Do you need insurance for a trip to Italy

Italy is part of the Schengen Area, and medical insurance is mandatory for a visa. The policy is checked when you submit documents at the visa centre and may be requested again at the border. Italy’s insurance requirements are the same as those of the other Schengen countries.

Insurance requirements for the visa

  • Sum insured — at least EUR 30,000.
  • Territory — all countries of the Schengen Area.
  • Period — every day of the trip. Insurers often add a 15-day grace period to Schengen policies; it is convenient but not mandatory: when you buy through the calculator on polisre.ru, the grace period is added automatically.
  • Cover — emergency medical care, hospitalisation, medical transportation and repatriation.
  • Deductible — consulates require a policy with no deductible.

Which sum to choose for Italy

EUR 30,000 is the minimum for a visa. Healthcare in Italy is good but paid for foreigners, and hospitalisation with surgery can easily exceed the minimum sum. We recommend EUR 50,000, and for skiing, trips with children or older travellers — EUR 100,000.

Features of travelling in Italy

  • The Dolomites. Val Gardena, Cortina d’Ampezzo, Livigno — skiing requires the skiing or snowboarding option. Helicopter evacuation from the slope is expensive; check whether it is included in the plan.
  • Summer heat. In July and August Rome, Florence and the south are very hot. Heatstroke during long excursions is common.
  • Walking tours. Cobblestones, stairs and hills — sprains and fractures among tourists are not unusual.
  • Document theft. Pickpockets operate in tourist areas of big cities. The “Loss of documents” option helps cover the cost of replacing them.
  • The sea and islands. Sicily, Sardinia, the Amalfi Coast — swimming, snorkelling, boat trips. Diving requires a separate option.
  • Car rental. Narrow streets and coastal serpentines are a reason to consider the accident option.

If you are visiting several European countries, you do not need a separate policy for each: a Schengen policy is valid in all states of the Schengen Area.

Buy a policy to Italy online

You can buy insurance right on this page: the calculator above shows prices from several insurers at once (16 insurers are available in the service). Online sales are provided by Polis Re’s partner, the Cherehapa service; the contract is concluded with the insurance company you select.

  1. Check that “Italy” is selected and set the dates and travellers’ ages.
  2. Tick the options you need: skiing or snowboarding, visa refusal, loss of documents, baggage cover.
  3. Sort offers by price or by cover and open the terms of the plan you like.
  4. Enter your first and last name in Latin letters exactly as in your international passport, enter your e-mail and pay.
  5. The electronic policy arrives by e-mail within a few minutes and is as valid as a paper one.

Insured event in Italy: what to do

Keep the assistance phone number at hand: it is printed in the policy. An assistance company is a service company that organises help abroad on behalf of the insurer.

  1. Report the case before seeing a doctor: policy number, your details, address and symptoms.
  2. Get a referral to a clinic — treatment there is paid without your involvement, within the sum insured and taking the deductible into account.
  3. If the assistance company allows you to pay yourself, keep the medical report, invoices and receipts and file a claim for reimbursement after you return.

More in the “Insured event” section.

Nearby destinations

If your route covers several countries, see the other pages too: insurance to the Schengen Area, insurance to France, insurance to Spain, insurance to Germany. The full list of destinations, annual policies and tips on choosing cover are on the travel insurance page.