Health insurance Austria 2026: public and private options for foreigners, and what they cost
Care Austria, 2026 prices. Unlimited tariffs need no extra MA 35 declaration, can be cancelled ordinarily only after 1 year, then only to 31 December with 1 month’s notice (AVB § 3), and the unlimited Standard tariff rises from 2028 per the policy terms. 364-day tariffs (€51 / €95) need an extra MA 35 declaration.
Foreigners in Austria have four health insurance routes in 2026: compulsory ÖGK cover through a job above €551.10 a month, co-insurance through a family member, ÖGK self-insurance at €565.25 a month (oegk.at; valid permit needed, 6-month waiting period unless waived), or private all-risk cover. A first permit without a job or family co-insurance needs private all-risk cover (§ 11 NAG; student and RWR exceptions below). Care Austria unlimited starts at €56/month for students or €155 under 50 (min. 1 year).
Which health insurance in Austria fits your situation?
Health insurance for Austria depends on whether you have a job subject to compulsory health insurance, an insured spouse or parent, a place to study, or a permit application without a job. Pick the box below that matches you; each one shows the route the official rules leave open.
I have a job in Austria
If the job is subject to compulsory health insurance, ÖGK cover starts with the employment; work at or below the marginal-earnings limit may provide accident insurance only. The BMI calls compulsory cover “in any case sufficient” for a permit. You need private cover only for a gap before the job starts.
See also the Red-White-Red Card and e-card guides.
I am applying for a permit without a job
Care Austria Standard unlimited costs €155 a month under 50, €222 at 50–64 and €510 at 65–74 (2026, 1-year minimum term). The second option is Standard 364 at €95 a month (ages 0–64), a 364-day tariff that needs an extra MA 35 declaration.
The full permit rules are in our guide to insurance for a residence permit.
I am a student (12–35)
Care Austria Education unlimited costs €56 a month (2026, 1-year minimum term). The second option is Education 364 at €51 a month, a 364-day tariff that needs an extra MA 35 declaration. For a first student permit, OeAD also describes a written statement that ÖGK student insurance will follow after entry, with travel insurance until then (ask your residence authority). Once you are resident, the ÖGK student rate of €78.84 a month (2026) becomes an option.
Also read student health insurance and study in Austria.
Older applicant, or my family is insured here
For older applicants, the entry age in Care Austria’s documents is unclear, so ask Care Concept AG before applying. If you are family of an ÖGK-insured person, check co-insurance.
We explain ÖGK co-insurance and the rules for parents separately.
Austria health insurance in 9 official facts
| Fact | What the source says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Coverage | About 99.9 % of residents are statutorily insured (compulsory, self- or co-insured) | oesterreich.gv.at |
| Permit rule | All-risk health insurance that pays in Austria (§ 11 (2) 3 NAG) | ris.bka.gv.at |
| Travel insurance | “In any case not sufficient” for a national residence title; Red-White-Red Card applications are the stated exception (travel cover well above €30,000 incl. rescue and return costs, at application); EU-law residence cards follow different rules | bmi.gv.at; migration.gv.at |
| Job | Compulsory insurance through employment is “in any case sufficient” | bmi.gv.at |
| ÖGK self-insurance 2026 | €565.25 a month; residence + valid permit (non-EU/EEA/Swiss); benefits after 6 months unless waived | oegk.at |
| ÖGK student rate 2026 | €78.84 a month | oegk.at |
| Waiting periods (Vienna) | “If you have a waiting period, you must bridge it with private insurance.” | wien.gv.at |
| Insurer list (Vienna) | Care Concept AG listed; Care Austria and Care Austria Education (the unlimited tariffs) need no extra declaration, the 364-day tariffs do | wien.gv.at |
| Care Austria prices 2026 | Unlimited, 1-year minimum term (AVB § 3): €56 (12–35, Education), €155 / €222 / €510 (0–49 / 50–64 / 65–74) | care-concept.de |
How to get health insurance in Austria as a foreigner?
