Travel insurance for Italy.
The EHIC and GHIC work in Italy’s public system, but you still pay fees, most medicines and any private doctor. Here is the Italian bill the card leaves you.
The rules
What Italy asks of visitors.
Checked against official sources on 23 October 2026. Entry rules change, so check again before you fly.
- The border can ask for proof
Italian border guards may ask visitors for proof of travel insurance, a return ticket and enough money for the stay.
Source: gov.uk - EHIC and GHIC: public system only
In Italy the card works with doctors in the SSN, the national health service, or linked to it. Private doctors don’t have to accept it.
Source: employment-social-affairs.ec.europa.eu - “Guardia medica turistica” in summer
In high season, local health authorities in some resorts open a tourist doctor service for non-residents, in a clinic or at your door. You pay for it, at rates each region sets.
Source: it.wikipedia.org - GP clinics close at weekends
Public GP clinics in Italy are not open at weekends, except for emergencies.
Source: employment-social-affairs.ec.europa.eu - Skiing: liability cover is the law
Skiers must have third-party liability insurance, sold with the ski pass. Helmets are required for everyone, with fines up to 200 euros.
Source: gov.uk
What care costs
If something goes wrong, this is the bill.
What a visitor pays without insurance. Prices vary by hospital and change every year.
- A&E: a regional “ticket”
Even emergency care is partly paid by the patient. The amount depends on the treatment and the region you are in, and nothing is refunded in Italy.
Source: employment-social-affairs.ec.europa.eu - Most medicines: full price
You pay the full price for most prescribed medicines, even with an EHIC. You may claim some back at home.
Source: employment-social-affairs.ec.europa.eu - Dentists: full bill
Dentists in Italy are private and don’t have to accept the EHIC. You pay the full amount, except in rare urgent cases.
Source: employment-social-affairs.ec.europa.eu
What to look for
Choosing travel cover for Italy.
Ankyro checks each of these on every plan, so you don’t have to read the fine print.
- Repatriation from Italy
Italy refunds nothing locally, and the GHIC won’t fly you home. Pick a plan with a high repatriation limit.
- Private doctors and dentists
A toothache or a hotel doctor means a private bill. Check your plan pays private care directly.
- Outpatient visits, not only hospital
A tourist doctor or a regional A&E ticket is a small bill paid on the spot. Check your plan refunds outpatient care, and the excess.
- Ski cover that fits the law
Check your policy includes third-party liability on the slopes, or buy it with your ski pass. Add rescue cover too.
Before you land
Sort these before you fly.
- Call 112 or 118
112 reaches all emergency services. 118 is the free number for an ambulance.
- Pharmacies: green cross
Look for the green cross. UK prescriptions are not accepted, but a pharmacist may sell an equivalent, or an Italian GP can write one.
- Find the tourist doctor
At a beach or mountain resort in summer, ask your hotel or the local ASL where the guardia medica turistica is.
Common mistakes
3 we see all the time.
- 01Expecting the EHIC or GHIC to make medicines free. Most are full price.
- 02Asking for a refund in Italy. Nothing is paid back there, so keep receipts for home.
- 03Skiing without third-party liability cover. It is a legal requirement in Italy.
Travel insurance stops when the trip ends, and most visas for living in Italy don’t accept it. See what Italy asks of residents.
Questions
People also ask.
Do I need travel insurance for Italy?+
Only a Schengen visa makes it compulsory. Schengen rules: see our Schengen page. Italian border guards may still ask visa-free visitors for proof of cover.
Does the GHIC work in Italy?+
Yes, with doctors and hospitals in the public SSN. Private doctors and dentists don’t have to accept it, and it does not cover repatriation.
Is healthcare free for tourists in Italy?+
Not fully. With an EHIC or GHIC you can still pay a ticket at A&E, the full price of most medicines, and any private doctor or dentist.
What is the guardia medica turistica?+
A paid summer doctor service for non-residents, opened by local health authorities in some tourist areas. Each region sets the fees.
Is ski insurance mandatory in Italy?+
Third-party liability insurance is required by law for skiers. You can buy it with your ski pass. It does not cover your own medical bills.
Other trips
Going somewhere else?
Visiting Singapore? Care is excellent and expensive. Living here and going abroad? MediShield Life does not pay overseas. Here is what to check.
02Schengen visaA Schengen visa needs travel medical cover of at least 30,000 euros, valid in every Schengen country, with repatriation. Here is what passes, and what doesn’t.
03MalaysiaVisiting Malaysia? Public hospitals charge foreigners full price. Living here and going abroad? Your cover at home stays at home. Here is what to check.
04ThailandThailand doesn’t ask tourists for insurance. But hospitals want a payment guarantee before they treat you, and private care is not cheap. Here is what to know.
05JapanJapan doesn’t ask tourists for insurance yet. But visitors pay the full bill, and unpaid bills can get you refused entry next time. Here is what to know.
06USA visitorsThe US doesn’t ask visitors for insurance. But a few days in hospital can cost more than a car. Here is what care costs, and what a visitor plan must cover.
07Bali and IndonesiaIndonesia doesn’t ask tourists for insurance yet. But a broken leg in Bali can cost over 160 million rupiah, and serious cases can need a flight out. Here is what to know.
08Dubai and the UAEDubai’s law says visitors must be insured, and the 5-year tourist visa asks for proof. Care is good but private, and an unpaid bill can stop you leaving.
09VietnamVietnam doesn’t ask tourists for insurance. But private hospitals cost a lot, and a motorbike crash can stop you leaving the country. Here is what to know.
10SpainPublic care in Spain is free with an EHIC or GHIC. Private clinics, dental care and the flight home are not. Here is what the card leaves to you in Spain.
11MexicoMexico doesn’t ask tourists for insurance. Private hospitals in big cities are good, but most want payment first, and Medicare won’t pay.
12FranceCare in France is not free, even with an EHIC or GHIC. You pay upfront, claim back part, and the flight home is never covered. Here is what to check.
14GermanyWith an EHIC or GHIC, most care in Germany costs little. Private extras, mountain rescue and the flight home are on you. Here is what to check.
15PortugalPublic care in Portugal is mostly free with an EHIC or GHIC. Private clinics, medicines and the flight home are not. Here is what to check before you fly to Portugal.
16Costa RicaCosta Rica doesn’t ask tourists for insurance. Only first emergency care is free, private clinics want payment first, and extensions have their own rules.
17ColombiaMost tourists need no visa and no policy for Colombia. If you do need a visa, insurance is part of it. Private clinics want payment first.
18South KoreaKorea doesn’t ask tourists for insurance, and the national scheme is not for short trips. Hospitals expect you to pay on the spot, then claim.
19Australia working holidayThe 417 and 462 visas don’t make you buy health insurance. But you pay every medical bill yourself, unless your passport gets you limited Medicare. Here is who is covered and what to buy.
20New Zealand working holidayMost working holiday visas for New Zealand require medical and hospital insurance for your whole stay, and you can be asked for proof when you land. Here is who is exempt and what to buy.