Planning a European Tour? Understand What Travel Insurance Plan You Will Need

Europe is a land of fascinating sights. Be it the Renaissance arts of Florence, historic magnificence of Paris, tortuous canals of Venice or the ruins of Greek history, the multifaceted ethnicity here is sure to blow your mind away.

In recent times, due to the better accessibility, many people are making strides to Europe to experience its ethereal beauty. Moreover, owing to the Schengen Agreement of 1985, it has become increasingly easy for travellers to visit various countries of Europe on a single visa.

What is the Schengen Agreement?

The Schengen Agreement is a treaty between 26 European countries under which check on internal borders between these countries have been abolished. Therefore, to travel in these countries, you only need one Schengen visa.

However, to get a uniform visa to travel in these countries, you must have adequate travel insurance. According to the European Parliament and Council, any traveller applying for Schengen visa must have travel insurance which covers their medical expenses during their trip. The law also states that the minimum coverage of the policy should be at least € 30,000.

Benefits of Buying Schengen Travel Insurance

Other than the fact that it is mandatory to purchase Schengen travel insurance during your trip, the policy also offers some extra benefits, such as;

  • In case of a medical emergency during the trip, pre-post hospitalisation bills and other medical expenses are covered
  • If the medical condition aggravates, emergency evacuation is also covered
  • If the trip has been cancelled due to no fault of the policyholder, all the expenses are reimbursed
  • Loss of personal belongings, luggage or essential travel papers (passport, ID proof and others) is covered
  • In case there is a delay in baggage claim, extra costs are covered
  • In the case of Hijack, a distress allowance is provided

How to choose an Ideal Policy?

Finding an ideal travel insurance policy requires in-depth research. You can begin by searching online for Schengen travel insurance policies, and compare products offered by various companies, to make a calculated decision.

Moreover, it is crucial that you choose a policy on the basis of the comprehensive cover it provides, not cost. If you go for a low-cost insurance policy, the chances are that the services will also be low-quality. Here are some pointers that can help you in choosing an ideal policy;

  • Make sure that the travel insurance plan does not have low global medical emergency outlays.
  • Go through the policy documents carefully and check the limitations and restrictions. You don’t want a shock in case any eventuality occurs on your trip.
  • While a trip to Schengen countries is a delight, there is no surety of what can happen on the road. If you are planning to travel by car, it is better to include third-party liability in your insurance plan as well.
  • The fluctuations of weather in European countries is high. These changes may increase the chance of infections in people who have allergies. Therefore, it is essential to buy an insurance plan that provides cover for such allergies.

We at Bharti AXA GI offer you a comprehensive Schengen travel insurance policy that meets all Schengen Visa Requirements. Our plan includes a medical emergency cover, personal accident cover, emergency cover, trip cancellation costs and many other benefits.

Our plan also covers the costs of the round trip and stay expenses of an immediate family member who visits the insured, if he/she is hospitalised for more than 7 days. Moreover, we also provide reimbursement of return fare in case the insured has to return to his/her native place due to an unfortunate event.