Schengen visa - medical insurance w.r.t Article 15 of EC

[ban.s]

Need advice to understand the requirements of Travel medical insurance with respect to article 15 of Regulation (EC) No 810/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 July 2009 establishing a Community Code on Visas (Visa Code).

Schengen states consular posts in India have recently published revised guidance on medical insurance for short stay visa. This provides a list of 15 authorised travel insurance policies for schengen visa procedure. As per the guidance, 70 years of age has been set as upper limit of appropriate coverage. The notification also states that other travel medical insurances issued by Indian insurance companies are not accepted for Schengen visa procedure.

1. restricting the insurance policy to the age of 70 years - is it compatible with the EU policy of non discrimination on grounds of age?

2. non acceptance of travel medical insurance issued by other non listed companies - is it also compatible with the Article 15 of Regulation (EC) No 810/2009? If an insurance policy, purchased from a non listed provider, satisfies all the requirements of Article 15 is it lawful for consulates to disregard that and force applicants to purchase only from selected providers?

[ban.s]

Received the below reply from Germany consular services in India.

<start of message>

Thank you very much for your interest.
During the last two years, the Schengen States Consular Representations in India had a special task group for this matter, supported by Indian and European lawyers and insurance experts. Please let me tell you, that I am not one of them, so I can not give you all the details, but after long discussions with all the insurance companies and the General Insurance Council of India, the mentioned list was made. Senior citizens should still travel to the Schengen Area, but they need a valid travel health insurance, which they could not take out in India.
Please contact a local insurance company in UK or any other EU country and ask for a valid coverage for the applicant.

<end of message>

I am still trying to find our why Indian insurance policies for senior citizens are not compatible with Article 15 requirements. I will now write to EU mission in New Delhi for further information.

Anyone over 70 obtained schengen tourist visa from India in the recent past? What did you do with insurance?