Balcia
Balcia is a travel insurance for the LV market with online purchase and 24/7 assistance.
Direct payment
In critical emergencies, seek medical help immediately and notify the Balcia 24-hour assistance centre (+371 20 68 2222) at the earliest opportunity. Keep all payment confirmation documents for treatment or stay at a medical facility.
Geographic scope
Baltic
Worldwide (insured territory specified in policy); coverage begins upon departure from Latvia
Unique selling points
- Balcia self-markets as offering travel insurance with the fewest exclusions on the market, providing extensive risk coverage including trip cancellation, lost luggage, illness, and third-party liability in a single policy.
- Balcia travel insurance includes up to 2 free remote family doctor consultations per trip via its Medon partnership, enabling policyholders to receive professional medical advice in Latvian without visiting a foreign clinic.
- Coverage for COVID-19 and pandemic-related illness is explicitly included as a standard feature, with no need for a separate add-on, as confirmed in official Balcia FAQ materials.
- Policyholders have access to a 24/7 assistance line (+371 20 68 2222) for medical coordination, advice, and emergency support anywhere in the world, with claims submittable via mobile app, website, or phone.
- Travel insurance can be purchased instantly online in under 60 seconds via balcia.lv or the Balcia mobile app, with instant digital policy issuance available for both short trips and annual multi-trip policies.
Coverage limits
Medical expenses
Covered
Coverage for unforeseen medical expenses arising from sudden illness or accident during travel abroad. Specific sum insured is stated in the policy schedule.
Emergency medical treatment
Covered
Coverage for emergency medical treatment required during travel, including acute conditions. Balcia instructs policyholders to contact the 24-hour assistance line (+371 20 68 2222) before or as soon as possible after seeking emergency care.
Hospitalization
Covered
Coverage for inpatient hospital treatment during travel resulting from sudden illness or accident. Policy covers surgery, hospital stay, and associated medical costs.
Outpatient treatment
Covered
Coverage for outpatient medical consultations and treatment during travel due to sudden illness or accident. Included within the medical expenses coverage.
Emergency dental treatment
Covered
Emergency dental treatment for acute pain is included within the medical expenses coverage under the Balcia travel insurance policy.
Medical transport
Covered
Coverage for medical transport costs, including ambulance and other emergency transport, organised through the Balcia 24-hour assistance centre.
Medical evacuation
Covered
Coverage for medical evacuation costs when local treatment is insufficient or return to Latvia is required for medical reasons, organised through the 24-hour assistance centre.
Repatriation of remains
Covered
Coverage for costs of repatriation of the insured person's remains to their home country in the event of death during travel. Prior written approval from Balcia is required.
Search and rescue
Not offered
Search and rescue cost coverage is not explicitly confirmed as a standard inclusion in Balcia Latvia travel insurance T&C No. LV-18/02-03. Availability as optional add-on is unconfirmed from available sources.
COVID-19 treatment
Covered
Balcia travel insurance covers illness during travel including COVID-19. Coverage for sudden illness, including pandemic illness, is mentioned as a key product feature in official FAQ materials.
Pre-existing conditions
Excluded
Pre-existing conditions are generally not covered. The policy covers only sudden and unexpected health problems. Planned or foreseeable treatment prior to travel is excluded per standard travel insurance T&C applicable in Latvia.
Winter sports cover
Optional
Winter sports coverage (skiing, snowboarding, etc.) requires a specific notation or add-on in the policy. High-risk sport activities are covered only if explicitly noted in the insurance policy.
Adventure / extreme sports cover
Optional
Coverage for high-risk and adventure sport activities (skiing, snowboarding, diving, mountain hiking, kiteboarding, etc.) for recreational purposes is available only if the policy explicitly includes such cover. Sports competitions and training are excluded.
Pregnancy complications
Conditional
Coverage for pregnancy complications is included, with assistance provided up to a specified gestational week. The exact week limit is stated in the policy conditions.
Personal (civil) liability
Optional
Third-party personal liability coverage for damages caused to other persons or their property during travel. Listed as a coverage component in product overview materials; specific limit stated in policy.
Legal assistance
Optional
Legal assistance cover is available as part of the travel insurance offering. Listed in product overview as an available coverage component; specific limits per policy.
24/7 assistance service
Covered
Balcia provides 24-hour assistance to travel insurance policyholders via +371 20 68 2222. Assistance covers medical advice, coordination of treatment, and emergency support worldwide.
Key conditions
Assistance call deadline
In non-critical situations, contact the Balcia 24-hour assistance centre (+371 20 68 2222) before seeking medical treatment for advice on next steps. In critical emergencies, call for medical help immediately and notify Balcia at the earliest opportunity. Retain all treatment receipts and documentation.
Unauthorized treatment
If medical treatment or repatriation is not approved in advance by Balcia, reimbursement may be limited to the amount that would have been payable had the assistance been organised through the Balcia assistance centre.
Purchase while abroad
If the policy is purchased while already abroad, a waiting period may apply before coverage becomes effective. The policy must cover the entire duration of the trip.
Chronic conditions
Chronic diseases are generally not covered. Coverage applies only to sudden and unexpected acute health deterioration during travel, not to foreseeable treatment of known conditions.
Pregnancy
Coverage for pregnancy complications is included up to a gestational week limit as specified in the policy conditions. Routine pregnancy care and planned childbirth abroad are not covered.
pre_existing_conditions
Pre-existing conditions and any treatment that was planned or foreseeable before the trip are excluded from coverage. Only sudden and unforeseen medical events during travel are covered.
coverage_duration_limit
The insurance policy must be issued for the entire period of the trip. Maximum trip duration covered and any applicable waiting periods are specified in the policy conditions (No. LV-18/02-03 valid from 26.08.2024).
Where to buy
Policy specifics
Trip cancellation or interruption
Coverage for cancellation or interruption of trips due to unforeseen circumstances such as sudden illness or accident.
Medical expenses during trip
Core coverage for medical expenses and emergency medical assistance abroad arising from sudden illness or accident.
Delayed or lost luggage
Compensation for lost, delayed, or damaged luggage during travel, confirmed as a coverage component in official product materials.
Illness before or during trip (including COVID-19)
Coverage for sudden illness before or during the trip, including COVID-19, confirmed as a key feature in official FAQ materials.
Losses caused to third parties
Civil liability coverage for damages caused to third parties during travel, available as a coverage component per product overview.
High-risk sports require explicit policy notation
Activities such as skiing, snowboarding, diving, mountain hiking, and kiteboarding are covered for recreational purposes only if the policy explicitly includes such cover. Sports competitions and training are excluded regardless of notation.
Remote doctor consultation via Medon
Balcia travel insurance includes access to remote family doctor consultations via Medon (medon.lv/balcia), available up to 2 times per trip. Consultation is conducted online within one hour during business hours.
Maximum trip duration
The policy must be issued for the entire duration of the trip. Maximum consecutive days of coverage and any waiting periods are specified in the policy conditions No. LV-18/02-03.
Relationship to European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)
Balcia travel insurance supplements the EHIC by covering co-payments, medical transport, repatriation, and non-EU travel situations not covered by EHIC. Policyholders are advised to carry and present their EHIC at medical facilities where applicable.