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Decisions regarding state travel insurance are sent via Suomi.fi messages or by mail to the address you have provided. If you have not yet started using Suomi.fi messages, do so now. You can find instructions for using the service on the Suomi.fi website.
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Service description
The State’s travel protection applies to trips that occur outside of Finland and that involve a State public official or other person covered by the protection attending to their assignments. Even family members of a public official living in the same household as the public official in the destination country for at least 6 months are entitled to travel protection coverage provided by the State Treasury.
The travel protection scheme also covers any trips outside the destination country by the person who is on an official journey. The coverage is valid without any regional restrictions for the entire duration of the official journey. The coverage therefore also applies to any vacations and personal trips that are done during an official journey. The coverage is secondary in relation to any other statutory protection schemes that are based on the employment relationship.
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Emergency travel service
The around-the-clock support and instruction service is handled by Falck Global Assistance. The phone numbers to the Falck emergency travel service are +358 295 503 777 and +358 9 6829 1900. Save both numbers on your phone before leaving for your trip. Falck offers service in Finnish, Swedish, and English.
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What does the travel protection cover?
The travel protection covers travel illnesses, travel accidents and certain other damage caused during the travel, such as damage to baggage.
- A travel illness is an illness that, according to medical knowledge, originated during the journey. A person is also considered to be suffering from a travel illness if a pre-existing illness, injury or defect is unexpectedly exacerbated during the journey. Dental conditions are not considered travel illnesses.
- A travel accident is a sudden and unexpected event that occurs during a journey due to external factors and causes injury or illness to a person. The exacerbation of a defect, injury or illness that is compensable under some other Act than this Act is also considered a travel accident to the extent that the exacerbation corresponds to the cause portion of the accident. Accidental damage to teeth is covered.
- Damaged baggage: The compensation awarded for sudden and unexpected damage to baggage is at most 3,000 euros per journey. If your baggage is delayed and you cannot reasonably be expected to wait for their arrival, we will award up to 800 euros in compensation for the purchase of necessities. We will only award compensation for damage to personal aids, such as eyeglasses, if this is the result of an accident.
- Travel liability: We will award up to 85,000 euros in compensation for any bodily injury or material damage caused by the person who is travelling. You can apply for the compensation using a free-form application.
- Legal costs: We will cover any reasonable expenses resulting from a criminal proceeding or settlement of liability. You can apply for the compensation using a free-form application.
The coverage and amounts of the compensation vary depending on whether you are
- travelling for no more than three months
- travelling for over three months
- family member of the civil servant who is travelling
- invited by an authority
- travelling on a high security risk area
For situation-specific differences according to the duration of the journey, see the Compensation tab.
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What does the travel protection not cover
Not all damage that occurred while travelling or abroad are covered by State travel protection. This page lists the most common types of damage for which no compensation is provided. Before your departure, consider whether you need to supplement your insurance cover from your insurance company. Please note that occupational accidents and occupational diseases that have occurred to a person in the employ of the State are also covered when travelling abroad or staying abroad.
State travel protection does not cover:
- Loss of earnings
- Dental disease treatment costs
- Damage that takes place while taking part in a high-risk sport.
- High-risk sports include strength sport, combat sport, motor sports, sports aviation, climbing, scuba and free diving, speed skiing and downhill skiing, freestyle skiing and skiing outside marked slopes (off-piste).
- Damage caused while participating in competitive sports.
- Sports are considered competitive sports, when they involve a competition, game, match or other sporting event the organiser of which requires the participant to have a licence, a game passport or similar or to sign a disclaimer. However, competitive sports do not include when the child of a public official who accompanies them on their stay abroad participates in activities organised by their school or a sports club.
- Damage caused while participating in professional sports.
- Professional sports are sports where the athletes receive taxable pay for their participation in the sport.
- Costs related to the cancellation or rescheduling of a holiday journey
No compensation is provided for damage (liability damage) caused during a covered event or action when the damage:
- is the result of criminal activity or other gross negligence.
- is the result of participation in a high-risk sport.
- is the result of the use of a motorised device.
- has been caused to the property of someone living in the same household or is partly the property of the person who caused the damage.
