List of Schengen Countries and Visa Information
List of Schengen Countries and Visa Information
If you’re planning a trip to Europe, you’ve likely come across the term “Schengen.” The Schengen Zone allows passport-free travel across multiple European countries under a unified visa policy.
Schengen, a small town in Luxembourg, is where the agreement was originally signed. Today, the Schengen Area covers over 4 million square kilometres and includes nearly 420 million people.
What is the Schengen Agreement? 
Which countries are part of the Schengen Zone? 
Do I need a visa to travel to a Schengen country? 
How do I get a visa to travel to a Schengen country? 
How can we help you travel to the Schengen Zone? 
Travel Insurance for Europe: What Travellers and Drivers Need
Travel insurance is short-term cover for visits to Europe. It pays for emergency medical treatment, hospital care and repatriation while you are travelling, and often covers trip cancellation, delays and lost baggage too. For anyone applying for a short-stay (Schengen) visa, it is mandatory; even visa-free travellers are strongly advised to carry it. But it is not the same as the health insurance you need to live or work in Europe — and confusing the two causes refusals. This guide explains the difference and what to look for.
What is travel insurance?
Travel insurance is a short-term policy that covers you for the length of a trip. Its core purpose is medical: emergency treatment, hospitalisation and emergency repatriation if you fall ill or are injured abroad. Most policies also cover trip cancellation or interruption, travel delays, and lost or stolen baggage. It is linked to a specific trip and ends when the trip ends.
Travel insurance vs health insurance — the critical difference
This is the distinction that matters most. Travel insurance is for visiting Europe; health insurance is for living in Europe. Travel insurance covers short-stay emergencies and ends when you leave. Health insurance is long-term, linked to your residency status, and required for residency permits and employment. Travel insurance is not accepted as proof of cover for a residence permit or work visa. If you are coming to live or work in Europe, see our guide to health insurance in Europe.
The Schengen €30,000 minimum
For a Schengen short-stay visa, your travel insurance must meet strict standards: it must cover all Schengen countries, be valid for your entire stay, cover emergency medical treatment and repatriation, and provide at least €30,000 of medical cover. Applications without compliant insurance are refused automatically. Even if you are visa-free, carrying cover that meets this standard is sensible.
Who needs travel insurance?
Travel insurance is mandatory for everyone applying for a Schengen short-stay visa. It is strongly recommended for visa-free travellers who are not covered by any host country’s public health system during a visit. It is also wise for anyone driving across borders, attending events, or travelling for business or medical reasons. It is not a substitute for resident health insurance.
What it covers — and what it doesn’t
A good travel policy generally covers emergency medical treatment, hospital care, emergency repatriation, trip cancellation or curtailment, travel delays, and lost or stolen baggage. It usually does not cover routine or non-emergency healthcare, pre-existing conditions (unless declared and accepted), care once you become a resident, or working in the destination country. Always read the policy limits and exclusions carefully.
Travel insurance for short-stay visa applications
When applying for a Schengen or other short-stay visa, the insurance document you submit must clearly show your name, the policy number, the coverage period that covers your entire trip, the countries covered, and the level of medical cover (at least €30,000 for Schengen). Please purchase the policy before your appointment and confirm the dates match your travel plans.
Travel insurance for professional drivers
Drivers on international routes face a higher risk and spend more time away from home, so road coverage matters. If you are visiting or driving through countries where you are not a resident, carry travel medical insurance that covers each country on your route, including emergency treatment and repatriation. Note the difference: once you become a resident and start work, your health cover comes through residence-based health insurance, not a travel policy. Vehicle and cargo cover (such as a Green Card) is separate again and is about the vehicle, not your health.
Choosing a policy
When comparing policies, check the medical cover limit (at least €30,000 for Schengen), that all the countries on your trip are included, the repatriation cover, the excess you pay per claim, how pre-existing conditions are treated, and the claims process and timelines. For frequent travellers, an annual multi-trip policy may be better value than single-trip cover.
For professional drivers
If you plan to work as a driver in Europe, travel insurance is only for the visit stage — your long-term health cover comes with residence and employment. Start your driving pathway here:
Travel insurance by country
Requirements and tips vary by destination. Choose a country for its specific travel insurance and entry guidance.
European Union
Austria · Belgium · Bulgaria · Croatia · Cyprus · Czech Republic · Denmark · Estonia · Finland · France · Germany · Greece · Hungary · Ireland · Italy · Latvia · Lithuania · Luxembourg · Malta · Netherlands · Poland · Portugal · Romania · Slovakia · Slovenia · Spain · Sweden
Free-movement countries — EFTA & Schengen
Iceland · Liechtenstein · Norway · Switzerland
European microstates
Andorra · Monaco · San Marino · Vatican City
EU candidate countries
Albania · Bosnia and Herzegovina · Georgia · Kosovo · Moldova · Montenegro · North Macedonia · Serbia · Türkiye · Ukraine
Other European countries
United Kingdom · Armenia · Azerbaijan · Belarus · Russia
Related guides
Official sources
- Travel to Europe (official EU) — entry rules and short-stay requirements.
- Your Europe — Travel — traveller rights and health cover.
Information only — not insurance advice. Cover requirements differ by trip and destination. Always check the specific requirements of your visa and destination, and read your policy terms before you travel.
Travel Albania. Stay Protected. Feel Secure.
Travel insurance is an important part of planning a safe trip to Albania — whether you are visiting for tourism, business, family travel, or a short stay. It helps protect you from unexpected medical costs, travel delays, baggage issues, accidents, and emergencies during your journey.
FastDriver explains what Albania travel insurance may cover, when it may be required for visa purposes, how it differs from long-term health insurance, and what travellers should check before applying — with clear country-specific guidance, no shortcuts, and no false promises.
Albania
Andorra
Armenia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Belarus
Belgium
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bulgaria
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Georgia
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Iceland
Ireland
Italy
Kosovo
Latvia
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta
Moldova
Monaco
Montenegro
Netherlands
North Macedonia
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Russia
San Marino
Serbia
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Turkey
Ukraine
United Kingdom
Vatican City
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Travel insurance is simple in theory but easy to get wrong — especially the difference between cover for a short trip and the health insurance you need actually to live in Europe. Below are clear, honest answers to the questions travellers and drivers ask us most: the Schengen €30,000 minimum, what a policy must cover, and what it must not cover. Requirements vary by trip and destination, so always check your visa’s exact conditions and read your policy terms before you travel.- Is travel insurance mandatory for Europe?
- What is the difference between travel and health insurance?
- What is the minimum cover for a Schengen visa?
- What does travel insurance cover?
- What does it not cover?
- Do visa-free travellers need travel insurance?
- Can I use travel insurance for a residence permit?
- What must the insurance document show?
- Does it cover repatriation?
- Are pre-existing conditions covered?
- What should drivers look for?
- Single-trip or annual policy?
- How do I make a claim?
- Is travel insurance the same as vehicle insurance?
- Where can I check official requirements?
Europe Travel Insurance – Stay Protected
Travel insurance helps protect you during your trip to Europe and may be required for visa applications. It can cover medical emergencies, accidents, trip issues, and unexpected travel problems during your stay.
Read Guide
Last Updated: January 24, 2026
This content is reviewed and updated periodically to maintain accuracy and relevance.
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