Travel Insurance in Poland — What You Need and What It Costs

Travel insurance is one of those expenses people resent paying for — until they need it. A helicopter evacuation from a ski slope costs 5,000-15,000 EUR. An ICU stay in the United States costs 5,000-10,000 USD per day. A medical repatriation flight from Thailand costs 30,000-80,000 EUR. Against these numbers, a 50-200 PLN insurance policy is trivial.

But the market in Poland is crowded and confusing. Here is what actually matters.

Types of Travel Insurance Coverage

Medical expenses (KL — koszty leczenia)

The core of any travel policy. Covers doctor visits, hospital stays, medication, surgery, and usually dental emergencies abroad.

Minimum recommended coverage:

• EU destinations: 30,000 EUR (often the default)
• USA/Canada/Japan: 100,000-200,000 EUR (medical costs are extreme)
• Rest of world: 50,000-100,000 EUR

What to check: Does the policy cover chronic condition flare-ups? Many basic policies exclude pre-existing conditions entirely.

Medical transport and repatriation

Covers ambulance to hospital, air ambulance between hospitals, and medical repatriation to Poland. This is the single most expensive risk — an air ambulance from Egypt to Poland costs 20,000-40,000 EUR.

Must be included in any policy. If it is not, the policy is worthless.

Trip cancellation and interruption

Covers non-refundable trip costs if you cannot travel due to illness, injury, death of a family member, or (in some policies) job loss.

Typical coverage: 100% of documented pre-paid costs, up to 10,000-30,000 PLN.

When it matters: If you have booked a 10,000 PLN package holiday and break your leg a week before departure.

Luggage and personal belongings

Covers lost, stolen, or damaged luggage and valuables.

Typical coverage: 1,000-5,000 PLN per person, with per-item limits of 500-1,500 PLN.

Honest assessment: This coverage is rarely worth focusing on. Airlines compensate for lost luggage under the Montreal Convention (up to ~5,600 PLN), and the per-item limits on insurance policies mean your 3,000 PLN camera is only covered to 1,000-1,500 PLN.

Third-party liability (OC)

Covers damage you accidentally cause to others — injuring someone on a ski slope, damaging hotel property, causing a car accident on a rented bicycle.

Typical coverage: 50,000-200,000 EUR. Essential for active holidays.

Sports and adventure coverage

Standard policies exclude "dangerous sports." If you plan to ski, snowboard, scuba dive, kitesurf, or do anything beyond swimming and hiking, you need a sports add-on.

Price: 20-80% premium on top of the base policy.

Common exclusions even with sports coverage: Skydiving, bungee jumping, motorsports, professional competitions, mountaineering above 4,000m.

Price Comparison — 2026

Prices for a 7-day trip, one adult, standard coverage.

Annual multi-trip policies: If you travel 3+ times per year, an annual policy (200-500 PLN) is cheaper than buying per-trip.

Where to compare

• rankomat.pl — compares multiple insurers
• ubezpieczeniaonline.pl — good for quick quotes
• Direct insurer websites — sometimes cheaper, allows customisation

What Most Poles Get Wrong

Mistake 1: Relying on EHIC alone

The EKUZ card covers public healthcare in the EU but not repatriation, private hospitals, or non-EU countries. It is a supplement, not a substitute.

Mistake 2: Using credit card insurance

Some premium credit cards include travel insurance. Check the fine print:

• Trip must be paid with the card (usually the full cost)
• Coverage limits are often low (10,000-20,000 EUR for medical)
• Sports coverage is rarely included
• Claims process is slow (bank, not insurer, processes the claim)

Credit card insurance is better than nothing but worse than a dedicated policy.

Mistake 3: Not declaring sports

If you buy basic insurance and then break your leg skiing, the insurer can refuse the claim. Always declare planned activities honestly.

Mistake 4: Skipping insurance for EU trips

"It's just Spain, what could happen?" A lot. A broken femur requiring surgery costs 15,000-25,000 EUR at a Spanish public hospital (EHIC covers it). But the rehabilitation period might require an extended hotel stay, a flight change, and professional medical transport home — none covered by EHIC.

Mistake 5: Cheapest policy always

The cheapest policy saves you 20-30 PLN but might have critical exclusions: no chronic condition coverage, low repatriation limits, no sports, high excess (franszyza). Read the OWU (General Insurance Conditions).

When You Can Skip Travel Insurance

Honestly, almost never. But if you must:

• Day trip to a neighbouring EU country: EHIC covers medical. Risk is minimal.
• You have no non-refundable bookings: If you can cancel everything for free, trip cancellation coverage is unnecessary.
• You have substantial savings: If you can absorb a 50,000 EUR medical bill without financial ruin (this applies to very few people).

How to Claim

1. Call the insurer's assistance line immediately — before visiting a hospital if possible. They will direct you to a partner facility and may guarantee payment directly.
2. Keep all documentation: medical reports, receipts, prescriptions, police reports (for theft), boarding passes.
3. Report within the policy deadline — usually 7-14 days after the event.
4. Excess (franszyza): Most policies have a 100-500 PLN excess per claim. You pay the first portion.

Budgeting for Travel Insurance

Travel insurance costs 25-200 PLN per trip — less than a meal at a tourist restaurant. Include it as a non-negotiable line item in your travel budget. Use Freenance to track insurance costs across all trips and consider switching to an annual policy if costs exceed 200-300 PLN per year.

Related Articles

• Travel Insurance Guide 2026 — What's New
• EHIC Card — Free Healthcare Across the EU
• Flight Compensation Under EU261