Last updated: 08/20/2025
Travel insurance is not a requirement for Americans planning short-term travel to Norway. If you plan on staying for longer than 90 days, you may need to apply for a Norwegian tourist visa.
Even though it’s not mandatory, purchasing travel insurance before heading to Norway is strongly recommended by the U.S. Department of State. Since U.S. health insurance is not accepted overseas, a travel insurance policy can cover the costs of unexpected medical expenses like hospital stays, doctor visits, emergency evacuations, and prescription medications.
Most Norway travel insurance plans are comprehensive and provide additional financial protection against trip cancellations, flight delays, missed connections, baggage loss, and other common travel disruptions.
While Norway’s high-quality, universal healthcare system consistently ranks among the best in the world, medical care is not free for tourists or non-citizens. Receiving medical treatment in Norway can be expensive, and some private hospitals may require upfront payment before administering care.
✅ Travel insurance typically comes standard with Emergency Medical and Medical Evacuation benefits, which can cover the cost of unexpected medical expenses incurred while you’re away from home. Some providers can arrange upfront payment if needed.
Luxury train rides like the Flåm Railway, upscale Arctic cruises, and multi-stop Scandinavian itineraries can be expensive, with the average Norway trip costing more than $8,500 in prepaid expenses. If you have to cancel due to illness or an emergency, you may struggle to recoup costs related to your airfare, hotel booking, and other non-refundable trip costs you may have made in advance.
✅ Trip Cancellation insurance can reimburse up to 100% of your prepaid, non-refundable travel expenses if you’re forced to cancel your Norwegian trip due to a covered reason, such as an unexpected injury, illness, or family emergency.
Whether you’re enjoying luxury cruises through Geirangerfjord or embarking on Hurtigruten expeditions along Norway’s Arctic coast, unexpected delays, inclement weather, or mechanical issues can disrupt a tranquil experience and significantly impact your travel plans.
✅ Cruise insurance is a type of travel insurance that’s specifically designed to cover cruise delays, missed departures, prepaid shore excursions, itinerary changes, and emergency medical treatment at sea.
A major draw for tourists visiting Norway is its outdoor adventures, such as hiking to Trolltunga, skiing in Lillehammer, and snowmobiling in Svalbard. However, not all travel insurance policies cover high-risk activities, and injuries that occur in remote locations often require medical evacuations that can cost upwards of $100,000.
✅ Some travel insurance providers offer adventure-specific policies to cover accidents that occur while participating in a high-risk sport or activity. These plans often feature high coverage for medical evacuations, which can help you explore the Norwegian wilderness with peace of mind.
Storms, snow, and strong winds can lead to travel delays, canceled tours, or missed train connections, particularly in Norway’s harsh winter months. Due to the high price tag that comes with planning a trip to Norway, a small weather-related disruption can result in serious financial consequences.
✅ Most comprehensive travel insurance plans include Hurricane & Weather coverage, which can provide reimbursement if your trip is cancelled, interrupted, or significantly delayed by inclement weather, natural disasters, or other severe weather events.
Recommended Plan: FlexiPAX
Emergency Medical: $100,000
Medical Evacuation: $500,000
Trip Cancellation: 100% of trip costs
Best for travelers seeking customizable coverage options
Recommended Plan: Gold
Emergency Medical: $500,000
Medical Evacuation: $500,000
Trip Cancellation: 100% of trip costs
Covers over 250+ sports and activities, including mountain biking, hiking, and rafting
Recommended Plan: Standard
Emergency Medical: $50,000
Medical Evacuation: $250,000
Best for travelers seeking value and essential protection
The average cost of Norway travel insurance is $38 per day.
This number is based on travel insurance policy sales through Squaremouth over the past year. Travelers visiting Norway typically spend $599 on travel insurance, with an average trip length of 16 days.
Travelers can save on travel insurance premiums by opting for travel medical insurance, an affordable type of coverage that focuses solely on medical and evacuation benefits.
The pricing examples below are based on a single 35-year-old traveler visiting Norway for a 10-day visit:
| Provider | Plan Name | Plan Cost | Cancellation / Interruption Limits | Medical/Medevac Limits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Travel Insured International | FlexiPAX | $27 | $0 / $0 | $100,000 / $500,000 |
| Tin Leg | Gold | $28 | $0 / $0 | $500,000 / $500,000 |
| Generali Global Assistance | Standard | $27.90 | $0 / $0 | $50,000 / $250,000 |
| Provider | Plan Name | Plan Cost | Cancellation / Interruption Limits | Medical/Medevac Limits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Travel Insured International | FlexiPAX | $113 | $3,000 / $4,500 | $100,000 / $500,000 |
| Tin Leg | Gold | $160 | $3,000 / $4,500 | $500,000 / $500,000 |
| Generali Global Assistance | Standard | $101.25 | $3,000 / $3,750 | $50,000 / $250,000 |
From luxury fjord cruises to accommodations in the center of world-famous cities like Oslo, trips to Norway often involve numerous pricey, prepaid bookings. If you need to cancel your trip for reasons outside of your control, you run the risk of losing out on all of your prepaid, non-refundable travel expenses.
Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption are two comprehensive travel insurance benefits designed to cover your trip costs in the event you cancel or interrupt your trip for a covered reason.
