Ireland: what are the best Schengen visa insurances in 2025?

Are you planning to visit a country in the Schengen Area and need a visa? Be aware that specific travel insurance is mandatory to obtain this visa. It will cover your medical expenses and assistance costs during your stay. But it’s essential to choose it carefully, as not all policies offer the same level of coverage.

Prices, guarantees, exclusions, certificate… after comparing dozens of Schengen visa insurance plans available from Ireland, I summarise here everything you need to know to choose the right one for you.

Schengen visa insurance: key points to remember

• Mandatory to obtain a short-stay visa (type C).
• Must cover at least €30,000 in medical expenses.
• Must include repatriation and 24/7 assistance.
• Must be valid in all Schengen countries, even if you plan to visit only one.
• Costs between €15 and €30 for one week of travel, depending on your age and the level of coverage selected.
• Provides limited coverage and does not replace full travel insurance, which offers broader and better-covered benefits.
• Credit card insurance almost never meets the Schengen visa requirements set by embassies.
• Get your travel insurance certificate 100% online, securely and in less than 5 minutes on the HelloSafe website.

Why take out Schengen visa insurance?

1. What is it for?

Schengen visa insurance is required to protect both visitors and European healthcare systems. It ensures that medical expenses, repatriation or hospitalisation costs will be covered, even for a foreign traveller without local health coverage.

It is essential to obtain a visa to enter the Schengen Area, which can be granted for any of the following reasons: tourism, business trip, family visit, short training, internship, paid work activity (after obtaining a temporary work permit).

2. Who is concerned?

Anyone living outside the European Union and applying for a short-stay Schengen visa (type C, for stays of less than 90 days) must take out this insurance. This applies to tourists, family visitors or business travellers coming from a non-EU country.

Example: A Moroccan student invited by his sister in Spain for two weeks must provide a Schengen visa insurance certificate with his visa application.

Good to know

Some foreign nationals are exempt from the type C visa and therefore from Schengen visa insurance for stays of less than 90 days:

• People holding a residence permit or residence card issued by a Schengen State.
• Holders of a diplomatic mission card.
• Citizens of non-Schengen European countries (Cyprus, United Kingdom, Ireland, etc.).
• Citizens of countries with specific agreements with the Schengen Area such as the United States, Japan, Australia, Brazil, Israel, and many others.

⚠️ Around sixty countries are exempt from the Schengen Visa. You can find the full list on the European Commission website.

If you are transiting through an airport without leaving the international zone of the terminal, some foreign nationals may need a type A airport transit visa (for example: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Democratic Republic of Congo, Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia, Sri Lanka, etc.). However, a Schengen visa is not required in this case.

3. Is it mandatory?

Yes. Providing a valid insurance certificate, clearly stating that you have subscribed to an insurance policy meeting at least certain minimum requirements, is a prerequisite for processing your visa application.

4. What area must be covered?

The insurance must cover all Schengen countries, even if your trip only involves visiting one country (e.g. only France or Spain).

When purchasing your policy, you will need to provide your travel dates as well as the country or countries you plan to visit.

5. What are the minimum requirements?

• Coverage of emergency medical expenses up to €30,000
• Coverage of medical repatriation or repatriation of remains
• Validity in all Schengen countries
• Validity for the entire duration of the stay in the Schengen Area
• Insurance certificate to be provided when applying for the visa

6. Are there different plans available?

Yes, there are usually several types of plans:

• Short-stay plans – up to 90 days (type C visa)
• Long-stay plans – from 90 to 365 days (type D visa)
• Multi-entry plans – for travellers entering and leaving the Schengen Area several times

7. How to get the certificate?

The certificate is issued immediately after subscription, often by email. It meets consular requirements and must be printed and included with your visa application.

Keep in mind that the validity and duration of your Schengen visa insurance must match the length of your stay in the area. When purchasing your policy, you will need to provide your travel dates.

Good to know

Schengen visa insurance is a requirement for travellers who want to enter the Schengen Area. This area is made up of 29 European countries that have abolished border controls between them. Here is the list:
Germany, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Denmark, Spain, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Czech Republic, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland.

What are the benefits of Schengen visa insurance?

Here are the benefits usually included in Schengen visa insurance policies. For each of them, I have indicated whether it is an essential or optional benefit. I have also included common coverage limits and explained how the benefit can impact the overall price of the insurance.

1. Medical expenses and hospitalisation abroad – 🛑 Essential

• Description: covers unexpected healthcare costs abroad (consultations, hospital stays, prescribed medication, urgent tests)
• Excess: from €0 to €100 depending on the plan chosen
• Reimbursement limit: from €30,000 to €500,000 for premium plans
• Common exclusions: pre-existing conditions, comfort treatments, non-urgent care, mental health issues
• Impact on price: 🔺 Very high – the higher the limit, the more expensive the insurance. €30,000 is enough for the visa but may be too low for serious emergencies
• 💡Expert tip: medical care in the Schengen area is expensive. Opt for higher coverage than €30,000 if possible, especially for longer stays or for peace of mind during hospitalisation

2. Medical repatriation – 🛑 Essential

• Description: covers transport to your home country or a better-equipped hospital in case of serious health issues
• Excess: none in most plans
• Reimbursement limit: actual costs (no limit if approved by the insurer)
• Common exclusions: repatriation refused if not medically justified or without insurer approval
• Impact on price: 🔸 Moderate – usually included in basic coverage
• 💡Expert tip: choose insurers offering 24/7 assistance to handle emergencies quickly and manage logistics without stress

3. Repatriation of remains – 🛑 Essential

• Description: covers the transportation of the deceased's body to their home country, including coffin or preparation costs.
• Deductible: none.
• Reimbursement limit: from €500 to €1,500 depending on the plan.
• Common exclusions: suicide, death in a non-covered country, non-compliance with insurance conditions.
• Impact on price: 🔸 Moderate.
• 💡Expert tip: always check if funeral expenses are included on top of transportation costs.

