Schengen travel insurance for Indians: the EUR 30,000 cover consulates check

Rule as of 24 October 2026 · Sources: EU Visa Code, Regulation (EC) 810/2009, Article 15, Embassy of the Czech Republic in New Delhi, German Missions in India insurance declaration

A Schengen visa application needs travel medical insurance with at least EUR 30,000 of cover, valid in every Schengen country, for every day of your trip. The policy has to pay for urgent medical treatment, emergency hospital care, and repatriation for medical reasons or after death.

That is the whole rule. It comes from Article 15 of the EU Visa Code, so it is the same whether you apply to France, Germany, Italy or any other Schengen country. What can differ is how each consulate applies it, and one embassy in Delhi goes further than the rest.

The rule, line by line

Article 15 of the Visa Code sets these conditions:

• Minimum cover of EUR 30,000. This is a floor, not a recommendation. Higher cover is fine.
• What it must pay for: repatriation for medical reasons, urgent medical attention, emergency hospital treatment, and death.
• Where it must work: throughout the territory of the Schengen states. If a visa is issued for only some countries (a limited territorial validity visa), the policy must cover at least those.
• How long: the entire period of your intended stay or transit.
• Where to buy it: in principle in your country of residence, so a policy bought in India is the normal route. If someone else buys it in your name, it has to meet the same conditions.
• Claims must be recoverable in a Schengen state. The consulate checks that the insurer can pay out there.

The Schengen visa page lists insurance alongside the other documents in your file, and our full guide to the Schengen visa from India walks through the rest of the checklist.

What the consulate reads on your certificate

What goes into your file is usually the insurance certificate, a one or two page summary of the policy, not the full policy wording. Before you print it, check these five things against the rest of your file:

• Name and passport number match your passport exactly, including spelling.
• Sum insured is shown and is at least EUR 30,000. If the certificate shows the amount in US dollars or rupees, ask the insurer for a version that states it in euros, so nobody has to do the conversion.
• Start and end dates cover the day you land through the day you fly out. If your return flight leaves after midnight, the policy should run to that date.
• Territory says Schengen, Europe or worldwide. A policy that excludes any Schengen country does not meet the rule.
• Medical repatriation and repatriation of remains are listed as covered.

If any of these is wrong, ask the insurer to reissue the certificate before your appointment, not after.

Multiple-entry visas

For a visa with more than two entries, the rule is lighter at the application stage. You show insurance for your first planned trip only, and you sign a statement in the application form saying you know you need cover for every later trip.

This matters more for Indian travellers since the EU's cascade rules for India, which can give returning applicants a longer multiple-entry visa. Our post on the Schengen cascade visa for Indians explains who qualifies. If you get a multi-year visa, buy a new policy for each trip. The visa does not carry its own insurance.

Buying insurance in India: the Czech exception

The Visa Code says insurance should in principle be bought in your country of residence. Indian travel policies are therefore normal for applicants based in India.

One embassy is stricter. The Embassy of the Czech Republic in New Delhi accepts travel medical insurance only from the Indian insurance companies on its own approved list, which it publishes as a PDF on its website. It states that other policies issued by Indian insurers are not accepted for the Schengen visa. If you are applying for a Czechia visa, check the insurer against that list before you pay for a policy.

The same Czech page adds two points worth knowing:

• Corporate travel policies from listed insurers may carry an upper age limit of 70.
• Group travel policies are accepted only if the embassy can verify cover for each individual traveller.

Other consulates do not publish a list like this, but they still apply Article 15. When in doubt, apply the strictest reading: one named policy per traveller, euros on the certificate, and dates that match your flights.

Insurance is checked again when you travel

The visa decision is not the last time the policy matters. The German Missions in India insurance declaration says you must carry proof of the policy while you travel and present qualifying insurance for later visits to the Schengen area. Keep a printed copy with your passport and a PDF on your phone.

For the border itself, our post on EES at the Schengen border covers what Indian passport holders should expect on arrival.

Where insurance fits in your timeline

Buy the policy after your flights and hotels are fixed, and before your appointment. The certificate goes into the file on the day you submit, so it cannot be added after the visa is approved.

If you are still working out appointment timing, read our note on the Schengen appointment and file strategy from India. The Schengen visa page suggests booking appointments 4 to 8 weeks ahead in season, and the insurance dates should match the trip you are applying for.

FAQ

Is EUR 30,000 of cover enough for a Schengen visa?

Yes, for the visa. EUR 30,000 is the legal minimum under Article 15 of the Visa Code and consulates accept it. Higher cover is your choice, not a visa requirement.

Does every family member need a separate policy?

Every applicant needs cover, including children. A family or group policy can work, but the Czech embassy in New Delhi, for example, accepts group policies only when it can verify each person's cover. A separate certificate per traveller avoids the question.

My travel dates changed after I bought the policy. What now?

Ask the insurer to change or extend the dates before you submit, or before you fly if the visa is already issued. The rule is that the policy covers the entire stay, so the dates on the certificate should match your flights.

Can I buy Schengen travel insurance from a European company instead?

The Visa Code says to buy it in principle in your country of residence, and only elsewhere if that is not possible. A policy from an Indian insurer is the normal choice for applicants living in India. For a Czech application, use one of the insurers on the embassy's approved list.

If you want us to check your full Schengen file, including the insurance certificate, before you book an appointment, start on our Schengen visa page.