Guide
What expat health insurance actually costs in 2026
By Covered Abroad Research Desk · Last verified July 2026
The 2026 starting prices
These are the official 2026 rates for the EU region — per person, per year, billed annually, starting at adult age 18:
- Major Medical (hospital-only): from $721/yr · child flat $566/yr
- Standard (adds everyday outpatient care): from $1,133/yr · child flat $853/yr
- Comprehensive (adds dental, check-ups, family extras): from $1,525/yr · child flat $1,151/yr
- Fully Comprehensive (US$2M limit, private room): from $1,906/yr · child flat $1,439/yr
- Essential Health (state-hospital accident & emergency only — generally not visa-grade on its own): from $392/yr · child flat $308/yr
Every figure comes from the insurer’s official rate card, not an estimate. The pricing page shows your exact figure by age and household.
What moves the cost
Four things do almost all the work:
- Age — rates are set per year of age. Standard, for example, is $1,133 at 18, $1,804 at 40, and $3,199 at 55.
- Cover level — from hospital-only to full-cover private room with routine dental.
- Billing frequency — annual billing is the cheapest; paying monthly adds an installment loading of roughly 16% across the year.
- Household size — each adult is priced by age, while children 0–17 pay one flat rate per plan, which keeps family totals predictable.
New applicants are accepted up to age 70 (Essential Health to 80).
Do not over-buy or under-buy for the visa
The goal is a certificate that meets the rule, not the most expensive plan on the shelf. Buy the cover level your situation and visa call for. Cheaper is not safer if the certificate fails — a refused application costs far more than the premium difference — and pricier is not safer if the cover is the wrong shape. Here is what each price actually buys, including where a cheaper alternative genuinely fits.
See your exact price, then confirm it on a call
The calculator shows your household’s exact 2026 figure by age. A specialist then confirms eligibility and the certificate wording your consulate expects before anything is final. Cover is worldwide but excludes treatment in the United States, and pre-existing conditions are excluded. Request a quote and our team follows up by phone.