Short answer (checked 2 October 2026)
Private health insurance is not a universal legal requirement for every residence permit route, but AIMA's general Article 77 page lists health insurance or proof of SNS cover. The underlying law does not list private insurance as a blanket requirement, and some route-specific AIMA pages omit it. In Visas.pt's experience, new arrivals often cannot yet prove updated SNS cover at their first residence appointment, so private insurance can be the practical option. Once your SNS registration is updated with a valid residence permit, the SNS is expected to bear the cost of covered public care, but an SNS number alone does not make all care free. Separate travel insurance can still matter when a Portugal resident travels abroad.
Key figures
Do you need health insurance to live in Portugal?
The answer changes as you move from the visa stage to residence. Travel insurance is mainly a visa issue, while SNS registration and private health insurance matter once you are living in Portugal.
If you are still applying for a national visa, use our separate guide to insurance for a Portugal visa application. Portuguese law generally requires travel insurance for national visas, subject to statutory exemptions, but the central law and visa portal do not set a universal euro amount or duration, and consular checklists can differ. Insurte offers travel insurance marketed for visa applications at Insurte, but check your own consulate or VFS checklist.
After arrival, the question is whether you can prove SNS coverage and whether you want private cover alongside it. Our SNS versus private healthcare guide explains that choice.
What AIMA asks for at the residence permit stage
AIMA's general Article 77 page lists "health insurance or proof of being covered by the National Health Service (SNS)" among the documents for the general residence permit route. This is an alternative, not a statement that everyone must buy private insurance.
The legislation is narrower. Article 77 of Law 23/2007 and Article 53 of Regulatory Decree 84/2007 do not list private health insurance as a universal requirement for a first temporary residence permit. AIMA's route-specific pages also differ: the pages for independent professional activity and remote work do not list health insurance.
In Visas.pt's experience, a new arrival may not yet be able to prove fully updated SNS coverage at the first residence appointment, so a private policy is often the practical way to meet a health cover request. Check the document list for your own route. Our AIMA appointments guide covers the wider appointment process, and our NISS guide explains social security registration where applicable.
Public healthcare (SNS) for foreign residents
ERS, Portugal's health regulator, says SNS beneficiaries include Portuguese citizens and foreign citizens with permanent residence, temporary stay or temporary residence in Portugal. Your SNS user number, the número nacional de utente, is created through the Registo Nacional de Utentes, normally when you contact an SNS health unit.
Having a number is not the same as having all costs paid by the SNS. A foreign resident with a valid residence permit can have an "updated" registration, under which ERS says the SNS is expected to bear the cost. Without a valid permit, the registration can be "in progress" for up to 180 days or "incomplete", and the patient or another responsible party generally pays, subject to specific exceptions.
An updated registration is required for enrolment in primary care. Eligible foreigners with a Portuguese address may be able to request their NIF, NISS and SNS user number together at participating Espaços Cidadão. Once SNS cover is established, keeping private insurance is a personal choice unless your own residence route requires other proof. Our complete guide to moving to Portugal places these steps in the relocation process.
ERS also says user fees now apply to hospital emergency visits without prior SNS referral. There is no user fee if the patient was referred by the SNS, including through SNS 24 or a health centre, or if the emergency visit results in hospital admission.
Private health insurance: who offers it and who can join
Private health insurance is available, but age limits, exclusions and waiting periods vary. ASF also warns that a health plan is not the same as insurance: it is generally a discount arrangement within a provider network and is not supervised by ASF as an insurance contract.
