Medical Insurance for a Polish Visa: Which Program to Choose for Your Task

Which program for which task: at a glance

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The scope and sums of the programs depend on the variant you choose, so check the current terms in the calculator before you pay. Whether a policy is accepted is decided by the consulate, the visa center, the university or the program coordinator.

Why each program has its own task

Visa insurance is built for one task: to show the consulate that for the period of the visa you are insured for EUR 30,000 or more (urgent treatment, hospitalization, repatriation, death, 24/7 assistance). For a Schengen visa (type C) this requirement comes from Article 15 of the EU Visa Code (Regulation 810/2009), and for a national visa (type D) it is set by Poland's Act on Foreigners (Ustawa o cudzoziemcach). The sum is the same, but such a program serves only the visa: it works while you hold a visa and is not designed for the tasks that come after it.

The other tasks have their own requirements. The Erasmus+ exchange program adds accident insurance and civil liability insurance. A university after enrollment requires cover for the whole study period, and a dormitory or campus housing may require a policy under internal rules. A karta pobytu needs insurance from the moment you submit documents. For these tasks the karta pobytu program from Kniazha fits, while the visa programs of the other insurers do not meet these requirements. Accreditation matters too: the consulate checks not only the sum but also that the program and the insurance company are accredited.

What happens if you choose the wrong program

For the visa, the consulate or visa center checks the policy itself: the EUR 30,000 minimum, urgent treatment, hospitalization, repatriation, 24/7 assistance, period of validity, the accredited program and the accreditation of the insurance company. If the policy does not comply, the consulate may refuse the visa. A refusal means a new application or an appeal, and that is time you lose while the date of enrollment, starting work or the trip does not wait.

The second situation arises abroad. If something happens to you and you hold the wrong program, the insurer may refuse to pay because the event falls outside the terms of your policy. A visa program works while you hold a visa and is designed for urgent cases during that time, so it does not replace cover for the whole study period, a policy for an exchange program or a policy for a karta pobytu.

To avoid a mistake, first identify your task in the table above, then choose the program built for it. If you are unsure, write to us before you pay: a consultant will suggest the program for your situation.

Schengen visa C or national visa D: what changes in the policy

A Schengen visa (type C) is for short trips of up to 90 days, and the policy must cover the whole Schengen area for the length of the trip; this visa does not allow you to work. A national visa (type D) is issued for work, study or relocation, and the policy must stay valid for the whole visa, up to one year, with a 24/7 assistance line. The minimum sum is the same, but the visa category decides the validity period and the documents, so in the calculator choose the duration that matches your visa.