Health insurance in Italy.
Workers 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.
The rules
What Italy asks of you.
Checked against official sources on 23 October 2026. Rules change, so the broker confirms them again before you apply.
- Elective residence visa
You need a policy for your whole stay with at least €30,000 of cover, unlimited hospital cover, and repatriation. Consulates ask for a detailed table of benefits.
Source: consparigi.esteri.it - Digital nomad visa
You need cover for medical care and hospital stays across Italy for the whole stay. Some consulates also ask for at least €30,000, including repatriation.
Source: ambcanberra.esteri.it - Joining the SSN: at least €2,000
Since 2024, voluntary enrolment costs a share of your income: at least €2,000 and at most €2,788.87 a year.
Source: uslcentro.toscana.it - It ends on 31 December
The fee covers the calendar year you pay it in. Pay in October and you get about 3 months.
Source: asl1.liguria.it - Students: €700
Students can use a consulate-validated policy for the first permit, then join the SSN for €700 a year if their only income is a grant from an Italian public body.
Source: web.uniroma2.it
Non-EU residents with a work, self-employment or family permit join the SSN for free, like Italians. Elective residence holders and students are not covered automatically, and must pay to join.
Source: stranieriinitalia.itLocal or international
We compare both. You keep the one that fits.
Workers join the public system for free. For the visa, and before you can join, a local or international plan works if it meets the consulate’s rules.
- Local plans
Plans sold in Italy. Often cheaper, sometimes required for your visa. Filed by a broker licensed in Italy.
- International plans
Plans that cover you in Italy and beyond, and stay with you if you move again. Filed by our international broker partner.
What it costs
Published prices in Italy.
List prices from insurers and official schemes. Your quote depends on your age, health and the cover you pick.
- Voluntary SSN enrolment
7.5% of income up to €20,658.28, plus 4% on income up to €51,645.69. At least €2,000 and at most €2,788.87 a year.
Source: uslcentro.toscana.it - Students
€700 a year, if your only income is a grant or public benefit. Dependants are charged under the general rule.
Source: asl1.liguria.it - Au pairs
€1,200 a year, even for stays under 3 months.
Source: asl1.liguria.it
What to look for
Choosing a plan in Italy.
Ankyro checks each of these on every plan, so you don’t have to read the fine print.
- €30,000 and no hospital cap
The certificate should show at least €30,000 and no limit on hospital stays.
- Repatriation listed
Medical repatriation and repatriation of remains must be on the policy.
- The whole stay
Dates must match your full stay, usually 12 months. Trip-based travel cover is often refused.
- A table of benefits
Consulates want a document listing the benefits. Make sure your insurer can issue one.
Step by step
Getting covered in Italy.
- 01Buy a policy the consulate accepts. For elective residence: at least €30,000 of cover, no cap on hospital stays, repatriation, and a table of benefits.
- 02Apply for your permesso di soggiorno. You need a policy valid in Italy when you apply. A policy validated by the consulate before you left usually works for the first permit.
- 03Gather your ASL papers. Passport and visa, codice fiscale, permesso di soggiorno (or the post office receipt), and last year’s income, from Italy or abroad.
- 04Pay the fee by F24. Use tax code 8846 and your region’s code, with the current year as the reference year. The ASL works out the amount from your income.
- 05Choose your GP. Pick a family doctor (medico di base) when you register at the ASL, plus a paediatrician for each child.
- 06Pay again each January. Enrolment ends on 31 December whatever day you paid, and can’t be backdated. Keep private cover until the new year’s payment goes through.
Common mistakes
3 we see all the time.
- 01Using travel insurance with trip limits for a long-stay visa.
- 02Thinking SSN enrolment lasts 12 months. It ends on 31 December.
- 03Expecting the old fee of about €387. Since 2024 the minimum is €2,000 a year.
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 Italy asks of visitors, and what care costs.
Questions
People also ask.
How much does it cost a foreigner to join the Italian health service?+
Voluntary enrolment costs at least €2,000 and at most €2,788.87 a year, based on income. Students pay €700. Workers join for free.
Can I join the SSN on an elective residence visa?+
Yes, by paying the yearly fee at your local ASL.
What insurance do I need for the elective residence visa?+
A policy for your whole stay with at least €30,000 of cover, unlimited hospital cover and repatriation.
Do international students need health insurance in Italy?+
Yes. A consulate-validated policy, a private Italian plan, or the SSN for €700 a year.
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.
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.
21Bali and IndonesiaMost Indonesian visas don’t ask for insurance. But hospitals ask for payment first, and serious cases fly to Singapore. Here is 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.