Expats in Latvia will want to secure international health insurance to craft a safety net for themselves and their families in the event of medical emergencies like illnesses and injuries. What’s more, you can also add additional benefits like vision or dental care to supplement your coverage.

This Pacific Prime guide will discuss private health insurance in Latvia for expats, along with the country’s healthcare system and other available options for health insurance in the country.

Recommended International Health Insurance Plans for Expatriates Living in Latvia

Health Insurance Options for Expats in Latvia

Latvia features public and private health insurance, the former of which is run by the country’s national health services and allows access to medical care but at the cost of long waiting times or language barriers while private health insurance allows access to less crowded, multilingual hospitals.

Below we will be discussing the public and private health insurance options for expats in Latvia.

Public Health Insurance in Latvia

The public health insurance scheme in Latvia is run by the Latvian National Health Services (Nacionālais veselības dienests), allowing expats to access public healthcare facilities with a small fee but at the cost of long waiting times or language barriers.

Below are notable benefits and drawbacks of public health insurance in Latvia:

• Access to Public Hospitals: The Latvian public health insurance scheme, under the country’s national health services program, allows expats to access public hospitals in the country for medical care.
• Long Waiting Times: Public hospitals can be excessively crowded, which may also result in longer waiting times, making it more difficult for expats to get treatment.
• Language Barrier: For non-Latvian-speaking expats, the language barrier could be problematic in public hospitals as this can make communicating with or understanding medical staff incredibly difficult.

Private Health Insurance in Latvia

Private health insurance, thanks to its additional benefits from its aforementioned public counterpart such as free specialist selections and reduced times, is a preferred alternative among expats.

Below are the key advantages of private health insurance for expats in Latvia:

• Free Selection: This feature allows expats to freely select specific hospitals or doctors they would like, which may include hospitals that are known for offering shorter waiting times for all medical cases or those with multilingual staff, which brings us to our next points.
• Shorter Waiting Times: As part of the free selection feature, private health insurance allows expats to choose hospitals they’d like, which may include those with shorter waiting times. This will allow expats to access quality treatment in a timely manner.
• Multilingual Medical Staff: Once again part of the free selection feature, private health insurance allows expats to choose specific doctors, including multilingual ones. This will allow non-Latvian-speaking expats to communicate and understand medical staff much more easily.
• Additional Benefits: Expats also have the option to add any benefits on top of their default plans. This may include dental, vision, or maternity care, and would be especially useful for families as they can ensure maximum coverage and healthcare accessibility for every family member.

Public Hospitals in Latvia

The quality of hospitals in Latvia is generally considered below average in comparison to most of the EU and access to healthcare is limited for many people. Public hospitals will allow expats to access basic medical care but at the cost of either long waiting times, language barriers, or both.

Below we have some examples of public hospitals in Latvia:

• Riga 1st Hospital: This hospital, founded way back in 1803, boasts various areas of medical services such as dentistry, cardiology, neurosurgery, psychotherapy, gynecology, and many more.
• Pauls Stradiņš Clinical University Hospital: This hospital offers specialized healthcare services, inpatient and outpatient, in a multitude of fields such as allergology, dermatology, immunology, cardiology, neurology, ophthalmology, and more.

Note: Due to the shortcomings of public hospitals as mentioned earlier, private hospitals are generally preferred among expats, which brings us to our next point.

Private Hospitals in Latvia

Private hospitals in Latvia offer much shorter waiting times, allowing expats to get the treatment they need in a timely manner regardless of how serious their medical case is. What’s more, private hospitals also have more multilingual staff, allowing expats to communicate much more easily.

Below we have some examples of private hospitals in Latvia:

• Capital Clinic Riga: This private clinic in Riga, Latvia offers a large array of medical services for both kids and adults such as children's healthcare, maternity care for mothers, rehabilitation, diagnostics, laser therapy, and more.
• ORTO Klinika: This modern clinic offers various types of medical services such as various medical consultations with different specialists ranging from surgeons to nutritionists and many other doctors, rehabilitation and physiotherapy, tests and diagnostics, and more.

European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)

A European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) is a free card that allows access to healthcare while temporarily staying in any of the 27 EU countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Norway, or the UK under the same conditions and price (or free in some countries) as people insured in that country.

These cards are issued by your national health provider and it’s important to bear in mind that these cards are not a substitute for travel insurance and will not cover medical travel expenses. Below are key factors to keep in mind about the EHIC:

• These cards are not a substitute for travel insurance plans. Therefore, these cards will not cover private healthcare or any expenses like a return flight to your home country or item loss and theft.
• These cards will not cover any travel costs if you are traveling for the purpose of accessing medical treatment.
• These cards do not guarantee free medical services due to each country having different medical services, meaning what medical services were free back in your home country might not actually be free in another country.

Since hospitals in Latvia are below average in quality compared to most of the EU and many people can’t access healthcare in the country, securing international health insurance is strongly recommended for expats.

An international health insurance plan will not only grant access to local healthcare in Latvia, but if let’s say you live in rural areas in Latvia where hospitals aren’t accessible, you can then use medical evacuation to call for transportation to take you to a better hospital overseas.

Recommended International Health Insurance Plans for Expats in Latvia

Notable international health insurance providers for expats in Latvia include Cigna, April International, and more. Below we have a brief description of each notable insurer along with a short rundown of their various benefits and coverage areas.