Foreigners get health insurance in Austria through the public system or, without a link to it, through private cover. Healthcare in Austria for foreigners runs through the same public insurance system, which is tied to a job, a family link or self-insurance, not to a passport. Health insurance in Austria for foreigners without such a link is private until they qualify for ÖGK self-insurance, and for non-EU/EEA/Swiss citizens that needs a valid permit first. Go through these points in order.
Public or private health insurance in Austria: how do the routes compare?
Statutory cover through a job subject to compulsory health insurance, or co-insurance through a family member, is open only to those who qualify; ÖGK self-insurance (€565.25 a month) costs more than any 2026 Care Austria band, and private cover is what a permit applicant can buy before arrival. Private cover can satisfy a first-permit need before statutory routes become available. Later eligibility for ÖGK or co-insurance does not itself establish that Care Austria can end early; its ordinary minimum term is one year. The table shows the same criteria for each route; the ÖGK rows are information only.
| Route | Monthly cost 2026 | Before the first permit? | Waiting period |
|---|---|---|---|
| ÖGK through a job subject to compulsory insurance (not a marginal job of up to €551.10 a month, 2026: accident insurance only) | Deducted from pay | Yes, once employed | None |
| ÖGK co-insurance | Children free; spouse: statutory 3.4 % additional contribution unless an exemption applies | Only as the sponsor’s co-insurance: ÖGK co-insurance needs habitual residence in Austria, and for family reunification migration.gv.at says family members “are usually covered by their sponsors’ health insurance (co-insurance)” | Ask the ÖGK |
| ÖGK self-insurance | €565.25 | No — needs residence and, if non-EU/EEA/Swiss, a valid permit | 6 months unless waived |
| ÖGK student self-insurance | €78.84 | No — needs residence in Austria; a written statement that ÖGK student insurance will follow after entry can be attached to a first student permit application, plus travel insurance until ÖGK cover starts (OeAD; ask your residence authority whether it accepts it) | Ask the ÖGK |
| Care Austria (private) | Unlimited from €56 (students) / €155 (under 50) | Yes, bought from abroad; cover not before entry | 31 days, waived if bought before travelling or within 31 days of entry, and for accidents after cover starts; 8 months for childbirth and dental prosthetics |
The ÖGK routes have their own pages, ÖGK self-insurance vs private cover (with a calculator) and ÖGK co-insurance. Our page on health care in Austria explains how the system works once you are in.
What does private health insurance in Austria cost by age?
Private health insurance in Austria (private medical insurance for a residence permit) costs €56 a month for students aged 12–35 and €155 to €510 a month in the Standard tariff, depending on age (Care Austria, unlimited, 2026). Age is the calendar year minus your birth year; the higher band applies from 1 January of the year you turn 50 or 65 (policy terms). The full breakdown with yearly totals is on what health insurance costs in Austria.
| Tariff | Age band | Term | Per month 2026 | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Care Austria Education | 12–35 | Unlimited | €56 | No extra MA 35 declaration; minimum 1 year |
| Care Austria Standard | 0–49 | Unlimited | €155 | No extra MA 35 declaration; minimum 1 year; 2026 price, rises to €187 from 1 January 2028 |
| Care Austria Standard | 50–64 | Unlimited | €222 | No extra MA 35 declaration; minimum 1 year; 2026 price, rises to €268 from 1 January 2028 |
| Care Austria Standard | 65–74 | Unlimited | €510 | No extra MA 35 declaration; minimum 1 year; 2026 price, rises to €617 from 1 January 2028 |
| Care Austria Education 364 | 12–35 | Up to 364 days | €51 | 364-day tariff, extra MA 35 declaration |
| Care Austria Standard 364 | 0–64 | Up to 364 days | €95 | 364-day tariff, extra MA 35 declaration |
| Care Austria Standard 364 | 65–74 | Up to 364 days | €219 | 364-day tariff, extra MA 35 declaration |
ÖGK self-insurance at €565.25 a month costs about ten times the Education tariff (€56); from 1 January 2028 the unlimited 65–74 Standard band rises to €617 (AVB § 5), above the 2026 ÖGK rate (the ÖGK rate for 2028 is not yet published). In 2026 private cover costs less in every listed age band. ÖGK, though, is statutory cover with family co-insurance, and without a job, co-insurance or one of the student and Red-White-Red Card exceptions, private all-risk cover is what makes a first permit possible. Care Austria’s documents are not consistent about the highest age at which a new contract can start, so if you are in the 65–74 band, ask Care Concept AG in writing before you plan on it.
