Insurance in Montenegro: 2026 rules for tourists and expats

The issue of medical insurance in Montenegro has fundamental differences for two categories of foreigners: those who arrive for a short vacation and those who apply for a residence permit (temporary residence/boravak). In 2025–2026, legislation became stricter, especially regarding requirements for residents.

Below is a detailed breakdown of requirements, prices, and instructions based on current amendments to the Law on Foreigners and data from insurance companies.

Important: For citizens of the Russian Federation, Ukraine, and Belarus, tourist insurance is not mandatory for crossing the border. Border officers have no right to demand a policy when entering under the visa-free regime (up to 90 days for Russia as of January 2026). However, insurance is strictly mandatory for obtaining a residence permit.

Tourist insurance: why it is needed and how much it costs

Despite the absence of border requirements, medical services for non-residents in Montenegro are fully paid and expensive. Free assistance is provided only in cases of a direct threat to life (resuscitation). Everything else is at the patient’s expense.

Cost of medical services without insurance

General practitioner visit: 30–50 euros.
Specialist visit: 50–70 euros.
One day of hospitalization: from 500 euros (excluding medications).
Blood tests: 15–30 euros.

Tourist policy prices (2026)

You can purchase insurance online through aggregators (Cherehapa, Polis812) or directly from insurance companies (AlfaStrakhovanie, Euroins, Oxygen). Average prices:

Basic coverage (7 days): 5–8 euros (coverage 30,000–35,000 euros).
Extended coverage (30 days): 20–50 euros.
Sports option: +20–30% to the cost (mandatory for mountain trekking, diving, rafting).

Editorial advice: If you plan trips to the north of the country (Žabljak, Kolašin), be sure to include the “Active leisure” option. Helicopter evacuation in case of injury in the mountains without insurance will cost several thousand euros.

Insurance for residence permit (Boravak): strict requirements

For obtaining a temporary residence permit (privremeni boravak) on any grounds (property ownership, employment, family reunification, digital nomad), the presence of a policy is regulated by Article 23 of the Law on Foreigners. After the amendments at the end of 2025, control by the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MUP) has intensified.

Policy criteria for submission to MUP

Validity period: Must cover the entire requested period (usually 30 days for a D visa or 365 days for an annual residence permit).
Coverage amount: Official minimum — 30,000 euros.
Service package: Emergency care, hospitalization, medical evacuation, and repatriation to the home country.
Localization: The policy must be valid in the territory of Montenegro.

Attention: If you submit insurance purchased from a foreign provider (for example, a Russian or international company), MUP will require a notarized translation of the policy into Montenegrin by a court-certified translator. The cost of translation (20–50 euros) often offsets the benefit of a cheap policy.

Where to obtain insurance for a residence permit

It is recommended to use local providers, as their forms are accepted by MUP without questions or translations. Main players:

LOVCEN Osiguranje
SAVA Osiguranje
UNIQA

Cost of local insurance for a residence permit:

Minimum package (30 days): 25–30 euros.
Annual policy (basic): 300–350 euros.
Child policy: from 17 euros/month.

State healthcare system (compulsory insurance)

State insurance through the Health Insurance Fund (Fond za zdravstveno osiguranje) is not available to all residence permit holders.

Employed foreigners: Gain access to public clinics automatically (“zdravstvena knjižica”). Contributions amount to 10–15% of salary (paid by the employer).
Property owners and nomads: Do not have the right to free public healthcare. They must purchase private policies for the entire period of stay.

Checklist before purchase

To avoid refusal of payment or rejection of documents by MUP, check the following points:

Accreditation: For residence permits, choose companies with representation in the Balkans (Sava, Uniqa, Lovcen).
Deductible: Tourist policies often have a deductible (an amount you pay yourself, for example, 30 euros). For residence permits, it is better to choose policies without a deductible.
Chronic diseases: Basic insurance does not cover them. If there is a risk of exacerbation, look for the option “Assistance in case of exacerbation of chronic diseases.”
Alcohol intoxication: Any injury sustained while intoxicated automatically voids the insurance.

Residence permit lifehack: Many MUP inspectors accept tourist insurance for the first 30 days when submitting documents, requiring the purchase of an annual policy only after approval. However, due to stricter rules in 2026, it is safer to submit a 365-day policy immediately or have the option to extend it.

Insurance in Montenegro: 2026 rules for tourists and expats