Compensa Towarzystwo Ubezpieczeń S.A. Vienna Insurance Group
Compensa
Compensa is a travel insurance for the Poland market with online purchase and 24/7 assistance.
Direct payment
Compensa, through the Alarm Centre, organises and pays for medical treatment and assistance services directly to the medical facility. The insured may also self-organise treatment and be reimbursed on the basis of receipts and proof of payment. Direct cashless settlement with medical providers is the default mode for hospitalisation and major treatment.
Geographic scope
Worldwide (two variants: whole world, or whole world excluding USA, Canada, Japan and Australia)
Coverage is worldwide; optionally excluding USA, Canada, Japan and Australia depending on the selected variant. Coverage for medical costs and assistance activates upon crossing the Polish border.
Unique selling points
- Medical expenses sum insured selectable up to EUR 500,000 – significantly above the typical Polish market level – covering the full range of hospitalisation, outpatient care, emergency dental, medications, auxiliary aids, and repatriation within a single insured sum.
- Acute exacerbation of chronic diseases is covered within the base product at no additional premium, including hospitalisation, outpatient visits and diagnostics – unlike many competing policies that exclude pre-existing conditions or charge extra.
- Continuation of treatment after return to Poland (up to PLN 5,000) and tropical disease treatment after return (up to PLN 15,000) are included in the base policy – benefits not typically offered as standard coverage by market competitors.
- Round-the-clock Alarm Centre (24/7/365) with direct cashless payment to medical providers, immediate medical assistance organisation, translator support, travel and sports infoline – all included in the base product without additional charge.
- Amateur winter sports (including skiing, snowboarding, ice skating and amateur water sports) covered in the base product, with ski pass refund (up to EUR 250) and legal assistance abroad (up to EUR 5,000) also included – no surcharge required for typical holiday sports activities.
Coverage limits
Medical treatment costs abroad (including chronic disease exacerbation)
Covered
Covers all medically necessary costs of treating illness or accident consequences during foreign travel, including hospitalisation, surgical operations, outpatient diagnostics and procedures (including chronic disease exacerbation), medications, auxiliary aids (up to PLN 2,000), convalescence, continuation of treatment after return to Poland (up to PLN 5,000 within 6 months), tropical disease treatment after return (up to PLN 15,000 within 30 days of policy expiry), and telephone medical consultations. Sum insured selectable from EUR 20,000 to EUR 500,000.
Emergency medical treatment (hospital and outpatient)
Covered
Compensa organises and covers costs of hospitalisation and surgical operations, as well as outpatient diagnostic visits and physician-ordered tests, that are medically necessary due to illness (including chronic disease exacerbation) or accident during foreign travel. Covered up to the selected medical expenses sum insured (EUR 20,000–500,000). Also explicitly covers infectious viral diseases such as Covid-19 and SARS.
Hospitalisation and surgical operations
Covered
Covers costs of hospitalisation and surgical operations medically necessary due to illness (including chronic disease exacerbation) or accident during foreign travel, within the selected sum insured (EUR 20,000–500,000). Includes decompression chamber costs. Separate sub-benefit: companion stay and travel costs up to EUR 200/day for up to 7 days if hospitalisation lasts at least 7 days (adults only).
Outpatient treatment and diagnostics
Covered
Covers costs of outpatient physician visits and physician-ordered diagnostic tests medically necessary due to illness or accident during foreign travel, including chronic disease exacerbation, within the selected sum insured (EUR 20,000–500,000). If the insured self-organises, costs are reimbursed.
Emergency dental treatment
Covered
Covers costs of immediate dental care for acute pain or inflammation not caused by tooth decay, up to EUR 500 within the selected medical expenses sum insured. Prophylactic and prosthetic dental treatment (including implant replacement) is explicitly excluded.
Medical transport during travel
Covered
Covers transport from the site of illness or accident to the nearest medical facility, between medical facilities, and return transport from a medical facility to the insured's place of stay during foreign travel, within the assistance sum insured. Transport costs do not reduce the medical expenses sum insured.