When your itinerary features premium reservations, bucket list tours, and other big-ticket bookings, flexibility becomes essential. Fortunately, some travel insurance policies allow you to upgrade your coverage so that you’re financially protected if you decide to cancel your trip for any reason not already covered by your plan’s Trip Cancellation benefit.
With Cancel For Any Reason, or CFAR for short, you can be reimbursed 50-75% of your prepaid, non-refundable trip costs if you cancel your trip for an uncovered reason. This can be anything from a poor weather forecast or a last-minute change of plans.
Norway’s excellent healthcare system is not free for tourists, and U.S. health insurance won’t cover the bill if you fall ill or get injured during your stay. Since the cost of treatment abroad can be high, it’s always recommended to find a policy with strong medical coverage.
At a minimum, we recommend that Norway travelers purchase a trip insurance plan that offers no less than $50,000 in Emergency Medical coverage. Exclusions and medical deductibles may apply.
Norwegian itineraries often include hidden retreats in the Arctic or coastal towns accessible only by ferry or small plane. In case of a severe injury or medical emergency in these remote spots, evacuation coverage ensures safe transport to the nearest adequate medical facility.
These services can often be extremely expensive, so we recommend policies that offer at least $100,000 in Medical Evacuation coverage. Trips that involve cruises, adventure activities, or remote destinations may require high evacuation coverage limits.
Airlines mishandle millions of bags each year. Since Norway trips often require specialized clothing and gear, especially in the winter months, lost or delayed luggage can be a big problem.
Baggage Loss insurance can cover the cost of any personal items that are lost, stolen, or damaged at any point during a covered trip. Baggage Delay coverage can cover the cost to purchase a change of clothes, toiletries, and other essential items if your bags are delayed en route to Norway.
Even the most comprehensive travel insurance policies have limitations. Understanding what’s not covered can help you find the best travel insurance policy for your upcoming adventure.
Travel insurance exclusions often vary by provider, but usually involve the following scenarios:
Many standard travel insurance policies exclude adventure activities, like rock climbing or mountaineering, from coverage. Only plans that include the Sports & Activities benefit will cover disruptions related to high-risk itinerary items.
Cold weather and physically challenging activities like snowshoeing or hiking to Trolltunga can worsen pre-existing health issues like asthma, high blood pressure, or heart disease. However, not all travel insurance plans cover medical treatment relating to chronic or lifelong medical conditions unless the policy comes with a pre-existing condition waiver.
Whether you’re savoring aquavit in a cozy lodge or enjoying cocktails on a fjord cruise, remember that injuries or illnesses connected to alcohol or drugs are often excluded from coverage. If an accident happens while you’re under the influence, you could be responsible for medical bills or evacuation costs.
The weather in Norway can change rapidly, particularly during winter. If you buy insurance after a named storm or severe weather warnings have been issued, you are unlikely to have coverage for any resulting delays or cancellations. Secure your plan early to prevent this, just like you plan your initial trip.
The best way to find trusted travel protection ahead of your Norway trip is to compare insurance products from different providers. Comparison sites, like Squaremouth, help you get quotes from the nation’s top travel insurance companies instantly, allowing you to see how they compete on coverage and cost. Squaremouth also allows you to leverage filters to narrow your search down to the policies that best fit your travel needs.
Travel insurance policies can often look similar on the surface, but can differ dramatically when it comes to exclusions, coverage limits, and eligibility requirements. When comparing plans, it’s important to take time to read the specific details of each policy. This information can almost always be found in the Certificate of Insurance.
For bucket list trips, sometimes standard coverage isn’t enough. If your Norway vacation involves high trip costs, high-risk activities, remote destinations, or specific travel concerns, consider a travel insurance plan that allows you to enhance your coverage through optional add-ons and policy upgrades.
Winter storms, strong winds, and other weather events in Norway can cause unexpected changes to your itinerary, especially in northern or coastal areas. Given the unpredictable nature of Norway’s climate, make sure to choose a plan that includes coverage for weather-related disruptions like flight delays and trip cancellations.
Definitely. Purchasing travel insurance can provide you and your travel group with much-needed financial protection and peace of mind.
Since U.S. health care is not accepted in Norway, even the most basic travel medical plan can cover the cost of an unexpected injury or illness while away from home.
Norway travel insurance doesn’t have to be expensive, either. Comprehensive plans average less than $40 per day, while travel medical plans can cost less than $3 per day. With this in mind, the cost of travel insurance is just a fraction of the potential costs that may arise if your Norwegian trip is disrupted by an unforeseen event.
No, travel insurance is not mandatory for U.S. citizens traveling to Norway. However, the U.S. Department of State highly recommends that anyone traveling to Norway purchase a travel protection plan that includes medical and evacuation coverage.
No, most U.S. health insurance plans, including Medicare and employer-sponsored policies, don’t provide coverage outside the country. The best way to get medical coverage overseas is to purchase a travel insurance policy that includes Emergency Medical and Medical Evacuation coverage.
U.S. citizens will need a valid passport to enter Norway. Your passport must be valid for at least 3 months beyond your planned departure date. If you’re planning a cruise or organized tour, be sure to check with your travel supplier if any other documentation is required.
As of 2025, Norway does not require COVID-specific insurance; however, comprehensive travel medical coverage is still recommended.