Health Insurance in Poland for Foreigners • NFZ, Private & Costs from 80 zł/month
Foreigners in Poland get health care through one of two routes. The first is the National Health Fund (NFZ), which you join through employment or a voluntary contract. The second is private health insurance or a medical subscription, with packages from about 80 zł/month. This guide covers how each route works, what voluntary NFZ costs, how to register with a family doctor (GP) and when a private package is worth adding.
If you only need a policy for a visa or Karta Pobytu application, see our separate guide on health insurance for a Polish visa and Karta Pobytu. It explains what voivodeship offices and consulates actually accept.
NFZ vs. Private Health Insurance: The Basics
Poland has a public health system financed through health contributions (składka zdrowotna) collected by ZUS and paid out by the NFZ. The private sector sits alongside it. Private clinic networks and insurers sell outpatient packages that give faster appointments, but they rarely replace the public system for hospital care.
| Feature | NFZ (public) | Private package / insurance |
|---|---|---|
| How you join | Automatically through a work contract or business (ZUS), as a family member, or by a voluntary NFZ contract | Individually, or through an employer group package |
| GP and specialists | Free with a referral; waiting times can be long | Fast appointments, often in English, at partner clinics |
| Hospital treatment | Covered, including planned surgery | Usually limited or excluded in standard outpatient packages |
| Emergency care (SOR, ambulance) | Covered | Usually not; you use the public system |
| Typical cost | 9% of income, or a fixed voluntary rate (see below) | From about 80 zł/month |
1. NFZ Through Employment or a Business
If you work on an employment contract (umowa o pracę), or on a mandate contract (umowa zlecenie) with contributions, your employer registers you with ZUS and you are covered by the NFZ automatically. Self-employed people (JDG) pay the health contribution themselves through ZUS.
You can also register your spouse and children as family members at no extra cost. Your employer files the ZUS ZCNA form for them.
If your job ends, your NFZ coverage continues for 30 days after the obligation to pay contributions stops. After that, you need a new job, a voluntary NFZ contract or private cover.
2. Voluntary NFZ Insurance
If you are not employed in Poland but live here legally, you can sign a voluntary health insurance contract (umowa o dobrowolne ubezpieczenie zdrowotne) with your regional NFZ branch. This gives you the same public access as an employee: a GP, specialists with referral, hospitals and reimbursed prescriptions.
3. EHIC for EU/EEA Citizens
Citizens of other EU/EEA countries can use their European Health Insurance Card (EHIC/EKUZ) for necessary treatment during a temporary stay. It is not meant for people who have moved to Poland for good. Once you work or settle here, you should join the NFZ. Read more about the EKUZ rules in our travel insurance guide for Poland.
Voluntary NFZ Cost Table
The voluntary contribution is 9% of a declared base set by law and updated every year. For most adults, the base is the average monthly salary in the enterprise sector (including profit bonuses) from the fourth quarter of the previous year. Students use a much lower base.
| Who | Contribution base | Approx. monthly cost (2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Standard rate (most adult foreigners) | 9% of the average enterprise-sector salary, Q4 of previous year | about 790 zł |
| Students and PhD students | 9% of the maximum permanent social benefit (zasiłek stały) | about 110 zł |
| Family members (spouse, children) | Covered under the main contract at no extra contribution | 0 zł |
On top of the monthly contribution, the NFZ may charge a one-off entry fee (opłata dodatkowa) if you were uninsured in Poland for a long time before signing:
| Gap in coverage | Entry fee (% of contribution base) |
|---|---|
| 3 months to 2 years | 20% |
| 2 to 5 years | 50% |
| 5 to 10 years | 100% |
| Over 10 years | 150% |
The rates change every January, so confirm the current figure with your NFZ branch before signing. The NFZ can also tell you whether the entry fee applies in your case.
How to Sign a Voluntary NFZ Contract
- Visit your regional NFZ branch (oddział wojewódzki). In Łódź, this is the Łódź branch of the NFZ. Bring your passport, your residence document (residence card, permit decision or student status) and your PESEL if you have one.