Which Austria health insurance companies are on Vienna’s MA 35 list?
Vienna’s MA 35 page names these insurers for residence permits (as listed on wien.gv.at, checked 30 October 2026; the page shows no date of its own). We list them for information only, without a ranking. We have an affiliate relationship with only one of them, Care Concept AG (our Care Concept insurance page explains who the company is).
- Aetna Insurance Company
- Allianz Elementar Versicherungs-AG
- Allianz Worldwide Care
- Care Concept AG
- Cigna
- DONAU-Versicherung
- Expat & Co
- Generali
- INTER Krankenversicherung AG
- UNIQA
- Wiener Städtische
Care Concept AG is on the City of Vienna's (MA 35) list of health insurers for residence permits; Care Austria and Care Austria Education (the unlimited tariffs) need no extra declaration, the 364-day tariffs do (wien.gv.at, checked 30 October 2026). Any other private insurer is possible too, with MA 35’s general extra declaration, if cover essentially matches statutory insurance. The City of Linz lists Care Concept AG among accepted private health insurers; Care Austria needs no extra declaration, Care Austria 364 an addendum (Magistrat Linz, list dated 12.12.2025, checked 30 October 2026). For other provinces we found no official list. Care Concept states that Care Austria is recognised by all municipalities and authorities in Austria. That is Care Concept’s own statement, and we could not confirm it. For the full product list with declaration status, see MA 35 extra declaration by tariff. UNIQA tariffs sold by FeelSafe are set out next to Care Austria in Care Austria vs FeelSafe.
Do expat or international health insurance plans count in Austria?
Expat and international health insurance plans count in Austria if they are all-risk cover that pays in Austria and the authority accepts them. For expat health insurance in Austria, the test is the permit rule (all-risk cover paying in Austria, § 11 (2) 3 NAG), not the label “international”. Allianz Worldwide Care and Cigna are among the names on Vienna’s list; in Vienna, other international health insurance needs MA 35’s general extra declaration, with cover that essentially matches statutory insurance. A travel policy is not enough for a national residence title (BMI), except for a Red-White-Red Card application with travel cover well above €30,000 incl. rescue and return costs (migration.gv.at); EU-law residence cards follow different rules.
Austria health insurance for expats who work locally is simpler: employment subject to compulsory health insurance gives them ÖGK cover (work at or below the marginal-earnings limit may give accident insurance only), and private cover becomes an optional extra. Compare the full requirements on health insurance for a residence permit and the product on Care Austria plans and limits.
Health insurance in Vienna: what does MA 35 check?
For health insurance in Vienna, MA 35 checks that your cover is from its list (with the product declaration where the list prints one) or carries the general extra declaration, and that any waiting period is bridged privately (wien.gv.at). Private health insurance in Vienna should therefore be checked against that list; people with compulsory health insurance through a job (not a marginal job of up to €551.10 a month, 2026) or co-insured with a statutorily insured person need no private cover. Appointments, contacts and processing times are on MA 35 Vienna in English.
Health insurance in Austria for EU citizens: what is different?
Health insurance in Austria for EU citizens follows EU free-movement rules, not the residence-permit law: non-working EU, EEA and Swiss citizens staying more than three months need comprehensive sickness insurance and sufficient resources (oesterreich.gv.at), and EU citizens whose employment is subject to compulsory Austrian health insurance receive ÖGK cover through the job (work at or below the marginal-earnings limit may provide accident insurance only). Care Austria is built for non-EU citizens on Austrian permits; this site does not cover EU citizens’ options in depth.
