San Marino Health Insurance for Expats

International Health Insurance for Expats in San Marino

Expats in San Marino are strongly urged to secure international health insurance for maximum peace of mind and healthcare accessibility. In addition to basic medical coverage, expats also have the option to choose various benefits that they can extend to their families.

This guide by Pacific Prime will discuss health insurance in San Marino, as well as the country’s overall healthcare system, what are the viable options for health insurance, and general safety and well-being tips for expats.

Recommended International Health Insurance Plans for Expatriates Living in San Marino

Allianz Care Health Insurance

• World-leading Health Insurance Provider for Expats
• Extensive Network With Over 1.9 Million Medical Providers
• Quick and Efficient Claims Process
• Maximum Plan benefit up to USD $5,000,000

Plan Details Get a Quote

Cigna Global Insurance Plan

• Worldwide Coverage (excluding the US)
• Access to Cigna's trusted network of hospitals and doctors
• Numerous Deductible Options
• 24/7 Customer Support
• 4 Core Insurance Plans

Plan Details Get a Quote

The Healthcare System in San Marino

San Marino’s healthcare consists of both public and private healthcare facilities. Residents, including expats, working in San Marino can access free healthcare at public hospitals while private hospitals are also available as an alternative.

In the following sections, we will discuss both public and private healthcare in San Marino.

Public Healthcare in San Marino

Residents, including expats, who work in San Marino can access comprehensive, high-quality, free healthcare in the country while employees must register with the Azienda Sanitaria Locale health insurance fund and the social security system.

While allowing access to free healthcare, waiting times at public hospitals in San Marino may be long even for non-emergency medical cases, which can make it extremely problematic for expats seeking treatment. Below is an example of a notable public hospital in San Marino:

• Institute for Social Security (ISS): This hospital features numerous areas of medical specialties, such as surgery, pediatrics, and more.

Alternatively, expats also have the option of private healthcare at private clinics, which brings us to our next point.

Private Healthcare in San Marino

Private healthcare via private clinics is also available in San Marino on a fee basis. The quality of healthcare in private clinics is on par with the already high quality of its public counterpart, although costs are higher due to shorter waiting times and greater comfort for patients.

Below is an example of a notable private clinic available in San Marino:

• Domus Medica: This private medical clinic in San Marino features a multitude of medical services such as cardiology, physiotherapy, orthopedics, pediatrics, echography, and so much more.

As healthcare in San Marino is state-funded, expats will also be happy to know services are offered at low prices. Keep in mind that expats who require medical treatment in San Marino will be subject to upfront payment for all medical services, so having a health insurance plan is recommended.

Health Insurance Options for Expats in San Marino

When it comes to options for health insurance for expats in San Marino, you have the option of either using the country’s default state health insurance fund or securing a private health insurance plan on your own.

Below we will discuss the available options for San Marino health insurance for expats.

Public Health Insurance in San Marino

As mentioned earlier, employees are required to register for the Azienda Sanitaria Locale health insurance fund as well as the social security system in San Marino. Employers will then make regular contributions on behalf of their employees through deductions from the latter’s salary.

After registering, a medical card with a number will be issued. What’s more, under this national health insurance scheme, employees can also extend their medical coverage to dependent family members for maximum healthcare access for everyone.

Self-employed individuals must also pay full healthcare contributions to qualify for medical coverage while certain groups such as the unemployed, elderly citizens, and people with long-term sickness benefits or maternity leaves are exempted from contributions but qualify for public healthcare.

While San Marino’s default public health insurance scheme allows access to the country’s renowned high-quality public healthcare, do keep in mind that waiting times may be longer, which can be problematic, particularly for non-emergency patients.

Expats who wish to live in San Marino despite not having any prior employment, on the other hand, must purchase their private health insurance plan to get a proper residence permit in San Marino, which brings us to our next point.

Private Health Insurance in San Marino

As mentioned earlier, private health insurance is required for expats wishing to relocate to San Marino without prior employment. This is because private health insurance will then allow expats to get a proper residence permit in San Marino so they can live and work in the country legally.

Due to potentially long waiting times delaying treatment accessibility, private health insurance is also generally preferred among expats due to access to shorter waiting times, multilingual facilities, free selection, and more. Below are notable benefits of securing private health insurance:

• Free Selection: Private health insurance allows expats to freely select any specific private clinic or doctor as they would like. This would be especially helpful for those seeking clinics with shorter waiting times or specific multilingual doctors, which brings us to our next point.
• Access to Private Clinics with Shorter Waiting Times: Despite the already high quality of public healthcare in San Marino, one drawback is that waiting times may be long. This is where private health insurance shines as it allows access to specific clinics with shorter waiting times.
• Access to Multilingual Doctors: Additionally, for non-Italian speaking expats, having a private health insurance plan also means you can access specific, multilingual doctors. This ensures not only access to high-quality healthcare but also effortless communication with medical staff.
• Additional Benefits: If you need to, private health insurance also gives you the option of adding benefits like dental, vision, or maternity care coverage on top of default plans. This means you can also extend said coverage to your family, allowing equal healthcare accessibility for everyone.

Despite San Marino’s impressive high-quality healthcare, regardless of whether it’s the public or private sector, expats are strongly urged to invest in international health insurance for maximum medical coverage worldwide and increased peace of mind.

This is because, let’s say you run into a complex medical emergency and you happen to be somewhere in San Marino where hospitals aren’t readily accessible to you at that very moment, this is where the medical evacuation coverage comes in.

With medical evacuation covered under your international health insurance plan, you can then access quality transportation methods and healthcare abroad without straining your finances regardless of your selected destination or method of transportation.

