Travel Insurance Numbers Surge: What Does This Indicate About Hungarian Summer Travels?
Hungarian travel enthusiasm is visibly strong at the start of the summer season: according to fresh data from Netrisk, 13 percent more travel insurance policies were taken out in the first five months of 2026 than a year earlier, and by May, the growth was already 24 percent. These figures are not only interesting as insurance market data, but also indicate that Hungarian tourists are preparing to go abroad despite the uncertain international environment, primarily to nearby European destinations.
One of the most important domestic indicators of the summer travel season cannot necessarily be read from flight ticket prices or top lists of accommodation bookings, but from how many people take out travel insurance before departure. According to the recently published data, the market is particularly active: the number of insurance policies is growing at a double-digit rate, while the most popular destination countries remain those that Hungarian travelers can reach relatively easily by car or a short flight.
In practice, this means that the summer of 2026 is not about waiting. Households may plan more cautiously, compare costs better, but a foreign holiday remains an important expense. The fresh insurance data are particularly useful because they simultaneously show the demand, the structure of destinations, travel methods, and which risks are worth considering in advance.
What do the fresh numbers show?
Based on Netrisk data, the number of travel insurance contracts increased by 13 percent in the first five months of 2026 compared to the previous year. The May figure is even stronger, showing a 24 percent expansion, which suggests that travelers preparing for the summer peak season began arranging their insurance background as early as spring and at the start of the season.
In the summer months of last year, the insurance broker registered more than 150,000 contracts, which exceeded the summer quantity of 2024 by more than 9 percent. The average peak season fee then exceeded 13,000 forints. This year, the average fee so far is close to 11,000 forints, which represents an annual increase of approximately 3 percent, while the daily fee per person has risen above 880 forints.
It is important that these amounts are averages. The insurance needs of a family car holiday, a one-week beach trip, a city visit, or a long-distance Asian trip can differ greatly. The fee can be influenced by the destination, the age of the travelers, the length of the trip, the chosen health limit, baggage coverage, trip cancellation option, sports activities, or even whether the traveler requests car assistance services.
Nearby European destinations remain strong
Based on last year's summer contracts, Croatia was the most popular destination: 28.4 percent of insurance policies were associated with it. Italy, Austria, Greece, and Slovenia followed on the top list, and these five countries together accounted for more than 73 percent of summer contracts. This clearly shows that the decisive part of Hungarian vacationers still moves within Europe, on relatively easily organized routes.
In the first months of this year, Austria took first place with a 20.6 percent share, ahead of Italy and Spain. This can be partly explained by seasonal reasons: Austria is a strong destination in winter, spring, and on long weekends, while in the summer months, the weight of Croatia, Italy, Greece, and the Mediterranean coasts is expected to increase.
Those planning to depart by flight should pay attention to surrounding departure points in addition to Budapest airport, such as Vienna airport, if the price, schedule, or transfer option is more favorable. In the case of Croatia, the Zagreb, Split, and Dubrovnik airports, and in Italy, the Rome Fiumicino, Venice Marco Polo, and Milan Malpensa can be important entry points.
By car or by plane: different risks, different checklists
According to last year's data, more than half of the vacationers reached their destination by car, while 35 percent chose to fly. This distribution fits well with the characteristics of the Hungarian market: Croatia, Austria, Slovenia, and Northern Italy are car destinations for many families, while flying is more convenient for Greece, Spain, Southern Italy, or more distant city visits.
For car trips, it is not enough to think about health and baggage coverage. The Association of Hungarian Insurance Companies calls attention to the fact that before a foreign car trip, it is worth checking the compulsory third-party liability insurance, the rules according to the green card or license plate agreement, the territorial scope of the casco insurance, and the car assistance options. The cost of a technical failure, towing, transport to a service center, replacement car, or repatriation can be particularly painful if the trip passes through several countries.
The emphasis is different for flight trips. Flight delays, cancellations, route changes, missed connections, baggage delays, or overbooking are situations for which some products may provide separate coverage, but the exact conditions differ by package. Insurance does not replace airline and EU passenger rights, but it can provide faster, more practical support for certain costs and assistance situations.
