European Health Insurance Card

When going on holiday in Europe, do not forget to take your European Health Insurance Card with you. This card will help you out should you suddenly suffer from a health problem while being abroad. The European Health Insurance Card entitles an Estonian insured persons to receive necessary medical care in the European Union member states, as well as in United Kingdom, Liechtenstein, Norway, Iceland and Switzerland on equal terms with the insured persons living in these countries. 

• Order a free European Health Insurance Card or its replacement certificate here. 

Necessary medical care is considered to be the treatment of an unexpected health disorder occurring during a stay in another European Union country. Necessary medical care must be medically justified and a doctor must consider the expected duration of treatment and the nature of the health care service. 

Necessary medical care covers, for example, high fever, abdominal pain, heart attack or accidental injury, as well as pregnancy-related visits and childbirth in another country for family or emergency reasons. Services required for chronic diseases such as renal dialysis, oxygen therapy, special treatment for asthma, echocardiography for chronic autoimmune diseases, chemotherapy are also considered necessary medical care. The attending doctor will decide if this is a case of necessary medical care. The European Health Insurance Card does not apply to those who go to another country to seek treatment there.

In order to receive medical care, a European Health Insurance Card or its replacement certificate and an identity document must be presented at a medical institution. The European Health Insurance Card entitles you to medical care only in public medical institutions. The attending doctor will decide if this case is a case of necessary medical care. 

Please note! Please note that the European Health Insurance Card does not cover all costs that may occur with necessary medical care. The patient is required to pay self-liability fees (visit fee, bed-day fee, co-payment of pharmaceuticals, translation costs etc.) according to local rates. The card does not cover the cost of international transport or private doctor’s fees. When going on a trip, we recommend signing a travel insurance contract at a private insurance company. Depending on the insurance conditions, this contract will ensure the reimbursement of the patient’s personal expenses.

You can apply for a European Health Insurance Card from EHIF and the card will be delivered within 10 days. Therefore, we recommend that you order a European Health Insurance Card in advance before your trip. You can order a European Health Insurance Card can if your health insurance with EHIF is valid for at least another three months.

What to do when you are outside Estonia in another EU member state and suddenly need medical care, but you do not have a European Health Insurance Card

with you?

In such case, you can order a replacement certificate from EHIF. You can order a replacement certificate:

• through the citizen portal eesti.ee, under the service European Health Insurance Card ordering
• by sending your application to info [at] tervisekassa.ee. In the application for a replacement certificate submitted by e-mail, please indicate the personal data (personal identification code, name) of the person for whom the replacement certificate is requested and the telephone number. 
• by calling the customer service +372 669 6630 Mon, Tue 8.30-16.30; Wed, Thu, Fri 8.30-14.00.

The certificate ordered from the citizen portal will be sent to your citizen portal inbox.

A replacement certificate ordered by e-mail or telephone can be received by e-mail or mail as requested.

The European Health Insurance Card and its replacement certificate entitles you to necessary medical care in the following countries:

Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Norway, Romania, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom*, Switzerland.

How to apply for the card?

You can apply for a European Health Insurance Card and its replacement certificate only if you have valid health insurance.

You can apply for the card:

• through the citizen portal eesti.ee;
• by sending a digitally signed application by email to info [at] tervisekassa.ee;
• by sending the application by regular mail;

The application form is available on the EHIF 's website.

You can order the card via regular mail to a specified address or to your address in the population register.
The European Health Insurance Card can be applied for by a person who is at least 15 years old and has a passport or an ID card. A parent or a representative can apply for the card for a child under 19 years of age. When represented by another person, an application on paper or a digitally signed application needs to be submitted to the Health Insurance Fund. The application must be accompanied by a document certifying the right of representation.

The European Health Insurance Card is issued to persons under 19 years of age with the validity period of 5 years, but for no longer than until the expiry of insurance cover. Cards issued to persons over 19 years of age have a 3 year validity period, but for no longer than until the expiry of insurance cover.