4. Emergency dental treatment – 🟡 Optional

• Description: covers urgent dental care in case of sudden severe pain (e.g. infected cavity, abscess).
• Deductible: from €0 to €80.
• Reimbursement limit: from €92 to €150 depending on the plan.
• Common exclusions: dentures, cosmetic procedures, non-urgent treatments.
• Impact on price: 🔻 Low.
• 💡Expert tip: skip this coverage if you have no recent dental issues or ongoing treatments.

5. Personal liability abroad – 🟡 Optional

• Description: covers bodily injury or material damage you unintentionally cause to a third party.
• Deductible: from €0 to €100.
• Reimbursement limit: from €76,000 to €4,575,000 depending on the plan.
• Common exclusions: intentional damage, damage from driving a vehicle.
• Impact on price: 🔺 High, especially with higher coverage limits.
• 💡Expert tip: very useful if staying with friends, family, or renting an Airbnb.

6. Lost, stolen or delayed luggage – 🟡 Optional

• Description: compensation if your personal belongings are lost, stolen or damaged during the trip.
• Deductible: around €100.
• Reimbursement limit: from €500 to €1,000 depending on the plan.
• Common exclusions: valuables (jewellery, cash, official documents), unchecked or unattended luggage, delays under 12 or 24 hours.
• Impact on price: 🔺 Medium to high, often included in premium plans or as a paid option.
• 💡Expert tip: avoid low-cost plans if luggage coverage matters to you, especially when transiting through busy airports like Paris, Brussels or Frankfurt.

7. Trip cancellation or interruption – 🟡 Optional

• Description: reimbursement of prepaid travel expenses if you cancel or interrupt your trip for valid reasons (illness, family death, unforeseen work issue).
• Deductible: from €20 to €50 depending on the plan (not always applied).
• Reimbursement limit: from €1,000 to €5,000 per person depending on the plan.
• Common exclusions: cancellation without proof, known medical conditions, visa refusal, fear of travel.
• Impact on price: 🔺 Significant (can increase the premium by 15% to 30%).
• 💡Expert tip: highly recommended for long-haul flights or expensive stays in the Schengen area where cancellation costs can be substantial.

Warning

Some very low-cost insurances (under €10) offer no assistance services and minimal unclear coverage. Always check the terms and conditions carefully before purchasing.

How to choose the right Schengen visa insurance?

Here are the key criteria you should absolutely keep in mind before choosing your Schengen visa insurance when travelling from Ireland.

How much does Schengen visa insurance cost?

Factors influencing the price

Several factors affect the cost of Schengen visa insurance:

• Trip duration: Longer stays typically result in higher premiums, as the risk period is extended.
• Traveler's age: Insurers often charge higher premiums for travelers over 60 or 70, considering them higher risk.
• Coverage level: Basic plans meeting minimum Schengen requirements are cheaper than comprehensive plans that include baggage, personal liability, etc.
• Number of countries visited: Some insurers may charge more if you plan to visit non-Schengen countries like the UK or Cyprus in addition to Schengen countries.
• Country of residence: Insurers may adjust pricing based on the traveler's home country, reflecting perceived risk levels.
• Insurer and options: Each company has its own pricing and reimbursement conditions. Options like trip cancellation or teleconsultation can affect the final price.

Sample insurance costs

Based on high-tier plans from various insurers, here are some average prices:

* These rates are indicative, as many factors influence the final price.

How to pay less for your Schengen visa insurance?

Now that you have an idea of the prices, here are a few smart tips to optimise your contract without sacrificing essential coverage.

Expert tip

Do not rely on your credit card insurance. While it’s true that some premium cards, such as Visa Platinum or Mastercard World Elite, offer insurance benefits, these included coverages rarely meet the specific requirements needed to obtain a Schengen visa. Medical coverage limits are usually too low.

A. Fruchard

Insurance expert

Co-founder of HelloSafe and an experienced entrepreneur in the insurance and personal finance sector, Antoine uses his experience and in-depth knowledge of the market to help Internet users make the right choices. With an MBA in economics, he is a committed expert whose mission is to make personal finance and insurance issues simple and understandable. With a rich career marked by the creation of innovative companies, Antoine's ambition has always been to bring transparency to complex issues and to give power back to consumers. With HelloSafe, he continues to translate this vision by providing accurate advice, impartial comparisons and detailed explanations of travel insurance. He has analysed hundreds of contracts to reveal the best options available on the market.