- is caused by costs incurred to the cancellation of a holiday trip covered by travel protection.
- Damage caused during participation in high-risk sports or competitive or professional sports. Sports that are considered exceptionally high-risk include strength sport, combat sport, motor sports, sports aviation, climbing, scuba and free diving, speed skiing and downhill skiing, freestyle skiing and skiing outside marked slopes (off-piste).
- is caused to an apartment or property the public official has been using as a residence or to the movable property that belongs to the residence.
In addition, travel protection does not provide compensation for damage caused to the Finnish agency that employs the public official:
- Due to the cancellation or interruption of a journey or if an official misses a trip due to being late
- Damage to state property
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In case of injury
Illness or accident
- If you fall ill or have an accident during your trip, use Safeture application to find the closest medical facility near you or call Falck’s 24/7 emergency phone line (+358 295 503 777 and +358 9 6829 1900). You can also contact the travel emergency service when requiring a preliminary decision, in which case the travel emergency service will take care of the necessary further investigation.
- At the medical facility, show your travel insurance card or insurance certificate. This is often enough, and you will not be required to pay for the cost of the treatment or use the employer’s charge card.
- If you are travelling in an EU or EEA country or Switzerland, also take your European medical card with you. The card is free of charge. Further information on the European medical card and the instructions for applying for one can be found here.
- You can submit a claim later via the Forms and appendices section of the State Treasury’s e-services for any treatment costs that you have paid for yourself.
- If you have paid for treatment with a government charge card, you must in any case complete the application in order for compensation to be paid to the employer’s account.
Follow-up care for an illness or accident in Finland
Permanent change caused by damage EUR 61,482, death EUR 61,482
Damaged baggage
Baggage damage: Necessities EUR 820, baggage EUR 3,074, animal EUR 2,049.
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Follow this procedure, if you need a preliminary decision
If you need a preliminary decision, please attach a medical certificate or other report on the need for treatment to the section “Additional information and attachments”. A preliminary decision must be requested where the expected cost of non-urgent care exceeds EUR 1,000. A preliminary decision must be requested at least for:
- non-urgent imaging examinations
- orthodontics of children
- organising the monitoring of a pregnancy and a delivery
- non-urgent surgical and hospital care
- a journey outside the host country for health care purposes.
Apply for a preliminary decision by contacting the emergency travel service or fill in the application form in the e-service
In order to be given a preliminary decision, you will need to show a medical certificate or other report on the need for treatment.
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Before departing
- Before departing, download Safeture application and save Falck’s 24/7 emergency travel service phone number(s) on your phone. Contact your agency for user identification for the application.
- Your employer agency will provide you with your travel insurance card and/or insurance certificate and any necessary visa certificates. You can also download the certificates through the Travel insurance and visa certificates link (Virtu single sign-on). If necessary, you can also request the insurance certificate from matkavahingot(at)valtiokonttori.fi.
- If you are leaving on a journey of over six months as a family member, the employer of the travelling public official will provide you with the travel insurance card or insurance certificate and the visa certificate, if necessary. Request separate travel insurance cards or insurance certificates for all children.
- If you are travelling in an EU or EEA country or Switzerland, also take your European medical card with you. The card is free of charge. Further information on the European medical card and the instructions for applying for one can be found here.
- Ask your occupational health service whether you will require any vaccinations or other medication for preventing infectious diseases for your destination country. Treatment provided before departure for a journey will not covered by State travel protection.
- Submit a travel notification to the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. >
- See eOppiva’s “Travel safety for official journeys abroad”
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Official government journeys of up to 3 months
Illnesses and accidents
We cover reasonable medical care costs as well as other necessary expenses. In serious cases, we will also cover the costs related to your return transportation to Finland. Dental care costs are only covered in the event of dental injury resulting from an accident. Medical care costs are covered for a maximum period of three years from when the illness was diagnosed or the accident occurred. The treatment costs of a pre-existing condition that has worsened will be covered for a maximum period of 6 months.
Permanent disability
We award compensation for permanent functional incapacity caused by an illness or accident that took place during your journey, if any recovery from the disability or illness is not medically likely to occur. The maximum compensation for a permanent disability is 61,482 euros. The total compensation sum is determined by the disability class of the disability or illness, which is determined according to its medical quality and degree of difficulty.
