How Is GPI Holding Raising the Bar with Mandatory Travel Insurance for Tourists?

The Georgian government has introduced a law requiring all international visitors to possess valid travel health insurance when entering the country. The law came into force on January 1, 2026. The move represents a shift toward international tourism standards, and it also addresses a practical challenge for the national healthcare system.

While Georgia’s 2026 mandate for travel insurance is a new reality for visitors, GPI Holding, as a member of Vienna Insurance Group,  brings European expertise and is a leader in this Field.

Irina Natsvlishvili, head of GPI’s Sales Channels Department, argues that for visitors currently entering the country, local coverage is about more than just a visa requirement — it’s about accessibility in a system where international providers often lack a physical footprint. From emergency dental care to medical evacuation, GPI is focusing on ‘real needs’ in a landscape where every insured visitor counts toward a more sustainable system.

‘There has been a lot of active discussion regarding this legislation over the last two or three years,’ Natsvlishvili tells OC Media. ‘Regardless of whether this law came into effect or not, our company has been proactively working on this product. In fact, we have been offering this product to the market for more than 10 years’.

Natsvlishvili notes that before the 2026 reform, the risks associated with uninsured travel were borne by the visitors themselves or, in cases where they lacked the necessary funds, largely by the state. She suggests that, historically, more than half of the tourists entering Georgia likely had no medical coverage at all.

‘The tourism sector has been active in Georgia for many years and is one of the key drivers of our economy. We welcome this legislation and believe it should have been introduced a long time ago’, she adds.

For GPI, this new law means scaling up operations.

‘Following the introduction of this legislation, we have the potential to take full responsibility for the financial medical risks of even more travellers’, Natsvlishvili says.

Local expertise vs international providers

While tourists can technically use international travel insurance, local providers like GPI argue that a domestic policy offers more practical security within the Georgian medical network. GPI’s strategy for competing with global giants rests on their physical and digital accessibility.

The primary friction with international providers often lies in the ‘guarantee of payment’ process. While a global policy might technically cover Georgia, local hospitals often require immediate payment or lengthy verification from foreign call centres. By contrast, a domestic provider like GPI operates with direct, pre-established contracts across the country’s medical network. This infrastructure on the ground allows for immediate admission to clinics without the administrative delays that typically frustrates travellers using foreign-issued policies.

At the same time, the company claims a leading position among its Georgian competitors.

‘We have medical care providers in all tourist zones, ensuring we remain flexible and accessible across the country, rather than being concentrated in just one specific area’, Natsvlishvili says.

The coverage is designed to handle emergencies across Georgia’s diverse terrain, from the Caucasus mountains to the Black Sea coast. While the law requires a minimum coverage of ₾30,000 ($11,000), GPI has set its policy limit at ₾100,000 ($37,000) at an affordable price – usually 8989GEL (7878)$ per day.

‘Our policy covers all urgent and emergency cases, including high-cost treatments. This includes hospitalisation, medical evacuation, and even emergency dental care’, Natsvlishvili says.

A digital-first approach for the ‘last-minute’ traveller

One of the primary challenges is ensuring that tourists who arrive unaware of the law can comply instantly. GPI has addressed this through a ‘digital-first’ infrastructure targeting travellers before they reach the border.

The company’s platform, mygpi.ge, was an early mover in the Georgian market, offering a purchase process that the company says takes only minutes.

‘Customers simply fill out a brief form regarding their trip — dates, passport number — and then proceed easily to payment. It is accessible to customers of any bank, and we accept all types of cards, from every country’.

The 2026 legislation also importantly recognises the reality of modern travel by allowing digital proof at the border.

‘The legislative amendment explicitly states that insurance policies are accepted in both printed and electronic formats. Once a customer receives their policy via email, the policy file in electronic format is sufficient for them to travel across the border’, Natsvlishvili says.

A permanent shift in the market

For GPI Holding, the 2026 mandate is viewed not as a short-term trend, but as a permanent expansion of their mission.

‘The demand for insurance has already increased. For years, more than 40% of the total number of both inbound and outbound tourists have placed their trust in GPI Holding. We offer highly flexible services, we are efficient, and we have an extensive network of providers both within Georgia and abroad’, Natsvlishvili concludes.