- Sign the contract and receive the payment details.
- Register with ZUS on the ZUS ZZA form within 7 days. Add family members on ZUS ZCNA.
- Pay the contribution monthly to ZUS. Missing payments can terminate the contract.
How to Register With a GP (Lekarz POZ)
Being insured with the NFZ is only the first step. To use the public system, you also need to choose a primary care clinic (POZ), which acts as your family doctor.
- Find a clinic with an NFZ contract near your home. You can use the NFZ "Gdzie się leczyć" search or ask at a local przychodnia. Larger cities have clinics where doctors speak English.
- Fill in the declaration form (deklaracja wyboru lekarza, pielęgniarki i położnej POZ) at the reception desk. You can also do this online through the Internetowe Konto Pacjenta (IKP) if you have a PESEL.
- Show ID and proof of insurance. The clinic checks your status in the eWUŚ system. If it shows you as uninsured (for example, shortly after starting a job), bring a ZUS RMUA, your employer's confirmation or your voluntary NFZ contract.
- Book appointments at the clinic. Your GP issues referrals (skierowanie) to specialists and hospitals, plus e-prescriptions, which you collect at any pharmacy with a 4-digit code.
Registration is free. You can change your GP twice a year at no cost; each further change in the same year carries a small fee.
Some specialists can be seen without a referral, including a gynaecologist, dentist, psychiatrist and oncologist.
Outside clinic hours (18:00–8:00, weekends and public holidays), use night and holiday care (nocna i świąteczna opieka zdrowotna). In an emergency, call 112 or 999.
Private Health Insurance in Poland: Prices and What You Get
Many foreigners keep NFZ for hospitals and emergencies and add a private package for quick, English-speaking appointments. Private packages are offered by clinic networks such as LUX MED, Medicover and Enel-Med. Insurers such as PZU, Allianz, Warta and Signal Iduna also sell health insurance with access to partner clinics.
| Package | Typical monthly cost | What it usually includes |
|---|---|---|
| Basic individual | from 80 zł | GP/internist, a few key specialists, basic lab tests |
| Extended individual | 150–300 zł | Most specialists without referral, imaging (USG, X-ray, MRI/CT with limits), rehabilitation |
| Family package | 300–600 zł | Extended scope for a couple and children, paediatrician |
| Employer group package | often co-paid by employer | Similar to extended scope, often cheaper per person |
Prices depend on your age, the scope of the package and the city. If your employer offers a group plan, compare it first. Read our guide to employee and group insurance in Poland to see what companies typically provide.
Hospital Cover in Private Policies: What to Check
Hospital care is where foreigners most often misread a private policy. Polish insurers sell three different things that all mention the word "hospital":
| Type of benefit | What it does | Typical limit |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of hospital treatment (koszty leczenia szpitalnego) | The insurer organises and pays for the stay, treatment and surgery | Up to the medical-costs sum insured |
| Daily hospital allowance (zasiłek szpitalny) | Pays you cash per day in hospital; it does not pay the bill | Commonly 50–200 zł/day, up to about 90 days a year |
| Surgical benefit (świadczenie operacyjne) | A one-off sum for an invasive procedure | A percentage of the sum insured, depending on the procedure |
Standard outpatient packages normally include none of these. That is why NFZ coverage remains essential for hospital treatment.
Waiting Periods (Karencja)
Cash hospital benefits rarely start on day one. Typical waiting periods on the Polish market are:
- Illness: around 3 months.
- Pregnancy and childbirth: around 8 months.
- Accidents: no waiting period.
Accident cover (NNW) can add a lump sum after at least 3 days of uninterrupted hospital treatment. It can also add a doubled daily rate when the stay follows an accident.
Common Exclusions and the 14-Day Claim Rule
Most policies exclude the following stays:
- Purely diagnostic stays.
- Stays shorter than 24 hours.
- Stays in psychiatric hospitals, hospices, nursing homes, addiction centres, sanatoria, spas and rehabilitation centres.
