Medical insurance for a Schengen visa: everything you need to know

Minimum travel insurance coverage for the Schengen area

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All embassies and visa centers in the Schengen area require insurance for a minimum coverage of 30,000 euros. Since January 2021, a law has been in force according to which insurance companies must cover tourists’ expenses in the amount of 2,000,000 rubles or more.

Do you need travel insurance to travel to Italy?

Do you need insurance for Italy? Yes! This is an unequivocal answer, and in this case there cannot be another. If, when traveling to some countries, the answer to the question “to take out insurance or not” depends on your desire and confidence in yourself and your destiny, then when traveling to Italy, insurance is required both for obtaining a visa (read more about obtaining an Italian visa here) and for your own peace of mind.

I have written about travel insurance on the blog several times (the main detailed article about insurance is here). The main idea is that when purchasing insurance for travelers abroad (TZR), first of all you need to pay attention not to the rating and reviews of the insurance company from which you are purchasing this policy, but to the rating of the assistance company.

The assistance company is the company with which you will communicate first in the event of an insured event (illness, injury, flight delay, etc.). This is the company that will pay for treatment, act as an intermediary between you and the doctor or hospital, in general, those people in whose hands your health and the health of your loved ones will be.

There are certain requirements for tourist medical insurance from the visa services of countries participating in the Schengen Agreement, which includes Italy. First of all, you need to take into account that the minimum amount of insurance coverage is 30,000 euros. It is important to understand that we are not talking about the cost of the insurance policy, but about the amount within which the insurance company guarantees payment for medical services.

All of them allow you to find offers from popular insurance companies and choose the most attractive option among them in terms of price.

However, do not forget that in the end it is not just about complying with formalities, but about your health. If you look from this point of view, then you still have to delve into the nuances.

What risks does health insurance cover for a Schengen visa?

Insurance in the Schengen area always covers the following risks:

• Health care
• Emergency dental care
• Repatriation of the remains of the insured to their homeland.

Let's look at each risk in detail:

Medical assistance under VZR insurance

A minimum of 35,000 - 40,000 euros for treatment is covered. This includes:

• calling a doctor and ambulance;
• unexpected injury;
• hospital treatment;
• drug costs;
• transporting the patient home.

Emergency dental care under VZR insurance

Insurance companies most often cover dental care for 100-200 euros. Only Ingosstrakh covers from 40,000 euros.

Repatriation of remains to their homeland

Typically, 10,000 euros are allocated for this risk.

Frequent accidents with tourists in Italy

One of the most common causes of death of tourists in Italy is the sea. In 2010, several Russian tourists drowned. Three years later, a pensioner from Russia suffered a heart attack while at sea, and at the other end of the ill-fated beach, a 19-year-old Moroccan drowned on the same day.

In 2012, the whole world was shocked by the news of the crash of the Costa Concordia liner off the coast of Italy. There were over 4,000 people on board, including more than 100 Russian citizens. In that fatal crash, 32 people were killed or missing.

In August 2021, 11 people died in the gorges of the Colpino Park in Calabria, and dozens were injured of varying degrees of severity. Due to heavy rains, the river overflowed its banks, flooding occurred and hit the national park. At this time, tourists were there on an excursion.

In 2013, 6 Russians were killed and 2 were seriously injured in a snowmobile accident in the Trentino-Alto Adige region. The driver exceeded the speed limit on a dangerous section of the road and lost control. The two survivors were taken to hospital for medical treatment.

They were provided with the necessary range of medical services on time, because they were insured on a trip with the Active Leisure package included. Snowmobiling is not included in standard basic insurance, so the insurance would not have paid for the treatment otherwise. And so, the added “Active Leisure” package, which costs an additional 500-600 rubles, saved the survivors tens of thousands of euros on bills in the Italian hospital.

In such situations, it becomes obvious why it is so important not just to take out the cheapest insurance for a Schengen visa, but to choose it taking into account possible situations that may happen on vacation. Apply for an instant policy directly on our website. Select the best conditions from leading insurance companies and fill out a short questionnaire. You are guaranteed to receive the policy by email today.

Health insurance requirements for a Finland visa

Insurance for Finland has the following features:

1. The insurance policy begins to be valid from the date of submission of documents for a visa. The policy expires on the day until which the visa is valid. If you need to go on vacation on October 1 for 10 days, and you submitted documents on September 15, then the insurance will have to begin on September 15.
2. The insurance covers the entire Schengen territory.
3. There should be no deductible (amount of insurance that will not be reimbursed).
4. The limit of the sum insured cannot be less than 30,000 euros.

