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Bulgaria. Steeped in history and beautiful scenery. The dramatic Pirin Mountains offer plenty of opportunities for walking and trekking. While you're there, you might fancy some skiing or snowboarding at the legendary ski resort Borovets. Wildlife enthusiasts also have plenty to see in the wetlands along the Black Sea Coast.

If you know all you need to know about Bulgaria, then let's save you some time. Tap 'get a quote' and buy your travel insurance. If you want to learn more about Bulgaria, stick with us.

Alvaro Iturmendi - Confused.com travel insurance expert

Reviewed by Alvaro Iturmendi Travel insurance expert 9 min read | Published 06/09/2024

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Important information

All insurance products exclude cover for known events. Known events are global events that can disrupt travel and/or put you in danger. An example of this is the Covid-19 pandemic.

This exclusion applies if the event was declared as a known event when you bought your insurance.

If you travel against Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) advice, you won't be covered by any travel insurance you buy. The same applies if you don't meet your destination's entry requirements.

There are currently no travel advisories for Bulgaria¹. So, you should be able to buy travel insurance.

¹Correct as of September 2024

Do I need travel insurance for Bulgaria?

Travel insurance isn't a legal requirement in Bulgaria, so you don't have to buy it.

But, if you're in Bulgaria for over 90 days in a 180-day period, then you'll need a Schengen visa. If you need this visa, then you have to get travel insurance. You need to show proof of your travel insurance when you arrive in Bulgaria, too.

If you don't need a visa, travel insurance is still a good idea. It covers your baggage if it gets lost, stolen or damaged. And while your GHIC card might cover some medical treatment, it doesn't cover more extensive medical costs like repatriation. That's when you need to be flown home in an air ambulance, for example, for medical treatment.

What types of travel insurance can I get for Bulgaria?

You can choose from 3 options for your travel insurance. But the one you choose depends on what you want to do on holiday and how many trips you'll take during the year. Here's what you could choose from:

Single-trip

If you're only going to Bulgaria this year, then single-trip insurance could work for you. It's cost-effective and covers holiday cancellations, luggage and medical treatment.

Learn more about single-trip insurance

Multi-trip

If you're planning a few different trips in one year, then try multi-trip insurance. You're covered for an unlimited number of trips, and it's often cheaper than separate policies.

Learn more about annual cover

Backpackers insurance

If Bulgaria is just one of many destinations on your trip, then try backpackers insurance. It'll cover you for trips to multiple destinations for an extended amount of time.

Learn more about backpackers insurance

What our travel insurance expert says

"When you say "Bulgaria!" we say "travel insurance!". But we say that for all places. It's not a legal requirement to have travel insurance for Bulgaria, but it's a good idea. Particularly when you think about how much it might cost to replace all your luggage if it goes missing.

"If you're going with your family, you can get a family travel insurance policy which often works out cheaper than buying individual policies. One of our golden rules though is to check the small print of your travel insurance policy. That way you know exactly what you're covered for."

Alvaro Iturmendi Travel insurance expert

What does travel insurance normally cover?

Short answer? It depends on what policy you've chosen, and your provider. But we can give you a rough idea of what's typically covered:

What's normally covered:

Emergency medical treatment. If you need this while you're in Bulgaria, your travel insurance can help cover the cost.
Repatriation. If you need to be flown home for treatment, repatriation insurance can pay for this.
Cancellation and curtailment cover. If your trip gets cancelled or cut short, your travel insurance can help to reimburse you.
Travel disruption. If something unexpected happens and you can't travel, travel insurance can help.
Baggage cover. Travel insurance can pay to replace your baggage and any other belongings if something happens to them.

What's not normally covered:

Undeclared pre-existing medical conditions: If you don't let your insurer know about any medical conditions, they might not cover you.
Extreme sports and dangerous activities: These types of activities carry extra risk, so you need to tell your insurer when you buy travel insurance. Cover for these is often available as policy add-ons, which come at an added cost.
Incidents that involve drugs or alcohol: If something happens to you while you're under the influence of alcohol or drugs, your insurance won't cover you.
Travelling against FCDO advice. If you decide to ignore FCDO advice and travel to a country anyway, then you won't be covered by your travel insurance.
Incidents involving malicious or illegal behaviour. Your insurance won't cover you for instances like this.

How much does Bulgaria travel insurance cost?

That depends on lots of things like your personal circumstances and where you're going. But we can give you some ballpark figures:

Policy type	Price
Single-trip travel insurance	£2.05²
Multi-trip travel insurance	£11.40³
Backpacker travel insurance	£37.98⁴

²The cheapest price for single-trip travel insurance. Based on 1 adult aged 30 with no pre-existing medical conditions, travelling in Bulgaria for 3 nights. Confused.com data, September 2024.
³The cheapest price for European multi-trip travel insurance. Based on 1 adult aged 30 with no pre-existing medical conditions. Confused.com data, September 2024.
⁴The cheapest price for European backpackers travel insurance. Based on 1 adult aged 30 with no pre-existing medical conditions, travelling for 3 months. Confused.com data, September 2024.

What affects the price of travel insurance for Bulgaria?

