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7 Hidden Schengen Travel Insurance Exclusions You Shouldn’t Ignore

Team AckoSept 8, 2025

You might think comprehensive travel insurance covers it all—medical emergencies, lost luggage, cancellations, and even delayed flights. Sounds foolproof, right? Unfortunately, many travellers only discover too late that these "comprehensive" policies often include hidden exclusions. Before your trip, it’s essential to verify what’s truly covered—especially with cashless claims. Not knowing these exclusions can leave you unprepared in emergencies and facing unexpected expenses.

A few Schengen travel insurance exclusions you shouldn’t ignore are high-risk activities, pre-existing medical conditions, and travelling against medical advice. Surprisingly, lack of awareness about such exclusions ranks among the top five reasons for travel insurance claim rejections.

Contents

1. Travelling Against Official Advice
2. Self-Inflicted Injuries
3. Injuries or Incidents under the Influence of Alcohol or Drugs
4. High-Risk Activities
5. Acts of War, Terrorism, or Civil Unrest
6. Pre-Existing Medical Conditions
7. Loss of Passport through Official Confiscation or Detention
Bottom Line
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Frequently Asked Questions

Keep reading to know about the seven hidden exclusions of Schengen Travel Insurance that can save you from claim rejections.

1. Travelling Against Official Advice

For all insurers, travelling against medical advice is one of the major exclusions of international travel insurance.

The cases where a person might be officially advised against travelling include infectious diseases, recent heart attacks or strokes, uncontrolled asthma or other respiratory issues, certain complications of pregnancy, and others.

It is generally considered an irresponsible act if a person travels against medical advice. This might also make the person a high-risk individual in the insurance company’s eyes.

2. Self-Inflicted Injuries

If a person has suffered from any self-inflicted injuries, their treatment comes under the exclusions of international travel insurance.

Generally, insurance policies specifically exclude any claims arising due to suicide, attempted suicide, intentional self-inflicted injuries, or acts of self-destruction, whether the insured person is mentally sane or insane.

3. Injuries or Incidents under the Influence of Alcohol or Drugs

If a person suffers an injury or accident while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, it will come under the travel insurance exclusions.

For instance, a person is on a road trip in Spain and indulges in drinking at a party. After this, if the person gets into any kind of accident while driving, the insurance company will not be liable to pay for the claim.

This situation can cause more trouble for the policyholder, who might also face legal action and fines of €500-€1,000.

4. High-Risk Activities

Schengen travel insurance exclusions requirements include high-risk activities such as rock climbing, trekking, skydiving, or more.

A global review of 2024 found that adventure sports cause between 1 and 37 injuries per 1,000 participation hours. The variation comes from differences in local safety standards, terrain difficulty, participants’ skill levels, and access to medical care.

A travel insurance policy most likely does not cover any expenses related to any kind of injury that the policyholder might suffer as a result of these activities.

However, with ACKO’s adventure sports injuries add-on, you can get covered in such scenarios, but as per your policy terms and conditions.

5. Acts of War, Terrorism, or Civil Unrest

Participating in acts of terrorism, civil unrest, or war while visiting any Schengen country can also exclude you from making any claims under your travel insurance policy.

For instance, if you meet with an accident while you participate in a demonstration, the expenses for treating your injuries will be under travel insurance exclusions.

Similar to the case of being under the influence of alcohol or drugs, the policyholder might also face legal action in the Schengen country they are travelling to.

6. Pre-Existing Medical Conditions

In general, the standard Schengen travel insurance exclusion list mentions pre-existing diseases. If you visit a place with a pre-existing condition and have medical issues due to that, your travel insurance plan will not cover the claim.
However, with ACKO’s Pre-Existing Illness Cover add-on, you get limited emergency coverage if a sudden, unforeseen complication arises during your trip.

This benefit applies only when:

Treatment is an emergency life-saving measure.
No further hospitalisation expenses are covered after the immediate treatment.

Travel Policy Coverage includes:

Hypertension
Diabetes
Heart ailments
Cerebral Nervous System diseases
COPD (including asthma)
Oncological diseases
Pregnancy-related complications

Remember that this benefit applies only to immediate life-saving treatment, up to the limit in your Certificate of Insurance.

7. Loss of Passport through Official Confiscation or Detention

ACKO covers the cost of getting a duplicate passport in case you lose your passport while travelling. However, this cover does not extend in case of passport confiscation by any official local authority, such as the customs authority, the police, or other legal authorities.

Bottom Line

Understanding Schengen travel insurance exclusions helps you avoid costly surprises during your trip. Not doing so can lead to claim rejections as well. So, remember to read your policy carefully, add relevant covers, and clarify doubts with your insurer before your trip. This way, your coverage truly protects you when it matters most.

Choose ACKO Travel Insurance for comprehensive coverage, with add-ons like Pre-Existing Illness Cover and Adventure Sports for your next international vacation!

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. Can I still get Schengen visa approval if my policy has several exclusions?

Yes, you can get Schengen visa approval if your policy has several exclusions. You just need to make sure that your insurance fulfils certain mandatory requirements, such as €30,000 minimum coverage and mandatory medical insurance.

Q2. How can I avoid surprises from hidden exclusions of international travel insurance?

To avoid surprises from hidden exclusions of international travel insurance, you need to read your travel insurance policy document carefully. Along with that, also remember to read the fine print of the document and contact your insurer beforehand in case of any confusion.

Q3. Are mental health emergencies covered under Schengen travel insurance?

No, mental health emergencies are generally not covered under Schengen travel insurance. However, it is essential to consult with your insurer personally to get more details on this if you need.

Q4. Do dental treatments come under travel insurance exclusions?

No, dental treatments due to accidents during your trip do not come under travel insurance exclusions. Your insurer will reimburse you for the expenses that you incurred in the dental treatment due to any accidents.

Q5. Is pregnancy covered in Schengen travel insurance?

Generally, pregnancy-related medical concerns are excluded from Schengen travel insurance. However, insurance companies provide coverage, up to the policy limit, for expenses related to pregnancy if the policyholder has Pre-Existing Illness cover.

Disclaimer: The content on this page is generic and shared only for informational and explanatory purposes. It is based on several secondary sources on the Internet and is subject to change. Please check the policy document for cancellation reasons and the terms and conditions of the policy.