Do Tourists Get Insured Against War Risks in Ukraine in 2026?

04.10.2026, 12:10 visitukraine.today

Standard travel insurance may not cover the consequences of war in Ukraine. Find out how to get a war-risk policy for your trip

Insurance with war-risk coverage helps foreign tourists reduce the financial consequences of unforeseen events, but it does not replace the need to follow safety rules and official recommendations while travelling in Ukraine.

Taras Lozynskyi, First Deputy Head of the State Agency for Tourism Development, noted that the lack of accessible insurance against war risks is one of the reasons for the low number of foreign tourists in Ukraine. For travellers, this is an important factor: standard travel insurance often does not include the consequences of hostilities, so policy terms must be checked before the trip.

In 2026, foreigners can arrange medical insurance with war-risk coverage. Such a policy combines basic medical assistance with financial protection in the event of an accident related to passive war risks or terrorist acts.

Read also: Safety in Bukovel 2026: What Foreigners Should Know

War-risk insurance may cover emergency medical assistance, outpatient treatment, hospitalisation and medical transportation. Depending on the terms of a specific contract, it may also include repatriation of the insured person and, in the event of death, transportation of the body to the country of permanent residence.

A separate area of coverage is protection in the event of an accident caused by war-related events. This may include injuries resulting from an explosion, shelling, falling debris, a fire after an attack, damage to civilian infrastructure, a missile strike or a drone attack. Such situations fall under passive war risks: the insured person was affected as a civilian, not as a result of participating in hostilities.

Coverage does not mean protection from every possible situation. The policy usually does not apply to active participation in hostilities, service in the armed forces, work as a military contractor, or deliberate presence in areas of active hostilities in violation of official restrictions. Before purchasing a policy, read the contract, including the list of insured events and exclusions.

Planning a trip to Ukraine? Choose suitable insurance with war-risk coverage on Visit Ukraine and check the policy terms before departure.

The policy is valid on the territory of Ukraine but has territorial restrictions. It does not apply to the temporarily occupied territories of Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia oblasts, the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, areas of direct hostilities and the frontline.

Before arranging insurance, match your itinerary with the territorial scope of the contract. If you plan to visit several cities or regions, each of them must be included in the permitted coverage area for the duration of the trip.

It is also important to consider that the situation in the country may change. Movement restrictions, temporary road closures, curfews, changes to transport schedules or access to certain territories may affect your route regardless of whether you have insurance.

War-risk insurance is available for different lengths of stay in Ukraine. For a tourist trip, you can choose a short-term policy for a period of 3 to 180 days. This is a convenient option for a holiday, visiting family, a business trip or a short journey around the country.

For longer stays, annual policies with war-risk coverage are available. This format may be suitable for people planning to study, work, volunteer, stay in Ukraine for an extended period or apply for a residence permit.

When choosing the duration, enter the actual dates of your trip and do not leave any period without coverage. If your itinerary or departure date may change, check the rules for changing the validity period or arranging a new policy in advance.

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Yes, foreign visitors can arrange medical insurance with war-risk coverage for a trip to Ukraine. On Visit Ukraine, the process begins with selecting your country of citizenship. After that, the system will show the options available for a particular applicant.

Next, choose the coverage amount and the policy period. After entering your personal details and making payment, the completed document will be sent to your email address. There is no need to print it: it is enough to save the policy on your smartphone so that you can show the electronic version if necessary.

If you purchase insurance before crossing the border, it is activated immediately after entering Ukraine. If you arrange the policy while already in the country, coverage begins after 24 hours.

Travelling to Ukraine?Take care of your financial protection — buy war-risk insurance on Visit Ukraine before starting your trip.

As of October 2026, the security situation in Ukraine remains uneven. Russia continues to use attack drones, missiles, guided aerial bombs and other weapons against Ukrainian cities and civilian infrastructure. An air threat can arise in any region of the country, so no region can be considered completely safe.

The eastern regions remain the most dangerous for travel due to active hostilities, proximity to the frontline, artillery shelling and attacks on populated areas. Trips to frontline areas of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kharkiv and parts of Zaporizhzhia oblast carry a high level of risk and may be restricted by decisions of military administrations.

Tourist trips to areas of active hostilities should not be planned. In addition to the direct threat, these areas may have movement restrictions, curfews, evacuation measures and limited access to medical or other services.

In the south, the highest risks remain in frontline and border areas of Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Mykolaiv and Dnipropetrovsk oblasts. These regions are characterised by drone attacks, missile strikes, shelling and risks to transport and energy infrastructure.

In the southern regions, tourists should carefully follow current updates from local authorities, plan routes with additional time and never ignore air-raid alerts. If the security situation changes, a road, railway station, port or other facility may become temporarily unavailable.

Northern regions, particularly areas near the borders with Russia and Belarus, may be affected by drone attacks, missile strikes, artillery shelling and border incidents. The risk is especially high in border communities of Chernihiv and Sumy oblasts.

There are no active ground hostilities in Kyiv and Kyiv oblast, but the city and region remain targets of air attacks. In early October 2026, reports indicated damage and movement restrictions on Kyiv bridges following drone attacks.

Central regions are located far from the frontline but can still be affected by missile and drone attacks. They are not areas of active ground hostilities, but tourists should monitor air-raid alerts, know the location of shelters near their hotel or accommodation and keep their phone charged.

In cities in central Ukraine, temporary disruptions to electricity, communications, transport and access to services may occur after attacks on critical infrastructure. Plan transfers with additional time and keep offline copies of your documents.

Western Ukraine traditionally receives most foreign tourists, who visit the Carpathians, Lviv, the resorts of Zakarpattia and health and wellness destinations. The region is located far from the frontline, and the risk of ground hostilities is significantly lower than in the east and south.

At the same time, western regions are not completely safe. Air-raid alerts, missile and drone attacks can also occur there, while Russian strikes on civilian and critical infrastructure are recorded in different regions of Ukraine.

Before your trip, find shelters near your hotel, railway station and the main locations on your itinerary. In the event of an alert, go to a shelter, follow the instructions of staff and local authorities, and do not try to continue a tour or journey until an official all-clear is announced.

Read also: How to Spend Winter 2026–2027 in Ukraine

Before travelling, install the “Air Alert” app or another official alert service. Find the address of the nearest shelter, save it offline and ask your hotel how staff act during an alert.

If an alert catches you on the road, do not ignore the notification. Stop in a safe place and follow the instructions of railway station staff, the driver, hotel staff or local authorities. Do not leave the shelter until an official all-clear is announced.

Carry your passport, phone, charger, water, necessary medication and an electronic copy of your insurance policy. If you need emergency assistance, call 112 or 103 and then contact the assistance service according to the procedure set out in your contract.

Foreigners can arrange war-risk insurance for a trip to Ukraine in 2026. It is available for short tourist visits and longer stays, but applies only within the territory defined by the contract and does not remove restrictions related to hostilities.

Western regions remain a popular destination for tourists and are generally located farther from the frontline. However, the security situation across the country changes, and an air threat can arise in any region. Before travelling, check official updates, plan your route responsibly and arrange insurance in advance.

Standard travel insurance may not cover the consequences of war. Order a war-risk policy on Visit Ukraine now and travel prepared.

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Reminder: Before travelling to Ukraine in autumn, check the border-crossing rules, documents, transport options, curfew, shelter arrangements and current restrictions in the regions of your planned itinerary. Read more about these practical issues in our guide to preparing for a trip to Ukraine in autumn 2026.

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