Medical evacuation to hospital or home country
Covered
When medically necessary, Compensa organises and covers transport of the insured from abroad to hospital or place of residence in Poland or country of permanent residence, using a mode of transport appropriate to the insured's health condition per physician instructions. Prior consent of the Alarm Centre is required. Cost is capped at the amount the Alarm Centre would incur if organising the transport itself, up to the assistance sum insured.
Repatriation of remains or funeral/cremation abroad
Covered
In the event of death during foreign travel, Compensa organises and pays for transport of the remains to Poland or country of permanent residence. If the funeral or cremation takes place abroad, only those costs (plus urn purchase and transport) are covered. Transport costs do not reduce the medical expenses sum insured. Capped at the amount the Alarm Centre would incur, up to the assistance sum insured.
Search and rescue costs during foreign travel
Covered
If the insured goes missing during foreign travel, the Alarm Centre organises a search by specialised rescue services and covers the costs of the search operation and first medical aid provided by those services. Costs covered within the assistance sum insured (EUR 20,000–500,000).
Covid-19 and infectious viral disease treatment
Covered
Compensa explicitly covers medically necessary treatment costs incurred during foreign travel due to infectious viral diseases such as Covid-19 or SARS, within the selected medical expenses sum insured (EUR 20,000–500,000). This is stated as a specific inclusion in Clause 1 §1 section 4 of the OWU.
Chronic disease exacerbation (pre-existing conditions)
Covered
Acute exacerbation of a chronic disease (diagnosed before the contract was concluded) is explicitly covered as a 'disease' under the OWU definition and within the medical expenses and assistance sums insured, without an additional premium. Coverage applies to hospitalisation, outpatient treatment, and diagnostics related to a chronic disease exacerbation during foreign travel. Planned treatment that was the purpose of the trip is excluded, as are mental illness, congenital defects, venereal diseases, and HIV-related conditions.
Amateur winter sports coverage (including ski pass refund)
Covered
Amateur winter sports (skiing, snowboarding, sledging on designated slopes, ice skating, ice hockey on rinks, etc.) are included in the base product without additional premium. In addition, the assistance scope includes refund of unused ski pass or sports school fees (up to EUR 250 above the assistance sum insured) if the insured cannot use them due to illness or accident.
Extreme and competitive sports coverage (optional extension)
Optional
Extreme sports (abseiling, alpinism, BASE jumping, downhill MTB, heli-skiing, parkour, rugby, American football, skydiving, etc.) and competitive sports participation are excluded from the base product. Coverage can be extended by paying an additional premium for extreme sports or for competitive sports participation. Without this extension, claims arising from extreme or competitive sports are not covered.
Pregnancy complications (conditional – before 32nd week)
Conditional
Costs related to childbirth occurring after the 32nd week of pregnancy and all costs related to postnatal care of mother and child (regardless of week) are explicitly excluded. Complications of pregnancy that require emergency medical treatment before the 32nd week of pregnancy are not explicitly excluded and may be covered under the general illness provisions, subject to general policy conditions.
Personal liability in private life (optional clause)
Optional
Optional add-on clause covering civil tort liability for personal injury and property damage caused to third parties during foreign travel in the course of private life activities. Sum insured selectable from EUR 25,000 to EUR 250,000 (including return of impounded deposit for rented car, e-bike, scooter, moped, or motorcycle). Extension for professional placement/traineeship/volunteering available within selected sum. Extension for waiver of excess/deductible for rented car (not older than 10 years, GVW up to 3.5t, up to 9 seats) available up to PLN 7,000 for an additional premium. Base free limit for rental car excess return is PLN 750.
Legal assistance abroad (civil liability matters)
Covered
Included in the base assistance scope. If the insured needs legal assistance regarding civil liability under the law of the country of travel, Compensa organises and pays for a lawyer and translator to handle explanatory proceedings on the insured's behalf. Covers attorney and translator fees up to EUR 5,000 above the assistance sum insured. Excluded: criminal liability, business/professional activity, vehicle ownership/driving.
24/7 Alarm Centre assistance services
Covered
Round-the-clock Alarm Centre duty available 365 days a year, providing: medical assistance organisation in case of illness or accident; information on how to proceed in covered events; information on services and benefits under the policy; information relay to family, employer or institutions; document recovery assistance; travel infoline; sports infoline; translator assistance (up to EUR 500 within assistance sum insured); flight delay essentials coverage (up to EUR 150 within assistance sum insured for delays of at least 4 hours). The 24/7 duty itself has no monetary limit.