Recommended International Health Insurance Providers for Expats in San Marino

Some notable international health insurance providers recommended for expats in San Marino include Cigna Global, April International, and more. In the sections to follow, we will be giving you brief descriptions of each provider and give you a quick rundown of their shared features across plans.

Cigna Global

Cigna Global’s health insurance plans are both comprehensive and customizable, granting maximum flexibility with the addition of 24/7 customer service. The various types of health insurance plans available from Cigna Global include the Silver, Gold, and Platinum plans.

Each plan from Cigna Global has its own coverage limits and benefits. Listed below are the common benefits seen throughout Cigna Global’s health insurance plans:

• Hospitalization
• Inpatient and daypatient treatments
• Cancer treatments
• Physiotherapy
• Accidental death or total permanent disability compensation

Plan Details Get a Quote

April International

April International’s expat health insurance plans offer hospitalization, outpatient services, dental, and maternity coverage. Additionally, they also include a user-friendly mobile claims and support service, a 24/7 telemedicine service, as well as a large direct billing network.

Some key examples of the shared areas of coverage seen throughout their plans are as follows:

• Inpatient costs
• Diagnostics and laboratory tests
• Surgeries
• Ambulances transport
• Cancer treatment

Plan Details Get a Quote

Geoblue

Geoblue’s Xplorer plan, consisting of the essential and premier variations, caters to expats traveling from the United States for work, studying, or just leisure purposes. Expats also have the option to select between worldwide coverage options with or without the United States.

Notable features shared throughout Geoblue’s health insurance plans include the following:

• Diagnostic lab work and X-rays
• Surgery
• Inpatient medical emergencies
• Emergency evacuation and repatriation
• Yearly physicals

Plan Details Get a Quote

Factors to Consider When Securing Insurance in San Marino

As an expat securing health insurance in San Marino, it’s worth taking the extra time to consider some crucial factors such as deciding beyond the price in favor of comprehensiveness and more. The following are crucial factors expats must consider when getting health insurance in San Marino.

• Never Decide Based on Price: Don’t decide based on price, as the cheapest plan available will not guarantee comprehensive coverage, leaving you with odd gaps of uninsured areas where you will be subject to out-of-pocket payment for services.
• Decide Based on Comprehensiveness: Instead, decide based on plan comprehensiveness by defining your healthcare priorities and selecting as many benefits as you need, such as dental, maternity, or vision care, so that you can cover treatment for yourself and extend said coverage to your family as well.
• Pre-Existing Conditions and Eligibility: Some insurers will not cover your pre-existing conditions while some will with additional payment or a waiting period. Contact your selected insurer for specific details regarding eligibility and pre-existing conditions coverage if you have any questions.

Health and Safety Tips for Expats in San Marino

Expats in San Marino should be mindful of petty crime risks such as pickpocketing or bag snatching despite the country’s low crime rate. Additionally, before heading to San Marino, expats are strongly urged to get necessary routine vaccines and additional vaccines.

In the following sections, we will discuss general health and safety tips for expats in San Marino.

Safety Tips for Expats in San Marino

San Marino is low in crime rate, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t any risks of petty crimes like pickpocketing or bag snatching. Specifically, pickpockets or bag snatchers can sneak up on you and take your belongings or entire bag together when you’re not looking.

As a precautionary measure, refrain from carrying around excessive valuables such as jewelry or large sums of cash and any identity documents and never let your guard down and keep your bag with you at all times.

Make sure you also keep your valuables and documents well stored away at home or in your hotel.

Recommended Vaccines for Expats in San Marino

According to the CDC, expats are strongly advised to get routine vaccine updates such as influenza, COVID-19, and more, before heading to San Marino. Below are the recommended routine vaccines expats are urged before going to San Marino:

• Influenza
• COVID-19
• TDAP (Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis)
• MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella)
• Polio
• Shingles
• Chickenpox

Additionally, other types of vaccines such as the Hepatitis A and B vaccines, Measles, and more are strongly recommended. The following are additional types of vaccines expats should get as a precautionary measure before heading to San Marino:

• Hepatitis A and B
• Measles
• Rabies

If you would like to learn more about vaccine doses and any other recommendations, please click the link below:

San Marino - Traveler view | Travelers' Health | CDC

Emergency Numbers for Expats in San Marino

In case of an emergency, there are various emergency numbers available for use in San Marino to reach out to relevant branches of service such as the police or the fire department and more. Below are some key emergency numbers in San Marino for expats:

• Police: 112/113
• Fire Department: 115
• Ambulance: 118

Frequently Asked Questions

Is San Marino’s healthcare good?

San Marino’s healthcare is consistently rated as one of the top 3 in Europe. This can be seen in the country’s renowned high-quality healthcare across both public and private facilities.

Is San Marino safe?

San Marino is safe thanks to its low crime rate in comparison to other European countries. However, that doesn’t mean San Marino is without risk of petty or minor crimes like pickpocketing or bag snatching. Please exercise caution with your belongings by not leaving them unattended.

Do people speak English in San Marino?

Most Sammarinese speak Italian as their first language and learn English as their second language later. If you’re a non-Italian speaking expat, you may experience some difficulties in communicating with medical professionals, which is where international health insurance comes in.

Compare Plans and Quotes Now

Expats living in San Marino can rest assured knowing they will have access to high-quality healthcare throughout the country regardless of whether they opt for public or private healthcare. However, do keep in mind that public facilities may have longer waiting times from time to time.

With over two decades of experience, Pacific Prime and our brokers can help you seek out suitable health insurance plans that match both your budget and unique healthcare needs for added peace of mind and increased access to quality healthcare all around the world.

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