Death
In the event of a death, we cover the transport of the deceased back to Finland. We will pay a funeral subsidy to the estate of the deceased. The compensation for death (61,482 euros) will be paid to the estate or a designated beneficiary. You can specify your beneficiary on the Forms and appendices tab.
Damaged baggage
The compensation awarded for sudden and unexpected damage to baggage is at most 3,074 euros per journey. If your baggage is delayed and you cannot reasonably be expected to wait for their arrival, we will award up to 820 euros in compensation for the purchase of necessities. We will only award compensation for damage to personal aids, such as eyeglasses, if this is the result of an accident. If you have an animal with you that is vital for the performance of your duties, we will award a maximum of 2049 euros in compensation for veterinary costs or the purchase of a new animal.
Travel liability
We will award up to 87,100 euros in compensation for any bodily injury or material damage caused by the person who is travelling. Please refer to the “What is not covered by travel protection” sections for limitations on liability claims. You can apply for compensation through the additional information notification.
Health care
If you are in a destination country for more than three months, we will compensate you for reasonable health care costs in the destination country.
Read more about health care compensation
Compensations and issues for which compensation is paid vary depending on whether you are travelling or staying abroad:
- up to 3 months
- more than 3 months
- as family member of a travelling public official
- at the invitation of a public official
- high security risk areas
See the Compensation tab for the situation-specific differences depending on the length of the trip.
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Official government journeys of over 3 months
Illnesses and accidents
We cover your reasonable medical care costs as well as other necessary expenses. In serious cases, we will also cover the costs related to your return transportation to Finland. Dental care costs are only covered in the event of dental injury resulting from an accident. Medical care costs are covered for a maximum period of three years from when the illness was diagnosed or the accident occurred. The treatment costs of a pre-existing condition that has worsened will be covered for a maximum period of 6 months.
Health care
We cover your reasonable health care-related costs in the target country, that are comparable to occupational health care services.
Read more about health care compensation >
Permanent disability
We award compensation for permanent functional incapacity caused by an illness or accident that took place during your journey, if any recovery from the disability or illness is not medically likely to occur. The maximum compensation for a permanent disability is 60,000 euros. The total compensation sum is determined by the disability class of the disability or illness, which is determined according to its medical quality and degree of difficulty.
Death
In the event of a death, we cover the transport of the deceased back to Finland. We will pay a funeral subsidy to the estate of the deceased. The compensation for death (60,000 euros) will be paid to the estate or a designated beneficiary. You can specify your beneficiary on the Forms and appendices tab.
Damaged baggage
The compensation awarded for sudden and unexpected damage to baggage is at most 3,000 euros per journey. On official government journeys that last for over 3 months, any trips that are made from the destination country to a country abroad (including any personal trips) are considered separate journeys.
If your baggage is delayed and you cannot reasonably be expected to wait for their arrival, we will award up to 800 euros in discretionary compensation for the purchase of necessities. When travelling back to the home country, the purchase of necessities is not usually compensated.
If you have an animal with you that is vital for the performance of your duties, we will award a maximum of 2,000 euros in compensation for veterinary costs or the purchase of a new animal. We will not compensate any damage to pets.
We will only award compensation for damage to personal aids, such as eyeglasses, if this is the result of an accident.
Travel liability
We will award up to 85,000 euros in compensation for any bodily injury or material damage caused by the person who is travelling. You can apply for the compensation using a free-form application.
Legal costs
We will cover any reasonable expenses resulting from a criminal proceeding or settlement of liability. You can apply for the compensation using a free-form application.
Family members
The State’s travel protection for foreign travel does not apply to family members whose stay in the destination country lasts less than 6 months.
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Family members on official journeys of over 6 months
If you are a family member of a public official and you live in the same household as the public official in the destination country for at least 6 months, you are entitled to travel protection coverage provided by the State Treasury.
The coverage applies to the public official’s spouse or cohabiting partner who has lived together with the public official for at least 2 years. A cohabiting partner is also included in the coverage if they have or have had a child together with the public official.
Both the public official’s and spouse’s children are included in the coverage if:
- The child is under 20 years old and does not work for a living.