Key conditions
Assistance call deadline
The insured must contact the Alarm Centre immediately upon the occurrence of an insured event to obtain a guarantee of cost coverage by the medical facility. The event must be reported to Compensa within 14 days of the accident (or within 14 days of the cessation of the reason that prevented reporting). Failure to comply, if caused intentionally or by gross negligence, may result in a reduction of the benefit.
Unauthorized treatment
If the insured self-organises medical treatment without prior Alarm Centre contact, Compensa reimburses the costs incurred. However, for medical evacuation/transport back to Poland, prior Alarm Centre consent is required; reimbursement is limited to the costs the Alarm Centre would have incurred itself. Treatment costs exceeding what is medically necessary to restore health enabling return to Poland are not covered.
Purchase while abroad
If the insured is outside Poland at the time the contract is concluded, a 3-day waiting period (karencja) applies before Compensa's liability commences. The waiting period does not apply if the insured is in Poland at the time of contract conclusion. Additionally, for medical costs and assistance, coverage activates upon crossing the Polish border at departure.
Chronic conditions
Acute exacerbation of a chronic disease (diagnosed prior to contract conclusion, with a prolonged course, treated regularly or periodically) is explicitly included in the definition of 'disease' (choroba) under the OWU and is covered within the base medical expenses and assistance sum insured without additional premium. Planned treatment that was the purpose of the trip remains excluded.
Pregnancy
Childbirth after the 32nd week of pregnancy and all postnatal costs for mother and child are explicitly excluded regardless of the week of delivery. Treatment of pregnancy complications before the 32nd week is not explicitly excluded and may be covered under general illness provisions. Abortion not related to saving the mother's life is excluded.
Pre-existing condition exclusions
Pre-existing conditions (chronic diseases as defined in the OWU) are covered for acute exacerbation episodes during travel under the base policy without extra charge. Conditions explicitly excluded from coverage include: mental illness and psychiatric disorders, congenital and developmental defects, genetic diseases, venereal diseases, AIDS and HIV-related illnesses. Treatment that exceeds what is medically necessary to enable return to Poland is also excluded.
Coverage duration limit
The contract can be concluded for: an annual period, an annual period with returns and trips not exceeding 120 days each, or a period shorter than one year (short-term). Coverage scope is identical for annual and short-term policies. The sum insured decreases with each paid claim (except for accident insurance, NNW, where it decreases only upon death). Coverage ends upon exhaustion of all benefit limits or sums insured.
Policy specifics
Medical continuation after return to Poland
Policy includes continuation of medical treatment after returning to Poland or country of residence from abroad
Flight delay coverage for daily necessities
Coverage of costs for daily necessities items (food, beverages, basic clothing, toiletries) in case of flight delay of at least 4 hours
Companion stay and travel costs during hospitalization
If insured is hospitalized for 7+ days, insurer covers stay and travel costs of accompanying person
Early return home costs coverage
Coverage of costs for early return to Poland if death or emergency hospitalization of close family member or property damage (burglary/fire) occurs at home
24/7 emergency assistance center services
24/7 alarm center providing medical contact, translator assistance, travel and sports infoline, document reproduction support
Chronic disease exacerbation coverage
Medical treatment costs for exacerbation of chronic disease during travel are covered within basic premium
3-day waiting period if contract signed while abroad
If insured is outside Poland when contract is concluded, coverage begins after 3-day waiting period
Coverage activation at border crossing
For medical expenses and assistance, coverage for foreign travel starts when crossing Polish border at departure
Separate sum insured for each coverage type
Sum insured is established separately for each insurance coverage included in product (medical, assistance, personal accident, liability, baggage)
Flexible territorial scope options
Coverage can be selected for: Poland only, Europe, or World excluding USA, Canada, Japan and Australia, or entire World
Paid work activity exclusion in liability
In civil liability insurance, coverage excludes damages related to insured performing physical work, any paid work, profession, or business activity