Iraqis heading to Europe no longer have to deal with uncertainty: a fresh tie-up between Dilnia Insurance and Allianz now provides Schengen-recognized travel insurance coverage.

In November 2025, Kurdistan Region-based Dilnia Insurance formally launched an exclusive partnership with Allianz, the German multinational financial services group, to provide Schengen-compliant travel insurance to Iraqi citizens.

Under the deal, Dilnia becomes the sole Iraqi provider authorized to distribute Allianz-backed policies that meet EU requirements for emergency medical coverage, hospitalization, and repatriation.

An international system of care

For Iraqis applying for a Schengen visa, travel health insurance is mandatory. But until now, finding a policy recognized by European authorities – and usable at hospitals across the Schengen area – has often been complicated and uncertain.

Hiwa Rauf, Chairman of Dilnia Insurance, highlighted that through this new partnership, Iraqi travelers can now secure travel insurance policies that fully meet the requirements and standards set by EU countries.

“Today, Iraqi travelers can access most hospitals across Europe directly through the extensive medical network managed by Allianz Partners, ensuring they receive treatment and medical assistance with complete confidence,” he emphasized.

The policy also provides coverage for repatriation costs, including the return of a body to Iraq in the unfortunate event of death abroad – a provision that families often worry about but seldom discuss openly.

Allianz is one of the world’s largest insurance groups, operating in more than 70 countries and serving around 128 million customers. Through its health division, Allianz Partners, it maintains a global medical network of more than two million providers.

“By bringing Allianz to Iraq, we are connecting local travelers to a truly international system of care,” said Michael Baltes, Head of Sales at Allianz Partners, in a video message to the launch event in Erbil. “We are not only celebrating a new partnership, but marking a meaningful milestone for Iraqis whose opportunities abroad should begin with safe and secure travel.”

Baltus described the cooperation between Dilnia and Allianz as the start of “a strong joint venture” to provide Schengen-compliant travel health insurance for all Iraqi travelers.

“Allianz Partners Health has deep expertise in international medical insurance, with teams across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific,” he said. “Our role is to make sure that, wherever an Iraqi traveler may be in the Schengen area, there is a trusted hospital, a doctor who can help, and an assistance service that will answer the phone.”

Dilnia, for its part, brings national reach and local knowledge. Its network of branches and agents across Iraq will distribute the new product, helping travelers obtain the required insurance quickly and, the companies hope, with “complete peace of mind.”

“In practice, it means that someone applying for a visa in Basra or Mosul has the same quality of coverage as a traveler flying from Erbil,” Rauf said. “The document may be issued in Iraq, but the service is backed by a global system.”

Local expertise behind a global agreement

Behind the scenes, a local consultancy played a decisive role in bringing the two insurers together.

Swift Corps, a multi-service consultancy firm based in Erbil, acted as facilitator between Allianz and Dilnia throughout the negotiations.

“Bringing Allianz to Iraq – particularly to the Kurdistan Region – was not an easy task,” said Sipan Pasha, Swift Corps’ CEO. “We had to navigate complex regulations, build trust with local institutions, and introduce a global insurance standard into an emerging market that is still rebuilding its financial infrastructure.”

Pasha argues that Allianz’s arrival sends a signal beyond the insurance sector.

“When a company of this scale commits to Iraq, it tells investors that the country is moving toward stability, transparency, and integration with the international economy,” she said. “This partnership is not just about travel; it is about confidence in Iraq’s future.”

Swift Corps General Manager Lusan Gardi said the impact on ordinary travelers would be immediate.

“For the first time, people in Iraq have a reliable and trusted gateway to Europe,” she said. “Through this exclusive partnership between Dilnia and Allianz, they can buy an insurance policy that embassies recognize and hospitals accept. That level of assurance simply did not exist before.”

The launch in Erbil comes at a time when more Iraqis – students, businesspeople, tourists, and families – are looking to travel abroad, particularly to Europe. But visa applications remain tightly scrutinized, and any uncertainty around documentation can mean delays or refusals.

By formalizing a Schengen-compliant product within Iraq, Dilnia and Allianz hope to remove at least one barrier.

For Swift Corps, the project is also evidence that the Kurdistan Region’s efforts to attract international partners are bearing fruit.

“This achievement is a testament to our government’s continuous work to improve stability and prosperity,” Pasha said. “Those efforts are now drawing world-class companies into genuine partnerships with local institutions.”

Gardi believes that partnership is just the beginning.

“Today we are talking about travel health insurance,” she said. “Tomorrow it could be other forms of protection and financial services that support Iraq’s reintegration into the global economy. What matters is that we have shown such partnerships are possible – and that they can be built from Erbil.”