Balcia Insurance SE, Lithuanian Branch
Balcia
Balcia is a travel insurance for the Lithuania market with online purchase and limited assistance availability.
Direct payment
For costs that do not exceed EUR 1,000, the insured may pay directly and later claim reimbursement from Balcia. If any described expense is expected to exceed EUR 1,000, the insured or a relative must contact Balcia before paying, so the insurer can advise on next steps and, where relevant, arrange direct settlement with the treating facility.
Geographic scope
Worldwide, excluding Lithuania and the insured's country of citizenship or permanent residence
Coverage applies only within the territory specified in the insurance certificate; Lithuania and the insured's country of citizenship or permanent residence are always excluded from the covered territory.
Unique selling points
- COVID-19 and Monkeypox treatment abroad remains covered even though the policy generally excludes pandemics and epidemics.
- If the return home is delayed by a technical breakdown, an insured event, or bad weather, the policy period automatically extends for up to 3 extra days at no additional cost.
- If illness or injury leaves the insured unable to drive, Balcia covers a replacement driver to bring the insured and travel companions home.
- Business travellers who cannot work for 5 or more consecutive days due to illness or accident get a colleague's replacement travel costs covered.
- Risks can be selected individually or combined into one policy — medical expenses, accidents, cancellation, liability, baggage and document loss — so customers only pay for the protection they need.
Coverage limits
Medical expenses
Covered
Covers medically justified costs of urgent treatment abroad following a sudden accident or illness during the trip; the specific sum insured is set individually in the insurance certificate.
Emergency medical treatment
Covered
Covers urgent outpatient or inpatient treatment abroad, medically necessary examinations, prescribed medicines and dressings, non-prescription medicines up to EUR 50, and phone calls to the clinic or insurer up to EUR 50.
Hospitalization
€200
Actual hospitalization treatment costs are covered under the overall medical expense sum insured. In addition, if the insured chooses treatment at a state healthcare facility and uses the compulsory health insurance entitlement, Balcia pays a EUR 25 per-day cash benefit, capped at EUR 200 in total.
Outpatient treatment
Covered
Ambulatory (outpatient) medical care abroad for a sudden illness or accident is covered as part of the medical expenses module.
Emergency dental treatment
Covered
Covers dental treatment costs only when relieving acute tooth pain or providing emergency care after an accident; no separate euro cap is stated in the current edition.
Medical transport
Covered
Covers transport to the nearest medical facility and back to the place of temporary accommodation during the trip.
Medical evacuation / early return
Covered
Covers earlier-than-planned return to the country of residence if health allows, transport of unaccompanied minor children, a replacement driver, and a substitute employee's economy-class travel if the insured cannot work for at least 5 consecutive days on a business trip; transport costs are capped at economy-class fares to/from Lithuania.
Repatriation of remains
Covered
Covers transport of the deceased's remains to the country of residence, purchase of a coffin needed for transport, or burial/cremation costs abroad and transport of the urn to the country of residence.
Search and rescue
No limit stated
Not addressed in the current (LT-003.04) terms and conditions or IPID.
COVID-19 treatment
Covered
The general pandemic/epidemic exclusion explicitly does not apply to COVID-19 or Monkeypox, so related treatment is covered under the medical expenses sum insured.
Pre-existing conditions
Conditional
"Illness" is defined as a sudden, unforeseen acute condition or a sudden exacerbation of a chronic disease that had not manifested before the trip began; known/pre-existing conditions and their expected/planned treatment are not covered, but a sudden and unforeseeable flare-up of a chronic condition during the trip is treated as an illness and covered.
Winter sports cover
Optional
Winter/mountain skiing and snowboarding fall under "Aktyvus laisvalaikis" (active leisure), which is excluded from payout by default unless the insurance contract explicitly states otherwise, meaning it can be added as a selected cover.
Adventure/extreme sports cover
Optional
Ekstremalus sportas (extreme sports, e.g. combat sports, motor racing, mountaineering, parachuting) is excluded by default unless the insurance contract explicitly provides otherwise, meaning it can be selected as additional cover.
