Insurance coverage in Bulgaria

First off, to be an expat in Bulgaria, insurance is required. You can choose your own insurance, but it has to cover the following things:

Up to $40,000 coverage
Emergency medical treatment
Hospitalization
Repatriation
Transportation of mortal remains
(This info from http://www.bulgaria-embassy.org/webpage … a/visa.htm).

Some expat/travel insurances offer this package alone, but more often they come with other options, including emergency medical evacuation, coverage for outpatient and routine checkups, dental and eye care, pregnancy, prescriptions, etc.

I have explored several expat/travel insurance options and these are the best ones I've found for me and my family.

1. For a short term stay (before we had visas) I used Clements International Travel Insurance. You can get all the coverage required for a visa for a pretty low cost, and you choose the exact dates your trip will start and end (like typical travel insurance, but without the luggage/ticket/cancellation insurance--only the healthcare things). You can get this insurance for up to a year and then renew it, and it's all online--fill out your info, print out the info they send you and you're good to go.

2. When I felt I needed more coverage than just the basics, I went with Cigna Global. For what my family and I needed, they provided the best options at the best price, and (you have to check with your insurance to see whether they do this or not) I could choose my own doctor and they would reimburse me. I never had to use my policy, but every person I talked to was very VERY helpful and nice, and I would recommend them. A downside is that it can be pricey.

3. So once we got our visas and settled in, we decided to get insurance in Bulgaria instead. Per the recommendations of some of the expat.com members, we went with Uniqa. I went to a local Uniqa office, they knew exactly what policy I needed when I told them I needed the minimal amount for a foreigner, and it was really easy to fill out the policy. It is very VERY inexpensive, about 160 BGN a year.