Unlimited or 364-day tariff: what is the difference?
Care Austria’s unlimited tariffs need no extra declaration at MA 35, while its 364-day tariffs do (wien.gv.at); unlimited contracts can be cancelled ordinarily only after 1 year, then only to 31 December with 1 month’s notice (AVB § 3). Care Austria plans and limits explains all terms, limits and the declaration.
Worked example: a student and a parent aged 55
Illustrative example: Ayesha, 24, from Pakistan, starts a master’s degree in Vienna. She has no job, so she shows either private cover or, if her residence authority accepts it, a written statement that she will take out ÖGK student insurance after entry, plus travel insurance until ÖGK cover starts (OeAD). If she chooses private cover, Care Austria Education unlimited costs €56 a month in 2026, so €672 for the first year, which is the whole minimum term only for a cover start on 1 January (AVB § 3). Once resident, she may become eligible for ÖGK student self-insurance (€78.84 a month in 2026). Care Austria ordinary cancellation is first possible after one year, then only to 31 December; whether it can end earlier when ÖGK cover starts is not confirmed, so ask Care Concept in writing before switching.
Her father Imran, 55, wants to retire near her on a settlement permit. He is not co-insurable at arrival. Care Austria Standard unlimited costs €222 a month at 50–64, or €2,664 a year in 2026, rising to €268 a month from 2028. Once he lives in Austria with his permit, ÖGK self-insurance at €565.25 a month (2026) is possible, with a 6-month waiting period that Vienna says must be bridged privately. Our page on the Austria retirement visa covers his permit route.
Need private cover for your permit?
- Care Austria Education unlimited: €56 a month (ages 12–35)
- Care Austria Standard unlimited: €155 under 50, €222 at 50–64, €510 at 65–74 (2026)
- Care Concept AG is on Vienna's MA 35 list: unlimited Care Austria tariffs need no extra declaration, 364-day ones do (checked 30 October 2026)
- Unlimited contracts can be cancelled ordinarily only after 1 year, then only to 31 December with 1 month’s notice (AVB § 3), which matters if you only need a bridge
- 364-day tariffs, extra MA 35 declaration: €51 (12–35) / €95 (0–64)
Care Austria is sold by Care Concept AG, and the insurer is HanseMerkur Versicherungsgruppe (Advigon Versicherung AG). Read the full plan and limits before you apply.
Go to Care Concept’s application
Referral link: we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you (how we are paid). We earn nothing from the ÖGK.
You can withdraw within 14 days without giving reasons; if cover has already started, a pro-rata premium is kept (AVB withdrawal notice).
Frequently asked questions
What is the easiest way to get health insurance?
Which route is easiest depends on your situation. If your employment is subject to compulsory Austrian health insurance, you receive ÖGK cover through the job (employment at or below the marginal-earnings limit may give accident insurance only), and the Interior Ministry calls that “in any case sufficient” for a residence permit (bmi.gv.at). If your spouse or parent is insured here, check co-insurance once you live in Austria. Without a job, for a first permit, private all-risk cover is the route that works before arrival; for a first student permit, OeAD also allows a written statement that ÖGK student insurance will be taken out after entry, with travel insurance until then (ask your residence authority whether it accepts it). Care Austria can be bought online from abroad, before the trip or within 1 year of entry, and cover cannot start before entry; buy before travelling or within 31 days of entry and the 31-day waiting period is waived (AVB § 2, § 6, § 7) — unlimited from €56 a month for students 12–35 or €155 under 50 (2026, minimum term 1 year).
Should I get public or private health insurance in Austria?
