Do I need travel insurance for Turkey?
Technically, you don’t need travel insurance for Turkey.
But if you need emergency medical treatment, your bags are stolen, or your flight is cancelled, it can give you a safety net.
If you travel without it, you might have to pay out of pocket if something goes wrong.
Is Turkey part of Europe?
For insurance purposes, we class Turkey as part of Europe. Our European Travel Insurance covers 50 countries, and stretches the boundaries of Europe to include places like:
- Egypt
- Morocco
- Tunisia
- Turkey
Some insurers don't class Turkey as part of Europe, so make sure you check before buying your policy.
What does travel insurance for Turkey cover?
Turkey travel insurance covers you for lots of different things, including:
Emergency medical expenses
We cover reasonable and necessary emergency medical treatment costs if you get ill or injured in an accident abroad.
Delayed or missed departure
If you're delayed or miss your transport because of unforeseen circumstances, we'll cover reasonable costs for extra accommodation and travel.
Lost or stolen personal belongings
If your belongings are lost, stolen or damaged accidentally (or deliberately by someone else), you can claim up to your policy limits.
This is just a snapshot of what we cover. For the full list, head to our travel insurance page or check your policy book.
What doesn’t travel insurance for Turkey cover?
This list isn’t exhaustive and doesn’t include exclusions for our specialist travel insurance like adventurous sport and winter sport.
- Flights cancelled or delayed for any reason other than severe weather conditions, strike, or mechanical breakdown (unless you’ve bought extra cover)
- Claims related to flights that don't start or end in the UK (connected flights), unless you’ve bought extra cover
- Trip cancellation because you’ve changed your mind
- Pre-existing conditions you've not declared
- Claims related to death or illness of someone not on the policy linked to pre-existing conditions they had at any time before you bought your policy
- Lost or stolen items you've left unattended
- Claims where you can't give us evidence, for example, a police report or receipts
- Being denied entry because you don't have passports or the correct visas
- Extreme sports, winter sports or cruise trips unless you've paid for the additional cover
- Circumstances that aren’t specified in your policy
However, check your policy book for all exclusions.
Choose from three levels of cover
We have three levels of cover to choose from, depending on the level of protection you need.
| Admiral | Admiral Gold |
Admiral Platinum |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Excess | £100 | £75 | £50 |
| Emergency medical treatment and repatriation | £10M | £15M | £20M |
| Cancellation or cutting your trip short | £1.5K | £3K | £5K |
| Personal belongings | £1K | £2K | £3K |
| Money and documents | £300 | £400 | £500 |
This isn't everything we cover. For the full list of benefits, head to the travel insurance page or check the policy book.
Are you covered for cosmetic treatments?
No, you won’t be covered for lots of things if you travel to Turkey to get cosmetic surgery.
If something goes wrong with the treatment, or recovery takes longer and you can’t go home when expected, we won’t be able to cover you for:
- any costs you lose out on from missed flights
- the cost of accommodation so you can stay longer
- any medical expenses if something goes really wrong with your surgery
That means you could be left massively out of pocket. Think carefully about what you’re travelling abroad for and always read your policy booklets for any exclusions.
Cruise trips
From Istanbul to Izmir, Turkey is full of beautiful port towns and cities.
If you’re planning a Turkish cruise, it’s important you have cruise cover in place to cover your trip.
Healthcare in Turkey
While Turkey is classed as Europe, it unfortunately doesn’t accept the Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) or the old European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).
That means you’ll need to pay for any medical costs yourself, if you don’t have travel insurance.
You have a few options when looking for medical treatment:
- Find a pharmacy – in Turkey, pharmacies are known as eczanes and are marked with a red ‘E’ in a red box, on a white background. They may be able to help with minor ailments and finding medicines like painkillers.
- Hospitals and emergency treatments – if you need urgent medical treatment, you need to get to a hospital as soon as possible. Lots of hospitals will have English-speaking nurses or doctors but if not, there are plenty of translation apps available for your phone.
Read our in-depth guide on what to do if you get ill abroad.
Pre-existing conditions
If you have a pre-existing condition, you have to tell us about it when getting a quote to see if we can offer cover and to avoid invalidating your policy.
We can't cover your pre-existing conditions unless you've:
- declared them all on your policy
- had written confirmation that we'll cover your medical condition
- paid any additional costs in full
If you don’t tell us about your pre-existing conditions or give us incorrect information, your policy may become invalid, and we may refuse all or part of any claim you submit.
MoneyHelper directory
If we can't cover your medical condition, you can use the MoneyHelper directory to find a specialist insurer who might be able to cover you if you've been:
- refused travel insurance or had your policy cancelled
- offered cover with a medical exclusion that you can't remove from your policy
- quoted a price for a travel insurance policy with high medical costs
MoneyHelper makes it easier to find and compare policies you can afford that cover your condition and medical needs. Access the MoneyHelper directory online or call MoneyHelper on 0800 138 7777 (phone lines are open Monday to Friday 8:00am - 6:00pm, excluding bank holidays).
Visit the MoneyHelper DirectoryIs it safe to visit Turkey?
It depends where you’re visiting.
Crime levels in Turkey are relatively low, but there is the risk of pickpocketing, especially in busier cities like Istanbul.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) have also advised against travel to certain parts of Turkey, including within 10km of the Syrian border.
It’s important to note that if you travel anywhere that the FCDO has advised UK nationals not to visit, your travel insurance will become invalid.
Planning for your trip
Ready to plan your trip? You’ll want to think about some of these things! For the latest updates and information, head to the government's travel advice page for Turkey
Visas for Turkey
If you’re just visiting Turkey as a tourist, you can stay without a visa for up to 90 days. You’ll need a visa if you want to stay longer or stay for any other reason (for education or to work).
Guide to travel visas
Currency
Turkey uses the Turkish lira, but some places will accept the Euro too. The lira is quite a volatile currency, so exchange rates can change often. Always make sure you check the exchange rate before you travel.
How to get the best exchange rates
Mobile roaming
It’s likely you’ll be charged for mobile roaming while you’re in Turkey. Check your phone company’s rates to see how much it’ll cost to use your mobile data! Plus, remember to keep your phone and other belongings safe.
Keep your belongings safe abroad
Passport requirements
To enter Turkey, you need at least 150 days left on your passport. Make sure your expiry date isn’t coming up soon, or you could be denied entry! You also need one blank page left for entry and exit stamps.
Our guide on passportsGuides and resources
Want to know more? Don’t worry, we’ve got a ton of articles on everything from stolen belongings to travelling with a medical condition.
Your questions answered
Still got questions? We’ve got you.
Do I need vaccinations for Turkey?
The NHS Fit For Travel website recommends you make sure all your routine vaccinations and boosters are up to date, including tetanus.
You could also consider vaccinations for Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, and rabies for your trip to Turkey.
For more information, read our guide to travel vaccinations.
Is terrorism covered?
Terrorism isn't covered, apart from in a few situations.
You'll have cover for terrorism when it comes to these parts of your policy:
- emergency medical expenses and repatriation
- personal belongings
- personal accident
- hijack (if you have Platinum Travel Insurance)
Getting the most out of your trip
Going anywhere nice?
Off to one of the destinations below? Take a look at our guides for some hints and tips on what you need to remember.
Travel insurance that suits you
Whether you're travelling solo, with your family, or with a little one on the way, read our guides to make sure our cover is right for you.
Travel Insurance upgrades
Whether you want the adrenaline rush of a skiing holiday, or fancy taking to the seas on a cruise, you'll need to add extra cover to your policy.