Medical insurance for Bulgaria for Ukrainians

International travel involves long journeys — hours-long flights and sea cruises. If a tourist suddenly experiences a medical emergency on board an airplane or on the deck of a cruise ship, the question arises: does the travel insurance policy purchased through Polis24 cover the incident at that moment, and who will pay for emergency medical assistance?

Let’s start with air travel. For the insurance company, one thing matters: the policy is valid from the moment you cross the border or from the policy start date. If you become unwell on an airplane, the crew will provide first aid using the onboard medical kit; in a critical situation, the captain may decide to make an emergency landing at the nearest airport. Once the aircraft lands and you are handed over to local medical professionals, your policy comes into effect: the assistance service will handle the expenses according to the rules of the country where the emergency landing takes place, covering hospital and ambulance costs.

The situation is different on cruise ships. Large vessels have medical centers with doctors and equipment, but legally they are private clinics, and onboard medical services can be very expensive (even a simple consultation and a seasickness tablet can cost USD 150–300).

Standard insurance covers these expenses, but with one important caveat: the assistance service cannot technically send a Guarantee of Payment while you are on board, so you will most often have to pay for the onboard medical services yourself. Once the cruise is over and you return home, you provide the insurance company with the medical report bearing the ship’s doctor’s stamp and the receipts, after which the company reimburses your expenses. If emergency evacuation from the ship to shore by helicopter is required, the assistance service will coordinate the process together with the coast guard.

Many travelers do not see the difference between calling an ambulance to their hotel and the more complex concept of “medical evacuation.” A regular ambulance (Emergency) is called to transport a patient to the nearest hospital providing emergency care in the event of an injury or acute medical condition. However, sometimes a local clinic does not have the necessary equipment, specialists, or medications to treat a serious condition. In this case, the medical evacuation (Medical Evacuation) provision of the insurance contract comes into effect.

Medical evacuation is a set of measures for transporting a seriously ill or injured patient from one medical facility to another, better-equipped facility (within the country of stay or in a neighboring country), or for their emergency transportation back to their home country under medical supervision. It is used in cases of severe multiple injuries, strokes, heart attacks, and serious burns. The decision is made by a medical panel together with the assistance service’s medical expert based on objective medical indications.

This is a complex and expensive logistical operation that may include:

• A specialized intensive care ambulance equipped with life-support systems.
• Transportation on a scheduled commercial flight, with several seats purchased to accommodate a medical stretcher.
• A chartered medical evacuation flight (medical aircraft or helicopter) with a critical care team on board.

All these expenses are covered by the insurance company within the overall policy limit if the case is recognized as an insured event. An essential condition is that evacuation is carried out exclusively for medical reasons, when remaining at the current medical facility poses a threat to the patient’s life. Policies with sufficient coverage limits for such risks can be selected through Polis24.

The topic of death may be psychologically unpleasant when planning a vacation, but from the perspective of caring for loved ones, it is one of the most important provisions of an insurance contract. The cost of funeral services, international documentation, and transportation of the remains (repatriation) to the home country can amount to thousands or even tens of thousands of euros. Without a policy purchased through Polis24, all these expenses fall on the deceased person’s relatives.

Under standard international travel insurance rules, the risk of repatriation of remains in the event of death resulting from an accident or sudden illness is included in the basic coverage package. Through the assistance service, the insurance company takes responsibility for organizing and paying for the entire process: local morgue services, a forensic medical examination (if required by the laws of the country of stay), preparation of an airtight container, obtaining permits from the consulate, and transportation to an international airport or border crossing.

This process is strictly regulated and begins as soon as the assistance service receives an official death certificate. Relatives must not take any independent action or hire local funeral service providers without prior approval from the insurer; otherwise, the company may deny reimbursement.

It is important to be aware of the limitations: the insurance company is not liable for payment if the death resulted from the insured person committing a crime, intentional suicide, military actions, or being under the influence of alcohol or drugs. In addition, insurance covers transportation of the remains only to the border or an international transportation hub, while burial expenses in the home country are paid by the family.

A modern traveler carries a substantial amount of technology: DSLR cameras, lenses, laptops, tablets, quadcopters, and flagship smartphones. Polis24 experts recommend carefully reviewing the “fine print” in baggage insurance terms, as electronics are subject to special restrictions.

