Travel insurance: what Nigerian travellers actually need

The Schengen requirement — €30,000 of medical cover valid across the whole area — is a visa requirement, not a risk assessment. It is worth understanding what it does and does not buy you.

What the minimum covers

Emergency medical treatment and repatriation. That is it. It is enough to satisfy a consulate and enough for a broken wrist.

What it usually does not

• Pre-existing conditions. Most policies exclude them unless declared and loaded.
• Cancellation. If your visa is refused after you have paid for flights, basic medical cover returns nothing.
• Baggage and delay. Separate benefit, often capped low.
• Adventure activities. Diving below a certain depth, quad biking, skiing — all commonly excluded.

The one to check first

Cancellation for visa refusal. It is not standard, and for a first-time applicant it is the cover most likely to be needed. Ask for it explicitly and read the exclusion list rather than the headline.

We arrange cover alongside bookings — ask the travel desk when you enquire, rather than after you have paid.