Compare travel insurance for Turkey

Finding the right travel insurance policy for Turkey can be confusing. Despite its location (near Greece and Bulgaria), it isn’t in the EU. This is why some insurers categorise it as  Europe, others recognise it as ‘Worldwide’ which can affect the type of cover you can get, and how much you pay for it.  

 

What isn’t confusing though is the peace of mind you’ll experience once you’ve found the right travel insurance for Turkey, because you can now focus on all it has to offer.

 

Two of the world’s top 10 most visited cities in 2023 were in Turkey. Istanbul saw 20.2 million people, and Antalya welcomed 16.5 million people2. It’s no surprise, as Turkey boasts: 

 

• Incredible ancient history 

 

• Diverse culture 

 

• Stunning beaches

 

• Great medical institutions that specialise in cosmetic procedures

 

• Affordable amenities  

 

If you’re planning on travelling to Turkey, it’s vital to remember it  doesn’t have any health care related agreements with the UK. So your GHIC/EHIC cards are not valid, leaving you responsible for all medical costs.  

 

PayingTooMuch can help you smoothly navigate this confusion and any other quirks when it comes to comparing travel insurance policies. 

Many travel insurance policies that are designed for a holiday in Turkey, usually cover the following:

 

• Medical Expenses - This covers any non-emergency hospital stays or doctor visits while you’re on your trip. However, these can be expensive if you’re uninsured. 

 

• Repatriation (sending someone back to their country) -If you get seriously ill or injured, you may need to be flown back to the UK. An air ambulance, or another type of medical escort, could set you back over £30,000.

 

• Cancellation - If you’re unable to travel for a reason covered by your policy, this can help you cover any non-refundable costs. These reasons could include a medical emergency, a work-related issue, a home emergency, extreme weather or a transport strike.  

 

• Baggage - You could cover the loss, damage and theft of your baggage and other personal items.  

 

• Travel Delays - If you miss a connection or if your flight is delayed, you could be compensated for booking additional accommodation.

While Turkey is a wonderful destination for many British and European holidaymakers, it isn’t a part of the European Union. This means your Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) or European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) isn’t valid. Without the right travel insurance policy, you would be personally liable for 100% of your medical bills. This can quickly escalate into the tens of thousands of pounds for more serious injuries, or emergency repatriation.

 

The Turkish healthcare system is split between public and private sectors. If you’re staying in a popular tourist hub, you will likely be treated at a private clinic. These facilities offer world-class care but operate as private businesses, so they may require: 

 

• Proof of travel insurance

 

• Proof of funds to pay for the treatment  

 

• A significant upfront deposit  

 

before they admit you for treatment.

Most travel insurance policies for Turkey won’t cover everything.

 

Some of the examples of things that might not be covered are: 

 

• Flight cancellations - If your flight is cancelled, your airline is usually responsible for  reimbursing you for any costs, e.g., food, hotels, etc.  

 

• Alcohol/drug-related injuries - If any items are lost or a medical emergency occurs due to intoxication, it’s unlikely they will be covered. 

 

• Undeclared pre-existing conditions - If you fell ill because of an undeclared pre-existing condition, you wouldn’t be covered by your insurance policy. 

 

• Travelling against FCDO (Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office) advice - If the UK government advises against travelling to Turkey (or parts of Turkey) due to a potential danger to UK citizens, and you were to still travel, you wouldn’t be covered.  

 

• Specialist activities - This could include high-risk activities such as a hot air balloon ride in Cappadocia3, and going on a cruise. To make sure you’re covered, you’d need to buy specialist activity packs or add-ons for high-risk sports, and cruise travel insurance, if you’re planning to go on a cruise.

 

• Cosmetic procedures - If you plan to get your teeth done, or get a hair transplant in Turkey, your travel insurance won’t cover you if something goes wrong during the procedure. If you need cover for this type of procedure, you will likely need other policies such as Mandatory Complication Insurance1, and specialised medical insurance.  

The price of travel insurance for Turkey can depend on the following factors:

 

• The duration of the trip - Longer trips can mean higher travel insurance costs, and depending on how long, may require long stay travel insurance.  This is because the longer your trip is, the more likely you are to make a claim.

 

• The planned activities during the trip - The riskier the activities, e.g. paragliding or scuba diving, the more likely the cost will be higher.

 

• Age - Your age can affect the price of your cover. Costs are likely to increase at certain age milestones, such as 65 and 75.
• Medical history - Many pre-existing conditions can raise the price of travel insurance.  

 

• The territory - Depending on the insurer, Turkey can be classified as both Worldwide or Europe, which can have a big effect on the price.  

 

• Single trip (ST) vs. Annual Multi-trip (AMT) - If you plan to take more than two trips per year, it may be cheaper for you to get an AMT policy. 

You can find the right travel insurance for your trip to Turkey by:  

 

• Tailoring cover to your specific trip, or trips - For example, if you’re not doing any extreme sports, you don’t need to include any activity-specific add-ons, which should save you money.  

 

• Find group policies - If you’re visiting Turkey as part of a group, a family, or group policy may work out to be cheaper.

 

• Declare all pre-existing medical conditions - If you get injured or become ill during your trip, and you didn’t declare a pre-existing condition, your policy may be invalidated. So although the initial cost may be more, if you don’t tell us about any medical conditions, the cost of treatment is likely to be a lot more.  

 

• Considering an annual multi-trip (AMT) policy - Some AMTs can work out cheaper, depending on the type of policy purchased. However, there are limits to these policies including age, so it’s important to check the policy documents in detail if you’re considering this option.  

 

• Check the "Territory" definition - It could be helpful to check that your insurer classes Turkey as ‘Europe’ to get the most competitive rates.

 

• Buy as soon as you book - For Single Trip policies, this activates your cancellation cover immediately, protecting you from unforeseen circumstances that can stop you travelling. For AMT policies, though, your cover will start on the same date of the AMT policy.  

 

Make sure you find the right travel insurance policy for you by comparing quotes now. 

1 https://www.longevita.co.uk/blog/mandatory-complication-insurance/ 

 

2 https://www.euromonitor.com/press/press-releases/dec-2023/euromonitor-internationals-report-reveals-worlds-top-100-city-destinations-for-2023  

 

3 https://www.hotairballooncappadocia.com/