The first and most important rule of airlines and insurance companies is that expensive electronics, gadgets, cash, and jewelry are strictly prohibited from being placed in checked baggage — all of these items must be carried exclusively in hand luggage. If you pack an expensive laptop in your suitcase, check it in, and then discover upon arrival that it is missing or damaged, the insurance company will deny compensation for the equipment: the policy covers items checked in as baggage only when they are transported in strict accordance with safety rules, and those rules require you to keep electronics with you.

The second point concerns theft of equipment from hand luggage or from a hotel room (if the policy includes extended personal property coverage). Even if this risk is insured, policies impose strict limits per item. For example, with a total baggage coverage limit of EUR 1,500, the terms often state: “the payment for a single piece of equipment may not exceed EUR 150–200.”

This means that if a laptop worth EUR 2,000 is stolen, the insurer may legally pay only the established limit of EUR 200. For reliable protection of expensive professional equipment, a standard travel insurance policy is not sufficient — specialized valuable property insurance is required, with each serial number listed and the actual value specified. Contact Polis24 managers to find out which options are suitable.

The loss, damage, or significant delay of baggage by an airline can ruin the start of any vacation. Finding yourself in a foreign country without your belongings or toiletries is extremely uncomfortable. To protect themselves against such risks, travelers can add the “Baggage Insurance” option when purchasing a policy from Polis24.

This option works in conjunction with airline baggage regulations. The insurance company pays compensation for baggage only when it was officially under the carrier’s responsibility — checked in at the baggage counter, tagged, and loaded onto the aircraft. If you lost your bag in the waiting area or your hand luggage was stolen, the insurance does not cover it. Insured events include official baggage loss (if the baggage is not found within 21 days), destruction as a result of an accident or natural disaster, as well as damage to the suitcase and its contents.

If you cannot find your suitcase on the baggage carousel after arriving, follow these steps:

1. Without leaving the transit area, find the Lost & Found desk (baggage tracing service).
2. File a Property Irregularity Report (PIR) for the missing baggage, providing a detailed description of the suitcase and its contents; keep your copy of the report with its unique reference number.
3. Keep the baggage tag receipt attached to your boarding pass.
4. Within 24 hours, report the incident to the insurance company using the contact details specified in your policy.

In the event of baggage delay, the insurance company often reimburses the cost of essential items upon presentation of receipts. In the event of officially confirmed baggage loss, you will receive compensation for each kilogram of weight or a fixed amount per suitcase (within the established coverage limit, for example, EUR 500–1,000), minus the amount that the airline itself is legally required to pay under the Montreal Convention.

Air travel is subject to numerous risks, including weather conditions, strikes, technical malfunctions, and airspace closures. A flight cancellation, a 24-hour delay, or a missed connection can disrupt your plans and lead to unexpected expenses. At Polis24, you can arrange special protection against such losses, either as an additional option to your medical insurance policy or as a separate insurance contract.

Flight delay insurance takes effect if the departure is delayed for the specified number of hours (usually 4–6 hours or more). The insurance company reimburses expenses for food and drinks and essential items, and in the event of a prolonged overnight delay, it may cover a hotel near the airport and transportation. The key point is to keep all receipts and obtain a certificate from the airline stating the exact reason for and duration of the delay.

Trip cancellation insurance protects your investment in tickets and hotel bookings if you are unable to travel at all for valid reasons beyond your control:

• Sudden acute illness or injury of the insured person or a close relative requiring hospitalization.
• Visa refusal (provided that the documents were submitted on time and in full).
• Damage to property (fire, apartment flooding) shortly before departure.
• A court summons as a witness or juror.

In these situations, the insurance company reimburses the cost of non-refundable tickets, booked hotels, and excursions, protecting your budget from significant financial losses.

Traveling during pregnancy has become quite common, as expectant mothers often want to take a vacation before this important life event. However, pregnancy is a period of increased health risks, and obstetric care abroad can be very expensive, especially in the event of premature labor. Therefore, choosing the right insurance policy on Polis24 requires particular care.

Most standard insurance policies contain a strict exclusion: they do not cover pregnancy care, routine ultrasounds, gynecologist consultations, or childbirth abroad. A standard insurance policy will protect a pregnant woman only against general illnesses, such as a cold, food poisoning, or an injury, while expenses related to the pregnancy or fetus will not be covered.

Expectant mothers can choose specialized programs with a “pregnancy complication insurance” option, but these programs have restrictions based on the stage of pregnancy:

• Most insurance companies cover emergency treatment for pregnancy complications only up to the 24th or 28th week of pregnancy at the time the trip ends.
• Only certain international programs extend this period to 31–32 weeks, but they are considerably more expensive.
• After the 36th week, no insurance company assumes these risks, as this period is considered the stage of planned childbirth.

