Health insurance for foreigners in Czechia comes in two types: comprehensive insurance (komplexní) — for long-term visas and permanent residence permits, and insurance for necessary and urgent care (nutná a neodkladná péče) — for short trips. For stays longer than 90 days, the Act on the Residence of Foreign Nationals (§ 180j of Act No. 326/1999 Sb.) requires a policy with a minimum coverage limit of EUR 400,000 (about 10 million CZK) per insured event, with no co-payment from the insured person. A comprehensive policy is broadly comparable to public health insurance in scope: it covers preventive care, planned treatment, chronic conditions, pregnancy and childbirth.
As of September 20, 2023, PVZP's monopoly on comprehensive insurance has been abolished, and policies can once again be purchased from several companies: PVZP, Uniqa, Slavia, Maxima, as well as SV pojišťovna (formerly Ergo) and INTER Partner Assistance (an AXA Assistance brand). Below we break down who needs which type of insurance, how the products differ, and what to look for when choosing.
Czechia has two health insurance systems. Which one applies to you determines whether you need a commercial policy at all.
Note that a živnostník from outside the EU only enters the public system after obtaining permanent residence; until then, they need a commercial comprehensive policy — more on the related payments in our article on taxes and contributions for OSVČ. If you're just moving to Czechia, insurance is one of the first items on the first-steps checklist.
This is the key distinction that causes the most confusion. Getting the policy type wrong can mean a refused visa or residence extension.
A comprehensive policy is exactly what's required for submitting and extending residence documents — more details in our guide on insurance for renewing your residence permit. Once you have a policy, you can book a doctor's appointment within your insurer's network of facilities.
All companies must meet the EUR 400,000 minimum, but they differ in doctor networks, price, sub-limits for medication and dental care, and pregnancy terms.
| Company | Features | What to watch for |
|---|---|---|
| PVZP | A subsidiary of VZP, with the widest network of contracted facilities nationwide. Plus and Exclusive tariffs; Exclusive also covers pre-existing conditions declared prior to signing the contract (provided the health questionnaire is filled out honestly). Discounts for students aged 15–30. | One of the more expensive options; terms and price depend on the health questionnaire. |
| Uniqa | KOMPLEX, KOMPLEX+ (for professional athletes), and KOMPLEX2 tariffs. No separate sub-limit for medication and dental care — the general EUR 400,000 limit applies. Vaccination coverage, including COVID-19, up to EUR 800. | KOMPLEX2 includes pregnancy, childbirth, and newborn care for the first 14 days with no waiting period. |
| Slavia | Limit of 10 million CZK, also covers follow-up and planned care, with an option for professional athletes. Good customer ratings in independent surveys. | Sub-limits apply to medication and dental care — check the current terms. |
| Maxima | Among the most affordable tariffs, limit up to EUR 600,000, convenient terms for students. Online sign-up for comprehensive policies. | The provider network is narrower than PVZP's — check your doctor is included in advance. |
| SV pojišťovna (formerly Ergo) | Welcome product line, including a comprehensive option; website and documents available in several languages. | The Ergo brand has left the Czech market — articles about "Ergo insurance" are outdated. Check the list of exclusions carefully. |
Comprehensive policies are also offered by INTER Partner Assistance (AXA Assistance). The market keeps changing after the monopoly was abolished, so check the current list of insurers and terms on their websites before paying.
An exact figure can't be given in advance — the price is individual and calculated using each insurer's online calculator. As a rough guide: after the market opened, an annual comprehensive policy for an adult ranged from about 15,000 to 28,000 CZK in comparisons. The price is affected by:
Insurers often offer discounts for signing up online. Check current 2026 pricing via the online calculators of PVZP, Uniqa, Slavia, or Maxima before purchasing, and it's worth having a migration lawyer review any disputed contract terms.
Pregnancy and childbirth are covered only under comprehensive policies, and typically with a waiting period: most insurers require around 3 months for pregnancy and 8 months for childbirth under a standard tariff. Special packages remove the waiting period — for example, PVZP's "Newborn" (Novorozenec) add-on applies from day one of the contract, and Uniqa's KOMPLEX2 tariff covers pregnancy, childbirth, and the baby's first 14 days of life with no waiting period. Such packages need to be arranged in advance — before you become pregnant.
Children under 18 with long-term residence no longer need commercial insurance as of 2024 — they're required to be covered under the public system. For more on pregnancy care, see our guide on pregnancy and childbirth in Czechia, and on registering a child, see our article on pediatricians and children's insurance.
A policy can be arranged online in a few minutes: fill in your details, choose a tariff and term, pay, and receive your contract. Since the market is open, you can switch insurers — but make sure coverage is continuous: there must not be a single day without coverage between the end of the old policy and the start of the new one, or you may run into problems when extending your stay. When submitting documents for a visa or residence permit, the policy must cover the entire requested period, and the insurer must be licensed to offer this type of insurance in Czechia. If you need a doctor or dentist within your network, our vetted doctors and dentists can help.
Comprehensive (komplexní) insurance with a minimum limit of EUR 400,000 and no co-payment from the insured. For a first application at a consulate, a combination is allowed: necessary-care insurance for the first 90 days plus a comprehensive policy for the rest of the period.
Necessary-care insurance covers only acute and emergency situations, while comprehensive insurance also covers preventive care, planned treatment, chronic conditions, pregnancy, and childbirth — bringing it close to public health insurance.
No. As of January 1, 2024, children under 18 with long-term residence must be enrolled in public health insurance — the parents pay the contributions (13.5% of the minimum wage per month).
Under a standard comprehensive tariff — yes, roughly 3 months for pregnancy and 8 months for childbirth. Special packages (PVZP's "Newborn," Uniqa's KOMPLEX2) remove the waiting period, but must be arranged before pregnancy begins.
Yes, the market has been open since September 20, 2023. The key thing is to avoid any gap in coverage between the old and new policy.
No. Travel insurance only meets the necessary and urgent care standard — for stays longer than 90 days and for extending your documents, you need a comprehensive policy.
The price is individual, depending on age, term, scope, and add-ons; as a rough guide, expect 15,000 to 28,000 CZK per year for an adult's comprehensive policy. Check your insurer's calculator for the exact 2026 price.
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