Georgia’s insurance rule publishes no penalty, and that is exactly what makes it risky.
Since 1 January 2026, every tourist needs health and accident cover of at least GEL 30,000, about ₹11 lakh at today’s official rate.
The UK government says you may be asked for proof at airline check-in, before you reach Tbilisi.
Without it, you “may encounter difficulties entering”.
The official exemption list names no children and no visa-free entrants.
Your certificate must also show seven printed details.
This roadmap shows what to buy, what to check and what to carry, current as of 1 October 2026.
The Rule In Force Since 1 January 2026
What The Official Notice Says
Visit Georgia’s explainer, published 14 January 2026, gives the rule.
Tourists entering Georgia need insurance of “no less than 30,000 GEL”.
Cover must run for the entire stay, from arrival to departure.
The insurer can be Georgian or foreign.
The policy must be available in Georgian or English.
It can be on paper or on screen.
The legal base is Article 12 of the Law of Georgia on Tourism, which says tourists must have health and accident insurance.
Article 14 also obliges tourism traders to give tourists information about the terms of the mandatory insurance before they contract.
The only fine in the English text of the Law we opened is GEL 500, and it applies to tourism businesses operating without registration, not to tourists.
That article was first due on 1 June 2024.
Parliament suspended it until 1 January 2026, and Interpressnews reported the reason as the private sector not being ready.
The Georgian Embassy in Norway’s notice of 30 December 2025 repeats the same terms.
Who Is Exempt And Who Is Not
The official exemptions are narrow:
- holders of diplomatic or special visas
- holders of diplomatic, official, service or special passports
- accredited embassy and consulate staff and their families
- people entering under international treaties
- international road freight and passenger drivers
An Indian tourist is on none of these lists.
Visa-free entry through a valid US, UK or Schengen visa does not appear as an exemption.
Children do not appear either.
What GEL 30,000 Means In Rupees
The National Bank of Georgia's official rate on 1 October 2026 is 100 INR = 2.7181 GEL. That puts GEL 30,000 at about ₹11.04 lakh.
- Check your medical limit
- Convert on purchase day
- Keep a margin above the line
What Your Policy Certificate Must Show
The certificate must carry these seven details:
- the parties to the contract
- the covered territory
- the subject of insurance
- the start and end dates of cover
- the insured risks
- the coverage limits
- the premium amount, payment place and payment terms
The official e-Visa portal FAQ adds two conditions.
Cover must pay “any cost related to condition of his health and death”.
It must also be “valid on whole territory of Georgia”.
The same FAQ lists insurance among five documents you bring to the border.
The other four are your passport, proof of travel purpose, proof of accommodation and proof of funds.
Check each item against your certificate before you pay.
Where And When Your Proof Gets Checked
At Airline Check-In In India
The UK FCDO entry page, updated 15 September 2026, says you may be asked for evidence at airline check-in or at Georgian immigration.
It says travellers without proof may encounter difficulties entering.
So your first check may happen at your Indian departure airport.
A certificate buried in an email attachment is a risk at that counter.
At Tbilisi Immigration
The portal FAQ says insurance is among the documents you present at the border.
Your insurance dates must match your flight dates and your hotel dates.
Mismatched papers invite questions.
What We Could Not Confirm
- Penalty: The official notices publish none, and Georgia Today reported in December 2025 that no fixed fine had been announced.
- Fine claims: Some sites quote a GEL 300 fine, but they cite only other secondary sites, so we dropped it.
- Enforcement strictness: We found no official statement on how strictly officers check.
- Approved insurers: We found no official list of approved insurers, Indian or otherwise.
- Border purchase: Georgian insurers say you can buy on the spot if asked, but no official source confirms it, so do not plan around it.
- Portal upload: We could not confirm whether the e-Visa application asks for the policy.
Will Your Indian Policy Qualify?
The rule accepts a foreign insurer.
It does not name any Indian insurer, and it does not certify any policy in advance.
So the test is your certificate, not your insurer’s brand.
The Minimum Medical Limit
Georgia Today and Travel Trade Journal report two figures, GEL 5,000 for emergency outpatient care and GEL 30,000 for hospital treatment.
The official notices state only the GEL 30,000 minimum.
Buy a medical-expense limit of at least GEL 30,000, which satisfies both versions.
Family Floaters And Shared Limits
The rule is written per tourist.
We found no official statement allowing one shared limit across a family.
A floater policy shares one sum insured between members.
Ask the insurer to confirm in writing that each traveller carries at least GEL 30,000 of medical cover, or buy individual policies.
Dates, Territory And Late Landings
Cover must run from arrival to departure.
If your flight lands after midnight, your cover must start on the landing date.
If your return date shifts, your cover must still reach the day you leave.
Your policy must also list Georgia as covered territory.
Our guide to how to reach Georgia from India covers route timing.
Georgian Platforms If Your Certificate Falls Short
The e-Visa portal links two Georgian platforms, eInsurance.ge and eCover.ge.
Use them if your Indian certificate lacks any of the seven details.
Read the certificate again after purchase.
