# Expat Health Insurance in Austria (2026) > Health insurance for foreigners in Austria. OeGK student self-insurance from EUR 70/month, what MA 35 accepts for a residence permit, and Allianz Care and APRIL compared. Updated: August 27 2026 · By What does Annual limit mean? · URL: https://www.how-to-austria.com/insurance/expat-health-insurance ## What Health Insurance Does an Austrian Residence Permit Require? Austrian immigration law requires proof of health insurance that **covers all risks in Austria** and stays valid for the whole permit period. That wording, from the **Niederlassungs- und Aufenthaltsgesetz (NAG)**, is stricter than it looks, and it is the single most common reason first-time permit applications get sent back in Vienna. ### Accepted by MA 35 - ✓ OeGK cover through employment - ✓ OeGK student self-insurance - ✓ OeGK voluntary self-insurance - ✓ SVS cover for the self-employed - ✓ All-risks international policies (Allianz Care, Cigna) ### Commonly rejected - • Travel insurance sold for holidays - • Policies with a fixed end date inside the permit period - • Plans with treatment or annual payout caps - • Cover that excludes pre-existing conditions outright - • Credit-card insurance and employer plans from abroad The practical test is whether the policy would still pay if you needed serious, ongoing treatment in Austria for the entire duration of your permit. A policy that caps out at **EUR 30,000**, which is the [Schengen visa travel insurance](/insurance/travel-insurance) minimum, satisfies a short-stay **visa C** but not a residence permit. The two requirements are different and applicants regularly confuse them. ### Get the wording checked before you file MA 35 assesses the policy document, not the marketing page. Ask your insurer for a German-language confirmation letter stating that the cover is unlimited in time and covers all risks in Austria. Filing without it is the most common cause of a months-long delay. Illustration of a passport, an entry stamp, and a document, for Austrian visa and residence permit applications.Passport, stamp, permit: your Austrian immigration path. ## Are You Automatically Insured If You Work in Austria? Yes, and this is the part most newcomers overpay to avoid. Any job in Austria above the marginal-earnings threshold (**Geringfügigkeitsgrenze**) triggers compulsory registration with **OeGK**. Your employer files it, contributions come out of payroll alongside tax, and cover starts on **your first day**, not when the paperwork clears. Statutory cover in Austria is comprehensive: GP and specialist visits at contracted doctors cost nothing at the point of use, hospital stays carry only a small daily contribution, and prescriptions cost a fixed prescription fee per item. Crucially, **a spouse or registered partner and children without their own income are co-insured at no extra charge**, which no international policy matches on price. ### Do not buy expat cover you will not need If you have a signed Austrian employment contract, you need health insurance only for the gap between arriving and starting work. Buy a short bridging policy for those weeks rather than an annual international plan you will cancel in month two. Illustration of a shield, an umbrella, and a health cross, for health, home, and liability insurance cover in Austria.Health, home, and liability: Austrian cover at a glance. ## What Is the Cheapest Health Insurance for Students in Austria? | Option | Cost | Accepted for a permit | Who it suits | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | OeGK student self-insurance | About EUR 70/month | Yes | Enrolled students under the age and income limits | | OeGK voluntary self-insurance | Several hundred EUR/month | Yes | Residents who do not qualify for the student rate | | International student policy | EUR 40 to 90/month | Sometimes, check wording | Exchange students on short programmes | | Marginal student job | Payroll contributions | Yes | Students working above the threshold | For a non-EU degree student, the **OeGK Selbstversicherung für Studierende** is almost always the right answer at roughly **EUR 70 a month**. It is real statutory cover, so it carries the same benefits as an employee's policy, it is accepted without argument by every immigration office, and it costs a fraction of an international plan. You apply directly at an OeGK office once you have your [Meldezettel](/living/vienna-registration) and enrolment confirmation. ### Check the eligibility limits The reduced student rate depends on being enrolled, staying inside the income limit, and not exceeding the maximum number of semesters. If you fall outside those conditions, OeGK moves you to the general voluntary rate, which is several times more expensive. Illustration of a graduation cap, a book, and a university building, for studying at Austrian universities.Cap, book, campus: studying in Austria. ## Which International Health Insurers Cover Austria? ### Allianz Care International Health 4.4Best Overall. Most widely accepted international policy for Austrian permit applications, with genuine all-risks wording. [Get an Allianz Care Quote](https://www.allianzcare.com)Premium fromEUR 95/month at 30Permit acceptanceBestReliableService languageBestEnglishCoverWorldwide excluding US optionMore detailsGerman confirmation letterIssued on requestPriceAbove OeGK self-insurancePrices as of August 2026, verify on the provider site. Pros - Wording that MA 35 accepts without follow-up queries - Full English-language service and claims - Issues the German confirmation letter permit offices ask for Cons - More expensive than statutory self-insurance - Pre-existing conditions underwritten individually Best for Non-EU arrivals who need permit-compliant cover before Austrian employment starts ### APRIL International Expat Health 4.2Best Value. Cheapest credible international option, with modular tiers that keep the essential plan affordable. [Compare APRIL Plans](https://www.april-international.com)Premium fromBestEUR 78/month at 30TiersEssential to comprehensiveService languageEnglish and