A specialized insurance policy covers only emergency medical care in the event of a sudden complication that threatens the life of the mother or child (threat of miscarriage, severe morning sickness, placental abruption), including an ambulance call, hospitalization, and stabilization of the patient’s condition. If premature labor begins, the costs of prolonged neonatal intensive care often have strict coverage limits, so the policy terms should be reviewed especially carefully.

Acute tooth pain can instantly ruin even the most luxurious vacation, while dental care abroad can be expensive: a simple filling or tooth extraction can cost several hundred euros. Naturally, travelers want to be sure that a policy purchased through Polis24 will protect them from these expenses.

Insurance companies take a clear position: travel insurance covers emergency and urgent dental care only. The insurance will cover treatment if an acute inflammatory process (pulpitis, periodontitis, abscess) develops with severe pain, or if you sustain a jaw injury as a result of an accident. The purpose of the treatment is to relieve pain, eliminate the source of inflammation, place a temporary filling, or extract a tooth that cannot be saved.

Routine procedures are categorically excluded: preventive checkups, dental cleaning and tartar removal, prosthetics, crown placement, implants, as well as treatment of advanced tooth decay without acute pain.

The most important point is the dental coverage limit. Even with an overall policy coverage of EUR 30,000, a separate sublimit is usually set for dental care — typically EUR 100–300. This is sufficient for an emergency dental visit and pain relief in most countries, but it may not be enough in more expensive regions. If you have sensitive teeth, before your trip choose an extended program on Polis24 with an increased sublimit for emergency dental care (up to EUR 500–1,000).

For some people, the perfect vacation means museums and relaxing on the beach; for others, it means skiing, diving, trekking, quad biking, or skydiving. Polis24 specialists warn that the cheapest basic policy is designed exclusively for calm, passive recreation. Any activity beyond ordinary pedestrian tourism requires expanded coverage.

In insurance terminology, this means adding the “Active Recreation” (Sports / Active Leisure) option. When purchasing a policy online, you should honestly specify the type of activities you plan to take part in. Insurance companies classify activities according to their level of risk: ordinary active recreation includes cycling, beach volleyball, and banana boat rides; extreme activities include mountaineering, freediving, motocross, and skiing. Adding this option increases the cost of the policy (sometimes by 2–3 times), but it is the only way to guarantee coverage in the event of an injury.

What happens if you try to save money and get injured while engaging in active recreation? The scenario is unpleasant: you fall while snowboarding and break your leg, call the assistance service, and are taken to a hospital. However, as soon as the doctor states the actual cause of the injury (a fall on a ski slope), the assistance service checks your policy and denies coverage because the increased risk was not disclosed. As a result, evacuation from the slope (in Europe, this is often done by helicopter and can cost EUR 2,000–5,000) and the surgery will be entirely at your own expense.

Bottom line: Be honest when purchasing your policy through Polis24. If there is even the slightest possibility that you will engage in sports, choose the appropriate coverage option.

Coverage for chronic conditions is one of the most controversial issues in travel insurance. When purchasing a policy through Polis24, many people mistakenly assume that their insurance must cover any treatment, including routine procedures and therapy for conditions that developed years before the trip. This misconception can result in huge medical bills that the insurer is legally entitled to refuse to reimburse.

The purpose of travel insurance is to protect against sudden, acute conditions that arise during the trip and require urgent medical attention. Classic chronic conditions (diabetes, hypertension, coronary artery disease, ulcers, kidney failure) are generally included in standard exclusions. If you travel abroad specifically to undergo a routine medical examination or have surgery for a long-standing condition, a standard policy will not cover these expenses.

However, the terms and conditions of reliable insurance companies usually contain an important provision concerning the treatment of acute, life-threatening conditions. If a sudden, critical exacerbation of a chronic condition occurs abroad (a hypertensive crisis, diabetic coma, or an acute ulcer attack) and poses a real threat to life, the assistance service will arrange emergency medical care. Under a basic policy, only the procedures necessary to stabilize the condition and relieve acute pain are covered. Once the immediate threat has been eliminated, further routine treatment and maintenance medication are no longer covered.

If you need broader protection, when purchasing a policy through Polis24, choose additional options or specialized programs with increased coverage limits for chronic conditions.