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    Italy

    International Health Insurance in Italy

    Whether you’re a student, expat or business transfer, protect yourself and your loved ones with private health insurance in Italy – and beyond.

    Our policies are international, so you’ll be protected in Italy and over 200 countries and territories.

    • Get a quote in under two minutes
    • Customizable plan to meet your needs
    • 24/7 support and assistance available

    Get a quote, it takes only 2 minutes!

    Get a free quote
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    Why choose Cigna for global health insurance in Italy?

    We cover your hospital treatment charges

    Accessing medical treatment in your new country shouldn’t be something you worry about.

    Get cover for many common inpatient and day-patient treatment charges from medical providers and hospitals in Italy, including costs for surgery and radiology.

    We can pay the hospital directly for your care

    We can make your healthcare experience in Italy more straightforward by usually paying the treatment provider directly on your behalf.

    Travel to other nations frequently? Request assistance in more than 200 countries and territories around the world.

    You can speak to us around-the-clock

    Your health isn’t a 9-to-5 issue, which is why our support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

    Use the Cigna Wellbeing® App for direct access to doctors as part of your Italy medical insurance, no matter where you are.
    Cigna Leaf

    Our health insurance plans

    There’s no out-of-the-box insurance product that works for all situations. That’s why we’ve created tiered health insurance packages to suit individual needs.

    Our basic package is the Close Care℠ Plan. With this you get cover in Italy and your home country for inpatient and day-patient treatments, with cover up to $500,000.

    However, our tiered Global Health Options Plans are our flagship products. Choose worldwide cover, or worldwide cover excluding the USA. Get comprehensive inpatient and day-patient support across hospitals in Italy, including:

    • Treatment accommodation costs.
    • Common hospital charges, like prescribed medicines, intensive care and surgeons’ fees.
    • Cancer care and mental healthcare.

    With Silver, Gold or Platinum packages you can choose the perfect level of health insurance for your adventure in Italy.
    Plan in Detail
    Global Health Options plans
    Silver Gold Platinum
     

    Our Silver plan covers day-patient cover, including hospital stays and treatment.

    Our Gold policy package includes maternity cover, and dental treatment. This plan could be ideal for you if you’re moving with your family.

    Our most extensive insurance package, Platinum gives you and your family access to a broad range of treatments – often paid in full.
    Geographic cover

    Worldwide

    Worldwide

    Worldwide
    Overall annual benefit

    $1,000,000

    $2,000,000

    Unlimited
    Inpatient, day-patient and accommodation costs

    Private room paid in full

    Private room paid in full

    Private room paid in full
    Cancer care

    Paid in full

    Paid in full

    Paid in full
    Mental and behavioral healthcare

    Up to $5,000

    Up to $10,000

    Paid in full
    Maternity care

    Not included

    Routine inpatient maternity cover – paid in full up to $7,000

    Routine inpatient maternity cover – paid in full up to $14,000
    Close Care℠

    Our essential plan covers you in your country of residence and your home country.

    You can also add modules to extend this cover, including dental and wider outpatient care.

    Close Care℠
    Geographic cover

    Country you’re living in and home country only
    Overall annual benefit

    $500,000 (with $250,000 condition limit)
    Inpatient, day-patient and accommodation costs

    Semi-private room paid in full
    Cancer care

    Paid in full
    Mental and behavioral healthcare

    Not included
    Maternity care

    Not included
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    How does international health insurance work?

    1. Get a free quote and buy your policy

    Build a quote online or give us a call at +44 (0)1475 492119
    Choose a plan, customise your deductibles & cost shares, find a cost that meets your needs, and choose how you want to pay. Choose from monthly, quarterly and annual payments.

    2. Manage your policy with our easy app

    Manage your health and wellbeing on the go, wherever you may be.

    The Cigna Wellbeing® App gives you access to Global Telehealth consultations from anywhere in the world. Use our online customer area to access your policy documents, at any time.

    3. Get your treatment and make a claim

    Get in touch with our customer care team to make a claim.
    We’ll connect you to a medical expert within 24 hours, via global network of over 2.2 million partnerships.

    Direct billing available in most cases, as we liaise directly with your treatment provider.

    Expat healthcare cover in Italy

    From Florence’s famous galleries to Ancient Rome, the Amalfi coast and the fashion houses of Milan, Italy has so much to offer for expats, students and globally mobile workers.

    Italian citizens and residents can access free healthcare in hospitals from Italy’s public health service, the Servizio Sanitario Nazionale, or SSN. This taxpayer-funded system is free at the point of use. However, the quality of services and access to them – as well as standards – can vary from region to region.

    Also, you cannot access SSN healthcare services in Italy until you have resident status, and, even then, securing an Italian Health Insurance Card – known as a Tessera Sanitaria – can be complex. Arranging private international health insurance in Italy can help to bridge that gap, and provide you with access to better quality treatment.
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    Additional benefits as part of your international health insurance cover

    Telehealth consultations

    We’re here to support you whenever you need it. Enjoy unlimited phone or video consultations, along with counseling and coaching, in Italy and beyond.

    International cover, wherever you are

    Your international coverage—whether Silver, Gold, or Platinum—provides comprehensive support no matter where you are, ensuring peace of mind wherever you go.

