School Accident Insurance (NNW) in Poland: Voluntary, Not Required
Short answer: School accident insurance (NNW) in Poland is voluntary. No law obliges parents or schools to buy it, except for trips abroad where the school must insure participants, says the Financial Ombudsman.
Early in the school year, many parents in Poland receive a note about paying for school accident insurance, known as NNW (następstwa nieszczęśliwych wypadków). It often reads like an obligation. This guide uses the Financial Ombudsman's (Rzecznik Finansowy) school insurance FAQ, published on 22 August 2025, its advice for parents of 29 August 2025, and a 2018 letter of the Ministry of Education quoted by the Warsaw school superintendent's office (Kuratorium Oświaty).
Is it compulsory?
No. According to the Financial Ombudsman, Polish law does not oblige parents or schools to insure pupils against accidents or other risks. School insurance is voluntary, so it is the parents' decision whether and how far a child is insured.
There is one exception. When a school organises a trip or event abroad, it must insure the participants against accidents and for medical costs. The Ombudsman cites a 2001 regulation of the Minister of Education on school tourism and sightseeing, paragraph 7a(2). The Ministry's 2018 letter says the same: apart from a foreign trip or holiday abroad, no regulation makes school insurance compulsory.
What a school cannot do
The Ministry letter, as quoted by the Warsaw superintendent, goes further. The Education Law does not authorise the head teacher or other school bodies to sign insurance contracts for pupils. Parents' councils also have no legal authority to sign contracts, including a group NNW policy, although they can make proposals to the body that runs the school. It is for parents to decide whether to insure the child at school, how the insurer is chosen and which offer to take.
The letter calls it an unacceptable practice for heads to demand that parents pay for accident insurance, directly or through the school, or to demand any statements because a parent refused to pay for a voluntary policy. If your school presents the policy as compulsory, you can point to the Ministry's position.
Should you buy it?
The Ombudsman's advice is that a policy is worth having even though it is not compulsory. It describes the cost as a one-off expense of several dozen zloty a year per child, and says the policy runs all year around the clock, at school and outside, including at home, on walks, while playing and on holiday. It warns against false savings on children's insurance.
Group policy or your own
The most popular option is the group policy offered through the school. According to the Ombudsman, these usually have a modest scope and a relatively low sum insured, but an affordable price. If you want a higher sum insured or a wider scope, you can buy an individual policy. You can also join the school group policy and add an individual one. The Ombudsman says nothing prevents a child from having two or more policies, even for the same risk, and a payout from the school policy does not rule out payouts from other accident policies for the same event.
Understanding the sum insured
The sum insured is the maximum payout. The Ombudsman gives an example. If a child is insured for 10,000 zł and a doctor assesses a 4% health impairment after a broken leg, the payout is 4% of the sum, which is 400 zł. A higher sum means a higher premium.
What to compare in offers
Insurers sell packages in different variants. The price depends on the sum insured, the scope (sudden illnesses and other events) and extras such as assistance. The Ombudsman says to look at the amounts paid for events that cause no health impairment, such as sprains, dislocations or bruises, dog bites and insect or tick bites. Also compare the reimbursement of treatment and rehabilitation costs after an accident, the benefits for sudden or serious illness, which use different lists of diseases at different insurers, and help in cases of online hate. Insurers should give you a product information sheet (karta produktu) before you join, with the full terms in a longer document.
What counts as an accident
Polish law does not define an accident for these policies. Each insurer writes its own definition. The Ombudsman says that, in general, it means a sudden event with an external cause in which the insured person suffered harm against their will. Sudden or serious illnesses, such as cancer or COVID-19, are not accidents, so to get payment for treatment or hospital stay you need a policy that explicitly covers them.
How long a claim takes
The insurer should pay within 30 days of the claim, though this can be extended if the circumstances cannot be clarified. Within the 30 days you should still receive the undisputed amount and an explanation of what is delaying the case. For voluntary insurance, which includes school policies, the insurer must pay within 14 days of the date when the circumstances could have been clarified with due diligence.
Foreign families
The sources do not address foreign pupils or any difference for them. Ask the school or the insurer if you are unsure how the policy applies to your family.
* Photos: Górnickiego school, Wikimedia Commons, public domain. Illustrative.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to buy NNW insurance for my child at a Polish school?
No. The Financial Ombudsman says no law requires parents or schools to insure children, so school insurance is voluntary. The exception is trips and events abroad, where the school must insure participants.
Can the school demand a statement if I refuse?
The Ministry of Education's 2018 letter, quoted by the Warsaw superintendent, calls demands for payment or for statements about refusing a voluntary policy an unacceptable practice.
Is a serious illness covered by school NNW?
Not automatically. According to the Ombudsman, sudden or serious illnesses such as cancer or COVID-19 are not accidents, so you need a policy that explicitly includes them.
