“The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page.” — Saint Augustine
For Indian travellers, few chapters are as captivating as Europe. The continent continues to be a dream destination for many Indians. This year alone, Indian travel to Schengen countries surged 18.95% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2025.
Rising healthcare costs, frequent flight disruptions and an uptick in trip cancellations are prompting Indian travellers to rethink how they insure journeys.
Increasingly, high-cover travel insurance has become an essential tool for safeguarding one’s European experience. With 62 per cent of travellers now opting for $2,50,000 or more in coverage and seniors choosing $5,00,000+ protection, this shift marks a growing awareness of the need for comprehensive financial protection while exploring Europe.
Huge medical costs
A common misconception is Europe’s renowned healthcare systems are free for everyone. They aren’t. While residents benefit from state-supported healthcare, tourists do not. Without insurance, a hospital visit can quickly turn into a financial nightmare.
Serious medical cases can result in six-figure hospital bills. For example, a traveller hospitalised in London with a brain infection faced a staggering $6 lakh bill fully covered only because he had robust travel insurance. Given the rising costs of healthcare, Indian travellers are choosing higher cover offering better medical and emergency cover. This is especially true of senior citizens who may need extensive medical care during travel.
Schengen visa
It is mandatory to have travel cover for Schengen visa. The basic norm is €30,000 of medical cover but this is far from adequate for real-world risks. A majority of Indian travellers going to Europe are picking $2,50,000+ cover and seniors $5,00,000+. This shift highlights the growing awareness around the true costs of medical emergencies, trip disruptions, and unforeseen events abroad.
A high-cover travel policy ensures in the event of a medical emergency, you are covered not just for treatment but also for emergency evacuation and medical repatriation to India if required.
It safeguards your finances through trip cancellation or interruption cover, reimbursing pre-paid expenditure if unforeseen circumstances force you to cut trip short.
It also compensates for lost or delayed baggage. Also, it covers flight delays and missed connections. Personal liability protection is another critical component, offering coverage if you inadvertently cause damage to property or injury to another person.
Visa rejections/ smarter add-ons
The growing rate of Schengen visa rejections has also fuelled demand for smart insurance add-ons. In 2023, Indian applicants faced a 15.70 per cent rejection rate, with significant financial losses due to non-refundable visa fee. To manage this risk, about 20 per cent of travellers now opt for a Visa Fee Refund rider in policies.
Buy early
Buying travel insurance in advance is key. Data show 76% of Indian travellers now buying policies 45–50 days before departure. This ensures travelers can include trip cancellation and visa fee refund benefits.
Don’t cut corners
Some travellers opt for basic/ minimal coverage. But this can be devastating. Comprehensive, high-cover offers peace of mind that outweighs small additional cost. In the context of a costly Europe trip, the difference between a basic and a high-cover policy is often a few thousand rupees, but can save you lakhs in a crisis.
(The writer is head, travel insurance, Policybazaar.com)
Published on June 16, 2025
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