Groupama Zastrahovane EAD
Groupama
Groupama is a travel insurance for the Bulgaria market with online purchase and 24/7 assistance.
Direct payment
The assistance company coordinates and directly pays for covered medical services. If the insured pays out of pocket without prior coordination with the assistance company, the liability limit is reduced to 200 EUR/USD. Reimbursement is made within 15 working days after all documents are submitted.
Geographic scope
Bulgaria
Zone 1: Europe (excl. Turkey and Bulgaria); Zone 2: Worldwide excl. USA, Canada and Bulgaria; Zone 3: Worldwide incl. USA/Canada excl. Bulgaria (all zones valid for Multitrip variant)
Unique selling points
- Insured sum of up to 100,000 EUR/USD for single-trip policies, significantly above the Schengen visa minimum requirement.
- Fully online purchase and policy issuance in minutes — policy delivered directly to email after payment by debit or credit card.
- Multitrip (annual) variant covers unlimited trips worldwide including USA and Canada, with per-trip duration of up to 30, 60, or 90 days selectable by the customer.
- Personal liability (1,000 EUR/USD) and legal assistance (1,000 EUR/USD) included in the base coverage at no extra cost.
- Part of the Groupama Assurances Mutuelles French insurance group, with claims paid within 15 working days of full document submission.
Coverage limits
Medical expenses (accident and/or acute illness)
Covered
Covers unforeseen and urgent medical expenses arising from an accident or acute illness during travel abroad, including medical examinations, investigations, treatment, surgery, prescribed medicines, medical devices, hospitalisation, and emergency ambulance transport. Insured sum range: 5,000–100,000 EUR/USD for single-trip variant; up to 50,000 EUR/USD for Multitrip variant. For persons over 64, the limit for acute illness is 50% of the policy sum, max 2,500 EUR/USD.
Emergency medical treatment
Covered
Covers emergency medical treatment costs (consultations, examinations, treatment, surgical intervention) arising directly from an accident or acute illness during travel. Included within the overall medical expenses limit of 5,000–100,000 EUR/USD. Unauthorised treatment without prior coordination with the assistance company reduces the liability limit to 200 EUR/USD.
Hospitalisation
Covered
Inpatient hospitalisation costs are covered as a sub-component of the overall medical expenses benefit within the 5,000–100,000 EUR/USD limit. No separate sub-limit is specified; covered up to the overall policy sum.
Outpatient treatment
Covered
Outpatient medical consultations, examinations and treatment are covered within the overall medical expenses limit. No separate sub-limit stated; covered up to the policy insured sum.
Emergency dental treatment
Covered
Covers emergency dental treatment for relief of severe pain due to physical injury from an accident or acute inflammatory process in the oral cavity, as diagnosed by a dentist. Sub-limit: up to 400 USD/EUR. Routine dental care and non-emergency dental treatment are excluded.
Medical transport (emergency ambulance)
Covered
Covers costs for emergency ambulance transport of the insured from the place of accident or illness to the nearest medical facility. Included within the overall medical expenses limit with no separate stated sub-limit beyond the overall policy sum.
Medical evacuation and repatriation
Covered
Covers repatriation of the insured from the location abroad back to Bulgaria or to a medical facility in Bulgaria, as determined by medical specialists appointed by the assistance company. Also covers provision of a medical escort or reimbursement of travel costs for a family member to accompany the insured. Repatriation is carried out only if the insured's condition permits transport.
Repatriation of mortal remains
Covered
Covers all costs related to repatriation of the insured's mortal remains from the place of death to the place of burial in Bulgaria, as designated by the heirs or relatives. Funeral ritual and inventory costs are not included.
Search and rescue expenses
Optional
Optional add-on coverage. Covers ordinary and pre-approved, actually incurred costs by local specialised services for search and rescue of the insured in mountainous areas or water bodies, and first aid, arising from a covered accident or acute illness. Sub-limit: up to 10% of the basic coverage insured sum, maximum 5,000 EUR/USD.
COVID-19 treatment
Excluded
Epidemic or pandemic, including COVID-19 and all their consequences including any healthcare services, are explicitly excluded under the general exclusions of the policy (clause 74.11). No optional COVID-19 cover is mentioned in the official T&C document.
Pre-existing conditions
Conditional
Pre-existing conditions are generally not covered. However, if a chronic or pre-existing condition manifests as a sudden, acute, life-threatening complication requiring emergency medical intervention, the insurer covers only the costs for stabilising the critical condition. Planned treatment of chronic conditions is excluded.
Winter sports cover
Conditional
Amateur skiing and snowboarding are included in Sport Group A and are covered with payment of an additional premium. Professional winter sports (Group C) require an additional premium at a separately negotiated rate. Recreational skiing and snowboarding at designated ski areas are classified as Group A amateur sports. Other winter sports (excluding ski and snowboard) are excluded as amateur activities per clause 74.21.
