Do you need insurance for Argentina

Entry to Argentina is visa-free for Russian citizens: you can stay in the country for up to 90 days within 180 days. A medical policy is not required for entry, and you do not need to show one at the border.

But Argentina is rarely a place where people just lie on the beach. Tourists head for the Andes and Patagonia, the glaciers, trekking routes and ski slopes. Distances between regions are huge, and many points on the route are far from large cities. Medical care for tourists is paid, and the most expensive scenario is when an injured traveller has to be brought down from the mountains or out of a remote area to a good clinic. That is why a policy here is a necessity rather than a formality.

How the trip works and what follows from it

A long journey and domestic flights

Flights from Russia to Argentina involve connections, and within the country tourists usually travel by domestic flights: from Buenos Aires to Patagonia or the Iguazu Falls is a long way. The Flight delay and Baggage options help if a connection fails or a suitcase with mountain gear goes missing on the way.

The Andes, Patagonia and the glaciers

Trekking in Patagonia, glacier walks and climbs in the Andes are active leisure or sport for an insurance company. Without the matching option, an injury on a trail or on a glacier may not become an insured event. Also check whether the programme includes medical transport and search and rescue, and whether the rules set any altitude limits.

Skiing in Bariloche

Argentina is in the Southern Hemisphere, so the ski season here runs from June to September, when it is summer in Russia. The main resort is Bariloche. To ski you need a sport option: skiing or snowboarding on marked runs, with a separate option for freeriding. We describe such policies in detail on the page on ski insurance.

The big city

Buenos Aires is a megacity with its own risks: street injuries, food poisoning after dinners in unfamiliar places, lost belongings. Basic medical cover and the Baggage option deal with these.

How to choose the sum insured and programme

By default the calculator suggests USD 50,000 for Argentina. For a trip with mountains, glaciers and domestic flights it makes sense not to reduce the sum, and to choose it with a margin for an active route. The steps are simple:

  1. Decide on the territory: Argentina only, or several countries if your route passes through Brazil, for example.
  2. Enter every day of the trip, from departure from Russia to your return.
  3. Add active leisure or the sport you need: trekking, skiing, snowboarding.
  4. Consider the Flight delay, Baggage, Emergency dental care and Trip cancellation options.
  5. If you have a chronic condition, add the corresponding option.

A policy without a deductible is more convenient on a long-haul trip: the insurer pays costs within the sum insured, and you do not pay part of each claim. For extra protection against injuries you can also take out personal accident insurance.

What to do if something happens

  1. Call the assistance company on the number in your policy. In the mountains, think about communication in advance: some places may have no signal.
  2. Wait for the assistance company to approve a clinic or arrange transport.
  3. Do not pay for treatment yourself without approval.
  4. Keep medical documents, receipts and tickets.

Read more about what to do in the article on insured events.

How to buy Argentina travel insurance on polisre.ru

Buying a policy takes a few minutes. The quote and purchase go through the Cherehapa service (Polis Re's partner), and the policy is issued by the insurance company you choose.

  1. In the calculator, select Argentina, your dates and travellers' ages.
  2. Add options and compare offers from 16 insurance companies.
  3. Enter travellers' details in Latin letters, as in their international passports.
  4. Pay for the policy and receive it by e-mail.

If you are already in Argentina: some insurers have programmes for people who are already travelling; check the conditions (for example, a waiting period) in the calculator.

Heading further north? See the page on travel insurance for Brazil. All destinations are collected in the Travel insurance section.