- Cosmetic surgery.
- Injuries from extreme or professional sport and active military service.
After discharge, send the original hospital discharge summary (karta informacyjna leczenia szpitalnego) to the insurer. Many insurers expect it within 14 days.
Terms differ between insurers and products, so treat the figures above as typical market ranges. We will send you the exact conditions of any policy in English.
Also Driving in Poland? Car Insurance Basics for Foreigners
Many of our health insurance clients also buy their first Polish car. Here is what to expect, because the process differs from health insurance.
Documents and PESEL
- Foreigners without a PESEL number receive significantly fewer offers, because their Polish insurance history cannot be retrieved.
- To calculate a quote, we need a photo of your passport or the national ID document of your country of citizenship.
- We also need the vehicle purchase contract and a Polish address.
Timing at registration
- The vehicle does not have to be insured at the moment you register it at the vehicle office (wydział komunikacji), even though the offices' websites usually say so.
- However, it must be insured at the latest on the day of registration, before the vehicle is put into traffic.
Payment
- Payment is almost always made upfront, by bank transfer.
- A transfer from a foreign account can take up to several days, and you need to factor in currency conversion costs.
- The policy is issued only once the payment has been credited to the bank account. Sending a transfer confirmation is not enough.
- OC is bought for one year, with instalments possible.
Where to insure, penalties and price
- A vehicle should be insured in the country where it is registered.
- If you have no valid OC, the UFG charges a one-off penalty fee. The amount depends on how long the gap in insurance lasted: up to 3 days, 4–14 days, or over 14 days.
- The premium depends on many factors, such as the owner's age, address, and the car's make, model and engine capacity.
Read the full process in our guide on how to buy car insurance in Poland as a foreigner.
Why Choose Magro Ubezpieczenia?
- 30+ years of experience: operating since 1993 in Łódź.
- Independent multiagency: we compare PZU, Warta, Ergo Hestia, Allianz, InterRisk, Compensa, Generali and others.
- English-speaking agents: we also help in Polish, Ukrainian and Turkish.
- Fast turnaround: private policies are usually issued within 1 business day.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does voluntary NFZ insurance cost for foreigners?
The standard rate is 9% of the average enterprise-sector salary from Q4 of the previous year, which is roughly 790 zł per month in 2025. Students pay a much lower rate of about 110 zł per month. A one-off entry fee of 20–150% of the base may apply if you were uninsured for more than 3 months.
Can foreigners join the NFZ voluntarily?
Yes, if you live in Poland legally, for example with a residence permit or as a student. You sign a contract at your regional NFZ branch, register with ZUS and pay monthly.
How do I register with a GP in Poland?
Choose a POZ clinic with an NFZ contract and fill in the declaration form at reception or via IKP. The clinic confirms your insurance in eWUŚ. Registration is free.
Is private health insurance enough on its own?
Usually not for long-term life in Poland. Standard private packages cover outpatient visits and tests, but rarely hospital treatment or emergencies, which the NFZ covers.
How much does private health insurance cost in Poland?
Basic individual packages start from about 80 zł per month. Extended plans cost 150–300 zł, and family packages 300–600 zł, depending on age and scope.
Can I buy private health insurance without a PESEL number?
Yes. Several insurers issue health policies using your passport number. A PESEL becomes more important for car insurance, where foreigners without one get fewer offers.
What happens to my NFZ coverage when I lose my job?
It continues for 30 days after your contributions stop. After that, sign a voluntary NFZ contract or buy private cover.
What insurance do I need for a visa or Karta Pobytu?
The requirements are specific to each application type. See our dedicated guide on health insurance for a Polish visa and Karta Pobytu.
Get a Health Insurance Quote Today
Not sure whether you need voluntary NFZ, a private package or both? Tell us your situation and we will compare the options for you, in English.
- Online: fill out our free quote form. We respond within one business day.
- By phone: call 572 810 576. English-speaking agents are available.
- In person: visit our office in Łódź.