Schengen travel insurance can go from ₦2,500 to ₦15,000, depending on many factors.
Did you know that without a good, verifiable Schengen travel insurance, your visa application can be rejected? And you will not be refunded for all you have spent on that visa.
Fact: In 2024 alone, more than 50,000 Nigerians were denied a Schengen visa. When they calculated how much they have spent on the application process, which is not refundable, it is more than €4.5 million in visa fees.
Some people’s visa was rejected because of their Schengen travel insurance. Maybe they went and paid the wrong insurance company. Or perhaps their insurance documents have wrong dates, or the wrong repatriation language.
TL;DR about Schengen Travel Insurance
- Schengen travel insurance is mandatory for Schengen visa applications. Without travel insurance, you cannot get a visa.
- Your insurance policy must cover a minimum of €30,000 in emergency medical expenses across all 26 Schengen countries.
- Your insurance policy must also include medical repatriation and repatriation of remains, just in case.
- When buying Schengen travel insurance, you can get embassy-approved cover from Leadway, AXA Mansard, AIICO, SanlamAllianz, or international platforms like Insubuy.
- Prices for a two-week Schengen trip start from ₦15,000, and you do not need an agent to buy it.
Why Schengen Travel Insurance Is Non-Negotiable in Schengen Visa Applications
The requirement for Schengen travel insurance in Nigeria is not a suggestion. The visa application form asks for it. The embassy checks it. VFS Global checks for it. And if yours doesn’t pass, they will give you a refusal notice that says, “You did not provide proof of possession of valid medical insurance.“
They will not give you your money back.
A couple of months ago, we really understood the importance of this travel insurance in practice. In April 2026, an American travel influencer, Ashlee Jenae Robinson, passed away during a holiday in Zanzibar. She lived in America. And naturally, it would have been a hell of a financial burden to cater for her, but because she paid the full travel insurance for her trip to Zanzibar, Zanzibar Insurance Corporation paid the full cost of returning her body to the United States.
Her family didn’t have to start scrambling for funds from abroad. Her friends had already started fundraising online. They didn’t know she was already covered by insurance.
The point is, whatever happens to you on your trip, that insurance is supposed to take care of your medicals. They’re just asking you to have a plan for the worst day of your trip, like maybe you collapse in Berlin, or break a leg in Barcelona, or get into a car accident in Amsterdam.
This post will explain everything about Schengen travel insurance, so you will not miss a thing.
What Does Schengen Travel Insurance Actually Need to Cover?
The minimum legal requirement is €30,000 in emergency medical coverage. But there are four specific things your policy must state explicitly. Otherwise, the embassy will reject it:
- Emergency medical treatment: This means the insurance covers all bills on your hospitalisation, surgery, emergency procedures, or ambulance transport.
- Medical repatriation: This clause means the insurance covers the cost of flying you back to your country if you need treatment at home.
- Repatriation of remains: Means the insurance will pay the cost of returning your body to your country in the event of your death during this trip.
- Coverage across all Schengen member states: Meaning that your insurance covers you in all Schengen countries and not just the country you’re flying into.
That fourth point is the reason why many people’s Schengen visa applications get rejected. Like if you’re flying into France, and they ask you if you plan to visit Germany, and you say yes. But your insurance only mentions France. Your policy must cover the entire Schengen zone.
Some cheaper local policies have territorial limitations, but they will not tell you. It is inside the contract where you will not see.
What Else is Worth Having (but not required) in Your Schengen Travel Insurance?
The items I listed above are like the barest minimum that gets you through the embassy door. If you can have a few extras, you will see the huge difference:
- Trip cancellation coverage: This means the insurance company will reimburse any prepaid expenses if you have to cancel for a covered reason like medical emergency, death in the family, etc.
- Baggage loss/theft: The insurance clause that pays for lost or stolen luggage, which happens a lot. It even happened to Trevor Noah when he went to France!
- Flight delay compensation: This part covers accommodation and meals if you’re stranded.
- Zero deductible: Some policies require you to pay the first portion of any claim out of pocket. So a no-deductible plan means the insurer must pay everything from the beginning without disturbing you.
I know it seems like a fuss, but these will help you a lot. Let us talk about how you will get it.