| Provider or product | Joining age stated in source | Important notes |
|---|---|---|
| Multicare | Standard 1, 2 and 3: up to 60 inclusive. Multicare 60+: 61 to 70 inclusive. | Standard plans have no general age limit for remaining insured. Pre-existing illnesses, injuries or deformities are excluded. |
| Médis | Main plan: up to 75. Vintage: 55 to 75. | Main plan excludes pre-existing conditions. Vintage has no age limit for remaining insured. |
| Allianz Saúde | Base, Standard, Mais and Extra: up to 65. Total: up to 60. 55 Mais: minimum age 55, maximum not stated. | Pre-existing illness must be declared and is listed among exclusions. |
| Generali Tranquilidade | Individual health insurance: up to 65. Saúde +55: minimum 55, maximum not stated. | Uses the AdvanceCare network. Health questionnaire and waiting periods apply. |
| Ageas Saúde Sénior | 55 to 75. | No age limit for remaining insured is stated on the product page. |
| MGEN | No age limit stated. | No medical questionnaire and no exclusion of pre-existing conditions are advertised, but the general conditions impose a 365 day wait for pre-existing, chronic and serious illness. |
| Feather expat health insurance | Feather's pages gave both 74 and 75 as the upper age when read on 2 October 2026. Confirm with Feather before relying on either limit. | Provider states that pre-existing conditions are not covered and that the maximum term is five years from first arrival in Portugal. |
These are examples, not rankings. Terms differ between standard and senior products.
Pre-existing conditions and waiting periods
Portuguese law does not stop health insurers excluding pre-existing conditions. Article 216 of Decree-Law 72/2008 allows general or specific exclusions by agreement and permits a waiting period of up to one year for pre-existing conditions. ASF says exclusions are usual in practice and that most health insurance contracts exclude them.
A health declaration may be required. Failing to disclose a known condition can leave it uncovered and can allow the insurer to annul the contract. An insurer may also refuse cover or raise a premium for an aggravated health risk where the decision is objectively supported by rigorous actuarial and statistical data, with an explanation to the applicant and a right to complain to ASF.
Waiting periods also apply to ordinary cover. Multicare lists 60 days for outpatient care and 180 days for hospital admission, Médis lists 60 and 90 days respectively, and Generali Tranquilidade lists 60 and 90 days. Some procedures and maternity cover have longer waits.
Options if you are over 60, 70 or 75
Standard products often stop accepting new customers around age 60 or 65, but senior products extend the market. Multicare 60+ accepts new customers from 61 to 70, while Médis Vintage and Ageas Saúde Sénior accept ages 55 to 75. Feather's own pages disagreed when read on 2 October 2026: its Portugal product page said up to age 75, while its pricing FAQ said ages 0 to 74 and that people aged 75 and older are not offered the product. Confirm with Feather before relying on it for someone aged 75. Generali Tranquilidade Saúde +55 and Allianz 55 Mais state a minimum age but no maximum on the pages checked.
Above 75, MGEN is the only insurer in the verified material whose own site clearly states no age limit. It advertises no medical questionnaire and no exclusion of pre-existing conditions, but its conditions apply a 365 day wait to pre-existing, chronic and serious illness and say the contract cannot be taken out solely to obtain residence authorisation or nationality.
If you are planning a later-life move, our guide to Portugal as a retirement destination covers the wider relocation picture.
What private health insurance costs
There is no verified 2026 market-wide premium table by age, so a generic monthly range would be misleading. The figures below are dated examples, not universal quotes.
- On 2 October 2026, Médis advertised its main health plan from EUR 13.12 per month, based on its example for a 25-year-old on Option 1 base.
- On 2 October 2026, Médis Vintage was advertised from EUR 49.20 per month, based on its example for a 57-year-old.
- On 2 October 2026, Generali Tranquilidade Saúde +55 was advertised from EUR 12 per month.
- On 2 October 2026, Feather's Portugal product page listed EUR 258 per month for ages 65 to 75, while its pricing FAQ listed the same price for ages 65 to 74 and said people aged 75 and older are not offered the product. Confirm the current age limit with Feather before relying on it.
- DECO Proteste data published on 21 November 2024 put basic hospital-only cover for a 40-year-old at EUR 156.72 per year for Multicare, EUR 207.19 for Médis and about EUR 199 for MGEN Base.
- In the same 2024 DECO article, hospital plus outpatient examples for a 40-year-old ranged from EUR 556 per year for an ASISA example to EUR 918 per year for Médis Option 2 among the products compared.
Senior policies can cost much more, and lower-priced senior products may provide more limited cover.
