Where the number comes from — not an arbitrary figure
This is EU law, not an individual embassy's preference: Article 15 of Regulation (EC) No 810/2009 — the Visa Code governing all short-stay Schengen applications. The full requirement has four components; miss one and it fails:
| Component | Correct content |
|---|---|
| Payout limit | Minimum €30,000 for emergency medical care — per person (families don't pool limits) |
| Scope of costs | Includes medical repatriation, including transport of remains |
| Geography | Valid across all Schengen states |
| Timing | Covers the entire planned stay |
Five clauses where "€30,000 policies" still fail
1. €30,000 must be the payout limit — not the "package value"
The certificate must state a medical limit of at least €30,000. Some products advertise "insurance up to 30,000" while splitting it inside: medical 15,000, repatriation 10,000, baggage 5,000 — leaving pure medical below the bar. Read the "medical expenses" line by itself.
2. Deductible — the murkiest clause
A policy stating 30,000 with a self-paid excess of 50-200 per claim is technically still "30,000 limit". Most files pass, but some consulates scrutinise deductibles more strictly. Safe rule: prefer zero-deductible policies — they exist and cost nothing extra to choose. (LUMA's published documents state no separate deductible clause; confirm on your own certificate.)
"Europe" or "worldwide" isn't automatically fine
The certificate must name the Schengen states (or "Europe incl. Schengen"). A policy listing a few countries, or only your application country, is a common refusal trigger — inside the area you move freely, and the insurance must follow you.
4. Validity must cover arrival day and return day
Rule: validity ≥ every day of stay per your tickets. Common failure: buying exactly the hotel nights while an overnight return flight crosses into one extra day. If the itinerary may shift, buying 1-2 buffer days at both ends is always cheaper than redoing a file.
5. Currency on the certificate
USD or other currencies aren't wrong in themselves — but the amount must be equivalent to at least €30,000 at issue. Amounts sitting right at the conversion line invite misunderstanding; prefer certificates stating EUR or a clearly converted figure.
The 60-second pre-submission checklist
| Check | Passes when |
|---|---|
| Medical limit | Stated as its own line ≥ €30,000 (or equivalent) |
| Repatriation | Medical repatriation + transport of remains named |
| Geography | "Schengen" / "all Schengen states", not a shortlist |
| Dates | Spans departure day through return day, transit included |
| Name | Matches the passport character for character |
| Deductible | Zero — or you know and accept it |
Domestic health insurance is no substitute
A home-country health plan fails three of the four conditions at once: no geographic validity in Schengen, usually no international repatriation, and limits denominated well below €30,000. A dedicated international travel certificate is required.
Where to go next
- Three scenarios where files were returned over insurance
- Buying online in 4 steps — with the 60-second check built in
Certificates that state the limits the right way
Get a LUMA quote — 5 minutesEvery World Pass plan's medical line clears the threshold — see the plan tables for exact figures.