Schengen Visa Travel Insurance

[PacificCrossInsurance]

If you are planning a trip to Europe and you are not a citizen of the EU, then you’ll be required to obtain what is known as a ‘Schengen Visa’.

A Schengen Visa (named after the place the various European countries made their agreement) is a standard entry visa that covers 26 European countries who got together some years back and agreed they would all issue – and honour – the same visa requirements.

All European Union countries, except Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Ireland, Romania and the United Kingdom are members of the Schengen Borders Agreement. In addition, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein are also members of the Schengen Borders Agreement (but they are not European Union members). Any of these countries may issue a Schengen Visa, and all will honour it.

In addition to streamlining the Visa process there is another major feature with Schengen Visas and that is one of the conditions of obtaining this Visa is the applicants must demonstrate they have medical insurance that meets minimum requirements for the full duration of your stay within member countries, before the Visa will be issued.

These minimum requirements are for medical/hospital cover of a minimum of 30,000 Euros and the inclusion of repatriation cover (the cost of getting you back to your originating country either alive or, in the worst case to repatriate what insurers refer to as your ‘mortal remains’).

Because you are required to provide proof of this cover before the Schengen Visa is issued, you need to firstly make your airline reservations (knowing these can be changed is necessary), and using the travel reservation details plus your passport copy, apply and pay for the travel insurance from a company that is approved to provide the minimum level of cover. You will be provided with a ‘cover note’ that contains all the information the Visa issuing authority requires.

You then apply to the Consulate/Embassy of the chosen Schengen country and include the insurance cover note which provides evidence of your coverage and the duration of cover – and without this information meeting the requirements you will be unable to secure the Visa.

Don’t fall into the trap of paying money to some online service that promises to tell you what to do or do it for you – these are mainly scams who charge money tell you just what is written here.

It’s also critical that you take out cover with a company that is approved and meets the necessary requirements for Schengen Visa issue. There are a number of those who can be contacted through your Thai registered insurance broker or directly with the company concerned. Pacific Cross is among those approved companies whose policies are all Schengen Visa compliant, and you can obtain a no obligation quote by clicking on the link Schengen Visa Outbound Travel Insurance.

Safe travels!

[stevenl]

To get Schengen Visa business you need to make sure you're on the list of approved companies that the embassies hand out on visa applications. I know I would not risk going to a company not mentioned on that list.