As Georgia introduces mandatory travel insurance, ARDI emerges as a leading provider for visitors and expats

As of 1 January 2026, Georgia has introduced mandatory medical insurance for all foreign nationals entering the country — a regulatory shift that formalises healthcare access standards for tourists, students, expatriates, and business travellers.

As the new requirement takes effect, ARDI — one of Georgia’s longest-standing private insurance companies — reports a sharp increase in demand for compliant inbound visitor policies. Operating on the Georgian market for over 15 years, the company has positioned itself as a leading provider of medical insurance for foreign residents and short-term international visitors.

The regulation requires visitors to hold medical coverage for the full duration of their stay, with defined minimum coverage limits. ARDI’s long-running inbound product with a hospitality-driven name ‘Welcomer’ — carries an aggregated limit of 30,000 GEL and aligns with the newly established legal framework.

Over the past decade, Georgia has seen sustained growth in foreign arrivals, including remote workers, entrepreneurs, and regional relocations. This demographic shift has created a structural need for reliable and easily accessible medical insurance solutions.

ARDI’s visitor policy is designed for:

• Tourists and short-term travelers
• International students
• Business visitors
• Expatriates residing in Georgia for up to one year

Coverage includes emergency hospitalisation, urgent outpatient care, medical evacuation, and repatriation. Additional services such as tourist civil liability insurance, personal belongings protection, interpreter services, and legal assistance reflect the practical needs of foreign residents navigating healthcare systems abroad.

The company states that its visitor products consistently maintain one of the highest customer satisfaction indicators among policyholders — a factor that has contributed to increased uptake following the reform.

Multi-channel access, with website purchase — www.ardi.ge as the fastest option for short-term travellers

Under the new regulation, accessibility and speed of purchase are critical — particularly for short-term travellers who may have only become aware of the requirement shortly before departure.

ARDI offers several channels to access the policy; however, the most convenient option remains its official website — www.ardi.ge/en. The policy can be issued online in approximately 2 minutes, requires no prior registration, and can be purchased using an international bank card from anywhere in the world — including immediately before boarding a flight to Georgia. Policy documentation is delivered electronically and can be presented digitally if required.

In addition, visitors may purchase coverage in person at ARDI comfortable and lounge-concept physical branches in Tbilisi, Batumi, Kutaisi, and Poti, where both electronic and printed policies are available.

Daily coverage pricing starts from approximately 2 GEL, depending on duration and structure.

For visitors who require visa services, insurance and visa-related procedures can be arranged through a single platform via ARDI’s partner online marketplaces, including https://ecover.ge and einsurance.ge. These platforms allow applicants to obtain compliant travel insurance while simultaneously completing visa-related documentation, streamlining the process for foreign nationals preparing to enter Georgia.

Long-term coverage for foreign residents and expats

For foreign nationals residing in Georgia for one year or longer, ARDI recommends transitioning to a comprehensive annual medical insurance package. Its individual and family health insurance programme, Vitamins, offers five coverage tiers — Vitamins A, B, C, D, and E — designed to accommodate different medical and financial needs.

Within the programme, plans starting from Vitamin C (including Vitamins C, D, and E) fully comply with the mandatory insurance requirements, as the aggregated policy limit is 30,000 GEL or higher, in line with the regulatory threshold established for foreign visitors.

Launched in 2015, the Vitamins programme has since become one of the leading and best-selling health insurance solutions on the Georgian market. The coverage includes both emergency and planned medical care, such as diagnostic services, medication expenses, and routine dental treatment, supported by one of the broadest networks of medical clinics and healthcare providers across Georgia.

Comprehensive digital platforms for easy-to-use insurance services

To manage both short-term and long-term policies, ARDI offers a comprehensive digital service platform. Policyholders can access and administer their coverage through the web-based portal ‘My Room’ (https://www.ardi.ge/en/account/auth), where users can review policy details, submit claims, and monitor service requests. Access requires registration and authentication.

In addition, ARDI provides a dedicated mobile application (https://onelink.to/ardiapp), allowing customers to manage their insurance, access digital policy documents, locate medical providers, and use emergency assistance features directly from their smartphones.
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As Georgia continues to balance open-border policies with structured visitor protection standards, market participants suggest the success of the new regulation will depend on transparent enforcement and ease of access to compliant insurance products.

For ARDI, the reform represents both a regulatory shift and an opportunity to reinforce its established position within Georgia’s evolving insurance and tourism ecosystem.