FrenchClaimsOnline portalMore detailsModular add-onsDental, maternityEssential tierCheck permit wordingPrices as of August 2026, verify on the provider site. Pros - Lowest premiums among international expat insurers - Modular structure means you pay only for what you need - Fast online claims with English support Cons - The cheapest essential tier may not satisfy permit wording - Smaller direct-billing network in Austrian hospitals Best for Budget-conscious arrivals who want compliant cover without paying for premium tiers ### Cigna Global Health Options 4.1Highest treatment limits and best multi-country portability for globally mobile families. [Explore Cigna Global](https://www.cignaglobal.com)Premium fromEUR 130/month at 30Annual limit?Annual limit The most the insurer pays out across one policy year. Once you reach it, every further cost that year is yours. BestUp to unlimitedPortabilityBestMulti-countryService languageEnglish, 24/7More detailsDirect billingLarge global networkCostMost expensive herePrices as of August 2026, verify on the provider site. Pros - Very high or unlimited annual treatment limits - Keeps running if you move on from Austria - 24/7 English-language support line Cons - The most expensive option on this page - Overkill if you plan to settle and join OeGK Best for Higher earners and families who move between countries and want one policy throughout Treat these as bridging or specialist products rather than a default. Anyone who ends up employed in Austria moves onto **OeGK** automatically and the international policy becomes redundant. Premiums shown are indicative for a healthy 30-year-old and every insurer underwrites individually. All three are supervised in their home markets and sold into Austria under EU freedom of services, so check that the Austrian claims and direct-billing arrangements suit you before committing. ## What Do EU Citizens Need Instead? EU, EEA, and Swiss citizens do not apply for a residence permit. They register an **Anmeldebescheinigung** within **four months** of arriving, and the insurance test is lighter but still real. If you are employed in Austria, your **OeGK** registration settles it. If you are not working, you must show **comprehensive sickness insurance** plus sufficient means, so that you do not fall back on Austrian social assistance. Your **EHIC** is not a substitute for settled residence. It covers medically necessary treatment during temporary stays, which is a different thing from living here. In practice EU citizens moving to Austria without a job either take out private cover for the gap or use form **S1** if they remain insured in another member state, for example as a posted worker or pensioner. See our [guide for EU citizens](/visa/eu-citizens) for the full registration process. Illustration of a plane, a calendar, and an approval stamp, for the timeline of an Austrian visa application.Timing your Austrian permit, step by step. ## How Do You Register for Health Insurance After You Arrive? - **1. Register your address first.** The **Meldezettel** is due within **three working days** of moving in and almost everything else depends on it, including OeGK self-insurance. - **2. If you are employed, do nothing.** Your employer files the registration with OeGK. Ask HR for your **Sozialversicherungsnummer** so you can be treated before the e-card arrives. - **3. If you are studying, apply at an OeGK office.** Bring your passport, Meldezettel, and enrolment confirmation (Studienbestätigung) to apply for student self-insurance. - **4. If you are self-employed, register with SVS.** Trade registration (**Gewerbeanmeldung**) triggers SVS membership, which carries a **20% deductible** that a [private top-up](/insurance/private-health-insurance) can close. - **5. Wait for the e-card.** It arrives by post in **two to four weeks**. Cover is backdated to your registration date, so treatment in the meantime is still insured. ### Where to get help [OeGK](https://www.gesundheitskasse.at) runs walk-in service centres in every state capital, and the [Arbeiterkammer (AK)](https://www.arbeiterkammer.at) advises employees free of charge, including on rejected claims. Illustration of a house with a key, a map pin, and a cathedral spire, for housing, costs, and settling into life in Austria.Housing, costs, and daily life: settling into Austria. ## Related Guides [### Health Insurance How OeGK, SVS, and BVAEB work and how to register.](/insurance/health-insurance)[### Private Health Insurance Sonderklasse and Wahlarzt top-ups from EUR 45 a month.](/insurance/private-health-insurance)[### Travel Insurance The EUR 30,000 Schengen visa requirement explained.](/insurance/travel-insurance)[### Vienna Registration Meldezettel within three working days of moving in.](/living/vienna-registration)> What's your situation? Jump straight to the answer. [Moving here for a jobOeGK, EUR 0 extra→Your employer registers you day one.](#employed)[Non-EU studentOeGK self-insurance EUR 70/mo→Cheapest cover MA 35 accepts.](#students)[Applying for a permitNeeds all-risks cover→Travel policies get rejected.](#permit-requirement)[Not yet employed hereAllianz Care from EUR 95/mo→Bridges the gap before payroll starts.](#prov-allianz-care)All 8 sections HideGetting Started - [1Permit requirement](#permit-requirement) - [2If you work here](#employed) Choosing Cover - [3Students](#students) - [4Best providers](#providers) - [5EU citizens](#eu-citizens) Registration - [6Register](#how-to-register) Help - [7Frequently asked questions](#faq) - [8Related guides](#related-guides) Ask the author ## Have a question this guide did not answer? Send it to Jules. Questions shape what gets written next, and the most common ones become new sections on this page. Your questionYour name (optional)Your email address (optional)Send questionGoes straight to Jules by email. No newsletter, no spam. Replies are best effort within a few days. --- Source: https://www.how-to-austria.com/insurance/expat-health-insurance Last updated: Updated: August 27 2026 Format: LLM-readable Markdown twin (.md) of the canonical HTML page.