare every condition honestly during the medical screening and keep the confirmation.
Will my travel insurance cover skiing or scuba diving?
Not by default. Standard policies usually exclude winter sports unless you add a winter-sports pack, and off-piste skiing is frequently excluded even then. Scuba diving is often covered only up to a depth limit and only if you are certified and dive with a buddy. Tick your activities in the checker above to see how each is typically treated and what to confirm in the wording.
Is the cheapest travel insurance policy a good idea?
The cheapest premium is often the most excluded policy. What matters is whether the wording actually covers the things you will do and the conditions you have. The point of the checker above is to turn your trip into a short list of clauses to confirm, so you compare policies on coverage, not just price.
Does this tool tell me which insurance to buy?
No. It explains the common patterns and the legal minimums, and it builds you a checklist to confirm with any insurer. It does not — and cannot — tell you whether you personally are covered; only your policy wording and your insurer can do that. We keep it neutral on purpose.
Planning the rest of your trip
Sorting insurance is usually one box on a longer list. If your trip also means crossing time zones, our jet-lag plan generator builds a day-by-day light and sleep schedule, and if you're renting a car on arrival, the car rental comparison covers the conditions and add-ons that catch people out. We never let commission change what we recommend — see our methodology.
Last updated . Insurance terms, limits, and legal requirements vary by insurer, country, and date, and change over time. This page is general information, not insurance or medical advice. Read your policy wording and confirm legal requirements with the official source before you rely on them.