Many countries require foreign tourists to have insurance policies. In the case of Ukrainians, previously the visa regime with the countries of the Schengen zone obliged travelers from Ukraine to buy travel insurance. With the introduction of the visa-free regime, an insurance policy is not a mandatory document for crossing the border. But is it worth neglecting the presence of a policy?

A travel insurance policy is a document that, if necessary, will protect a tourist's property interests, health, and life. Usually, travel insurance includes medical insurance and accident insurance. At the request of the tourist, insurance can cover such unforeseen circumstances as delayed or canceled flights, loss of luggage or documents, and so on.

What should you keep in mind when taking out travel insurance?

Lack of a policy can cost a tourist quite a lot. For example, in Norway, an appointment with a family doctor for uninsured persons will cost 20 euros, and an appointment with a specialist doctor in the Czech Republic - from 30 euros. A day of stay in a hospital in Germany is about 125 euros. And calling an ambulance in Switzerland in the absence of an insurance policy can cost 800 euros.

If you are going to play sports or outdoor activities during your trip, you should foresee this in advance and choose the appropriate policy. Otherwise, in case of injury or accident during activities, the insurance company may refuse compensation. It should be noted that the type of sport and activity that you will engage in affects the price of insurance. Swimming, for example, will be cheaper than skiing. And extreme activities such as mountaineering or parachuting will cost even more.

From 2020, tourists should also be aware of the risks associated with COVID-19. This may be the need for treatment, additional testing, or even quarantine in the host country. Covid risks must be specified in the policy.

Why is travel insurance recommended for travelers anyway?

It should be remembered that when traveling to countries with a visa regime, it is very likely that one of the conditions for issuing a tourist visa is the presence of travel insurance. For example, Egypt, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, Israel, Jordan, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and other countries make travel insurance a prerequisite for entry.

As for visa-free countries, such as the Schengen area, travel insurance may also be asked at the border to confirm the tourist purpose of the visit. Note that the border guards of any country have the right to refuse entry to a person if they consider the purpose of the visit unjustified.

To feel safe in any situation when traveling abroad, we recommend that you take out travel insurance online.