Any trip in the 21st century should be responsible, and travel insurance is the basis of responsibility that will help you save money and health and not ruin your trip. Find out the terms and details of reimbursement of foreign insurance policies to be able to receive full compensation in the event of an insured event

Reliable medical insurance for Ukrainians with a guarantee of payments

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Tourists often do not know what to do in the event of an insured event, even if they have an insurance policy. We will tell you how to act in the event of an insured event abroad, how to contact the insurer, and what health problems are covered by the insurance policy.

Occurrence of an insured event abroad: the procedure

After an insured event occurs while abroad, the client of the insurance company should call the company's assistance service, whose contacts are specified in the insurance contract. As a rule, hotlines of such services operate around the clock. When calling, the client must first provide the following information to the assistance company:

1. Name of the insurance company;

2. The number of the insurance contract, the date of its execution and the term of validity;

3. Full name of the insured person and date of birth;

4. Oral description of the insured event (illness, accident, etc.), description of the need for assistance;

5. Contact details and exact location of the insured person;

Next, you need to follow the recommendations of the assistance company and answer their additional questions, if any. For example, operators may first suggest contacting the nearest medical facility or a private doctor who is a partner of the insurer. In this case, the doctor can come to the patient/injured personally, or a transfer will pick up the patient and take him/her to the hospital, if the situation requires it.

Important! In some countries, regardless of the existence and terms of the insurance contract, any visit to a doctor is paid. In this case, the insurer must reimburse the client's expenses after the latter provides the relevant supporting documents.

At the same time, an independent visit to a medical institution abroad, without informing or authorizing the insurance company, may result in a refusal to reimburse expenses, even if the client has an insurance policy.

In the case of such an independent application, the client must indicate in the application for reimbursement valid and documented reasons why he or she was unable to contact the assistance service upon the occurrence of the insured event. The reasons may include a lack of communication, inability to reach the destination, inability to call due to health or injury, etc.

Within 24 hours after the insured event occurs, you must register it with the contact center of the assistance company.

Earlier, we described in detail how to take out health insurance for traveling abroad.

What documents should I provide to the insurer in case of an insured event abroad?

All receipts for medical services, receipts for medicines, prescriptions for medicines, all medical documents and records - it is important to keep all these documents in their originals and take photos of them. Upon returning home, all of this will be considered the main argument in favor of the insurer's reimbursement of all expenses.

List of documents for reimbursement of expenses (submitted in 90% of cases when the client returns to Ukraine):

- Original application for the insured event and indemnity payment (original);

- A copy of your copy of the insurance contract;

- Passport of a citizen of Ukraine (often a copy is acceptable) or other identification document;

- A copy of your tax identification number (TIN/RNOKPP);

- Foreign passport with a corresponding note on traveling abroad;

- All documents related to the insurance indemnity (checks, statements, invoices, appointments, applications, tickets, etc.)

Please note: If the applicant is a representative of the insured person, a notarized power of attorney is required in addition to the above documents.

How do I submit documents for an insurance policy claim?

Upon returning to their home country, the client of the insurance company must visit its branch to personally submit documents for reimbursement.

Remember: All documents confirming and characterizing the client's insured event that occurred outside Ukraine must be issued and certified by institutions located in the territories recognized by Ukraine.

Most Ukrainian insurers accept documents that meet the following requirements:

- They are drawn up on the official letterhead of the institutions (organizations) that issued them;

- Contain the stamps of the issuing institutions (organizations);

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The insurance company has the right to:

1) Submit an official request to a medical institution outside Ukraine to obtain documentary information on the circumstances and consequences of their Client's visit to a medical institution;

2) Require the Client to undergo an additional examination in a trusted medical institution in Ukraine to confirm the diagnosis (the examination is paid for by the insurer).

3) If the event occurred outside of Ukraine and the documents confirming the insured event are in a language other than Ukrainian (and sometimes English), the insurance company may request that such documents be provided in the form of legalized translations certified by an apostille.

Please note that in most cases, the insurance indemnity is paid only after the insurance company receives the original documents, within 30 business days from the date of receipt of such documents.

Also, based on the circumstances of the event, the insurer has the right to request additional documents to confirm the fact and circumstances of the insured event, which may affect the amount of insurance payment specified in the contract!

Insured event in travel insurance

Most travel insurance is included in the tour operator's package of services, as it is mandatory when visiting certain countries.

Interesting! Practice shows that clients of reputable insurance companies often even seek reimbursement for international calls!

The list of documents for reimbursement for an insured event and the procedure for submitting them for travel insurance are identical, or almost identical, to the rules for applying for reimbursement for health insurance.

It is important to note that if you do not have travel insurance when traveling with a tour operator, you will be charged the full amount of the bill when you visit a medical facility in a particular country, or even fined if, for example, they decide that the ambulance call was unjustified.

Here you can read about compulsory health insurance for visiting Canada, and here - for visiting the UK.

Tips for taking out a travel insurance policy

1.A travel insurance policy is valid only abroad, so you should not buy it in advance. Choose the date of border crossing as the policy start date and specify the specific number of days of stay abroad.

2. Pay attention to the terms of insurance coverage. A standard travel policy does not cover active and extreme recreation, as well as injuries during sports. Therefore, if you are planning an active or extreme vacation, choose the appropriate insurance program.

3. If you travel frequently, you can take out an insurance policy that is valid for a year, but has a specified number of days of use (namely, from 15 days). Each day of insurance with this type of policy will cost less.

4. Check out the features of insurance programs. Policies that are slightly more expensive than the average price may offer additional important options, such as compensation for flight delays, loss of luggage, documents, in case of robbery, etc.

5. Remember. An insurance policy when traveling abroad costs from 25 UAH/day, while the cost of a single doctor's visit in different countries can reach from 30 to 600 euros or more.

6. A travel insurance policy is extremely important when crossing the border - it is indicated on the last page of the passport.

Conclusion. In order to protect your interests, and most importantly, your health, while traveling abroad, health insurance is a prerequisite for such protection. By choosing a proven, reliable insurer with reimbursement guarantees, the client can be sure that all force majeure related to his or her health will be covered by an appropriate insurance policy that can be issued online for a safe stay in Europe or any country in the world.

Visit Ukraine has also been specializing in travel insurance for many years and provides its clients with a full range of services for all types of foreign trips. Our insurance policies for traveling in Europe and around the world provide comprehensive insurance coverage for travelers, and our experts will always help you choose the insurance that will allow you to receive full compensation in the event of an insured event. May your every trip be safe!

Just a reminder! When traveling abroad in your own car, GREEN CARD insurance is mandatory. We wrote about where and how to buy it in 2024 in this article.

Want to know more? Read the latest news and useful materials about Ukraine and the world in the News section.

Daria Rogova, Head of Insurance at Visit Ukraine

In order to safely move, travel or work in a new country, you will need health insurance. You can issue an extended policy on our website using the link.

Do you have additional questions? Contact the Visit Ukraine hotline (Telegram | WhatsApp).

Our recommendation for a safe and comfortable trip: 

Visit Ukraine Insurance - insurance for a safe stay abroad without unnecessary expenses;

Green Card - compulsory car insurance for traveling abroad;

Visit Ukraine Tickets - book tickets for buses, trains, and airplanes to/from Ukraine and between cities around the world;

Private Lawyer service - professional legal support on visa and migration issues;

Visit Ukraine Merch - buy patriotic clothing and accessories with worldwide delivery.

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