Health insurance

Every foreigner who wants to reside in the Czech Republic must have health insurance and pay for it. It is possible to be insured through public health insurance or with a commercial health insurance company.

The following are included in the public health insurance system:

1. Citizens of the Czech Republic residing in the Czech Republic
2. Foreigners with permanent residence in the Czech Republic
3. Foreigners who are employees of a company based in the Czech Republic
4. Applicants for international protection
5. Asylum seekers or persons with subsidiary protection, in exceptional cases also foreigners with a residence permit
6. Temporary residence of a family member of an EU citizen
   • Applies only to spouses.
   • A husband or wife can join the public health insurance of their spouse who is economically active in the Czech Republic and is a citizen of another EU country.
   • Please note that if your spouse is a citizen of the Czech Republic, this rule may not apply.
7. Children born in the Czech Republic, regardless of their residence status, are entitled to public health insurance for 60 days under the following conditions:
   • Health insurance begins on the day of the child’s birth and ends on the last day of the month in which the 60-day period from the child’s birth ends.
   • Public health insurance is always paid for the entire month.
   • Within 3 days of the birth of the child, it is necessary to call or write an email to the public health insurance company and notify them that the child has been born.
   • Subsequently, the parent is obliged to pay monthly health insurance for the child. The amount of payment is always based on the current year.
8. Children with long-term residence (DP). They are participants in public health insurance until the child is 18 years old under the following conditions (valid from 1.1.2024):
   • The child has a DP and a compulsory commercial insurance contract before 1.1.2024, which is still valid. Commercial health insurance cannot be cancelled. Public health insurance for the child can be applied for 8 days before the end of the commercial health insurance.
   • The child will obtain long-term residence after January 1, 2024 – the child will be entitled to public health insurance after receiving the long-term residence permit card. It is necessary to register the child with the health insurance company within 8 days of receiving the card.

Joining the public health system does not automatically mean that the state will pay for your health insurance. The state will only pay for your health insurance in some cases, or your employer may pay for your health insurance.

You can find contacts for health insurance companies in the public health insurance system HERE.

The following participate in the private comprehensive health insurance system:

1. foreigners with a long-term visa or long-term residence permit
2. foreigners with temporary residence of an EU family member
3. foreigners with a tolerance visa

The insurance limit is €400,000. This insurance must be paid for the entire duration of the stay and must be arranged only with an insurance company authorized to operate this insurance in the Czech Republic.

Commercial comprehensive healthcare is provided on the basis of a negotiated contract. In the case of private insurance, it is best to contact the helpline and request contacts for doctors with whom the insurance company has a contract. If you are unable to find a contractual doctor, you need to look for a doctor who also accepts self-payers.

You pay everything at the doctor’s office and take the bill, which you then send to your commercial insurance company.

We recommend contacting your commercial insurance company before visiting the doctor and getting a so-called payment guarantee, which means that the insurance company guarantees that it will reimburse you for your visit to the doctor.

If you have concealed a disease that you have been treating for a long time, your commercial insurance company may refuse to reimburse specific medical procedures related to this disease.

Most commercial insurance companies offer an exclusive package that is intended to be comparable to public health insurance. However, it is less affordable.

We recommend contacting all commercial health insurance companies and finding out the current price of comprehensive health insurance. You can find the links below.

Comprehensive health insurance for foreigners according to Act No. 326/1999 Coll., on the stay of foreigners in the Czech Republic and on amendments to certain acts, is offered only by selected insurance companies. The following six insurance companies currently have a license to sell Health Insurance for Foreigners: Maxima, Slavia, PVZP, Ergo, Uniqa, Axa asistance.

Health insurance for foreigners in case of necessary and urgent care (often referred to as standard) is intended for foreigners who intend to stay in the Czech Republic for a maximum of 90 days and apply for a short-term visa. You can take out the insurance with the above-mentioned insurance companies.