Health & Protection in Estonia

Estonia is one of the most stable countries in the European Union and is considered a high-income economy. This also means that services for insurance and protection can be quite expensive in the country. This is why international insurance plans can be the best thing to have when you’re an expat in Estonia. You can get more than just protection, you can save money on even the basic services you will need while living abroad. Learn more about how you take advantage of insurance services and how to save more money on insurance in Estonia.

Getting Insurance

While you are reviewing your job offer for the posting on assignment to Estonia, make sure to understand well the level of benefits you are being offered. Also, you HR department might be able to guide you on where to get insurance for the additional cover you might want to secure.

Estonia has a large insurance industry both in the private and public sector. Residents of Estonia, including foreign workers, are required to contribute to employment and medical insurance paid by the employer and employee through a monthly salary deduction. EU nationals can also gain health and social security services through their European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) in the country.

Though services for insurance in the local private and public sector are efficient, most expats in the country still prefer to get international insurance policies, mostly for the type of coverage, additional benefits and services, and flexibility. Private insurance in Estonia can be expensive, and the coverage is very local or regional at most. Public insurance, though efficient and free, can only cover for the simplest needs, so expats often get international insurance policies to gain full coverage and protection while living in Estonia. International insurance companies such as Swisscare, Allianz, offer insurance plans in the country.

Importance of Insurance

People tend to underestimate the cost of emergencies and damages when they’re living abroad, leaving them with a dented savings, a lot of stress, and possible debt. When you live in a country like Estonia where the cost of living is quite high, you have to be more prepared for shelling out huge sums of money not only when things go wrong, but also to get even the basic services you’ll need. Insurance plans with the proper coverage can help you save money on services as well as emergencies abroad. Don’t get caught off guard and end up losing time, effort and your savings on things that you could’ve handled through an insurance plan.

Local Insurance in Estonia

The insurance industry in Estonia is booming, and the biggest name in local insurance in the country is ERGO Insurance. ERGO offers almost all kinds of insurance such as general, life, health, moving, and even pet insurance. The local insurance coverage often includes the Baltic region of Europe as well as anywhere within Estonia.

The government agency that regulates insurance companies, as well as policies in the country, is known as the Finantsinspektsioonor the Financial Supervision Authority of Estonia. Make sure you do a background check for the local company and the policy you’re signing up for through the country’s FSA before you start the policy.