AnkyroCountriesBali and Indonesia
Health insurance in Bali.
Most Indonesian visas don’t ask for insurance. But hospitals ask for payment first, and serious cases fly to Singapore. Here is what to check.
The rules
What Bali asks of you.
Checked against official sources on 23 October 2026. Rules change, so the broker confirms them again before you apply.
- Visit visas: not required
The official pages for the B1 visa on arrival and the C1 tourist visa do not list health insurance.
Source: imigrasi.go.id - E33G remote worker KITAS
It needs income of at least USD 60,000 a year from a company outside Indonesia. The official page does not list health insurance.
Source: imigrasi.go.id - Retirement KITAS (E33F)
The official page does not list health insurance, but many visa agents still ask for proof. Have a policy ready.
Source: imigrasi.go.id - Foreign employees: BPJS is mandatory
Foreigners working in Indonesia for 6 months or more must join BPJS Kesehatan, the national scheme. The employer enrols you and pays 4% of salary, you pay 1%.
Source: finansial.bisnis.com - Evacuation can cost a lot
Some care and tests are not reliably available locally. The UK government says evacuation can cost tens of thousands of pounds, and advises cover for it.
Source: gov.uk - Scooters need a valid licence
Riders need an International Driving Permit. Bali has seen a big rise in motorbike accidents, and many policies refuse claims without a valid licence.
Source: gov.uk
BPJS Kesehatan is for foreigners in formal jobs in Indonesia for 6 months or more. Tourists, remote workers paid from abroad and most retirees are outside it, and it does not pay for evacuation abroad.
Source: cnbcindonesia.comLocal or international
We compare both. You keep the one that fits.
Local Indonesian plans are cheaper, but evacuation to Singapore is the part that matters most. Check it in both kinds of plan.
- Local plans
Plans sold in Bali. Often cheaper, sometimes required for your visa. Filed by a broker licensed in Bali.
- International plans
Plans that cover you in Bali and beyond, and stay with you if you move again. Filed by our international broker partner.
What to look for
Choosing a plan in Bali.
Ankyro checks each of these on every plan, so you don’t have to read the fine print.
- Evacuation to Singapore
Check the plan pays to move you out of Bali to Singapore or another hub, not just to the nearest hospital.
- The insurer pays the hospital
Private hospitals in Bali may ask for payment before treatment. Check the insurer can guarantee payment, with a 24/7 line.
- The scooter clause
Many plans pay only if you held a valid licence for that bike and wore a helmet. Read it before you ride.
- Yearly cover, not trip cover
If you live in Bali, choose a yearly health plan with outpatient care. Travel policies have trip limits and can stop once you count as a resident.
Step by step
Getting covered in Bali.
- 01Pick the right visa. Visitors use the B1 visa on arrival or C1 tourist visa. Remote workers earning USD 60,000 a year from abroad use the E33G KITAS. None of them list health insurance.
- 02Employees: let the company enrol you in BPJS. If an Indonesian company hires you for 6 months or more, it registers you in BPJS Kesehatan as a wage earner.
- 03Buy a yearly plan with evacuation. Choose a plan that flies you to Singapore or another hub. BPJS never pays for that.
- 04Get an International Driving Permit. Get it before you ride a scooter, and wear a helmet. Many policies refuse motorbike claims without both.
- 05Save the insurer’s 24/7 number. Bali’s private hospitals may ask for payment before treatment. The insurer’s line can guarantee payment to the hospital.
Common mistakes
3 we see all the time.
- 01Living on travel insurance. It is built for short trips and often stops paying once you live in Bali.
- 02Riding a scooter without an International Driving Permit or a helmet. The claim can be refused.
- 03Assuming BPJS covers you. It is for formal employees, and it never pays for evacuation abroad.
Real published prices, and the 6 things that move yours.
Just visiting?For a holiday or a short trip, travel insurance is enough. See what Bali asks of visitors, and what care costs.
Questions
People also ask.
Do I need health insurance for a Bali visa?+
The official pages for the main visit visas and KITAS types do not list it. Some agents still ask for proof, and hospitals may ask for payment up front.
Can foreigners use BPJS Kesehatan in Bali?+
Yes, if you work formally in Indonesia for 6 months or more. Your employer enrols you. Tourists and remote workers paid from abroad are not covered.
How much does medical evacuation from Bali cost?+
The UK government says it can cost tens of thousands of pounds. Serious cases are often flown to Singapore.
Does insurance cover scooter accidents in Bali?+
Only if the policy includes motorbikes and you rode legally: a valid licence or International Driving Permit, and a helmet.
Other countries
Going somewhere else?
Most UK visas don’t ask for private insurance. You pay a yearly surcharge instead, and it opens the NHS. Here is what the surcharge buys, and what you still pay for.
02AustraliaMost visitors can’t use Medicare, and many visas carry condition 8501. Here is what each visa asks for, who gets Medicare, and what to check.
03Dubai and the UAEIn Dubai, no insurance means no visa. Your employer covers you, but not always your family. Here are the rules, and what the basic plan leaves out.