How to get insurance in Italy

There are several ways to get insurance for Italy:

• In the office of a reliable insurance company, go there with your international passport or a copy thereof (as a rule, each insurance company works with only one assistance, therefore, it is better to either choose a company in advance, or be “satisfied” with what they offer you)
• At the Italy visa center before applying for a Schengen visa (Agents work here, so the most important thing for them is to sell as much insurance as possible. Yes, the policy will meet all the requirements, but most likely the insurance will be the simplest)
• Online on the Internet in just 5 minutes, and you can select an insurance company, a service company, and also include the services you need

Health insurance requirements for Austria visa

1. Minimum insurance coverage is 30,000 euros.
2. The insurance policy must cover illness and accidents.
3. The insurance must be valid for all Schengen territories (in the calculator, select Schengen, not Austria).
4. The insurance date coincides with the entry date, and another 15 days are automatically added to the insurance expiration date.
5. The policy is issued at one of the agencies recommended by the Austrian Consulate. The list of agencies is on the Consulate website.

IMPORTANT! Due to the specifics of Austria, from October 1 to April 30, the insurance includes an additional amount for winter sports: alpine skiing and snowboarding. If you definitely do not intend to ski, you must provide a written refusal to participate in the Austrian Embassy.

Requirements for health insurance for a visa to the Czech Republic

1. The insurance must cover all Schengen countries.
2. The tariff should include coverage for: treatment of injuries and illnesses that may occur during travel, expenses for emergency care and transportation of the patient to his home country.
3. The contract must cover both entries if you are applying for a double entry visa. The sum insured must be higher than 35,000 euros.
4. The policy should not have a deductible (an amount that is not covered by insurance).

Is it required?

Insurance, being a prerequisite not only for obtaining tourist, but also other types of visas to Italy, is necessary.
This fact is fixed at the legislative level.

In particular, we are talking about two domestic legal acts:

• Federal Law No. 132 “On the fundamentals of tourism activities in the Russian Federation”;
• Law of the Russian Federation No. 4015-1 “On the organization of insurance business in the Russian Federation.”

In addition to these laws obliging tour operators at the state level to insure their clients, there is the EU Visa Code.

This act in Art. 15 obliges tourists and other visitors to one of the Schengen countries to provide, along with the application form, an insurance policy that can be valid in the country. Therefore, insurance for an Italian visa is necessary.

Without insurance, a visa to Italy simply will not be provided.

Health insurance requirements for a Spain visa

1. The insurance must cover the amount of 30,000 euros.
2. The insurance must include payment for hospitalization, emergency care and re-entry of the patient home (in case of death or serious illness).
3. If you are applying for a multiple entry visa, your insurance must be valid for your entire first trip.
4. There should be no deductible in the tariff. Payment for treatment is fully covered.

Health Insurance Requirements for Italy Visa

• The validity period of the insurance must correspond to the duration of your trip. 15 days are automatically added to this period in cases where the trip is shifted in date.
• When choosing a multi-visa, you do not need to take out insurance for the entire period. The policy must be issued only for the first trip.
• The insurance must be valid in all Schengen countries.
• The sum insured must not be less than 30,000 euros.

How to buy online

The insurance procedure for Italy is available on our portal. The time to purchase the form is no more than 10 minutes.

Step-by-step instruction:

1. Insurance premium calculation. The calculation should be made using the calculators presented above.
2. Choice. Having received an offer, you should study the cost, risk package and make a choice in favor of the company that is right for you.
3. Decor. To purchase a contract, you will need to provide the personal information of the policyholder and the insured. Additionally, the insured person's date of birth and contact details are requested.
4. Payment. Payment can only be made using a bank card. To pay, you must indicate the card number, expiration date and name of the owner.
5. Receive the form. After payment, the VZR form is sent to the policyholder to the specified email address. Now you can print out the insurance and go to get a visa to Italy.

Important! You should know that insurers accept payments from both debit and credit cards that are issued in the name of the policyholder under the contract.

Health insurance requirements for a France visa

1. Insurance must cover an amount of 30,000 euros. If a multiple visa is issued, this amount increases to 50,000 or 100,000 euros.
2. The insurance must be valid throughout the Schengen area.
3. The validity period of the insurance must be equal to the validity period of the visa (or the duration of the first trip for multiple visas).
4. The insurance policy must include services for emergency assistance, hospitalization and repatriation.
5. Insurance is issued without a deductible.
6. The insurance company must be accredited by the country's embassy or consulate.
7. If you want to engage in sports (alpine skiing, snowboarding, windsurfing, sports tourism, team games), you will need extended insurance. It will cover expenses if you are injured while engaging in outdoor activities.

What will be covered by insurance and what will not?

Medical insurance for a Schengen visa includes treatment in the following cases:

• Natural Disasters
• Animal bites
• Food poisoning
• Acute toothache
• Bruises, cuts, fractures and other injuries received in certain situations.

