Last updated: 12 August 2026 · Reviewed by Małgorzata Zep, lawyer and travel industry specialist
A Schengen visa policy is only legally required to cover the Schengen Area. If your trip continues to London, Belgrade or Kyiv, that cover can stop at the border. This page explains exactly where the gap opens and how to close it.
Which European Countries Are Not in Schengen
Twenty-nine countries are in the Schengen Area. These European destinations are not:
- United Kingdom — left the EU, never in Schengen
- Ireland — EU member, opted out of Schengen
- Cyprus — EU member, not yet applying Schengen rules
- Western Balkans — Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Kosovo
- Eastern Europe — Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus, Georgia, Armenia
- Microstates and others — Andorra, Monaco, San Marino, Vatican City, Türkiye
⚠️ Monaco, San Marino and Vatican City have open borders with Schengen neighbours and are reached without a border check — but they are not Schengen members. Travellers assume cover extends there automatically. Check the policy wording, not the border post.
The Gap: What Your Visa Policy Actually Covers
Article 15 of the EU Visa Code sets the minimum for a visa application: €30,000 for emergency medical expenses and repatriation, valid in all Schengen states for the whole stay.
Note what that requirement does not say: it says nothing about anywhere else. A policy sold purely to satisfy the consulate can be territorially limited to Schengen and still be fully compliant. Cross into Serbia and you may be uninsured — with a valid certificate in your pocket.
The three itineraries where this bites
- Schengen plus the UK — Paris and London in one trip. Two visas, and often two insurance territories.
- Balkan overland routes — Croatia (Schengen) into Bosnia or Montenegro (not), often several times in a week.
- Eastern edges — Poland into Ukraine or Moldova, or Greece into Türkiye.
What This Costs If You Get It Wrong
Uninsured treatment is billed at full private rates and payment is usually demanded up front. The number that matters is not the consultation — it is medical repatriation: an air ambulance back home runs into tens of thousands of euros, and no EU rule caps what a non-member country charges a foreign patient.
⚠️ And the EHIC or GHIC does not help here. Those cover state healthcare for EU and UK residents inside participating countries — not visitors on a visa, not private clinics, and not repatriation. They are not a substitute for travel insurance anywhere in this article.
How SchengenProtect Handles It
Both our plans cover all Schengen countries plus 14 additional countries in one policy — no add-on, no second purchase:
Albania, Andorra, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, North Macedonia, San Marino, Serbia, Ukraine, Vatican City, United Kingdom.
That covers the three problem itineraries above: the UK is included, the Western Balkans are included, and Ukraine and Moldova are included. Medical cover is €150,000 on Extended and €60,000 on Basic — both above the €30,000 minimum, and both valid across that whole territory.
See the full plan comparison for what else differs between the two.
Not covered by either plan: Türkiye, Georgia, Armenia, Cyprus, Ireland and Kosovo. If your route includes those, tell us before you buy.
Before You Travel: Four Checks
- List every country on your route — including one-day crossings and stopovers. A transit night still needs cover.
- Read the territorial scope on the certificate, not the marketing page. It either names your countries or it does not.
- Check repatriation, not just medical. Repatriation is the item that turns a bad week into a financial disaster.
- Match the dates to your whole trip. Cover ending mid-journey is the most common error we see.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Schengen travel insurance work outside the Schengen Area?
Only if the policy says so. The visa requirement covers Schengen alone, so many policies stop there. Ours extends to 14 further countries, including the UK.
Is the UK covered by Schengen travel insurance?
Not by default — the UK is not in Schengen. It is included in both SchengenProtect plans, but a policy bought elsewhere may exclude it. It does not replace a UK visa if your nationality needs one.
Do I need separate insurance for Serbia or Montenegro?
Not with us — both are among the 14 additional countries. With a Schengen-only policy, yes.
Is travel insurance mandatory for non-Schengen countries?
It varies. Some countries require proof of insurance for entry or for their own visa; others do not. Absence of a legal requirement does not make travelling uninsured sensible — the bill is identical either way.
Can I extend a Schengen policy to cover extra countries?
Some insurers sell an extension; many do not, leaving a second policy as the only option. Buying one policy that already covers the whole route avoids overlapping dates and disputes over which insurer pays.
Does my EHIC or GHIC cover me outside Schengen?
No. Those schemes apply to state healthcare in participating countries and never cover repatriation. They are not travel insurance.
