Travel insurance is the cheapest peace of mind you will ever buy for a trip — and the one line item people are most tempted to skip, right up until the trip where they need it. A policy starts from around ₹449 and covers everything from a medical emergency abroad, where a single hospital admission can run into lakhs of rupees, to lost baggage and trip cancellation. For a Schengen visa it is not optional at all — €30,000 of medical cover is a hard application requirement.
What a standard policy actually covers
The single most important cover is emergency medical treatment and hospitalisation abroad, since a hospital stay overseas can run into lakhs of rupees without it, alongside emergency medical evacuation if you need to be moved to a better-equipped facility. Beyond medical cover, a standard policy also reimburses trip cancellation or interruption for a covered reason, lost, delayed or damaged baggage, flight delay or missed connection compensation, and personal liability in case you accidentally cause injury or damage to someone else's property.
Why it is mandatory for Schengen
Every Schengen visa application requires travel insurance with a minimum medical coverage of €30,000, valid for your entire trip and all Schengen countries — this is a visa requirement, not optional cover, and your application will be rejected without proof of a compliant policy. See our Schengen visa guide for the full application checklist.
What it costs, and why seniors need a different policy
Basic travel insurance for a short international trip starts from around ₹449, scaling up with trip length, destination (the US and Schengen typically cost more due to higher medical costs), traveller age and coverage limits — for most standard holidays, a policy costs a small fraction of one night in an overseas hospital. Senior citizens need a different policy altogether: standard travel insurance often caps coverage sharply or charges steep premiums for travellers over 60–65, and pre-existing conditions must be explicitly declared to be covered at all, so we always arrange a senior-specific policy for elderly travellers.
What to check before you buy
Look at the medical coverage limit — €30,000 is the Schengen minimum, but higher limits are worth it for the US given its exceptionally high medical costs — and whether pre-existing conditions are covered and need declaring. Check the claim process: does it require you to pay upfront and claim reimbursement, or does the insurer settle directly with the hospital on a cashless basis? Also check for adventure activity cover if your trip includes skiing, diving or trekking, since many standard policies exclude these unless added. One claim tip worth remembering: keep every receipt and medical report from any treatment abroad, however minor, and photograph damaged or lost baggage immediately with a Property Irregularity Report from the airline — claims move far faster with documentation gathered at the time.
Frequently asked questions
Is travel insurance mandatory for international trips? It is legally mandatory only for Schengen visa applications, which require a minimum of €30,000 medical coverage. For every other destination it is not legally required, but strongly recommended, since a hospital admission abroad without it can cost lakhs.
How much does travel insurance cost? Basic cover for a short trip starts from around ₹449, rising with trip length, destination, traveller age and coverage limits — a small fraction of even a single night in an overseas hospital.
Do senior citizens need a different travel insurance policy? Yes — standard policies often cap coverage or charge much higher premiums for travellers over 60–65, and pre-existing conditions need explicit declaration to be covered, so we always arrange a senior-specific policy for elderly travellers.
We include the right travel insurance in every package we book at Explera Vacations — Schengen-compliant cover where the visa requires it, senior-specific policies for elderly travellers, and higher medical limits for the US or adventure-heavy itineraries. Message us on WhatsApp for a quote.
