If you need a Schengen visa, travel medical insurance is mandatory, with minimum cover of €30,000. If you travel visa-free (and with ETIAS once it starts), it's not generally mandatory, but it's strongly recommended: healthcare is expensive for non-residents and border officers may ask how you'd cover unexpected costs.
What good insurance covers
- Medical and hospital costs (at least €30,000 if it's for a visa).
- Medical repatriation and repatriation of remains.
- Valid in every Schengen country for your whole trip.
Many US health plans don't cover you abroad: check before you go.
Does ETIAS require insurance?
No. The ETIAS form doesn't ask for insurance. Still, traveling without it is a real financial risk.
Does your health insurance from home work in Europe?
Often it doesn't, or only partly. In the United States, Original Medicare generally does not cover care abroad, and many private plans only reimburse emergencies after you have paid. Canadian provincial plans usually cover a small fraction of foreign hospital costs. Check your policy before travelling: look for emergency medical cover abroad, the limit, and whether they pay hospitals directly.
Credit cards sometimes include travel insurance, but usually only if you paid the trip with that card, and medical limits can be low.
What happens if you travel without insurance?
If you are visa-exempt, you can still enter: insurance is not an entry condition for you. But if you fall ill or have an accident, you pay the full price as a non-resident. A few nights in a European hospital or a medical repatriation flight can easily run into tens of thousands of euros.
For Schengen visa applicants, the rule is strict: the policy must cover at least €30,000, be valid in all Schengen countries and for the whole stay, including repatriation.
How to choose a policy for Europe
- Medical expenses and hospitalisation with a high limit (at least €30,000; more is better).
- Medical repatriation and repatriation of remains.
- Valid in every Schengen country you'll visit, and in the UK or Ireland if they are on your route.
- 24/7 assistance line and direct payment to hospitals.
- Cover for pre-existing conditions if you have any.
Frequently asked questions
Will they check my insurance at the airport?
With a visa you should carry it. Without a visa it's rarely checked, but you may be asked how you'd cover costs.
Does my credit card's insurance count?
Sometimes, if it covers enough medical costs in Europe. Check the terms and ask for a certificate.
Do US citizens need travel insurance for Europe?
It isn't mandatory for visa-free travel, but it is strongly recommended because most US health plans, including Original Medicare, offer little or no cover abroad.
Does ETIAS require travel insurance?
No. The ETIAS application does not ask for insurance.
Is €30,000 of cover enough?
It is the legal minimum for Schengen visas. For a long trip or older travellers, a higher limit is wiser.
Keep reading
Sources
- EU Visa Code (Regulation (EC) 810/2009), Article 15
- European Commission: ETIAS FAQ
- Medicare.gov: Medicare coverage outside the United States
This guide is independent and for information only. Rules can change: before you travel, always double-check on the official ETIAS website and with the authorities of the country you're visiting.