Travel insurance for Latvia
Do I need travel insurance for Latvia?
Australia doesn’t have a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement with Latvia or some other countries in the Schengen Area like Lithuania, Estonia, Iceland and Poland. This means Medicare won’t cover any medical emergencies, which could cost you thousands of dollars in the Latvian health care system.1 What’s more, you will require a valid health insurance policy to enter the country.
Smartraveller recommends purchasing a comprehensive travel insurance plan before you head overseas.1
What should my travel insurance policy for Latvia cover?
Cover may vary depending on the insurance company, so it’s worth reading the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) for more details on what’s covered and excluded from your policy.
These are some common travel insurance inclusions worth considering for your trip to Latvia.
Cover for medical expenses
Hospitals and doctors in Latvia may require immediate payment before they provide medical assistance.1 You may also require medical evacuation if you’re not in a larger city.
Travel insurance could provide the peace of mind knowing that you’re covered for the following insured events:
- Medical care for injuries and illnesses (including coronavirus or COVID-19)
- Medical evacuation and repatriation
- Doctor and hospital expenses
- 24/7 emergency assistance.
Personal effects and luggage cover
Crimes such as pickpocketing and mugging may be more common in some areas in Latvia, like the tourist areas in Riga.1 Your insurance company could cover you for lost and stolen items including:
- Luggage
- Valuables
- Passports, credit cards and other important documents.
Travel delay and cancellation cover
If you experience flight delays on your trip to Latvia or other Baltic states, a travel insurance policy could cover meals and accommodation costs that result from the delay.
Insurance policies with cancellation cover that provide some protection for trip cancellations could also be useful if your travel plans need to be changed due to:
- You or your travel companion being unable to travel due to injury or illness
- Your passport being stolen
- Your destination is no longer safe to travel to due to a natural disaster
- Smartraveller changing its travel advice to ‘do not travel’.
Winter sports cover
If you’re looking to go skiing or snowboarding in Latvia or other European ski resorts, it might be worth adding winter sports cover to your policy. Just keep in mind that adding this cover typically increases your overall travel insurance premium.
What’s usually excluded from travel insurance?
All travel insurance policies have exclusions which may be applied when claims are being assessed. Losses due to the following examples are likely to be excluded:
- Medical claims due to pre-existing medical conditions (unless you declared these to your insurer and they agreed to cover you)
- Luggage being left unattended luggage in public places
- Intoxication from alcohol or drugs
- Reckless and illegal activities.
Meet our travel insurance expert, Adrian Taylor
As the Executive General Manager of General Insurance, Adrian Taylor believes in educating customers about the importance of travel insurance so that anyone can kick back and make the most of their time away from home. While no one wants a disrupted holiday, a suitable travel insurance policy can provide a financial safety net for yourself, your belongings and your trip in case things go wrong.
Want to know more about travel insurance?
1 Smartraveller – Latvia. Accessed 8 October 2024.