    Flexible plans, made for you

    Your health insurance quote is carefully tailored to suit the unique needs of you and your family. Customize it today to fit your budget and ensure comprehensive coverage.
    Add more cover to your policyOnce you’ve chosen from our silver, Gold and Platinum packages, make them even more bespoke to you with additional cover.
    International Outpatient – optional coverOur international outpatient insurance provides access to a broad range of healthcare treatments that don’t require admission to a hospital. For example, you can get:

    • Consultations with specialists, in-person or online
    • Prescribed drugs and dressings
    • Radiology and diagnostic tests
    • Outpatient rehabilitation
    • Cover for hearing aids
         International Evacuation & Crisis Assistance PlusTM – optional coverThis medical insurance add-on covers emergency healthcare and assistance. It could help if there’s a global crisis, or to evacuate you if local treatment can’t help. It can give you:

    • Emergency transport to good hospitals.
    • Repatriation if you experience a serious medical event
    • Crisis response services following travel or security risks
    • Help with compassionate travel and living costs
    • Travel costs for people who accompany you
         International Health & Wellbeing – optional coverBoost your health with insurance for screening, tests and dietetic consultations. There’s also a mental health support program for expats as well.

    • Support from wellness coaches
    • Access to preventative cancer screenings
    • Emotional support from counselors
    • Non-symptomatic, routine physical examinations each year
    • Transport to a specialist center
         International Vision & Dental – optional coverGet eye tests and help with the cost of eyewear, plus a wide range of preventative, and routine dental treatments:

    • Cover for dental appointments
    • Preventative, routine, and major dental treatments
    • Routine eye exams
    • Support with costs for glasses and lenses
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    Who comes to us for expat health insurance in Italy?

    International students

    Italy was named 7th best value country for international students in a poll by the TES.

    Whether you study in Milan, Rome or in the historic institution at Bologna, get emergency cover, mental health support and lots more with our insurance for international students.

    Mobile workers

    Italy is one of Europe’s manufacturing powerhouses, especially in fashion, machinery and automotive.

    If you’re moving to a new role in manufacturing, or another industry, we can help you prepare. With our health insurance for globally mobile workers in Italy, you can concentrate on your work, rather than worrying about healthcare.

    Retirees

    Italy is a popular choice for those looking to retire. Medieval Siena, lush Tuscany, and cultural Turin, nestled beside the Alps, are popular locations.

    Wherever you choose, our private international seniors’ insurance (for over 60s) can deliver everything from cancer care to mental health therapies.
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    More information about healthcare in Italy
    Quick facts about healthcare in ItalyHospitals: You’ll find around 1,050 hospitals in Italy.
    Healthcare ranking: 41st out of 195 countries (Global Health Security Index)
    Useful drug names: You may see ibuprofen sold under the brand name of ‘Brufen’. Over-the-counter medicines are known as ‘Farmaci da banco’.
    Emergency services number (while in Italy): 112
    Cigna claim number (while in Italy): +44 (0) 1475 788182         Emergency CareShould you need emergency hospital treatment, call 112 for an ambulance or visit your nearest public hospital. You can access treatment for free or for a limited payment – regardless of whether you have an Italian Health Insurance Card or not.

    Should you have to pay for treatment in an emergency department, you may be able to claim it back on your private health insurance. It can depend on the exact treatments you receive in Italy, plus the terms of your policy.         Temperatures and climateItaly ranks high globally for heat-related health problems and fatalities in extreme hot weather, and during average summer temperatures, according to data from the World Health Organization (WHO). This is markedly worse in urban areas such as Milan, Florence and Rome. The WHO also warns of the rise of mosquito-borne diseases in Mediterranean basin countries.

    If you’re worried about experiencing climate-related illnesses, consider arranging private health insurance for added peace of mind for your new life in Italy.
    Frequently asked questions about health insurance in Italy
    What are the pros and cons of using public healthcare in Italy?The potential benefits of using Italy’s public healthcare system include:
    • Safe, clean and well-staffed clinics and hospitals
    • Affordable prescriptions and access to family doctors and hospital admissions
    • Parental choice of a free paediatrician for children aged 0-14 years
    Potential drawbacks include:
    • Potentially long waiting times
    • Varying quality of services across Italy due to services being managed regionally
    • Lack of privacy and comfort at some facilities
         Can expats get healthcare in Italy?Yes, expats can access public healthcare in Italy, but how it works depends on which country you have arrived from:
    • Outside the UK and EU: You’ll need an official permit to stay (permesso di soggiorno). With this you can then apply for an Italian Health Insurance Card (Tessera Sanitaria). This entitles you to receive free services from the Italian national health service, the SSN.
    • From the UK and EU: You can access public healthcare on the same basis as a resident of Italy or other EU countries, with either a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) for residents of EU nations – or a Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) for UK residents.
         Do I need expat health insurance in Italy?Arranging private health insurance may not be a legal requirement in Italy, but it is generally advised for expats. The UK government, for example, advises people to arrange private travel and medical insurance before moving to Italy. There are also limitations to what an EHIC card can cover you for, as outlined by the European Commission. Are prescriptions free in Italy?No. Prescriptions are not usually free in Italy. However, if you hold an EHIC or GHIC card, or obtain an Italian SSN prescription with a Tessera Sanitaria, you may pay less for standard prescriptions. Our optional International Outpatient add-on can help cover you for prescribed outpatient drugs and dressings.

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    *Please note, this is a representation of the benefits available and does not contain the terms, conditions, and exclusions specific to each benefit. The benefits may be subject to change. Some benefits may be part of an optional module. Please see the Customer Guide for full details.

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