How to Get The Best Schengen Travel Insurance
Buying travel insurance is done entirely online. All you need is to find a good insurance provider that covers all these features I mentioned above.
So their packages usually come in bundles. You may see something like this:
- Basic/Essential plan that offers you the €30,000 medical minimum, repatriation, and that’s mostly it. This is what most Nigerians buy for Schengen applications because it’s the cheapest and it passes the embassy requirement.
- Standard/Classic plan will give you the same medical coverage as the basic plan, with baggage loss and flight delay compensation bundled in.
- Premium/Comprehensive plan adds trip cancellation, higher medical limits (sometimes €50,000–€100,000), personal liability, and other extras.
The difference between plans is usually just a few thousand naira, which is why I mentioned it’s worth considering the step up, but there’s no real pressure to. The basic plan usually does the job for visa purposes.
The only clause that you may not find that easily is the zero deductible point. Some providers build a deductible into even their basic plans. This means that if something happens and you make a case for them to pay you your insurance claim, you may have to pay the first €50 or €100 yourself before the insurer covers the rest. A “no deductible” plan means you will not need to pay anything. This isn’t usually a separate add-on; it’s just a feature of how a particular plan is structured, so you check for it when comparing plans.
Best Schengen Travel Insurance for Africans (2026)
Let’s be honest, there is no single “best” policy for Schengen travel insurance in Africa. The one you pick depends on your budget, how long you’re travelling, and whether you want add-ons beyond the minimum. Let me give you an honest comparison of what’s available to Africans right now.
African Providers for Schengen Travel Insurance (in Naira)
Let’s talk about the most used Schengen travel insurance providers in Africa:
Leadway Assurance
Leadway Assurance is probably the most commonly used option for Schengen travel insurance in Nigeria. I believe this is partly because it is easy to buy for yourself online. You can complete the entire purchase in under 10 minutes, without speaking to an agent. The certificate is emailed to you immediately after payment. You print it and submit it with your visa application.
Coverage starts at around ₦15,000–₦26,000 for a one-month policy, depending on your travel dates and destination. You pay via card, transfer, or USSD. The policy is accepted at all major Schengen embassies and VFS Global centres.
AXA Mansard
AXA Mansard is the Nigerian branch of AXA Group, one of the largest insurers in the world, and their Schengen-compliant policies are accepted at every European embassy. They offer tiered plans, like the basic medical coverage at a minimum of €30,000, and higher-tier plans that include cancellation, baggage, and delay coverage.
Axa Mansard Schengen travel insurance can cost approximately ₦15,000 for a one-week Schengen trip, scaling up with duration and coverage level. Their certificates are in English and meet the document format that embassy reviewers expect.
AIICO Insurance
AIICO operates in partnership with AXA Assistance Maroc, which means their travel insurance certificates carry international backing that embassies recognise. They’re one of the more affordable options for basic Schengen coverage, with single-trip plans starting around ₦18,000+.
Their process is straightforward. You just fill in your details online, pay in Naira, and receive your certificate by email. The certificate explicitly names the Schengen Area and includes repatriation language.
SanlamAllianz (formerly SIC Insurance/Allianz Nigeria)
I don’t know anyone who has used this, but they have policies that tend to be slightly more comprehensive than the bare minimum. This can be useful if you want add-ons like cancellation coverage alongside the medical requirement. And their pricing is almost the same as AXA Mansard.
International Platforms for Schengen Travel Insurance (Pay in USD/EUR)
Insubuy
This one is not necessarily an Insurance provider.
Insubuy is a US-based aggregator. Their platform basically lets you compare multiple Schengen-compliant insurers side by side, filter by deductible and medical limit, and buy directly from there. They give an instant certificate. Their prices are quoted in USD. So, if you have a domiciliary account, this is worth checking, especially if you’re comparing against the naira providers.
EKTA
EKTA is consistently cited as the cheapest Schengen-compliant option globally, with prices from around €0.80 per day. Their certificates are structured specifically for visa submissions and are accepted at VFS and embassy counters. The PDF certificate downloads immediately. If you’re on a tight budget and your trip is straightforward, EKTA is worth a look.
How to Buy Schengen Travel Insurance Yourself (Without an Agent)
You do not need a travel agent to buy Schengen travel insurance. Some people pay up to ₦100,000+ for a Schengen travel insurance policy that costs only ₦20,000 because they are paying agents.
