One of the most common questions I get regarding Schengen visa application is getting the right insurance.
Why?
Because the wrong insurance can lead to a visa denial.
(Ouch!)
A Schengen visa application requires you to get an insurance that meets their requirements such as having a minimum coverage of EUR 30,000, an insurance that would be available for all member states, and that would cover repatriation due to medical reasons or death.
The German embassy, in particular, accepts insurance from their list of recommended providers. They also accept German-based insurance companies.
I personally chose an insurance company from Germany and not from my home country, the Philippines. The Philippine-based insurance companies are more expensive and most don't even cover COVID-19.
Dr-Walter Insurance
Dr-Walter is an Insurance is a German-based company that is accepted for Schengen visa applications, not only for Germany but for other Schengen countries as well.
If you're applying for a Schengen visa through the German Embassy, you'll never go wrong with them. Aside from complying with Schengen requirements, they also cover COVID-19.
Why choose DR-WALTER?
- Affordable starting at EUR 1.10 per day
- No deductible
- Accepted by the German Embassy
- Covers COVID-19
- With add-on options for liability insurance
There are different types of insurance depending on the type of visa that you're applying for.
DR-WALTER has a variety of insurance products designed for specific visa types. Make sure you get the right one for your visa.
Visa Type and Insurance
Tourist Visa and Visit Visa
Provisit-Visum is the insurance for short-term foreign visitors in Germany, and Europe. It complies with the Schengen visa requirement with over EUR 30k coverage.
This is applicable for tourist visa, short term family visit and the unmarried couple visit visa.
Cost: EUR 1.10 per day
EUR 1.30 per day including personal liability
Long Stay Visa
Provisit can be extended for a maximum of two years and ideal insurance for those with long term visa.
Cost: EUR 38.90 per month
Student Visa and Language Visa
EDUCARE24 is the insurance for foreign language students, regular students, adult education students, trainees and guest scientists.
It covers travel health insurance, personal liability insurance, travel accident insurance and deportation costs insurance.
Cost: EUR 33 per month
German Student Insurance offers public or private insurance or a combination of both. A certificate for the university is issued immediately after online application. You only pay after you arrive in Germany.
Cost: Price depends if you are coming to Germany as Student, Language Student, Doctoral Student or Intern.
Click here for the Consulting Tool to check the price.
German Blocked Account
GBA Blocked Account is for students who need a blocked account for their studies, ideal for language students and interns.
Approval is within 3 to 5 business days.
Cost: EUR 49 one time set up fee, and EUR 5 per month
Graduate Students
Student Plus is for students and doctoral students for up to 5 years. And for undergraduate and graduate students up to 34 years of age.
Cost: EUR 39 per month
Au Pair Visa
AU-PAIR24 is for foreign au pairs in Germany and Europe. The protection goes beyond conventional travel health insurance. It is a combination of health, liability, accident and deportation cost insurance - so that the au pair and host are covered
Cost: EUR 39 per month
Review and Comparison with other Insurance Providers
CareMed
During my first short visit visa application, I got my insurance from Caremed for EUR 160+ for 90 days (without deductible). I'm not sure where CareMed is based but it isn't from Germany. They did accept my visa application and I got approved in October 2020. However, another applicant advised that her CareMed insurance was no longer accepted a couple of months after that.
I personally won't recommend them anyway because I was supposed to file a dental claim but they were not responsive at all! Their sales was very responsive when I was about to buy, but no one in their claims department has answered me.
They answered me a month after, when I was already back in the Philippines. So I will not get CareMed again.
They are also more expensive if you choose the plan without deductible.
Recommended List
The German Embassy in Manila provides a list of recommended insurance providers from the Philippines. However, I personally do not want to get from them as they are more expensive and difficult to contact. That would be a problem if you needed to file a claim while in Germany.
HanseMerkur and Allianz
My best option was to get an insurance that is based in Germany. There were a few reputable ones that I found such as HanseMerkur, Allianz and Provisit-Visum by Dr-Walter.
However, HanseMerkur was not issuing incoming insurance to foreigners during the pandemic.
Allianz, on the other hand, does not indicate that they cover COVID19 in their letter and do not have an option to add liability insurance. COVID-19 not a requirement in the visa application but the Philippine Immigration requires it.
Provisit-Visum by Dr-Walter
Among these three good options, only Provisit-Visum satisfied what I needed for my second visa application. Their insurance has no deductible unlike CareMed where I had to pay additional for the "without deductible" plan.
I also like that you have the option to add a liability insurance which is also important to protect my host.
The confirmation letter also states the Schengen requirements clearly, and that it covers COVID-19 which is important when I pass through Philippine Immigration
While my experience is based in the Philippines, Dr-Walter insurance is available for any foreign visitor who needs it for their Schengen visa application.
