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Do you want to purchase travel insurance after you have already traveled outside Lithuania? There are important nuances

The entry into force of a travel insurance contract is usually straightforward – you have selected the start date of the contract, paid the premium and the protection begins. However, the situation becomes much more complicated when the contract is concluded while the insured is already outside Lithuania.

Kelionių draudimą reikia pirkti iš anksto

Insurers operating in Lithuania regulate this circumstance differently – from complete invalidity of the contract to a clearly defined “waiting period”.

The principle of crossing the border

“Lietuvos draudimas” and “If P&C Insurance AS filialas Lietuvoje” link the entry into force of travel insurance coverage with crossing the state border of the Republic of Lithuania – coverage takes effect no earlier than when the insured leaves Lithuania and crosses the state border.

However, their rules do not clearly state how the situation is assessed when the contract is concluded while abroad. Logically, if the moment of crossing the border has already occurred, and the contract is concluded later, the start of insurance coverage can no longer be linked to a fact that has already passed. In such a case, it is presumed that the contract for the current trip may be considered invalid, although the direct wording “invalid” may not be present in the rules.

This creates practical legal uncertainty.

Clear non-enforcement provision

“Balcia Insurance SE Lithuanian Branch” regulates this issue categorically and clearly in its rules: “An insurance contract concluded while you are outside the borders of the Republic of Lithuania will be considered invalid.”

This is the clearest model – if you are already abroad, protection is not provided.

Waiting period model (quarantine)

Other insurers allow you to conclude a contract while you are abroad, but set a deadline after which the protection begins to take effect.

Compensa VIG – if the contract is concluded while the insured is already abroad, the protection takes effect 14 days after the contract is concluded. This is the longest term among the analyzed insurers.

Gjensidige – protection takes effect 7 calendar days after the contract is concluded and the premium is paid.

BTA If the contract is concluded during the trip, the protection takes effect after 5 calendar days.

ERGO applies the shortest term – if the insured is abroad at the time of conclusion of the contract, the protection takes effect 2 calendar days after conclusion of the contract and payment.

Of the insurers analyzed, this is the most favorable model.

Why do these differences occur?

If a person is already traveling, their risk situation may have changed – especially if the insurance is purchased after they have already experienced a potential health or other problem.

So, if you buy insurance while abroad:

  • In the case of some insurers, the contract will not come into force at all,
  • in other cases, protection will only take effect after 2, 5, 7 or 14 days,

This means that in the early days you may be completely without insurance coverage – even if the contract is signed and paid for.

So our reminder:

It is most rational to purchase travel insurance at least 24 hours before departure.

If you are already abroad, before concluding a contract, clearly assess when the protection will actually begin.

 „Man ramu“ draudimo platformoje galite įsigyti kelionių draudimą, apimantį medicinines išlaidas, nelaimingus atsitikimus, asmens civilinę atsakomybę ir bagažo draudimą.

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