- The child is 20 years old or older but is unable to work for a living due to an illness, defect or injury. In addition, the public official or spouse must act as the child’s guardian.
The State’s travel protection for foreign travel does not apply to family members whose stay in the destination country lasts less than 6 months.
Illnesses and accidents
We cover reasonable medical care costs as well as other necessary expenses. In serious cases, we will also cover the costs related to your return transportation to Finland. Dental care costs are only covered in the event of dental injury resulting from an accident. Medical care costs are covered for a maximum period of three years from when the illness was diagnosed or the accident occurred. The treatment costs of a pre-existing condition that has worsened will be covered for a maximum period of 6 months.
Health care
We cover reasonable health care-related costs that are comparable to occupational and school health care as well as child welfare clinic services.
Further information on the costs compensated as health care costs can be found on the Official government journeys of over 3 months tab.
Permanent disability
We award compensation for permanent functional incapacity caused by an illness or accident that took place during your journey, if any recovery from the disability or illness is not medically likely to occur. The maximum compensation for a permanent disability is 60,000 euros. The total compensation sum is determined by the disability class of the disability or illness, which is determined according to its medical quality and degree of difficulty.
Death
In the event of a death, we cover the transport of the deceased back to Finland. We will pay a funeral subsidy to the estate of the deceased. The compensation for death (60,000 euros) will be paid to the estate or a designated beneficiary. You can specify your beneficiary on the Forms and appendices tab. No compensation for death is paid if the deceased is a child.
Damaged baggage
The compensation awarded for sudden and unexpected damage to baggage is at most 3,000 euros per journey. Any trips that are made from the destination country to a country abroad (including any personal trips) are considered separate journeys.
If your baggage is delayed and you cannot reasonably be expected to wait for their arrival, we will award up to 800 euros in discretionary compensation for the purchase of necessities. When travelling back to the home country, the purchase of necessities is not usually compensated.
We will not compensate any damage to pets.
We will only award compensation for damage to personal aids, such as eyeglasses, if this is the result of an accident.
Travel liability
We will award up to 85,000 euros in compensation for any bodily injury or material damage caused by the person who is travelling. You can apply for the compensation using a free-form application.
Legal costs
We will cover any reasonable expenses resulting from a criminal proceeding or settlement of liability. You can apply for the compensation using a free-form application.
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Persons invited by an authority
The State’s travel protection applies to you if an authority of the Finnish State has invited you to perform a task in Finland or abroad and has declared that you are covered by the Finnish State’s travel protection.
The coverage does not apply to you if you are entitled to compensation for damage on the basis of an act, insurance policy or agreement. The service also does not cover you if an authority has provided you with a travel authorisation or similar document. In this case, the travel protection covers you entirely.
Before departing
The authority will provide you with a travel insurance certificate that can be used to apply for a visa and cover for medical care expenses.
In case of injury
Illness or accident
We cover reasonable medical care costs as well as other necessary expenses. In serious situations, we can cover the costs of transportation back to your home country. Dental care costs are only covered in the event of dental injury resulting from an accident.
- If you fall ill or have an accident during your trip, you can find the closest medical facility near you by calling Falck’s 24/7 emergency phone line (+358 295 503 777).
- At the medical facility, show your insurance certificate. This is often enough and you will not be required to pay for the cost of the treatment.
- You can submit a claim later via the forms page of the State Treasury’s e-services for any treatment costs that you have paid for yourself. >
- Be prepared to submit the receipts of the costs that you have paid.
Follow-up treatment for an illness or accident
- If the treatment of the accident or illness that occurred during your trip continues even after your trip has ended, please contact our customer service. If necessary, you can submit a report on the need for follow-up treatment by mail to this address: State Treasury, PO Box 500, FI-00054 Valtiokonttori, Finland.
Damaged baggage
- Your baggage is not covered by the State’s travel protection.
What constitutes a travel illness and accident?
A travel illness is an illness that, according to medical knowledge, originated during the journey. A person is also considered to be suffering from a travel illness if a pre-existing illness, injury or defect is unexpectedly exacerbated during the journey. Dental conditions are not considered travel illnesses.
