How do you choose a travel health insurance policy?
Pick the policy that actually works abroad by reading the benefits table and the general terms yourself.
Short answer
Fix your destination, travel dates and the minimum cover your visa demands. Request quotes with identical details on each insurer's "Travel Health Insurance > Get a Quote" screen, then read the benefits table and the exclusions inside "General Terms". After buying, confirm the policy appears in the insurance bureau's policy lookup service on the national e-government portal.
What you need
Step by step
Pin down your travel details
Write down departure and return dates, the countries involved and everyone who needs cover. Quote screens treat "Travel Start" and "Travel End" as mandatory fields, and if the dates do not match your trip, part of the journey is left uninsured. Travelling as a family or group, note the option to add several insured people to one policy.
Read the country and visa requirement
Schengen and other visa-requiring countries usually set a minimum benefit amount and demand validity across all destinations. Check the current rule on the consulate's own "Visa Application" or "Required Documents" page. Note the required benefit level and geographic scope, since these are the two filters you will apply to every quote.
Collect quotes with identical inputs
On an insurer's site follow "Products > Travel Health Insurance > Get a Quote"; on comparison sites use the "Travel Health Insurance" tab. Your bank's mobile app may sell the same product under its "Insurance" menu. Enter dates, countries and ages exactly the same way everywhere, otherwise the prices are not comparable.
Compare the benefits table and General Terms
In the "Benefits" table on the quote screen, check treatment, medication, emergency dental, medical evacuation and repatriation limits. Then open the "General Terms" and "Information Form" documents and read the exclusions, the deductible, and the clauses on pre-existing conditions and risky sports. The cheapest policy is usually the narrowest one.
Buy the policy and download the document
On the quote you choose, move to "Buy" and enter your name, surname and passport number exactly as they appear in your passport. After payment, download the policy as a PDF and archive it in your email. Visa files normally require a printout, and a consulate may reject the document if the insured name differs from the passport.
Verify the policy in the official lookup service
On the e-government portal, search for "Insurance Policy Inquiry", open the insurance information and supervision centre service and confirm your policy is in the system. If it is missing, call the insurer's customer service. This is the safest check for policies bought through an intermediary.
Save the assistance line before you leave
Store the policy's international assistance phone number and the policy number in your phone, and carry a paper copy too. Most insurers require a call before treatment so they can pay the provider directly. Expenses incurred without that call can be refused or only partly reimbursed.
Tips
Watch out
The most common mistake is buying on price alone and skipping the pre-existing condition exclusion. A flare-up of a chronic illness falls outside most standard policies, which can leave you paying the bill abroad yourself. Confirm benefits and exclusions in the insurer's own General Terms text and with its customer service.
Frequently asked questions
+Is travel health insurance mandatory for a visa?
It is mandatory for Schengen and some other countries' visas, and optional where no visa is needed or you already hold one. Confirm the requirement and minimum benefit on the relevant consulate's own page.
+Can I buy a policy after my trip has started?
Most insurers require the policy to be issued before you leave the country. Products sold while you are already abroad may apply a waiting period, so check the condition on the purchase screen.
+Do I pay the hospital myself?
If you call the assistance line and get referred to a contracted provider, the insurer usually pays directly. When you pay yourself, you open a claim with the invoice and medical reports and request reimbursement.
+Can I get a refund if the trip is cancelled?
If the trip did not happen and you have documentation, such as a visa refusal, cancellation and a premium refund may be possible. Read the insurer's cancellation conditions in the General Terms and contact customer service.
+Where do I complain about a problem with my policy?
Start with a written complaint to the insurer's customer service. If that fails, file an insurance complaint with the regulator through the e-government portal and, if needed, take the case to the insurance arbitration commission.
Sources and verification
Last verified: 13 Eylül 2026. tell us. Adapted from a Turkish guide: the policy lookup service, e-government portal, regulator and arbitration commission references correspond to Turkey's SBM, e-Devlet, SEDDK and Insurance Arbitration Commission.
This content is for information only; for official procedures the relevant institution’s current announcements take precedence. Details: disclaimer.