Due to international sanctions, most Western travel insurance companies do not offer coverage in Russia, so it’s necessary to turn to Russian insurance companies. The problem is that Russian companies do not allow payment with foreign cards or PayPal.
For this reason, the Russian company Attollo Assistance has set up a platform to acquire Ingosstrakh travel health insurance by paying with any foreign card (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, JCB, UnionPay, Discover, or Diners Club International). Ingosstrakh is one of the three largest insurance companies in Russia along with AlfaStrakhovanie and Gazprom Insurance.
Travel health insurance accepted by Russian consulates and government. Ingosstrakh’s travel health insurance meets all the requirements demanded by visa centers, consulates, and the Russian government for visa applications (both electronic and paper visa). It provides coverage of 35,000 euros and covers the cost of hospital treatment, medication, home visits by a doctor, repatriation in case of death, transportation expenses, emergency dentistry, treatment for Covid-19, etc.
The process is automatic. You can purchase the insurance in 5 minutes and in just 2 steps. In the first step, you’ll need to enter your travel dates, your age, and your personal information, and in the second step, you’ll need to make the payment using a card. After payment, you’ll receive in your email your travel medical insurance in PDF format signed and electronically stamped by Ingosstrakh. If you don’t receive the insurance policy within 15 minutes, please check your email’s spam folder.
Need any help with your travel insurance to Russia? Don’t worry. I can help you solve any problems you might have. Send me a message through thiscontact formand I’ll reply as soon as possible. The insurance policy includes 24-hour assistance phone numbers in case of a medical emergency. Below, you’ll also find a section with answers to the most frequently asked questions when purchasing travel insurance to Russia.
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
I can’t pay with my bank card. Are there other alternatives?
Some bank cards might not work during the payment process. In this case, try using a different card or contact your bank in case they are blocking the transaction.
Another solution is to send an email to [emailprotected] with your details and the type of card you used. They can analyze the problem and provide a solution.
Currently, it’s not possible to pay using methods like PayPal or bank transfer.
Another option is to purchase travel insurance with the Russian company Cherehapa, which also allows payment with foreign cards.
What’s the period for which I need to get travel insurance for Russia?
For a traditional visa, you must get travel insurance covering the validity period of your visa. For instance, if you apply for a visa from July 1st to July 15th, you’ll need medical travel insurance for these 15 days.
However, for multiple-entry visas (be it for tourism or business), it’s not necessary to get insurance for the entire validity of your visa. It’s sufficient to get travel insurance for the duration of your initial stay in Russia. For example, if your visa is valid for 180 days (from January 1st, 2024, to June 29th, 2024), and you initially travel to Russia from January 1st to January 15th, then it’s enough to get insurance for these 15 days. If you return to Russia from March 1st to March 20th, you’ll need a new travel insurance for these 20 days.
For an electronic visa, you need travel insurance covering the period of stay in Russia. The maximum stay allowed for an electronic visa is 16 days from the entry date. So, if you plan to stay for 16 days, you need insurance for these 16 days.
Is medical insurance mandatory for a traditional visa application? What about for an electronic visa?
Travel medical insurance is mandatory for both traditional and electronic (eVisa) visas for citizens of the following countries:
- European Union Countries: Germany, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Cyprus, Croatia, Denmark, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, and Sweden
- China
- Iran
- Iceland
- Israel
- Liechtenstein
- Monaco
- Norway
- Switzerland
For other countries (for example, USA, UK, Canada, Australia, etc.), travel health insurance for Russia is not mandatory but highly recommended as medical care in Russia can be costly in case of emergencies.
The cost of travel insurance is minimal compared to the risks it covers. You’re unlikely to use it, but it’s better to be prepared.
What information should my travel insurance for Russia contain?
Your travel insurance for Russia should include the following information:
- The insurance date
- The policy number
- The full name of the insured person
- Complete insurer details
- The validity dates of the insurance
- Medical services covered by the insurance, including repatriation.
- Geographical coverage area: it should clearly specify “World” or “Russian Federation” or “Europe, including Russia” (specifying medical coverage only in “Europe” is not sufficient since Russia has both European and Asian parts).
- The coverage amount of the insurance, which must not be less than 30,000 euros.
- The insurer’s signature.
The Ingosstrakh insurance contains all the aforementioned details.
What information should I fill in in the visa application related to Ingosstrakh travel insurance?
- Insurance company name: Ingosstrakh
- Insurance policy number: It is located at the beginning of the policy
- Policy start date: The start date must match your policy details
- Policy expiration date: The expiration date must match your policy details
Is Ingosstrakh medical insurance valid for citizens from all countries?
Yes, the insurance is valid for citizens of any country. In fact, it’s not necessary to reflect the insured person’s nationality in the policy.
Is the original insurance policy required or is a PDF document sufficient?
For the electronic visa, a PDF document is sufficient. If requested, you can show it on your mobile device. Printing it is not necessary.
Regarding travel medical insurance for Russia for the traditional paper visa, the vast majority of consulates worldwide accept the electronically signed PDF document. This applies to the consulates of European Union countries, the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, or South Africa, among others.
Can I extend my Ingosstrakh travel medical insurance if my trip extends?
If your stay in Russia extends beyond the initially planned period, you can purchase a new travel insurance policy. For instance, if you initially purchased insurance from January 1st to January 15th but your stay extends to January 20th, then you can purchase a new online insurance from January 16th to January 20th.
What type of visa can I apply for with Ingosstrakh insurance?
You can apply for any type of visa:
- Tourist visa
- Business visa
- Student visa
- Visiting family or friends visa
- Work visa
- Humanitarian visa
- Highly qualified specialist visa
- Participation in scientific, cultural, socio-political, economic, and sports events visa.
- Ultimately, for any type of visa
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TESTIMONIALS
Oliver: “It says 5 minutes, but it took 10 minutes to arrive to my email, in any case, a reasonable wait time.”
Maria: “I had to try two different cards because one of them gave an error during the purchase process. The policy arrived in a few minutes.”
Alexander: “Fast service and no issues. Thank you very much, Irena.”
Lucas: “Perfect since my insurance company didn’t offer coverage in Russia.”
Gabriel: “Thank you very much, Irena. I hope I don’t have to use the insurance :)”
Martin: “All good. The only thing is that the payment is made on a platform in dollars, and the conversion to euros is done at the time of payment.”
Sofia: “I bought the Ingosstrakh insurance and printed it along with the electronic visa. I haven’t had to use the insurance. Everything is good.”
You can leave your opinion and rate (from 1 to 5) by filling out this contact form.
