Insurance
Moving to Europe? Will Your Health Insurance Meet the Visa Requirements?
Will your health insurance meet Europe’s visa requirements? Watch our interview and explore age-based pricing, coverage, exclusions, certificates and the questions to ask before buying.
Choosing visa insurance involves two questions: will the policy satisfy your visa requirements, and will it cover the healthcare you may need after you arrive?
Those questions deserve separate attention. A policy may provide suitable documentation for an application while excluding treatment that matters to you, such as care for an existing medical condition.
In an interview with Vantage Point Europe, Eloi explained the expat health insurance policy he offers, including its coverage, age-based pricing, exclusions and cancellation arrangements. His explanations highlight several details that are easy to overlook when comparing policies.
The prices and policy features below are those discussed in the interview. Before purchasing, request the current policy wording and written confirmation that the insurance is suitable for your destination, visa category and personal circumstances.
What insurance does your European visa require?
Start with the requirements for your specific visa. Do not assume that an insurance policy suitable for one European application will automatically satisfy another.
The European Commission lists medical insurance covering emergency care, hospitalisation and repatriation, including repatriation following death, among the documents required for a short-stay Schengen visa. Long-stay applications have their own requirements: for example, France’s long-stay visitor guidance requires evidence of medical cover in France.
In the interview, Eloi identifies several features of the policy he describes:
- Inpatient care, meaning treatment involving admission to hospital.
- Outpatient care, meaning treatment without a hospital admission.
- Repatriation.
- Coverage throughout the Schengen Area.
- An insurance certificate in English and the destination country’s local language.
He also refers to a €30,000 minimum coverage requirement and describes his policy as having an unlimited overall level of coverage. However, his description should not be treated as a universal checklist for every European visa.
The practical starting point is to ask the insurer: “Will this exact policy meet the requirements for my destination and visa category, and can you confirm that in writing?”
Then compare the certificate and policy documents with your application checklist.
Travel insurance and expat health insurance: why the distinction matters
Eloi warns that choosing the wrong type of insurance can cause problems with a visa application.
Travel insurance and health insurance for someone relocating abroad may cover different needs. Rather than relying on the product name, look at the actual benefits, exclusions and period of cover.
Eloi describes the policy in the interview as comprehensive expat health insurance intended to meet visa requirements. It covers more than accidents and emergencies, including doctor visits and hospital treatment.
However, the word “comprehensive” needs careful reading. He also makes clear that this particular policy excludes pre-existing conditions and preventative care.
For someone moving to Europe, both points matter. You need suitable visa documentation, but you also need to understand which healthcare costs you could still have to pay yourself.
What care does the policy cover?
According to Eloi, the expat policy discussed includes:
- Doctor visits.
- Hospitalisation.
- Medical repatriation.
- A dental allowance for accidents and emergencies.
- A physiotherapy allowance.
That makes its scope broader than emergency treatment alone.
The interview does not give the amounts of the dental or physiotherapy allowances. It also does not establish the full rules for prescriptions, ongoing treatment or every type of outpatient service.
Before buying, request the benefit schedule—the document explaining what the insurer pays for and any limits attached to each benefit.
An unlimited overall coverage figure does not tell you whether a particular treatment is covered. Individual benefits may still have their own allowances, exclusions or conditions.
Pre-existing conditions and preventative care are excluded
Eloi states that the policy does not cover pre-existing conditions or preventative care.
This is particularly relevant if you already receive treatment, take regular medication or expect to need routine monitoring after moving.
Ask the insurer to explain how its definition of a pre-existing condition applies to your circumstances. Also ask which services it classifies as preventative care.
The important distinction in Eloi’s answer is that an existing condition does not change the quoted age-based price, but it is excluded from this policy’s coverage. An unchanged premium does not mean that treatment for the condition will be paid for.
How much does visa insurance cost?
The €72 monthly price discussed in the interview applies to people below age 65. It is not the price for every applicant.
Eloi gives the following monthly rates:
- Below age 65: €72 per person.
- Ages 65 to 75: €258 per person.
Is a spouse included?
No. Eloi explains that the price is per person, with each person charged according to their age band.
Using the interview’s figures, two spouses below age 65 would pay €144 a month in total. If both were in the 65–75 bracket, the combined monthly cost would be €516.
These calculations use the quoted interview prices; confirm current rates before budgeting for your move.
What happens when you turn 65?
Eloi says the price changes when a policyholder turns 65, including if that birthday falls during the first year.
If you are approaching that age, ask when the new premium takes effect and how it will be collected. Your initial monthly payment may not represent the cost for the whole year.
His answer does not establish that premiums can change only because of age. Ask separately about other possible renewal increases.
Deductibles and co-payments: what would you pay yourself?
Eloi says the policy has no deductible and a €25 co-payment per medical event.
A deductible is an amount you must pay before the insurance starts contributing under the relevant policy terms. A co-payment is your contribution towards covered care.
The phrase “per medical event” is the useful detail here.
Eloi gives a hypothetical example of breaking a leg. Hospital treatment, an MRI and follow-up care would be treated as one medical event in his explanation, with a €25 contribution from the policyholder.
That differs from paying €25 for each appointment or procedure.
Before relying on that example, ask how the policy defines a medical event, how related treatment is grouped and whether any services have separate limits. Eloi’s example explains the arrangement; it is not a documented client claim.