As a case study, let us use my last experience with Leadways Assurance. It was a very easy process.
- Go to leadway.com
- Click “Buy Now” under their travel insurance section
- Choose between Pilgrimage travel and Business, study, or leisure travel
- Next, you will find a table comparing different insurance types
- Select Travel Schengen as the policy type
- Choose the country you are applying to (e.g., France)
- Enter your departure date and return date, and do your best to ensure that the dates match your intended travel dates exactly. Otherwise, they can reject your visa because of that.
- Enter your passport number
- Review the price generated, then click Pay Now
- Choose your payment method (card, bank transfer, or USSD)
- After payment, your certificate arrives by email, usually within minutes
- Print the first page (the policy schedule) and add it to your visa application documents
The whole process takes 10–15 minutes. The certificate you receive states your name, coverage amount (€30,000+), the Schengen Area as the covered territory, your exact travel dates, and the insurer’s details. That’s what the embassy is looking for.
What to Do If Your Visa Is Denied Despite Having Schengen Travel Insurance
First of all, you must understand that your insurance premium is generally non-refundable, unless you specifically bought a plan that includes a visa denial refund clause. Some providers (EKTA in particular) offer this. Check the terms before you buy if this matters to you.
Secondly, insurance isn’t what causes most refusals. If your visa was denied despite having valid insurance, the refusal notice will tell you which requirement wasn’t met. Common reasons include inconsistent travel dates, insufficient financial proof, unclear accommodation bookings, or a weak cover letter.
You don’t have to cancel your hotel or flight reservation during your application process. Embassies sometimes verify these details, and cancelling them mid-process can trigger a rejection. Even after you receive your visa, keep the reservations active. Immigration officers at the destination airport may cross-check.
Frequently Asked Questions About Schengen Travel Insurance
Is travel insurance mandatory for a Schengen visa from Nigeria?
Yes, Schengen travel insurance in Nigeria is strictly mandatory for all visa applicants. You must provide proof of coverage meeting the €30,000 minimum requirement before your application can be processed.
What is the minimum coverage required for Schengen travel insurance?
The minimum for Schengen travel insurance in Nigeria is €30,000 in emergency medical coverage. This must cover emergency hospitalisation, medical repatriation, and repatriation of remains. Coverage must be valid across all 26 Schengen countries for the entire duration of your trip.
How much does Schengen travel insurance in Nigeria cost?
Basic Schengen travel insurance in Nigeria costs between ₦15,000 and ₦50,000 for a two-week trip, depending on the provider and coverage level. Providers like Leadway, AIICO, and IGI offer entry-level plans starting around ₦15,000–₦18,000.
Which Nigerian insurance companies are accepted for Schengen travel insurance?
Leadway Assurance, AXA Mansard, AIICO Insurance, SanlamAllianz, Custodian Insurance, and IGI are among the NAICOM-licensed Nigerian providers with confirmed Schengen-compliant policies accepted by European embassies.
Can I buy Schengen travel insurance without a travel agent?
Yes. It is really easy and straightforward. You don’t have to pay anyone to do it for you. All the leading travel insurance providers in Africa allow online purchase for Schengen travel insurance. You fill in your details, pay via card or bank transfer, and receive your certificate by email immediately. No agent is required.
Does Schengen travel insurance cover COVID-19?
This varies by policy. Some plans explicitly include COVID-19-related medical treatment; others exclude it. Check the policy terms before buying, especially if you’re travelling to countries with active travel advisories.
What happens if my visa is denied? Do I get a refund on Schengen travel insurance?
Most basic Schengen travel insurance policies are non-refundable. However, some providers, including EKTA, offer a visa denial refund clause. If cost recovery matters to you in the event of a denial, look for this feature before purchasing.
Can I extend my Schengen travel insurance in Nigeria if my trip is extended?
Some providers of Schengen travel insurance in Nigeria allow extensions, but you must apply before the original policy expires. Check with your insurer as soon as you know your dates may change. Policies cannot typically be extended retroactively.
Do I need Schengen travel insurance even if I have domestic health insurance?
Yes. Your country’s domestic health insurance does not cover you abroad. Even if you have NHIS coverage, it is not recognised by Schengen embassies and does not qualify as Schengen travel insurance.