04PhilippinesThe retiree visa asks for a medical certificate, not a policy. The new nomad visa does ask for cover. Here is what each visa needs, and how PhilHealth works for foreigners.
05NetherlandsIf you live or work in the Netherlands, Dutch basic insurance is the law. A few people are exempt. Here is who must sign up, by when, and what it costs in 2026.
06CanadaEach province runs its own health plan, and some make you wait. The super visa has strict insurance rules. Here is how Ontario and BC differ, and what the super visa needs.
07Saudi ArabiaIn Saudi Arabia, no insurance means no iqama. Your employer pays for you and your family, and visitors need a policy too. Here is who pays, and what each policy covers.
08JapanIf you live in Japan, joining public insurance is the law. A private plan can only sit on top. Digital nomads are the exception.
09GermanyEveryone in Germany must be insured, and a residence permit needs cover equal to the public system. Here is how to choose, and what gets rejected.
10SingaporeThe national plan is for citizens and PRs. Hospital bills for foreigners are high, and families are often left out. Here is what to check.
11ThailandRetirement visas have hard minimums, the DTV has none, and public care is not free for foreigners. Here are the rules, and what to check.
12SpainSpain has the strictest visa insurance rules in Europe: a Spanish-authorised insurer, no co-pays, no waiting periods. Here is what passes.
13MalaysiaPublic hospitals charge foreigners full price, and work schemes only cover injuries at work. Here is what each pass asks for, and what to check.
14QatarMost visitors need a QAR 50 a month policy before Qatar issues a visa. The law covers expats too, but that part is still rolling out. Here are the rules.
15FranceThe public system is open to residents, but not on day 1 if you don’t work, and it only pays part of each bill. Here is how to cover the gaps.
16PortugalThe visa asks for travel medical cover. The public system opens once you are a resident. In between, and after, here is what to check.
17MexicoNo visa asks for it, so many expats skip it. Then a private hospital asks for payment first. Here is how cover really works in Mexico.
18ItalyWorkers join the public system for free. Retirees and nomads need private cover for the visa, then pay at least €2,000 a year to join. Here are the rules.
19South KoreaStay more than 6 months and you must join the national plan. Before that, and for your share of each bill, you need your own cover.
20VietnamOnly long local contracts come with public cover, and most expats use private hospitals anyway. Here is what the rules say, and what to check.
22GreeceThe consulate takes travel cover for the visa. The residence permit then asks for full health cover. If you don’t work for a Greek employer, that means a private plan.
23ColombiaNomads and retirees need a private policy with exact wording. Residents who work must join the public EPS system. Here are the rules.
24Costa RicaResidents must pay into the Caja, whatever private plan they have. Nomads need their own cover for the visa. Here is how it fits together.
25USAThe US has no public plan you can simply join. Some visas set minimum cover. Others leave it to you. Here is what a J-1 needs, who can use the Marketplace, and what plans cost.
26SwitzerlandBasic health insurance is compulsory for everyone who lives in Switzerland. You have 3 months to sign up. Here is how it works, and what to check.
27IrelandNon-EEA students must hold private medical insurance. Everyone else gets public care once they count as living in Ireland for 1 year. Here is what to check.
28Dominican RepublicThe residence visas for retirees and rentistas ask for a medical certificate, not an insurance policy. Public care is limited. Private care is good but costly.
29New ZealandStudent visas require insurance. A work visa of 2 years or more may open public health care. ACC covers accident injuries. Here is what to check.
30IsraelIn Israel, the public system is for residents. If your life is centred there, you join a health fund (kupat holim). If not, you need private cover.
31Hong KongPublic hospitals in Hong Kong are cheap for eligible persons. Many foreigners are not on that list. Here is who is, what the rest pay, and what to check in a plan.
32ChinaIf you work in China on an employment permit, your employer must enrol you in social insurance. That includes basic medical cover. Here is how it works, and what to check on top.
33ArgentinaEmergency care is open to everyone. For other care at national hospitals, foreigners without permanent residence must show insurance or pay first. The rules are new, so check them.
34IndiaWe found no official rule that ties health insurance to an Indian work visa. We also could not confirm a public scheme for foreign residents. So the plan is yours to choose. Here is what to check.
35TurkeyA residence permit application needs valid health insurance for the whole permit. Most new expats buy a private policy. The public SGK system opens later, after 1 year of residence.
36BrazilThe digital nomad visa needs health insurance valid in Brazil. The public system is open to migrants by law. Many expats add a private plan for speed.
37PanamaThe Pensionado visa asks for a health certificate, not an insurance policy. The public system is tied to the Caja. Private care is the main option for most expats.
38South AfricaStudy and exchange visas ask for proof of cover from a registered medical scheme. Public clinics offer free primary care. Here is what to check.
39KenyaKenya’s public fund is run by the Social Health Authority (SHA). A foreigner who lives in Kenya for more than 12 months pays into it. Shorter stays need travel health insurance instead.
40TaiwanTaiwan has one national health insurance. Foreigners with a residence certificate can join. If you have a job, you join through your employer. If not, there is a wait.