How does health insurance work for foreigners in Czechia?

Health insurance is one of the documents the Ministry checks on every long-term application and every extension. It is also the one people understand least, because the rules depend on how long you stay, where you apply and who you work for. Here is how it works, in plain language, with the sources.

Short answer

• If you stay longer than 90 days, you need comprehensive health insurance, not travel insurance. The minimum limit is EUR 400,000 with no co-payment (ipc.gov.cz).
• Any insurer authorised to sell it in Czechia will do. Since 20 September 2023 it no longer has to be one particular company (ipc.gov.cz).
• A policy is for a fixed period and does not renew by itself. PVZP's terms say cover ends at 24:00 on the end date (PVZP terms). Check the end date on yours and write it down.

Which insurance do I need?

With an employer, the insurance contribution is usually taken from your salary. Many employers also offer benefits on top, such as a sports card or meal vouchers, but these differ from one employer to the next.

What comprehensive insurance covers, and what it does not

The details are in each insurer's terms. The points below come from the PVZP Plus terms, so other insurers can differ. Check your own contract.

• Covered: care similar to what Czech public insurance pays for, at the insurer's contracted providers. You show your insurance card before treatment. A provider outside the insurer's network is paid only when your health suddenly worsens and waiting would seriously endanger it.
• Also in the policy: repatriation with a doctor's approval, emergency dental care (sudden pain or the result of an accident), and medicines prescribed by a doctor for outpatient treatment.
• Waiting periods: for some things, cover starts only after a wait. For example, pregnancy 3 months and childbirth 8 months. See our pregnancy post.
• Not covered: conditions you were treated for before the policy, or whose cause or symptoms began before it or during the waiting period.
• Not covered: services used outside the policy period, and medicines bought without a doctor's prescription.
• Limits: the amounts in your contract cap what the insurer pays. Read them.

When it starts and when it ends

• Cover starts at 0:00 on the agreed start date, and not before the day after you pay (PVZP terms).
• Cover ends at 24:00 on the end date (PVZP terms). Slavia's sample contract also sets a fixed start and end date (Slavia).
• A new policy starts its own waiting periods. If the start date is back-dated, Slavia asks you to declare that you had no illness or care in the gap, and the waiting periods count from the day after signing (Slavia sample contract).
• Cancelling early: the terms differ per insurer, so ask before you buy, not after.

Insurance and your visa or permit

• Comprehensive insurance is one of the documents for the extension. An application without all the legally required documents is inadmissible (ipc.gov.cz).
• You may be asked for proof that the premium was paid.
• Apply for a long-term visa extension between 120 and 90 days before it expires. For a long-term residence permit, apply from 120 days before it expires and no later than its last day.
• If the insurance is not arranged yet, that can be solved quickly, so it is rarely a reason to miss the deadline.

Choosing a policy

Compare what actually differs between policies:

• Cover for your whole stay, not just the first months
• Pregnancy and pre-existing conditions, and the waiting periods
• Early cancellation and refund
• What you need to do to renew

You do not have to read every set of terms alone. Tell us your permit type and your dates, and we will arrange the policy with an insurer that fits, with the conditions explained in your own language.

Checklist

• Check what your permit type requires
• Your policy covers the whole stay, or you have the renewal date written down
• Limit of at least EUR 400,000, with no co-payment
• The insurer is authorised in Czechia
• The policy document is saved as a PDF for the extension
• You keep the proof of payment

Short FAQ

Can I use insurance from my home country?

For an application filed in Czechia, the insurer must be authorised to sell it here (ipc.gov.cz). For an application at an embassy, ask the embassy which insurers it accepts.

Can I buy it after I arrive?

Yes. Comprehensive insurance is needed when you file the extension, and it can be arranged quickly.

Can I change insurer?

Yes, but as a rule a new contract starts its own waiting periods. Think twice if you are pregnant or planning a child.

Does one policy cover my partner?

No. A policy covers only the person named in it.

Hero's tips

1. 1Write down the end date today. The policy is for a fixed period and does not renew by itself; cover ends at 24:00 on the end date.
2. 2Check three things on the policy: a limit of at least EUR 400,000, no co-payment, and an insurer authorised to sell it in Czechia.
3. 3Save the policy as a PDF and keep the proof of payment. The policy is one of the documents for your extension, and you may be asked to show that the premium was paid.
4. 4Ask about early cancellation and refunds before you buy. The terms differ per insurer, and it is easier to ask before you pay than after.

Not sure which policy fits you?