In a crisis, your vocabulary shrinks by half – this mini dictionary is built for exactly that: the key travel insurance terms in English, paired with the Hungarian word you'll need, plus ready-made phrases for typical situations. Save it on your phone alongside the emergency card – it works read aloud or simply shown on screen.
- Phrases are grouped by situation: at the doctor's · at the pharmacy · at the airport · with the police · with the insurer.
- The phrases work just as well shown on screen – holding up your phone is a tried-and-tested method.
- Key insurance terms are in bold, with the Hungarian word you'll need in brackets.
At the doctor's, in hospital
travel insurance (utasbiztosítás) · policy number (kötvényszám) · emergency (sürgősség) · injury / illness (sérülés / betegség). Useful phrases – shown in English, with the Hungarian version in brackets for when you need to say it: I have travel insurance – here is my policy. (Van utasbiztosításom – itt a kötvényem.) · Please contact my insurer's assistance hotline before treatment. (Kérem, a kezelés előtt hívják a biztosítóm segélyvonalát.) · I need a medical report and all invoices for my insurance claim. (Kérek orvosi leletet és minden számlát a biztosítási ügyemhez.) · I am allergic to… (Allergiás vagyok a …-ra.) · I take this medication daily. (Ezt a gyógyszert szedem naponta.)
At the pharmacy, about prescriptions
prescription (recept) · active ingredient (hatóanyag) · painkiller (fájdalomcsillapító) · fever (láz). Useful phrases – Hungarian in brackets: Do I need a prescription for this? (Kell ehhez recept?) · What is the active ingredient? (Mi a hatóanyaga?) · Could I have the receipt for my insurance, please? (Kaphatok blokkot a biztosításomhoz?)
At the airport, for baggage issues
baggage claim (poggyászkiadó) · delayed / damaged / lost baggage (késett / sérült / elveszett poggyász) · PIR (Property Irregularity Report) (poggyász-jegyzőkönyv). Useful phrases – Hungarian in brackets: My baggage has not arrived – I would like to file a PIR. (Nem érkezett meg a poggyászom – jegyzőkönyvet szeretnék felvetetni.) · May I have a copy of the report? (Kaphatok másolatot a jegyzőkönyvről?) · I need written confirmation of the delay. (Írásos igazolást kérek a késésről.)
With the police and with your insurer
theft / robbery (lopás / rablás) · police report (rendőrségi jegyzőkönyv) · claim (kárigény) · deductible / excess (önrész) · cover limit (fedezeti limit) · trip cancellation cover (útlemondási / storno biztosítás) · medical repatriation (hazaszállítás). Useful phrases – Hungarian in brackets: I would like to report a theft and request a police report for my insurance. (Lopást szeretnék bejelenteni, és jegyzőkönyvet kérek a biztosításomhoz.) · Which documents do you need for my claim? (Milyen dokumentumok kellenek a kárigényemhez?) For the full glossary of terms, see Glossary A–Z.
Frequently asked questions on this topic
I don't speak Hungarian – what should I do if something goes wrong?
The assistance hotline can typically also help in English – that's your first move regardless of the language barrier: the team liaises with the local doctor, pharmacy or police on your behalf. And the phrasebook's phrases work just as well shown on screen – keep them on your phone at all times.
Will hospital or police staff in Hungary understand English at all?
In tourist areas and larger hospitals, English generally gets you quite far – but that's not true everywhere, especially outside the capital. Where it isn't: the assistance hotline and phone translation apps bridge the gap together; what matters most is your policy number and staying calm.
Have a question specific to your own trip? Request a quote – a free 20-minute consultation, no obligation. Book a time here →
