Visa insurance - a guide from Serbia

# Travel Insurance for Visas from Serbia: Complete Guide

## Where to Get Insurance

### Main Insurance Companies in Serbia

**Grawe** - the most popular among expats
- Website: https://www.grawe.rs/ or https://webshop.grawe.rs/
- Office in Belgrade: end of Matije Korvina street
- Online issuance available 24/7
- Accepts EBS numbers (for foreigners with a boravak)

**Dunav osiguranje**
- Website: https://moj.ddor.rs/kupi-online/pocetna
- Online purchase available
- Accepts JMBG/EBS

**Generali**
- Website: https://www.generali.rs/web_osiguranje/putno_osiguranje.981.html
- Office in Novi Sad: Narodnog Fronta 1
- Online issuance available

**Wiener Stadtische** - offers a multiple-exit option, online issuance

**Uniqa** - refund if visa is denied (read the terms), online issuance

## Required Data for Issuance

For Russian/Belarusian citizens with a boravak in Serbia it is usually required:

- JMBG/EBS number (13 digits from your boravak)
- Foreign passport number
- Travel dates and destination countries
- Contact details

**Important:** EBS (evidencijski broj stranca) - foreigner identifier. The digits after the birth date indicate the type of boravak: 66 - temporary, 06 - permanent. In some systems the EBS may not be accepted in the JMBG field.

## Types of Insurance

### Single-Trip Tourist Insurance
Coverage from 15 000 to 120 000 euros, price from 2 000 dinars for short trips. Suitable for one-time exits.

### Annual Insurance (the most popular option)

**Grawe annual:**
- Trips up to 45 days each
- Coverage 30 000 euros ≈ 60 euros per year; 60 000 euros ≈ 136 euros per year
- "Europe" zone includes the EU, Turkey, Egypt, Tunisia, Russia
- Family policy possible (up to 2 adults + 5 children)

**Pros of an annual policy:** saves money on frequent trips, convenient for multi-visa holders, no need to issue a new policy each time.

## Insurance Costs (2025-2026)

| Trip type | Approximate price |
|-----------|-------------------|
| Short (7-14 days) | 2 000-4 400 dinars |
| Grawe annual | 50-80 euros (depending on options) |
| Family Grawe annual | ~100 euros (2 adults + children) |
| Extreme sport | +30-50 % to the price |

For the Schengen zone a minimum of 30 000 euros is required for Russian passports; for local residents the default is 10 000 euros (not sufficient for Russia).

## Issuance Particularities

- **Online** - cheaper, faster, available 24/7.
- **Office** - convenient if you need to add several passports or get a stamp.

When ordering online you can enter only one passport; the office will add a second one and stamp the policy.

## Issues with Russian/Belarusian Insurances (2025-2026)

⚠️ **IMPORTANT:** Insurance from Russian companies (Tinkoff, AlfaStrahovanie, etc.) is often rejected at EU borders.

Documented refusals: Sweden (visa cancelled), Spain (require replacement with a European policy), Germany (official ban on Russian insurances).

**Recommendation:** use only Serbian or European insurances - it is better to overpay than to be turned away at the border.

## Special Options

- **COVID-19** - mandatory for some countries.
- **Extreme sport** - +50 % to the price.
- **No-show insurance** - doubles the price, sometimes required by the consulate.
- **Repatriation** - included in some policies.

### Family/Group Policies
Grawe allows a group (cheaper per person). "Family" conditions: up to 2 adults + 5 children, kinship not required.

## Refunds

- If the visa is denied, most companies offer a refund.
- Full refund possible before the policy starts.
- Process takes from one week to three months.

Community experience: Grawe usually refunds quickly, Dunav can delay and require reminders, Uniqa has a refund clause but demands careful reading.

## Frequently Asked Questions

**Can I buy insurance at the airport?**
❌ No. The policy must be issued before leaving Serbia; a policy bought at the border is not accepted.

**Is a translation of the insurance needed?**
✅ Usually not - the English version is accepted by consulates.

**Can I pay the policy with someone else's card?**
⚠️ It depends on the company. Grawe accepts only the card of the policy holder.

**What to do if the website crashes?**
📞 Call the insurer or visit the office - they usually resolve it quickly.

**Are watermarks required on the policy?**
✅ With online purchase the policy arrives in final form; draft contracts marked "NACRT" are not acceptable.

## Hacks and Tips

1. Compare prices online - the difference can be significant.
2. An annual policy pays off after 2-3 trips.
3. Family policies are cheaper than individual ones.
4. Online is always cheaper than office issuance.

**To increase visa approval chances:** choose coverage with a buffer (not just the minimum 30 k), use an annual policy for multi-visa travel, and verify that the required country/zone is listed in the policy.

**To avoid problems:** do not use Russian insurances, purchase the policy in advance, keep all payment confirmations, and double-check the data in the policy before submitting documents.

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*The article is compiled from the experience of the Serbia: visas for other countries community. Information may become outdated - always check official insurer and consulate websites.*