Health Insurance in Austria (2026)
Updated: July 16 2026| Found helpful by 5 others
As of April 2026, health insurance is mandatory for all residents of Austria. Employed expats are automatically enrolled, paying 3.87% of gross salary (employer adds 3.78%, a total statutory health rate of 7.65%) (ASVG, 2026). Non-employed residents can self-insure through the OGK for EUR 495.58/month (EUR 69.13/month for students) (ÖGK, 2024). Supplementary private health insurance from providers like Uniqa or Wiener Stadtische costs EUR 40 to EUR 50/month and adds private hospital rooms, shorter wait times, and choice of specialists.
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What Is the Best Private Health Insurance for Expats in Austria?
| Insurer | Private-health market share |
|---|---|
| UNIQA | ~44% |
| Merkur | ~18% |
| Wiener Städtische | ~18% |
| Generali | ~14% |
| Allianz | ~4% |
Source: krankenversichern.at, 2026.
Austria's supplementary health insurance market is led by UNIQA with roughly 44% market share, followed by Merkur (~18%), Wiener Städtische (~18%), Generali (~14%), and Allianz (~4%) (krankenversichern.at, 2026). UNIQA is also Austria's #1 health insurer, so most expats start their private-cover search there before comparing on price and English support.
Private supplementary premiums scale with your entry age. Children start around EUR 30/month; an entry age of 20 starts from EUR 51/month on a Basis plan, rising to EUR 61 at age 30 and EUR 65 at age 40, while top Premium tiers reach EUR 154 to 224/month (krankenversichern.at, 2026).
| Entry age | Basis | Comfort | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Child | ~EUR 30 | n/a | n/a |
| Age 20 | EUR 51 | EUR 51 | EUR 109 |
| Age 30 | EUR 61 | EUR 60 | EUR 135 |
| Age 40 | EUR 65 | EUR 76 | EUR 159 |
Basis, Comfort, and Premium are illustrative tier bands; top Premium tiers reach EUR 154 to 224/month. Source: krankenversichern.at, 2026.
Supplementary private health insurance can significantly improve your healthcare experience in Austria. Here are providers popular with expats:
Uniqa Supplementary Health Insurance
Uniqa is one of Austria's largest insurance companies and a leading provider of supplementary health insurance. Their MedExtra packages let you customize your coverage from basic outpatient add-ons to full private hospital stays with your choice of doctor.
Why we recommend it: Largest Austrian supplementary health insurer with the broadest hospital network and English-language plan options.
Best for: Expats who want customizable private hospital and specialist coverage with English support
Pros
- Highly customizable MedExtra packages
- English-speaking customer service
- Strong reputation in Austria
Cons
- Plans starting from EUR 50/month can add up
- Waiting periods apply for some treatments
- Claims process can be slow
- Sonderklasse (private ward) hospital coverage
- Free choice of doctors and specialists
- Shorter waiting times for treatments and surgeries
- Dental care top-up packages available
- English-speaking customer service available
- Plans starting from approximately EUR 50/month
Wiener Stadtische Health Insurance
Part of the Vienna Insurance Group, Wiener Stadtische offers comprehensive supplementary health insurance packages tailored to different needs. Their FlexMed product line allows you to build a custom plan with modular coverage blocks for hospital, dental, and outpatient care.
Why we recommend it: Vienna-headquartered insurer with strong private-hospital coverage and competitive family-plan pricing.
Best for: Families looking for flexible modular plans with children's discounts
Pros
- Lower starting price (EUR 40/month)
- Flexible modular plan structure
- Family discounts available
Cons
- Less English-language support than Uniqa
- Some modules require bundling
- Flexible modular plan structure (FlexMed)
- Private and semi-private hospital room options
- Worldwide emergency coverage included
- Alternative medicine coverage (osteopathy, acupuncture)
- Family plans with discounts for children
- Plans starting from approximately EUR 40/month
Generali Health Insurance
Generali offers a strong range of supplementary health products in Austria, with particularly good coverage for dental care and specialist visits. Their HealthProtect packages are well-suited for expats who want comprehensive top-up coverage on their public insurance.
Why we recommend it: Best digital-first claim filing and English customer service on supplementary cover.
Best for: Expats who prioritize dental coverage and want no-claims bonus savings
Pros
- Comprehensive dental care packages
- No-claims bonus reduces premiums over time
- Online claims portal
Cons
- Less well-known among expats than Uniqa
- Fewer English resources
- Comprehensive dental care packages
- Specialist and outpatient visit reimbursement
- Hospital Sonderklasse coverage available
- No-claims bonus reducing premiums over time
- Online portal for claims and policy management
How Does Austria's Social Health Insurance System Work?
Health insurance in Austria is part of the broader social security system (Sozialversicherung). It is mandatory for all residents who are employed, self-employed, or receiving certain social benefits. EU citizens and work visa holders are both covered once employed. Contributions are calculated as a percentage of your gross salary and are shared between you and your employer. As of 2024, the employee contribution is 3.87% of gross salary, with the employer paying an additional 3.78%, for a total statutory health rate of 7.65% (ASVG, 2026).
Your insurance coverage begins on your first day of employment. You receive an e-card (electronic health insurance card) which you present at every doctor visit and pharmacy. The e-card also covers your dependents (spouse and children) at no additional cost through co-insurance (Mitversicherung), provided they do not have their own employment-based coverage.