Pregnancy complications
Conditional
Costs related to pregnancy from the 28th week onward, and to childbirth, are excluded, except for necessary emergency medical assistance following an accident.
Personal (civil) liability
Optional
A separately selectable module covering direct losses from bodily injury or death caused to a third party and the cost of repairing/reducing damage to third-party property during the trip; the sum insured is set in the policy schedule.
Legal assistance
Optional
Within the Civil Liability module, attorney/legal costs are covered if the insured unintentionally fails to observe local customs and norms or unknowingly breaches local regulations, causing harm to a third party, their health, or property.
24/7 assistance
No limit stated
The current terms and IPID list a phone line, email and app for reporting claims but do not explicitly state round-the-clock (24/7) availability for the travel product.
Key conditions
Assistance call deadline
In the event of a claim, you must contact a healthcare institution, law enforcement, or another competent authority without delay, no later than within 24 hours, submit a claim to the party at fault, and notify Balcia about the event.
Unauthorized treatment
No fixed percentage penalty is stated for unauthorized treatment, but Balcia may refuse or reduce the payout if it was not notified in time and this prevents accurate determination of costs incurred, or if required prior written approval for certain transport/companion arrangements was not obtained.
Purchase while abroad
The insurance contract must be concluded and paid for before the trip begins and while the insured is in Lithuania; a contract concluded while the insured is already outside Lithuania, or paid for after the trip has started, is void and no expenses are reimbursed.
Chronic conditions
Known chronic diseases and their planned or expected treatment are not covered; only a sudden, unforeseeable exacerbation of a chronic disease that could not have been anticipated before the trip is treated as an insured illness.
Pregnancy
Costs related to pregnancy from the 28th week onward and to childbirth are excluded, except for necessary emergency medical assistance required due to an accident.
Pre-existing condition exclusions
Illness is defined as a condition that had not manifested before the trip began; pre-existing/known health conditions and any planned diagnostics or treatment related to them are excluded from cover.
Coverage duration limit
If the return to the country of residence is delayed for documented reasons beyond the insured's control (vehicle breakdown or accident, a covered incident or related rescue operation, delay or cancellation of transport due to bad weather, or a strike by the carrier or airport staff), the policy period is automatically extended until the return from the trip, but by no more than 3 days.
Where to buy
Policy specifics
Medical expenses and repatriation
Coverage for sudden and unexpected health disorders while abroad requiring urgent medical assistance or repatriation
SourceAccident insurance
Coverage for property interests related to accidents experienced while abroad
SourceFlight cancellation and travel delays
Coverage for property interests related to travel delays, interruptions, lost connections or inability to travel
SourcePersonal civil liability insurance
Coverage for property interests related to damage caused by the insured to third parties or their property while abroad
SourceTravel document loss insurance
Coverage for property interests related to lost travel documents during a trip
SourceContract activation timing
Not established from the insurer's documents
Insurance contract becomes effective from the date and time specified in the insurance certificate, provided premium is paid on time
SourceThird-party source, not the insurer's documentClaims notification deadline
Insured must report any suffered damage or incurred loss within 30 days from the event date
SourceMoney and document loss notification requirement
Not established from the insurer's documents
Loss of money, bank payment cards or travel documents must be reported within 24 hours for insurance coverage to apply
SourceThird-party source, not the insurer's documentPremium payment method
Not established from the insurer's documents
Insurance premium must be paid by bank transfer or electronic banking before trip start
SourceThird-party source, not the insurer's documentGoverning law and jurisdiction
Not established from the insurer's documents
Insurance contract and related legal relationships are governed by Lithuanian law
SourceThird-party source, not the insurer's documentSanctions compliance clause
Not established from the insurer's documents
Insurer is bound by national and international sanctions and may unilaterally terminate contract if sanctions apply to insured or policyholder
SourceThird-party source, not the insurer's document