Our methodology
How does SchengenCompare pick and price providers? We only list providers whose certificate meets all four Article 15 requirements: €30,000+ medical cover, all 29 Schengen states, full trip duration, repatriation stated explicitly. Prices are calibrated against each provider's own published starting rate, adjusted by age band and trip length, and checked periodically against the provider's live checkout.
This page exists so you don't have to take our comparison on faith. Here's exactly what a provider has to clear to appear on this site, and where every number in our tables actually comes from.
How we select providers
We currently compare six providers: SafetyWing, AURAS, AXA Schengen, Europ Assistance, Heymondo and EKTA. The first, SafetyWing, is our commercial partner and is listed first; the other five pay us nothing. Placement is a commercial decision, but every provider is scored with the same criteria from the same fact table. Every one of them is checked against the same four-point test drawn directly from Article 15 of EU Regulation 810/2009:
- At least €30,000 in emergency medical coverage
- Valid across all 29 Schengen countries, not just the main destination
- Coverage for the entire length of the trip, matching the travel dates
- Medical repatriation stated explicitly on the certificate
A provider that doesn't clear all four doesn't appear on this site, regardless of price. We don't rank by which provider pays the highest commission; see the "Who runs it" section on our About page for the affiliate disclosure.
How we price plans
The homepage price estimator uses a per-provider base daily rate, observed from each insurer's own published pricing, adjusted by two factors:
- Age band: insurers price differently for under-18s, 18-39, 40-59, 60-69 and 70+ travelers, since claims frequency rises with age. Multipliers range from roughly 0.9× for the youngest band up to 2.3× for the oldest, depending on the provider.
- Trip duration: most providers discount the effective daily rate on longer trips (a 90-day booking prices lower per day than a 7-day one). SafetyWing and AURAS are the exceptions: for specific travel dates each charges the same flat daily rate however long the trip, so their totals simply scales with the number of days you select instead of getting proportionally cheaper on a longer trip.
Starting prices shown across this site are calibrated against providers' own published rates at the time of writing, not live API quotes. Your exact price will depend on your specific age, trip length and country of residence. The insurer's own checkout page is always the final word on what you'll actually pay.
One transparency note on AURAS: AURAS's $1.50/day was measured live in its own Schengen calculator on 2026-10-02 (the same at 7, 14, 30 and 90 days), and its age steps were measured the same way. AURAS bills in USD, so the euro figure in our calculator is a conversion for comparison, not a quote. AURAS and EKTA share one underwriter, which is not EU-regulated, and both cap any single claim at $3,000; we disclose that wherever the two appear.
One transparency note on EKTA: EKTA's tier pricing (Start, Gold, Max+) was checked live against ektatraveling.com on 2026-09-09 and confirmed real: Start runs $0.99-$1.37/day with $50,000 cover and a 25% deductible, Gold $1.75-$2.40/day with $150,000 cover and no deductible, and Max+ $5.90-$8.08/day with $500,000 cover and no deductible. The single per-day figure we use in our comparison calculator is a blended estimate that lands inside the verified Start-plan range rather than a specific checkout quote for a specific age and trip length, so treat it as directional and confirm the exact price at checkout before comparing it head-to-head with the other providers.
What "Best for..." tags mean
The badges on our comparison table (Embassy favorite, Best price, Best app, Best for long stays) reflect a specific trade-off each provider is strongest at, not an overall ranking. AXA is tagged for certificate recognition and refusal refunds, not because it's the cheapest (it usually isn't). EKTA is tagged for price, not for having the largest company track record. We'd rather be specific about what each provider is actually good at than force a single "best overall" answer that doesn't hold up across every traveler's situation.
How often we check the data
Provider pricing, certificate requirements and page content are reviewed periodically and updated when we identify a change: a provider adjusting its rates, discontinuing a discount, or a shift in how a specific consulate handles applications. Each guide's byline shows when that specific page was last checked. If you spot something out of date, the contact page tells you how to reach us.
What we don't do
We're not a licensed insurance broker or agent in any country, and this page, like every page on this site, is general information, not personalized insurance advice. We don't collect payment details; every outbound provider link sends you to the provider's own site to complete the purchase there. See our privacy policy for how we handle data, and About for who runs this site.
See the full comparison table built on this methodology, or estimate the price for your exact trip in 10 seconds.