Adventure and extreme sports cover
Conditional
Sports are classified into Groups A, B, and C. Group A (e.g. amateur ski, snowboard, mountain hiking up to 4,000m, golf, diving up to 10m) and Group B (e.g. basketball, cycling, surfing, kite surfing) are covered with an additional premium. Group C professional sports (e.g. motor sports, skydiving, mountaineering, ice hockey, rafting, martial arts, spelunking, jet ski, parasailing) require a separately negotiated additional premium. Amateur practice of motor sports, air sports, mountaineering, combat sports, spelunking, underwater sports, rafting, jet ski, parasailing and winter sports (excl. ski and snowboard) are excluded without an additional premium (clause 74.21).
Pregnancy complications
Excluded
Explicitly excluded: events resulting from pregnancy and all pregnancy-related complications, termination of pregnancy, childbirth, spontaneous abortion, and ectopic pregnancy (clause 74.17).
Personal liability (civil liability to third parties)
Covered
Covers the insured's liability for material and non-material damages caused to third parties abroad. Settlement based on an out-of-court agreement approved by the insurer, or a final court judgment. Limit: up to 1,000 USD/EUR. Excludes liability towards family members, professional liability, and liability arising from motor vehicles.
Legal assistance
Covered
Covers legal defence costs and/or court expenses if the insured is held liable under civil law in the country of travel in connection with damages caused to a third party, or an unintentional violation in situations related to their private life as an ordinary citizen. Limit: up to 1,000 USD/EUR.
24/7 assistance service
Covered
Round-the-clock emergency assistance is provided through an international network of the contracted assistance company (Global Services Bulgaria / GSBHelp, tel. +359 2 850 89 89). All specialised services and assistance are delivered under continuous 24-hour readiness. The insured must contact the assistance company within 3 working days of the insured event.
Key conditions
Assistance call deadline
The insured must contact the assistance company no later than 3 working days from becoming aware of the insured event. If admitted as an emergency and unable to contact the company personally or via a third party, the obligation must be fulfilled no later than 3 working days after their condition allows. Failure to comply reduces the liability limit under the basic coverage to 200 EUR/USD.
Unauthorized treatment
If the insured incurs medical expenses without prior coordination and approval from the assistance company, the liability limit under the basic coverage is reduced to 200 EUR/USD. The insurer may refuse payment if the failure to notify was intended to prevent the insurer from establishing the circumstances of the event.
Purchase while abroad
The insurance must be purchased before departure from Bulgaria. Coverage commences after payment of the due premium. The insurance cannot be purchased once travel has already begun.
Chronic conditions
Chronic diseases are not covered as unforeseen and urgent medical expenses, since their symptoms pre-existed the policy start date. An exception applies only if the chronic condition manifests as a sudden, acute, life-threatening complication requiring emergency medical intervention — in such cases only costs for stabilising the critical condition are covered.
Pregnancy
Events resulting from pregnancy and all pregnancy-related complications, termination of pregnancy, childbirth, spontaneous abortion, and ectopic pregnancy are explicitly excluded (clause 74.17). Artificial insemination and infertility treatments are also excluded.
Pre-existing condition exclusions
Pre-existing conditions (illnesses or medical states for which the insured has received treatment, sought medical advice, or became aware of before the start of the insurance period) are excluded. A partial exception applies for acute, sudden, life-threatening exacerbations — only stabilisation costs are covered.
Coverage duration limit
Single-trip policies: 3 to 365 days per trip. Multitrip (annual) policies: unlimited number of trips within one calendar year, each trip not exceeding 30, 60, or 90 days as selected. Coverage period is specified in the policy. Coverage ends upon exhaustion of the agreed liability limits.
Where to buy
Documents
IPID – Travel Assistance Insurance (Помощ при пътуване)
ipid
Policy specifics
Emergency medical assistance
24/7 medical assistance during travel abroad in case of accident or sudden illness
Coverage duration options
Flexible duration of stay: 30, 60, or 90 days
Insured amount limits
Coverage amounts ranging from 10,000 to 50,000 EUR or USD
Territorial scope
Worldwide coverage including USA and Canada, excluding Bulgaria and country of residence
COVID-19 coverage
Optional COVID-19 coverage included in multi-trip variant up to 5,000 EUR/USD
No age restriction
Policy available for all ages without age limitations
Pre-departure purchase requirement
Insurance must be purchased before departure from Bulgaria
24/7 multilingual assistance
Round-the-clock emergency assistance through contracted assistance company with 24/7 hotline
Claims processing timeline
Insurer makes decision within 15 working days after receipt of final documents from client
Eligible insured persons
Bulgarian and foreign citizens travelling outside Bulgaria for tourism, work, or sports
Sources
- https://dskbank.bg/bg/individual-clients/insurance/insurance-details/security-for-your-travel-abroad/travel-assistance-insurance
- https://online.groupama.bg/bg/online-platform-terms
- https://online.groupama.bg/bg/travel/abroad/individual/first
- https://www.groupama.bg/bg/individual-clients/travel/travel-insurance