The tourist will be reimbursed for the cost of outpatient and inpatient treatment, transportation to the hospital, airport, flight to his homeland, consultation and call of a doctor, medications, examinations, etc.

Insurance costs will not be reimbursed in the following situations:

• If the injuries were sustained while the tourist was under the influence of drugs or alcohol
• If the injuries occurred while engaging in outdoor activities when they were not included in the policy. Active recreation includes even a harmless game of volleyball, ping-pong, fishing or swimming in the sea.
• If you were injured during a terrorist attack
• If a pregnant woman is at least 8 weeks pregnant (the period may vary from company to company) she becomes ill.

How much does health insurance cost for a Schengen visa?

This depends on a number of factors:

• Insurance programs (economical, standard or extended program);
• Period of validity of the policy;
• Amounts of coverage (amounts of payments upon the occurrence of an insured event);
• The age of the policyholder and his state of health.

The economical package covers 30,000 euros. These are the costs of treating a person who is suddenly injured or ill.

The insured client can count on transportation to the hospital, outpatient or inpatient treatment, doctor's consultations, operations, purchase of medications, dental care (except for planned dental treatment).

The standard package may also include delivery of the person to his home country after treatment, accommodation in the country after hospital treatment until the date of departure.

The premium program includes legal assistance and payment for ground transportation in cases where flights are prohibited. Returning home the victim's children.

The insurance may also include other items that are not related to medicine. In particular, insurance for luggage against loss, flight insurance against flight delays, and also for yourself against loss of documents.

The price of insurance increases as the incoming options increase.

The insurance company does not reimburse expenses in cases where a person is under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Even if the cause of the incident was not alcohol itself.

It is worth buying an insurance rate depending on your plans. If you are planning a relaxing beach holiday, then you should limit yourself to standard insurance. And if your plans include rock climbing and surfing, then it makes sense to take more expensive insurance.

Let's look at the prices for insurance from the most famous companies:

Consent - 24 rubles per day

This is the price of the basic tariff. It includes the most minimal set of services, excluding sports and active recreation.

Capital Life – 32 rubles per day

This option is one of the most economical, but not the best in quality. You can find a lot of negative reviews about this insurance company on the Internet.

Gaide – 40 rubles per day (200 for children)

The assistance of this company is the reliable company Savitar Group. Assistance is a service center that we will call when an insured event occurs.

Polis AXA - from 40 rubles per day

The main advantage of insurance is one of the best assistance in Europe, AXA Assistance. Holders of this insurance can choose the clinic for treatment and receive priority assistance.

Liberty insurance – 47 rubles per day (88 for children)

Her assistance is provided by Class Assistance. If an insured event occurs, you can wait several hours for a response from this company.

Allianz – 48.14 rubles per day (96 – for children)

Her assistance is Mondial Assistance. This company is considered one of the most reliable organizations. An insurance policy from Allianz covers not only standard expenses, but also the costs of treating acute chronic diseases. The basic insurance package includes active recreation.

Absolute - 49 rubles per day

The company gives the right to choose one of the assistance:

• Balt assist
• Europ Assistance (European Assistance CIS)
• Savitar Group (Savitar Group)

Ingosstrakh – 68 rubles per day (136 – for children)

The impression about this company is contradictory. You can find both positive and negative reviews on the Internet.

Rosgosstrakh - from 69 rubles per day

The company cooperates with the Russian company Balt Assistance. This assistance guarantees 24/7 support in Russian.

Tinkoff insurance - 69 rubles per day

This is the price of the basic tariff (without active sports activities). In reviews, travelers note that they receive compensation. However, the insurance agent has poor assistance - Europe Assistance. This company is considered one of the worst in Europe.

Insurance company Pari - 69 rubles per day

The policy includes basic medical expenses, personal accident and outdoor injury coverage.

Alfa insurance - from 74 rubles per day

You can find quite negative reviews about this company on the Internet. Many people note that they never received an insurance payment.

VSK - 79.2 rubles per day

You can find both positive and negative reviews about this insurance company on the Internet.

ERV – 108.17 rubles per day

This is one of the best insurance companies at the moment. The policy includes a large number of additional services. Including:

• Compensation in case of damage, theft or loss of luggage.
• Losses associated with trip cancellation and interruption.
• Damage to health and property of third parties due to unintentional actions during the trip.
• Provides treatment for acute chronic diseases. Moreover, the maximum amount of coverage is from $500 to $2000. Therefore, this insurance is the most optimal for older people.
• Provides treatment for Dengue fever.
• Provides treatment for sunburn and allergies.