A travel accident is a sudden and unexpected event that occurs during a journey due to external factors and causes injury or illness to a person. The exacerbation of a defect, injury or illness that is compensable under some other Act than this Act is also considered a travel accident to the extent that the exacerbation corresponds to the cause portion of the accident.
In addition, damage resulting from certain other circumstances are compensated as damage caused by a travel accident, such as poisoning or sudden temperature fluctuation damage.
Death
In the event of a death, we will cover the transport of the deceased back to their home country and provide a funeral subsidy.
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Travel to a high security risk area
If you are travelling to a high security risk area, you can find information on the additional security measures that are related to your trip in this section. Find out about the other features of the travel protection in the section accordant with the duration of your journey (the alternatives are listed above).
High security risk areas are areas that the Ministry for Foreign Affairs has designated as not recommended for travel or stay. The Ministry for Foreign Affairs’ travel notices can be read here. In addition, the Antarctic and the northern polar ice cap have been designated as high security risk areas.
Compensation for permanent disability
A lump sum of 210,000 euros is awarded as compensation for a handicap class 20 permanent disability that is caused by an injury or illness that occurred in a high security risk area. For a partial permanent disability, a lump sum of as many twentieths as is deemed by the relevant handicap class are paid from this compensation. If the damage can be compensated as an occupational accident or occupational disease, you will also be entitled to a compensation for functional limitation in accordance with the Workers’ Compensation Act.
Compensation for death
In case of a death that is caused by an accident in a high security risk area, 200,000 euros will be paid in compensation to the estate of the deceased or the designated beneficiary (you can specify your beneficiary on the Forms and appendices tab).
In addition, an additional compensation is paid to every child of the deceased who is under 18 years old, the total sum of which is 40,000 euros. A child of the spouse of the deceased is also considered to be the child of the deceased if the spouse is the child’s guardian. A child born out of wedlock is also considered a child of the deceased if the deceased was under obligation to provide maintenance for the child based on an agreement or court decision.
If the damage can be compensated on the basis of the Workers’ Compensation Act, the immediate family of the deceased is also entitled to a survivors’ pension in accordance with the Workers’ Compensation Act
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Claim for travel damage compensation
The applicant for compensation is
- the civil servant to whom the damage has occurred
- civil servant’s spouse or child to whom the damage has occurred
- other person to whom the damage has occured and who is covered by the state travel damage protection.
The compensation will be paid to the account indicated in the application. When exchanging currency into euro, we use the exchange rate on the payment date as the reference rate.
If you have paid for treatment with a government charge card, you must in any case complete the application in order for compensation to be paid to the employer’s account.To complete the application, the user must identify themselves in the Suomi.fi service. The Suomi.fi identification is a joint identification service for public administration. For electronic identification, you can use your online banking identifiers, a mobile certificate or a certificate card.
Unable to sign in to Suomi.fi via e-Identification?
Apply for compensation using the PDF form. Complete the form and send it to the State Treasury either by post or by security message via the link available at https://turvaviesti.valtiokont-tori.fi/.
State Treasury
PO BOX 500
STATE TREASURYApplication form for travel damage
Additional information
Respond to the request for additional information or correct incorrect information already provided in the e-service as soon as possible. Sending additional information through the e-service under ensures that your application will be processed quickly.
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Designation of beneficiaries
Designation of beneficiaries >
Your death benefit will be paid to your estate, unless you have submitted a designation of beneficiaries in writing to the State Treasury.
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Persons invited by the authority
Persons invited by the authority
The agency can extend the travel protection scheme to include a person for whom it is impossible or difficult to take out travel insurance or a similar type of coverage in their home country. Any invited travellers must be reported to the State Treasury before they embark on their travel.
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Applicable regulations
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FAQ
Will I be compensated if I contract a disease caused by the coronavirus?
We compensate medical expenses and medical expenses caused by the coronavirus that has been found to be a travel illness.
Will the costs of self-tested coronavirus be compensated?
The costs of self-tested coronavirus will not be reimbursed.
Quarantine and per diem allowances?
Compensation for loss of earnings is not paid. You can apply for an infectious disease allowance from Kela.
We don’t compensate for:
- Food costs incurred in quarantine or self-isolation.