If someone picks up a car at the airport, especially for Croatian, Italian, and Greek holidays, it is worth clarifying the insurance deductible, the deposit, the second driver's fee, the border crossing rules, and the return time in advance. To this end, it can be useful to review in advance, for example, the conditions for Zagreb, Split, Rome, Venice, or Athens airport car rental.
The EHIC is useful, but not the same as travel insurance
Many Hungarian travelers rely on the European Health Insurance Card, or EHIC, for EU and EEA trips. This is indeed an important and free-to-request document, because it provides access to state healthcare during a temporary stay abroad according to the rules of the given country. However, according to information from the European Commission, the EHIC does not replace travel insurance.
The difference is essential. The EHIC does not cover private healthcare, the cost of repatriation, lost or stolen valuables, and does not guarantee that all care will be free. MABISZ also warns that the EHIC does not extend, among other things, to the deductible, patient transport to Hungary, helicopter rescue, travel expenses of travel companions or relatives, baggage damage, and does not provide 24-hour Hungarian-language assistance services.
Therefore, the EHIC and travel insurance are not competitors, but tools with different roles. For European trips, it is worth counting on both: have the EHIC on hand, but alongside it, it is advisable to choose travel insurance that fits the type of trip, the health situation, the mode of transport, and the program.
Why is this important for Hungarian travelers now?
The increase in insurance demand on its own indicates that many are not giving up on foreign holidays, but at most planning more consciously. Middle Eastern instability, the trend of kerosene prices, and the exclusion of some distant destinations may influence the routes, but based on fresh data, these factors have not significantly broken the Hungarian travel enthusiasm for now.
According to Netrisk experts, the exclusion of Middle Eastern destinations affects roughly a third of Asian trips and about 2 percent of the total domestic travel market. Growth was still visible for conflict-free Asian destinations at the beginning of the year, but this has turned into stagnation in recent months. From a mass market perspective, therefore, nearby European routes, car holidays, Mediterranean flight routes, and flexible route selection remain decisive.
For the passenger, this means that insurance is not administration to be checked off at the last minute, but part of the total travel budget. If we look at accommodation, flight tickets, transfers, car rental, and programs together, then the price of appropriate coverage is often a modest item compared to the cost that foreign healthcare, baggage damage, car towing, or forced trip interruption can cause.
What is worth checking before departure?
- Health limit: especially in countries with more expensive healthcare systems, it is worth looking at more than just the basic price.
- EHIC card: should be valid for EU trips, but do not consider it full insurance.
- Baggage and technical items: for phones, laptops, cameras, or sports equipment, limits and exclusions must be checked.
- Car assistance: can be particularly important before a long Croatian, Italian, Austrian, or Greek car trip.
- Flight risks: in case of delays, cancellations, missed connections, and baggage delays, products compensate differently.
- Trip cancellation: useful if the loss of larger prepaid costs would represent a serious burden.
- Special programs: separate coverage may be needed for diving, rafting, cycling, hiking, or other sports.
In airport logistics, it is also not worth leaving everything to the last moment. For those departing on an early morning flight, for example, considering hotels around Budapest airport or Budapest airport transfers in advance can reduce stress. A similar principle applies to the return journey: late evening arrival, traveling with small children, or after a long car trip, the airport hotel, transfer, or rental car return time is just as part of risk management as the insurance itself.
A more cautious, but not restrained summer may come
Based on fresh data, the 2026 summer season in Hungary may not be about decline, but about more conscious decisions. Hungarian travelers continue to be strongly interested in nearby European destinations, while the increase in insurance policies shows that more and more people are planning for unexpected situations in advance.
This is a good direction, but it only means something if the insurance actually fits the trip. Different packages may be needed for someone going to Croatia by car, someone departing for Athens or Rome by plane, and someone organizing a longer trip with several transfers. The most important lesson is simple: in the summer of 2026, it is not enough to find cheap tickets and good accommodation. Part of a safe, predictable holiday is that the traveler knows who to turn to, what costs are covered, and in what situations they must pay out of pocket.