Greece Golden Visa Health Insurance Requirement and Recommended Policies (2026)

One of the mandatory elements of a Greece Golden Visa application is private health insurance valid for the main applicant and all dependent family members. This insurance is required both at the application stage and at each renewal of the residence permit (every 5 years), while the policy itself is renewed every year, and any lapse in coverage can lead to serious consequences up to and including invalidation of the residence permit status. In this article, we explain the minimum coverage requirements, recommended providers and cost ranges with up-to-date 2026 data.

Basic Requirements

The minimum €30,000 coverage and the medical repatriation requirement are described by immigration advisors as "non-negotiable"; a policy missing either of these two elements will not be accepted for the application.

Who Needs to Be Covered?

Every family member included in the Golden Visa application must be covered by health insurance; this can be done with separate policies or with one family policy covering everyone. This coverage includes the spouse, unmarried children under 21, and parents included in the application. There is no exception for parents: every parent included in the application must be insured as well. Due to older age, the cost of parent policies is usually higher.

Cost Range: Basic and Comprehensive Policies

The cost of health insurance varies significantly depending on the chosen coverage level, age and deductible amount:

On an annual basis, a basic policy can run around €600 per person, while a comprehensive policy can exceed €3,000. For a young and healthy applicant, a basic policy meets the legal requirement at the lowest cost, while for investors with a chronic condition or planning to actually live in Greece, a comprehensive policy offers a safer option.

Recommended and Frequently Used Providers

The main providers that stand out among Golden Visa applicants are:

Providers with a direct billing feature have hospital costs billed directly to the insurance company, sparing the patient from paying upfront; this offers an important practical advantage, especially in emergencies.

Local Policy Purchased in Greece or International Policy?

Health insurance can be purchased both from a local insurance company operating in Greece and from an international provider that has a representative in Greece or is recognized across the EU. For investors who already have a health insurance policy in their country of origin, it should be checked whether this policy can be extended to cover the entire duration of their stay in Greece; otherwise, a new policy must be arranged in Greece.

The Most Critical Risk: Renewal Lapse

Health insurance is an obligation that must be renewed annually throughout the 5-year validity of the residence permit, and, if citizenship is the goal (it requires 7 years of actual residence plus an exam and is not automatic), this obligation is also connected to the residence and tax obligations of that process. The biggest risk arises when the policy is not renewed on time upon expiry; such a lapse in coverage can lead to invalidation of the residence permit status. For this reason, choosing an auto-renewing policy or noting the renewal date on your calendar in advance is the most practical way to minimize this risk.

Health System: Public and Private Sector Together

Greece's health system has a two-tier structure consisting of the public National Health System (ESY) and a growing private sector. Although private health insurance is mandatory for Golden Visa holders, this insurance primarily covers costs not covered by the public system. Private health facilities are generally considered superior to public alternatives with newer equipment and shorter waiting times; for this reason, most Golden Visa investors prefer the private sector for their daily health needs.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the minimum coverage required for Golden Visa health insurance?
The minimum coverage is €30,000 per person, per year; this is a standard threshold applied across the Schengen area. In addition to this amount, the policy must also include medical repatriation coverage. These two elements — €30,000 minimum coverage and repatriation coverage — are described by immigration advisors as "non-negotiable"; a policy that does not meet these requirements will not be accepted for a Golden Visa application. The policy is also generally expected to be provided in a bilingual English/Greek certificate format.

2. Is a separate policy required for each family member?
A separate policy is not mandatory, but every family member included in the application — spouse, unmarried children under 21 and parents — must be covered by health insurance; this can be done with separate policies or with one family policy covering everyone. Parents included in the application are not exempt from this requirement. It should be kept in mind that, due to older age, parent policies may cost more than those for other family members.

3. How much does health insurance cost?
The cost varies significantly depending on the chosen coverage level, age and deductible amount. A basic, hospitalization-focused policy runs around €50 per person per month (roughly €600 per year), while a comprehensive policy that includes add-ons such as dental, mental health and maternity can exceed €250 per month and over €3,000 per year. For young and healthy applicants, a basic policy meets the legal requirement at the lowest cost, while for those with a chronic condition or planning to actually live in Greece, a comprehensive policy may be more suitable.

4. Which insurance companies stand out among Golden Visa applicants?
International providers such as Cigna, Allianz, AXA and Foyer stand out especially for their direct billing features; this feature allows hospital costs to be billed directly to the insurance company, sparing the patient from paying upfront. Newer, digitally focused providers such as Feather offer practicality by providing visa-compliant, bilingual English/Greek certificates and reducing the online registration process to a few minutes. Policies can also be purchased from local insurance companies operating in Greece; the choice depends on budget and whether international coverage or local cost is the priority.

5. What happens if my insurance is not renewed?
This is one of the most serious risks in the Golden Visa process: if the health insurance policy is not renewed on time when it expires, the residence permit status may be invalidated. Insurance is an obligation that must be renewed annually throughout the 5-year validity of the residence permit, and, if citizenship is the goal (it requires 7 years of actual residence plus an exam and is not automatic), this obligation is also connected to the residence and tax obligations of that process. To minimize this risk, choosing an auto-renewing policy or noting the renewal date on your calendar in advance to create a reminder is the most practical and secure approach.

Note: The rate and cost information in this article is based on general market data and may vary depending on the provider, age and coverage level. Contact us to choose the right health insurance policy for you and to manage your renewal schedule — we are with you from the beginning to the end of the Golden Visa process.