Health Insurance for Foreigners in Czech Republic: Complete Guide 2026
Health insurance is mandatory in the Czech Republic. Learn the difference between public and private insurance, costs, and what's required for your visa or residence permit.
Guide Contents
In the Czech Republic, there are two types of health insurance for foreigners:
1. Public health insurance (veřejné zdravotní pojištění)
- Available to: Employees, permanent residents, EU citizens
- Providers: VZP, OZP, ČPZP, and others
- Cost: 13.5% of gross salary (employer pays 9%, employee pays 4.5%)
- Coverage: Comprehensive — doctors, hospitals, specialists, prescriptions
- Registration: Automatic when you start employment
2. Commercial (private) health insurance
- Available to: Anyone (required for visa applications if not eligible for public)
- Providers: PVZP (Pojišťovna VZP), Maxima, Slavia, UNIQA
- Cost: Commercial health insurance is priced by the insurer and varies with age, coverage and term. We publish no range: this product carried four incompatible ones and none was sourced. Compare quotes at pvzp.cz, vzp.cz and other providers.
- Coverage: Varies by plan — check that it meets MVCR requirements
- Minimum coverage required for visa: 60,000 EUR
Which do you need?
- Employee Card holder: Public insurance (through employer)
- Student: Usually commercial, unless employed 30+ hours
- Business visa: Commercial insurance initially
- Permanent Resident: Public insurance
- Tourist/short stay: Travel insurance from home country
VZP (Všeobecná zdravotní pojišťovna) is the largest public insurer, covering about 60% of the population.
What public insurance covers:
- GP visits (praktický lékař)
- Specialist consultations
- Hospital stays and surgery
- Prescription medications (with co-pay)
- Dental care (basic)
- Pregnancy and maternity care
- Emergency care
- Vaccinations (standard schedule)
What it does NOT cover:
- Cosmetic procedures
- Some dental treatments (crowns, implants)
- Alternative medicine
- Glasses/contact lenses (mostly)
- Some prescription drugs (above reference price)
How to register:
- Get your Employee Card or start employment
- Your employer registers you with a health insurance company
- You receive your insurance card within 30 days
- Choose your GP (praktický lékař) — registration required
Ministry of Interior requirements:
- Minimum coverage: 60,000 EUR
- Must cover: emergency care, hospitalization, repatriation
- Must be from a Czech-licensed insurance company
- Must be valid for entire stay duration
Recommended providers:
- PVZP (Pojišťovna VZP): Most commonly accepted, specifically designed for foreigners
- Maxima: Comprehensive plans for long-term stay
- Slavia: Budget-friendly options
What it costs
We do not publish a price table. Commercial health insurance is priced by the
insurer and varies with age, the coverage you buy and the length of the policy,
so there is no official figure to verify against — and this guide previously
carried four incompatible ranges for the same product, which is what happens
when estimates are written down and then copied.
Get quotes from at least two providers before you buy, and check that the policy
meets the coverage the Ministry requires for your permit type, which matters more
than the price.
Frequently Asked Questions
3 common questions answered
Yes, health insurance is mandatory for everyone residing in the Czech Republic, including foreigners. You cannot receive a visa or residence permit without valid health insurance.
For short stays (under 90 days), you may use travel insurance or EHIC (EU citizens). For long-term residence, you need Czech health insurance — either public (if employed) or commercial.
Public insurance is a percentage of gross salary, split between employer and employee. We have not verified the current rates or the minimum wage against a fetched page, so we do not publish a worked example here — the figure this answer used to give was our own arithmetic on an unverified wage. Check vzp.cz and mpsv.gov.cz.
Related Guides
Get important Czech immigration updates by email.
Occasional updates when official rules change, with sources and who they affect. Confirm your email to subscribe. Unsubscribe anytime.
Want help with your own case?
ProThis guide stays free. Pro is 149 Kč a month and adds the assistant, unlimited exam papers and the A2 and B1 language exams, the document generators and saved case tracking.
See what Pro includes