Tripinshurance - from 119 rubles per day

This insurance company has a fairly high price even for the basic rate. However, a large number of positive reviews indicate the reliability and high reputation of the insurance company. The insurance covers a fairly large amount - 250,000 euros.

Climate conditions in Italy

Italy is a multifaceted country with different climates. It has a temperate, subtropical, Mediterranean climate depending on the chosen region.

The island part of Italy is the most dangerous for tourists. In summer it is very hot and dry here. There is a real chance of getting sunstroke or burns. Tourists need to observe minimum safety measures while in this country during the hottest months. For example, drink more water, use sun protection, do not go outside from 13:00 to 15:00, wear hats.

In Italy, it often rains torrentially, causing floods, mudflows, and landslides. Earthquakes are frequent in this country. So, in 2021, due to an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.00, more than 250 people died or went missing. Three years earlier, the country also experienced a powerful earthquake that killed over 300 people.

The National Council of Geologists of Italy states that more than 50% of the country is seismically dangerous. According to their information, about 2,000 earthquakes of varying amplitude occur in the country every year. The most dangerous areas include Calabria, the southern part of Umbria, and Sicily.

Aggregators for choosing insurance

In addition to traditional insurance companies, medical policies can be purchased from aggregators via the Internet.

Aggregators have obvious advantages:

• It is possible to compare prices and insurance conditions;
• The price of insurance is lower than that of insurance companies;
• Purchasing a policy is much easier than through insurance company websites;
• There are exclusive insurances, the sale of which is carried out only by aggregators.

But none of the aggregators can provide a full range of travel insurance. Only four aggregators have the most reliable insurance policies.

Polis812

You can use it to compare multiple insurance policies. The aggregator has the following advantages:

• You can choose the appropriate assistance yourself;
• Some insurance policies are cheaper than other intermediaries
• It is worth paying attention to reliable assistance services: ERV, Polis AXA and Allianz.

Cherehapa

Allows you to compare not only prices, but also insurance conditions of 15 companies. You can find positive reviews about Allianz, Absolute insurance and Savitar Group assistance.

Instore.travel

Allows you to compare 10 different insurances, including ERV and Allianz.

Compare.ru

Quite a popular aggregator. Allows you to compare policies from a dozen different companies.

Private insurance

In addition to state social security, there is private health insurance or voluntary insurance. It offers a wide selection of doctors and medical institutions. The policy allows you to make an appointment directly with the required specialist, bypassing a general practitioner (therapist). Private programs are widely represented and differ in the degree of coverage and the absence of restrictions on various types of medical services:

• Highly specialized specialists;
• Surgical interventions;
• Hospitalization;
• Special diagnostic examinations;
• Laboratory research.

Private insurance services are usually used by foreigners, medical tourists and citizens of the country who want to receive more effective treatment. And also those people who do not have time to wait for a long time and make an appointment with specialists from government agencies. In addition, a policy from a private company eliminates the wait for hospitalization.

Peculiarities

Not everyone knows that medicine in Italy is distinguished by a special code “saving life”. According to it, everyone is saved, regardless of legality, availability of insurance or money, race or social status. Italian doctors are highly professional, responsible and humane. Each of them bears personal responsibility for the health and life of the patient. In the event of a medical error resulting in adverse consequences or death, the doctor will not only lose his license, but also pay compensation to the injured party.

Assistance services that work in the Schengen area

Russian insurance companies cooperate with these assistance services:

1. Euro-Center Holding,
2. Allianz Global Assistance (Mondial),
3. Tripinsurance Assistance,
4. Savitar Group.

This assistance has a fairly high rating and many positive reviews. The listed companies cooperate with many institutions and open their branches in many countries.

When choosing assistance, you need to pay attention to the following factors:

1. Euro-Center Holding, Allianz Global Assistance and AXA Assistance have a positive reputation among travelers. They collaborate with many large clinics in Europe.
2. But AXA Assistance cooperates only with the insurance company ERGO, and Euro-Center Holding works with ERV.
3. Allianz Global Assistance has two partners – Allianz and Tripinsurance.
4. Savitar Group and Europ Assistance also cooperate with ERGO, and LDM Assistance with ERV.

IMPORTANT! For travelers with children, it is best to buy an Allianz, Tripinsurance or AXA Assistance policy. Their policy allows you to call a doctor at home, even if this is not practiced in the country itself.

Political situation in Italy

Italy is a relatively calm country with its own political problems. Yes, everyone remembers the story of Silvio Berlusconi, but today the conflict of interests in Italy is significantly different.

Anti-government coalition parties are calling for the impeachment of Italy's current president. All this is accompanied by a daring, offensive form and aggression.

The average tourist is unlikely to notice this kind of political turmoil, which is less common in popular tourist destinations. However, local residents are experiencing real political instability in the country.