Health & Protection in Albania

Let us guide you about the proper ways to get, use, and make the most out of insurance policies in Albania. There are different ways to access protection for your family, starting from your own benefits package provided by your employer, up to add-on for medical protection. It is important to communicate with your Human resources department or team mates to understand what will be your cover, and if you need to take some plans on your own.

Getting Insurance

The Albanian government compels employers to provide health insurance for employees but under different types of circumstances. Expats might have a hard time to claim local insurance from employers, but it is something that can be added to your expat contract. Other types of insurance are also available in Albania through local insurance brokers or international insurance providers. There are several ways for you to get the insurance you need in Albania.

As the insurance industry is still relatively small in Albania, there aren’t a lot of local insurance options in the country. However, there are several international insurance brokers and insurance providers that offer coverage for the Balkan regions of Europe such as Mai Cee, and NFU Mutual. Insurance brokers can get you individual or family insurance policies for health, life, car, property, travel, or home insurance while you’re living in Albania. You can sign up for policies and plans by getting a quote online or by calling their offices. It is advisable to set up your policies before you arrive in Albania. Although most expats will arrive with a group travel medical insurance or a personal travel insurance, be aware that there are a number of limitation to that type of policies and that you will need to regularize your protection package soon.

Importance of Insurance

Insurance can be taken for granted by most expats who think that it’s not necessary. Thinking the costs for damages, or medical care will not be as high as the amount that you pay for insurance. However, this type of mentality can cost you a lot of money. You’ll be surprised to see just how much damages and medical care especially abroad can cost you.

There are also a number of things that insurance policies can offer aside from peace of mind. For health insurances for example, aside from saving on medical bills, there are also other features in some health insurance policies especially international health insurances that you can use even when you’re not in an emergency. You can get check-ups, get fitness consultations, and much more depending on your insurance plan.

With life insurance, you can also use your money for investments and utilise different options for your money depending on your type of policy.

Local Insurance in Albania

In Albania, employers are required to deduct a certain amount from their employees’ income to contribute to the national insurance scheme. However, there are still instances wherein foreign nationals must expect that they will be responsible for any medical cost that will incur while they are in the country including doctors and hospital payments as the local government insurance claims can be quite tedious to process.

An international private medical health insurance is the most efficient insurance you can get, it provides geographical reach (you could get back home to seek treatment) and portability (if you change employer or country for example). International insurance brokers such as Pacific Prime can set you up with a variety of health insurance plans that can cover you and your family during your stay in Albania. Alternatively, you can also sign up for an international private medical insurance while you’re living abroad.

As we’ve mentioned previously, the local insurance industry in Albania is still quite small, so it would be better for expats to sign up for international insurance policies that can cover their needs. Start by talking to your colleagues on the ground or to your human resources department.