Here's what can affect the price of travel insurance for Bulgaria:

Age: The older you are, the more likely you are to get injured or ill. This increases your risk, which means your travel insurance could be more expensive. But you can still get travel insurance. Most providers have policies for over 50s or over 70s. Likewise, policies for 18-20 year olds could be more expensive because they might be inclined to do more risky activities.
Type of insurance policy: Multi-trip policies might be slightly more expensive than single-trip policies. Though multi-trip can work out cheaper if you're going away a few times within the year.
Length of trip: The longer you travel, the more at risk you could be of something happening while you're away. That's why travel insurance tends to creep up in price if you're going away for a while.
Destination: Each country has a different level of risk. Either because of crime rate, weather or other risks. That's why travel insurance prices can change depending on the destination. For example, worldwide travel insurance tends to be more expensive than European cover. That's because it's covering a wider area.
Pre-existing medical conditions: If you have a pre-existing condition, your travel insurance is going to be more expensive. That's in case anything happens to you because of your condition when you're travelling.

Travel insurance for popular tourist activities in Bulgaria

Bulgaria has loads to offer for adrenaline junkies. But you'll need specialist travel insurance if you're hoping to do any of these things:

Winter sports travel insurance: Bulgaria is known for its skiing and winter sports, with the main season being from December to March. It's got 2 main resorts, Borovets and Bansko. Borovets is the leading ski destination in Bulgaria. It's got 58 km of slopes and is great for families. Bansko has 75 km of slopes and has fast modern lifts. If you're thinking of skiing or doing any winter sports in Bulgaria, you'll want to consider a winter sports add-on for your travel insurance.
Trekking and hiking cover: The Rila Mountains are perfect for trekking or hiking. You might even mooch over to the Pirin mountains if you have time. There are specific policy add-ons available depending on whether you're planning to trek or hike. There are some key subtle differences between the two.
Scuba diving insurance: Bulgaria is an up and coming area for scuba diving in the Black Sea. The best time to dive is between June and September when the temperature reaches 24 degrees. According to sources online, you can see the ancient wrecks and amazing wildlife when scuba diving there. If you're considering buying travel insurance, you'll want a specialist policy add-on to cover this activity.

Can I get travel insurance for Bulgaria if I have a medical condition?

You can get travel insurance if you have a pre-existing medical condition. If it's a serious condition, you might find you have less choice, but there are insurers out there who will cover you.

But, you must declare your medical condition or anyone else's before you buy your travel insurance. If you don't, your insurer might not cover any medical treatment related to the illness when you're abroad.

If you're struggling to find suitable cover, the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) has a directory of insurance providers that can provide cover for people with pre-existing medical conditions.

You can find the directory of insurers on the MaPS website. Alternatively, you can phone them on 0800 138 7777 for free, impartial advice.

Do I need a visa to travel to Bulgaria?

You don't need a visa for a little break in Bulgaria. You only need one if you're there for more than 90 days in a 180-day period.

If you're staying over 90 days, you'll need a Schengen visa. To get this, you do need travel insurance.

From 2025, 30 countries in the EU and Schengen Area will use the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS). It works in a similar way to a visa, it's electronic and you can apply for it online. You can find out more in our ETIAS guide.

Do I need to get any vaccinations before travelling to Bulgaria?

You'll need to be up-to-date with the standard UK vaccines like MMR and diphtheria-tetanus-polio. You should also think about getting vaccines for:

Hepatitis A and B
Rabies
Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE)

Speak to your GP at least 8 weeks before you go to Bulgaria because some vaccinations need multiple doses. For more information on vaccines for Bulgaria, visit Travel Health Pro.

Medical care in Bulgaria

Here are the main things to know about medical care in Bulgaria:

The emergency number is 112.
There's a good standard of care for patients in Bulgaria, but you might not be able to get certain specialist treatments.

You can use your GHIC card to access state-level care, but you might need your travel insurance for anything else, like repatriation, for example.

Do I need travel insurance for Bulgaria if I have a GHIC?

It's worth remembering that the GHIC doesn't cover everything. Travel insurance can cover more complex emergency medical procedures and repatriation. It also covers the cost of replacing your baggage and belongings if they get lost, stolen or damaged. The GHIC only covers state-level medical care.

Something to look out for: You might need a GHIC card for some travel insurance policies, otherwise your insurer might not cover the extra costs if you need state-level care.

Tips for travelling in Bulgaria

Here are some tips for travelling in Bulgaria:

Currency: This is the Bulgarian lev - most currency exchange places in the UK stock this.
Language: Bulgarian is the main language. It's a good idea to learn please and thank you and how to ask for help or directions.
British embassy: This is in Sofia. You can also find advice on the FCDO website.
ID: Always carry your ID, or at the very least a printed copy of your passport.

Safety concerns: There is some risk of terrorism in Bulgaria, so keep an eye on your surroundings and stay up-to-date with local news.
Driving: You can drive in Bulgaria on a full UK licence. Sometimes the road conditions can be dangerous. You also need to drive with dropped headlights or sidelights even in the day.
Extreme weather and natural disasters: Wildfires are common in summer and flooding is possible after heavy rain. There are also small earthquakes throughout the year.

Need more help with your trip to Bulgaria?

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