Which Insurance Carrier Covers You in Austria?
OGK (Osterreichische Gesundheitskasse)
The Austrian Health Insurance Fund covers the vast majority of employees in Austria, with 7.6 million policyholders (ÖGK, 2026). It was formed in 2020 by merging the previous nine regional health insurance funds into one national carrier. If you work as an employee for a private company, this is almost certainly your insurer.
SVS (Sozialversicherungsanstalt der Selbstandigen)
The Social Insurance Institution for the Self-Employed covers freelancers (Neue Selbstandige), trade license holders (Gewerbetreibende), and farmers. If you are self-employed or run a business in Austria, you will be insured through SVS. Compulsory SVS insurance is triggered once your annual profit exceeds EUR 6,221.28 (SVS, 2024). See our freelance visa guide for more on working independently in Austria.
BVAEB (Versicherungsanstalt öffentlich Bediensteter, Eisenbahnen und Bergbau)
This carrier covers civil servants, railway, and mining workers. BVAEB tends to offer slightly better benefits than OGK, including higher reimbursement rates for some medical services.
What Is the Difference Between Public and Private Health Insurance?
Unlike some countries, Austria does not have a fully separate private health insurance system that replaces public coverage. Public insurance is mandatory, and private insurance acts as a supplement (Zusatzversicherung). The key differences:
Public (OGK/SVS/BVAEB)
- • Covers GP and specialist visits
- • Hospital stays in general wards
- • Prescriptions (with small co-pay)
- • Basic dental care
- • Maternity and childcare benefits
- • Physiotherapy (with referral)
Private (Supplementary)
- • Private or semi-private hospital rooms
- • Choice of specific hospital doctors
- • Shorter waiting times for specialists
- • Expanded dental coverage
- • Alternative medicine (osteopathy, etc.)
- • Broader coverage for glasses and lenses
How Many Doctors Accept Public Versus Private Health Insurance in Austria?
Austria has roughly 8,000 panel doctors (Kassenärzte) who hold a statutory health-fund contract, versus about 11,000 private doctors (Wahlärzte) who do not (krankenversichern.at, 2026). Public cover only pays panel doctors in full; private supplementary insurance widens your access to the larger Wahlarzt pool and reimburses part of their fees.
A Kassenarzt (panel doctor) bills your ÖGK, SVS, or BVAEB directly, so you pay nothing beyond small statutory co-pays. A Wahlarzt (private doctor) has no health-fund contract: you pay the full fee upfront and claim back roughly 80% of the equivalent panel tariff from your statutory insurer, with private supplementary cover topping up the rest. Because many specialists in Vienna now work only as Wahlärzte, private cover is what keeps the larger doctor pool affordable.
How Do You Register for Health Insurance in Austria?
If you are employed, your employer registers you automatically with the relevant social insurance carrier. You do not need to do anything yourself. Your e-card will be mailed to your registered address within a few weeks of starting work.
If you are not employed (student, job-seeker, or accompanying family member), you can apply for voluntary self-insurance (Selbstversicherung) directly with the OGK. The monthly cost for voluntary self-insurance is EUR 495.58 per month, though reduced rates are available for students (EUR 69.13 per month) (ÖGK, 2024). You will need your Meldezettel, passport, and residence permit to apply at your local OGK office. Note that health insurance contributions are part of Austria's social contributions deducted from your income.
Key Health Insurance Terms
The German terms below appear on Austrian policies and hospital paperwork. Each is defined here in plain English.
- Sonderklasse (private ward)
- A 2-bed room in hospital, versus general statutory admission to a 4 to 8 bed room (krankenversichern.at, 2026). Private supplementary insurance is what pays for Sonderklasse and free choice of hospital doctor.
- Kassenarzt (panel doctor)
- A doctor with a statutory health-fund contract who bills ÖGK, SVS, or BVAEB directly. You pay only small co-pays. Austria has around 8,000 panel doctors (krankenversichern.at, 2026).
- Wahlarzt (private doctor)
- A doctor with no health-fund contract. You pay the full fee upfront and claim back roughly 80% of the equivalent panel tariff. Austria has around 11,000 private doctors (krankenversichern.at, 2026).
- Krankengeld (statutory sick pay)
- The cash benefit paid during long-term illness once the employer-paid continued-pay period ends. It runs up to 26 weeks for employees and 20 weeks for the self-employed (ASVG, 2026).
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does Austrian health insurance pay sick leave (Krankengeld)?
Statutory sick pay (Krankengeld) runs for up to 26 weeks for employees, starting from the 4th day of illness, and up to 20 weeks for the self-employed (ASVG, 2026). Cover also continues after a job ends: health cover for 6 weeks and sick-pay entitlement for 3 weeks (ASVG, 2026). Krankengeld is the statutory cash benefit paid during long-term illness once the employer-paid continued-pay period ends.
Which health insurance in Austria has no health check?
Austria's statutory public health insurance (ÖGK, and SVS for the self-employed) requires no health check and cannot refuse you or charge more for pre-existing conditions. It is mandatory and contribution-based, a percentage of income, so everyone in employment or self-employment is covered regardless of health (ASVG, 2026). A health check (Gesundheitsprüfung) only comes up with private supplementary insurance (private Krankenzusatzversicherung): individual policies usually require one and can exclude or surcharge pre-existing conditions, but many employer or group policies (Gruppenversicherung) waive it.
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