Why The Legal Minimum Is Not Enough For Kazbegi And Gudauri
Hospitals Ask For Payment First
Canada’s Georgia travel advice says medical care can be expensive and immediate up-front cash payment is often required.
It also says rural areas have shortages of medical supplies and personnel.
The UK FCDO’s health advice says the UK has no reciprocal healthcare agreement with Georgia and that treatment must be paid for directly.
That means you pay at the hospital first and claim from your insurer afterwards.
Keep every itemised bill, receipt and doctor’s report, because the claim depends on them.
Carry an international-enabled card with enough headroom to cover an up-front payment.
Save 112 for an ambulance, as the UK FCDO lists it, and save your insurer’s assistance number from the certificate.
GEL 30,000 is a legal floor, not a plan.
Altitude, Adventure And Evacuation
The UK FCDO lists altitude sickness as a risk at ski resorts and around Kazbegi. Canada advises cover for medical evacuation, hospital stays and helicopter rescue for adventure activities.
- Medical evacuation is covered.
- Hospital stays are covered.
- Your planned activity, such as skiing or paragliding, is not excluded.
The official Georgian notices set no sport exclusions. Your insurer's policy wording does, so get written confirmation before you buy.
Your Insurance Planning Order
- Fix your dates and note your landing date and departure date.
- List every traveller, including children.
- Set a medical limit of at least GEL 30,000 per person, plus a margin.
- Read the policy wording for Georgia coverage, evacuation and activity exclusions.
- Buy the policy and open the certificate.
- Tick off the seven mandatory details and the English-language requirement.
- Switch to eInsurance.ge or eCover.ge if any detail is missing.
- Save a PDF on your phone and carry a printout in your cabin bag.
- Save 112 and your insurer's assistance number in your phone.
- Recheck your cover dates after any flight change.
For the e-Visa steps, read our guide to Georgia visa for Indians. To see where insurance sits in your budget, read Georgia trip cost from India.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Travel Insurance Mandatory For Indians Visiting Georgia?
Yes.
Georgia has required it from every tourist since 1 January 2026.
Buy it before you fly.
Does The Rule Apply If I Enter Visa-Free On A US, UK Or Schengen Visa?
Yes.
The official notice says all tourists, and its exemption list does not include visa-free entrants.
Carry the certificate on both routes.
Do Children And Infants Need Their Own Policy?
Treat them as needing one.
The rule says all tourists, and the exemption list names no children.
We found no official ruling on children, so give each child a certificate with the full limit.
Can I Be Refused Entry Without Insurance?
The UK government says you may encounter difficulties entering.
Georgian notices publish no consequence, so we cannot say how strictly it is applied.
Do not fly without the certificate.
Is There A Fine For Travelling Without Insurance?
We found no official fine.
Georgia Today reported in December 2025 that none had been announced.
Treat figures quoted on other sites as unverified.
Does A Family Floater Policy Qualify?
Only if each traveller carries at least GEL 30,000 of cover.
The rule is written per tourist, and we found no shared-limit allowance.
Get the insurer's written confirmation before you buy.
Is An Indian Insurer's Policy Accepted Or Must It Be Georgian?
The rule accepts Georgian or foreign insurers.
We could not confirm that standard Indian certificates carry all seven details.
Check yours, and use eInsurance.ge or eCover.ge if it falls short.
Is A Phone Copy Enough Or Do I Need A Printout?
The official explainer accepts paper or screen.
A phone can lose battery or signal.
Carry both.
What If My Flight Is Delayed Or I Extend My Stay?
Cover must last until you depart.
A delayed or rebooked flight can push your departure past your end date.
Ask your insurer to extend before the policy expires.
Is The Minimum GEL 5,000 Or GEL 30,000?
The official notices say GEL 30,000.
Georgia Today and Travel Trade Journal report GEL 5,000 for outpatient care and GEL 30,000 for hospital treatment.
Buy a medical limit of at least GEL 30,000 to satisfy both.
Does Insurance Cover Paragliding Or Skiing In Gudauri?
Only if your policy says so.
The official notices set no sport exclusions, but your insurer's wording may.
Canada advises helicopter rescue and evacuation cover for adventure activities.
Should I Buy Insurance Before Or After My E-Visa Approval?
Buy it once your flight dates are fixed.
Cover must match your arrival and departure dates, and the portal says a decision takes not less than 5 working days.
We could not confirm that the application asks for the policy, so check the portal screens as you apply.
Can The Rule Change Before My Trip?
It has moved before.
It was due on 1 June 2024 and was suspended until 1 January 2026.
Recheck the Visit Georgia explainer the week you fly.
You can also call the Embassy of Georgia in New Delhi at 169 Jor Bagh, on +91 11 4949 6000.
Where Should I Keep The Certificate On Travel Day?
In your cabin bag, as a printout and as a PDF on your phone.
Airline check-in may ask for it.
The border officer may ask for it again in Tbilisi.
Plan The Georgia Trip With Your Papers Already Sorted
Georgia rewards exact preparation. Once your booking with Roaming Legs is confirmed, our Georgia specialist gives you a document checklist and reviews your papers at no extra charge.
Important: You still submit your own application.
