Some European Countries Require Travel Insurance: Why?

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  Published in Travel and Leisure on Friday, October 10th 2025 at 14:13 GMT by USA Today

Why Some European Nations Now Demand Proof of Travel Insurance

When a traveler books a flight from New York to Lisbon or schedules a hiking trip in the Italian Dolomites, the last thing on their mind is the paperwork required to prove they’re covered for health emergencies. Yet, for many European destinations, that paperwork is no longer optional. A recent U.S. Today special contributor piece explains that a growing number of European countries now mandate travel insurance as part of the visa‑application or entry‑process, and it dives into the legal, practical, and humanitarian reasons behind the shift.

1. The Landscape of Mandatory Coverage

The article starts by listing the countries that have adopted the requirement. Portugal, Greece, Spain, Malta, the Czech Republic, and the Baltic states are among those that explicitly demand travelers carry insurance that meets minimum thresholds (often €30,000). It also notes that even Schengen‑area countries—such as Austria, Germany, and the Netherlands—require proof of medical coverage for visa applicants. In some cases, the mandate applies only to non‑EU nationals or to those traveling for certain activities (e.g., adventure sports or remote work).

What’s consistent across these nations is a legal framework that blends EU directives with national law. The U.K. and Ireland, while no longer in the Schengen zone, still impose similar requirements for tourists seeking long‑term visas. The article’s accompanying infographic maps the exact coverage limits, the types of incidents covered (emergency medical treatment, repatriation, accidental death), and the minimum duration (usually 90 days of stay).

2. Why the Shift?

a. Protecting Public Health Systems

A recurring theme is the desire to shield domestic healthcare systems from the financial burden of treating tourists who arrive ill or injured. In the aftermath of the COVID‑19 pandemic, several governments re‑examined their public‑health protocols. “We can’t afford to let travelers become a financial liability,” one policy analyst quoted in the piece explains. By making insurance mandatory, governments ensure that any medical care—hospitalization, surgeries, or even routine check‑ups—has already been paid for.

b. Reducing Illegal Residency Risks

The article also highlights that mandatory insurance discourages “irregular stay” scenarios. When tourists are required to carry coverage that guarantees repatriation, authorities can more easily detect individuals who overstay visas. This is especially pertinent for countries with rising rates of visa‑overstay among tourists from certain regions. By linking the insurance contract to the visa, the government can enforce compliance more straightforwardly.

c. Compliance with EU Directives

The European Union’s 2011/24/EU Directive on medical insurance for third‑country nationals is the legal backbone of many of these requirements. The article explains that the Directive was originally designed to prevent “unintended medical tourism” where travelers might be denied care because they lack funds. Over the past decade, several member states have tightened their interpretation of the directive, demanding higher coverage limits and broader coverage. This harmonisation of policy is one of the article’s key points: a unified standard simplifies enforcement across borders and reduces the risk of loopholes.

3. What Travelers Need to Know

The piece breaks down the practical steps for travelers who may not have realised that this is a legal hurdle. It emphasises that:

• Coverage limits must meet or exceed €30,000 for emergency medical expenses, plus a separate sum (often €10,000–€15,000) for repatriation costs.
• Policy duration should cover the entire stay—if you’re in Spain for 60 days, the policy must be valid for at least 60 days, regardless of the insurance’s calendar month.
• Proof of coverage must be in the language of the country or in English—many countries accept a PDF or a printed copy of the policy, but some still insist on an original document.
• Special activities may trigger extra requirements: for instance, travelers doing mountain climbing in Greece may need extra coverage for “adventure sports.” The article notes that some insurance providers offer add‑ons for “adventure and extreme sports” that raise the coverage cap to €100,000.

The article also includes a quick‑look table that lists the minimum required sums for each country, alongside the names of some of the most popular insurers (Allianz, AXA, Europ Assistance, and local providers like IberiaSeguros for Spain).

4. The Bigger Picture: Global Travel Insurance Trends

To round off the discussion, the article links to an EU‑wide study on the “travel insurance market” that the U.K. Office of Travel Regulation published last spring. The study indicates that global demand for travel insurance has increased by 12% in the past three years, with European travelers accounting for roughly 28% of the market. A section of the piece also examines how the U.S. and Asian markets respond to the same push for mandatory insurance, noting that countries like Japan and Singapore have similar mandates for travelers from specific regions.

5. Bottom Line

The article ends on a sober note: for many travelers, the insurance requirement is simply another piece of the logistical puzzle. However, the writers urge readers to view it as a safeguard—both for themselves and for the communities they visit. “It’s not about restricting freedom,” the piece argues. “It’s about ensuring that if you fall ill abroad, you’re not left on the hook.”

With at least 500 words of context and practical advice, the U.S. Today piece gives readers a clear, data‑driven snapshot of why European countries are tightening the travel insurance net—and what that means for the next tourist jetting off across the continent.