The choice between public and private cover depends on whether you can join the public system yet. Public (ÖGK) cover comes with a job subject to compulsory insurance (a marginal job up to €551.10 a month in 2026 gives accident insurance only) or through a family member; ÖGK self-insurance (€565.25 a month) needs an Austrian residence and, for non-EU/EEA/Swiss citizens, a valid permit and pays benefits only after 6 months unless the waiting period is waived — after at least 26 weeks of statutory insurance (in Austria, the EU/EEA or a treaty state whose agreement adds up insurance periods) in the last 12 months or at least 6 weeks right before (oegk.at); in Vienna a waiting period must be bridged privately; the ÖGK student rate (€78.84 a month in 2026) needs habitual residence in Austria (oegk.at); for a first student permit, OeAD allows a written statement that it will be taken out after entry, with travel insurance until then (OeAD) — ask your residence authority whether it accepts it. Otherwise a first permit without a job or family co-insurance needs private cover, apart from the student and Red-White-Red Card exceptions described on this page. Once resident, you may become eligible for ÖGK self-insurance. Care Austria ordinary cancellation is first possible after one year, then to the end of a calendar year (AVB § 3); whether it can end earlier when ÖGK cover starts is not confirmed, so ask Care Concept in writing before switching.
Do I need private health insurance if I work in Austria?
For the permit, you need no private health insurance if your work brings ÖGK cover: employment subject to compulsory Austrian health insurance provides ÖGK cover (work at or below the marginal-earnings limit may provide accident insurance only), and the BMI calls that “in any case sufficient” (bmi.gv.at). You may need private cover only for a gap — for example from entry until your first working day, or for family members who are not yet co-insured. Care Austria’s terms say people subject to compulsory ÖGK insurance cannot be insured, and that eligibility ends in a running contract once legally required cover is taken out and proven; how premiums stop is not stated, so ask Care Concept AG before you buy a bridge (AVB § 1).
Can I choose a private insurer that is not on Vienna’s MA 35 list?
Yes, you can choose a private insurer that is not on Vienna’s MA 35 list. The City of Vienna writes “Of course you can also take out another private health insurance”; such policies need MA 35’s general extra declaration, and cover must essentially match statutory insurance (wien.gv.at). The list only saves that step for the named products. For other provinces, apart from Linz, we found no official list.
Do EU citizens need health insurance to live in Austria?
Yes, EU citizens need health insurance to live in Austria if they do not work here: EU, EEA and Swiss citizens staying longer than three months need “sufficient resources and comprehensive sickness insurance cover for themselves and their family members” (oesterreich.gv.at). EU citizens whose employment is subject to compulsory Austrian health insurance receive ÖGK cover through the job (work at or below the marginal-earnings limit may provide accident insurance only). EU citizens do not need a residence permit, so the NAG insurance rules and Care Austria’s permit focus do not apply to them — this site is written for non-EU citizens.
Official sources
- § 11 NAG (RIS), the general conditions for residence titles incl. health insurance
- Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI): residence and health insurance
- migration.gv.at FAQ, with the Red-White-Red Card travel-insurance exception (well above €30,000 incl. rescue and return costs)
- City of Vienna (MA 35): health insurance for residence permits, with the insurer list, declarations and waiting periods, checked 30 October 2026
- ÖGK: self-insurance, ÖGK: student self-insurance, ÖGK: co-insurance, with 2026 rates and conditions
- oesterreich.gv.at: people without health insurance, source of the 99.9 % coverage figure
- oesterreich.gv.at: residence of EU citizens
- Care Austria policy terms (AVB) and tariff page, both insurer documents, read 30 October 2026
How we work is set out in our editorial standards, about this site and contact pages. This page is general information, not legal or insurance advice; the authority decides on your permit and the ÖGK on statutory cover. Referral links may earn us a commission from Care Concept AG at no extra cost to you (affiliate disclosure).
Insurance for your Austrian permit
No job and no family co-insurance? A first permit then needs private all-risk cover that pays in Austria (student and Red-White-Red Card exceptions above). Check Care Austria’s prices, waiting periods and 1-year minimum term first.
Referral link: we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you (how we are paid).
age 12–35: €56/month in 2026 · unlimited, min. 1 year (AVB § 3)
Referral link: we may earn a commission (disclosure)Apply