When does coverage begin?
Eloi distinguishes between people moving to Europe and people already living there.
For someone moving to Europe, he says the waiting period is waived and cover begins on the selected start date.
For someone already in Europe who takes out the policy—for example, for a visa renewal—he describes a 31-day waiting period. He adds that there may be options to waive it, but does not explain the qualifying conditions.
This distinction matters if you are replacing existing insurance. A new certificate does not necessarily mean you can immediately claim for treatment.
Before switching, ask the provider to confirm:
- Your effective coverage date.
- Whether a waiting period applies.
- Which benefits are affected.
- Whether you qualify for a waiver.
Coordinate those dates with your existing insurance so that you understand any potential gap.
What certificate do you need for your visa application?
Eloi says the provider issues a certificate in English and the destination country’s local language after online sign-up. He describes the process as taking around five minutes.
He also says the certificate records a year of coverage for the visa arrangement he discusses, even when the premium is paid monthly.
That distinction is helpful: payment frequency and the documented period of insurance are separate matters.
Before submitting the certificate, check it against your visa application requirements. Pay particular attention to:
- Your name and identifying details.
- The start and end dates.
- The countries covered.
- The stated medical benefits and coverage limits.
- Repatriation wording.
- Any wording specifically requested by the consulate.
The interview does not establish that every European visa requires a one-year policy. Confirm the required duration for your own application rather than assuming that a standard certificate will be sufficient.
Does the insurance cover all of Europe and visits to America?
Eloi describes the policy as covering Europe and the Schengen Area. He explicitly says it does not cover trips back to the United States.
That is an important limitation for Americans who expect to return home to visit family or spend part of the year there.
He mentions separate options for short US trips and broader worldwide policies at a higher price. The interview does not provide their prices, benefit limits or eligibility conditions.
Ask for the policy’s exact geographical coverage list, especially if you plan to visit European countries outside the Schengen Area. For US visits, arrange appropriate cover rather than assuming your European policy extends to your home country.
Are repatriation and medical evacuation included?
Eloi confirms that medical repatriation and repatriation of mortal remains are included in the policy he discusses.
Medical repatriation concerns returning someone home for medical reasons under the policy’s terms. Repatriation of mortal remains concerns returning the deceased person’s remains.
Although Pete’s question also mentions medical evacuation, Eloi’s answer does not separately explain that benefit. If evacuation matters to you, ask for confirmation of its scope, destinations and approval requirements.
Request the assistance terms too, including whom to contact and whether arrangements must be authorised by the insurer.
What happens if your visa is delayed or refused?
Eloi describes two different situations.
If your planned start date changes
He says you can cancel the existing policy and take out another one with the revised start date through the online process.
This is a cancellation and replacement process in his explanation. Before proceeding, confirm how any payments are handled and obtain the replacement certificate with the correct dates.
If your visa is refused
Eloi says the policy can be cancelled for a full refund if cancellation takes place before its start date.
That timing is crucial. His answer does not explain the refund position after coverage has begun.
If your application is still pending as the start date approaches, contact the provider. Ask what you must do, what evidence is required and which cancellation deadline applies.
Can you cancel after joining a public healthcare system?
Eloi says the policy allows cancellation on a monthly basis, while emphasising the need to maintain appropriate insurance for your visa and stay.
He explains that flexibility can be useful when someone becomes covered by a destination country’s public healthcare system before the end of the initial insurance period.
He uses France as an example, referring to a period of residence followed by application processing. His explanation should not be read as a guaranteed enrolment date or as a rule applying throughout Europe.
The practical point is to coordinate the transition. Before cancelling, establish that your replacement healthcare cover is active and satisfies the requirements that apply to you.
Also ask when the private policy will end and whether any payment remains due. The interview does not specify the precise termination date following a cancellation request.
Can the insurer decline to renew your policy?
Eloi says the provider cannot cancel the policy from its side and that continuing is the policyholder’s decision.
That is his description of the arrangement, but the interview does not explain the contractual provisions for cancellation, non-renewal or changes to policy terms.
If continuity of cover is important to your relocation plans, request the relevant clauses in writing. Ask directly whether renewal is guaranteed and under what circumstances the insurer could end or change the cover.
What should you confirm before buying visa insurance?
The interview’s most useful lesson is that price, visa suitability and healthcare coverage need to be checked together.
Before purchasing, obtain clear answers to these questions:
- Does this policy meet the requirements for my exact destination and visa?
- Will the certificate cover the required dates and contain the necessary wording?
- Which treatments are included, and what benefit limits apply?
- How do the exclusions affect my existing conditions and regular healthcare needs?
- What will I pay for each medical event?
- Does a waiting period apply to me?
- Which countries are covered, including any planned visits to the United States?
- What happens if my visa is delayed or refused?
- When can I cancel, and when would coverage end?
- How might my premium and renewal terms change?
Keep the certificate, policy wording and written answers together. They will help you assess whether the insurance supports both your application and your plans for living abroad.
Get help planning your move to Europe
If you are preparing to move to Europe and need introductions to independent visa and insurance providers, Vantage Point Europe can help connect you with relevant services. Start planning your European move with Vantage Point Europe and explain your destination, intended visa and healthcare priorities so those questions can be addressed before you apply.