AXA

Health insurance plans from AXA Global provide different customizable coverage levels, including hospitalization options, outpatient treatments, emergency care, and medical evacuation. Thanks to its flexibility, AXA’s plans are a favorite among expats.

The following are examples of shared coverage across all of AXA’s health insurance plans:

April International

April International offers health insurance plans tailored to expats, featuring hospitalization, outpatient services, dental, and maternity coverage. April International also includes user-friendly mobile claims and support, a 24/7 telemedicine service, and a vast direct billing network

Shared coverage across their plans includes the following:

Cigna Global Insurance Plan

Cigna Global offers comprehensive, customizable health insurance plans, granting expats flexibility thanks to 24/7 customer service access and come in different types as follows:

• Silver
• Gold
• Platinum

Each plan has its own coverage limits and benefits. Below are the common coverage benefits shared across Cigna Global’s health insurance plans:

GeoBlue

Geoblue’s Xplorer health insurance plan has two types: essential and premier, made for expats traveling from the United States for business and studying, or leisure purposes. Expats also have the option to choose worldwide coverage options with or without the US.

The following are some of the shared features present throughout Geoblue’s various health insurance plans.

Factors to Consider When Securing Insurance in Latvia

As an expat in Latvia, it’s worth noting that securing health insurance requires thoughtful consideration of various factors. These crucial factors to keep in mind include forgoing price-based decisions in favor of putting comprehensiveness first, pre-existing conditions, and more.

Below we have a list of some important factors to bear in mind as an expat securing health insurance in Latvia:

• Forego Price-Based Decisions: The cheapest plan available, while affordable, won’t necessarily guarantee comprehensive coverage for you and your family, leaving gaps in coverage comprehensiveness and forcing you to pay out-of-pocket for areas not covered.
• Put Plan Comprehensiveness First: When deciding on health insurance plans, focus on plan comprehensiveness. Look for plans that cover your healthcare priorities like dental and vision care, mental healthcare, or surgeries to ensure maximum coverage for yourself and your family.
• Pre-Existing Conditions and Eligibility: Note that some insurers will either decline your health insurance plan application if you have any illnesses or ailments at the time of application while some will accept but with additional cost. Contact your selected insurer for details if you’re unsure.
• Latvia’s Hospitals: Latvia’s hospitals aren’t up to par in quality in comparison to most of the EU and hospital accessibility may be limited for some. If your international health insurance plan covers medical evacuation, you can then call for transportation to get sent to a better hospital abroad.

Health and Safety Tips for Expats in Latvia

As an expat in Latvia, it’s important to be mindful of the risk of crimes such as pickpocketing or bag snatching. Below we will provide health and safety tips for expats in Latvia.

Crime and Safety in Latvia

Petty crimes such as pickpocketing or bag snatching in Latvia are particularly common in Riga Old Town, Central Market, and certain bus or train stations. The following are safety tips for expats in Latvia:

• Avoid Unlit Streets at Night: At nighttime in unlit streets, you won’t be able to see the pickpocket or bag snatcher coming, allowing them to sneak up on you and steal your items or bag entirely. Avoid low-lit or unlit areas at night if you work late.
• Don’t Bring Your Valuables and Documents: Leave your documents and valuables at your house, hotel, apartment, or condo in Latvia, and don’t carry large sums of money to prevent pickpockets from stealing them.
• Don’t Leave Your Items Unattended: Additionally, don’t leave your bags and other items unattended. This is because even the briefest look away could allow pickpockets or bag snatchers to quickly steal them while you’re not looking.
• Keep Your Car Locked: If you’re going to park your car somewhere for prolonged periods of time, make sure that you once again don’t leave your valuables and/or documents inside and securely lock your car to prevent car and item theft. If possible, try parking somewhere with CCTV installed.

Emergency Numbers in Latvia

In case of an emergency, Latvia has many different emergency hotlines you can call as listed below:

• Police: 110 or 112
• Tourist Police Unit (Riga): 6718 1818
• Ambulance: 112 or 113

Frequently Asked Questions

Are hospitals in Latvia good?

The quality of hospitals in Latvia is below average in comparison to most of the EU and people may have limited access to healthcare. If your international health insurance plan covers medical evacuation, however, you will be able to call for transportation to get sent to a better hospital overseas.

What are some common health issues in Latvia?

Some common health issues in Latvia include Ischaemic heart disease, various types of cancer such as prostate or lung cancer, diabetes, and pneumonia. You can easily lower your risk of developing such diseases by exercising, refraining from smoking and drinking and avoiding secondhand smoke.

What should I look out for in Latvia?

In Latvia, be on the lookout for petty crimes such as pickpocketing and bag snatchers. Leave important documents and valuables at your house or hotel in Latvia and don’t leave your belongings unattended. When parking, also lock your car to prevent car and item theft.

Conclusion

Since hospitals in Latvia aren’t up to par in comparison to most of the EU, securing international health insurance is strongly recommended to boost your coverage. Assuming your plan covers medical evacuation, you can then call for transportation to access better hospitals abroad if needed.

Pacific Prime and our brokers with over 20 years of experience can help you compare and select health insurance plans to ensure comprehensive coverage for not only yourself but to also craft a safety net for your family as well.

Contact us today or compare quotes with our online quotation system!