UK pensioners, EU citizens and other arrangements
People living in Portugal who receive a UK State Pension, and some people receiving exportable benefits, may be entitled to an S1. An eligible resident can register the S1 in Portugal and access state healthcare on the same basis as a Portuguese citizen. An S1 can also be relevant at the visa stage for eligible British nationals.
An EHIC or UK GHIC is for medically necessary state healthcare during a temporary stay. It is not a substitute for travel insurance and does not cover everything, including private healthcare or repatriation. Someone who makes another EU country their habitual residence should not rely on an EHIC as their resident healthcare route.
Brazil has the CDAM, also shown as PB4 or PT-BR/13, under the Brazil and Portugal social security agreement. Eligible holders can access Portugal's public health system on the same conditions as a Portuguese citizen, subject to the certificate and registration rules. EU, EEA and Swiss citizens do not need a Portuguese national visa, so national visa travel insurance rules do not apply to them.
Travel insurance for residents of Portugal
Portuguese residence and SNS access do not automatically cover every cost when you travel abroad. Before a trip, check what your existing cover does outside Portugal and whether you want separate protection for medical emergencies, repatriation, cancellation or other travel risks. Eligibility may depend on residence: World Nomads says plan availability varies by country of residence, while Globelink markets policies to UK, EU and EEA residents.
Older articles may mention Europ Assistance. Europ Assistance and Generali Employee Benefits are now branded as Redion. The Portuguese site still links to a travel insurance shop, but the verified material did not confirm a specific Schengen visa product there.
Visiting Portugal: is travel insurance required?
If you are visiting Portugal as a visa-exempt tourist, travel insurance is not listed as a legal entry condition under the Schengen Borders Code. UK, US and Canadian government travel advice recommends insurance, but does not list it as an entry requirement for their visa-exempt short stays.
If you need a Schengen short-stay visa, the rule is different. The Schengen Visa Code generally requires applicants for uniform Schengen visas to have travel medical insurance with minimum cover of EUR 30,000 for the relevant stay, subject to the exceptions in Article 15. That EUR 30,000 figure should not be automatically transferred to Portugal's national residence visa rules, where the central law and visa portal do not set the same universal amount.
ETIAS is also separate. As of 2 October 2026, the European Commission says ETIAS is not yet in operation and applications are not being collected. The fee is EUR 20, and the Commission material checked does not list travel insurance as an ETIAS requirement. See our ETIAS guide for Portugal for the latest status.
Common questions
Do I need private health insurance to live in Portugal?
Not as a universal rule. AIMA's general Article 77 page lists health insurance or proof of SNS cover, while the underlying law does not impose private insurance on every first residence permit. In practice, private cover may be the simplest option if you cannot yet prove updated SNS coverage.
Does AIMA accept SNS cover instead of private health insurance?
Yes. AIMA's general Article 77 page accepts health insurance or proof of SNS cover. Some route-specific AIMA pages do not list health insurance, so follow the document list for your own residence route.
When does SNS coverage start for a foreign resident?
An SNS user number can be issued before all costs are covered. ERS says a foreign resident with a valid residence permit can have an updated registration, which is the status under which the SNS is expected to bear the cost of covered care.
Does having an SNS user number mean healthcare is free?
No. ERS says registration in the national user register does not mean the SNS assumes every cost. People with an in progress or incomplete registration may have to pay, subject to specific exceptions.
Can a Portuguese health insurer exclude a pre-existing condition?
Yes. Decree-Law 72/2008 allows agreed exclusions, and ASF says excluding pre-existing conditions is usual. A policy can also impose a waiting period of up to one year for them.
What health insurance options are available after age 70 or 75?
From 71 to 75, verified options include Médis Vintage and Ageas Saúde Sénior. Feather may also be an option, but its pages gave both 74 and 75 as the upper age when read on 2 October 2026, so confirm with Feather before relying on it for someone aged 75. Above 75, MGEN is the only insurer in the verified sources whose own site clearly states no age limit, although some other senior products did not publish a maximum joining age.
How much does private health insurance cost in Portugal?
There is no verified current market-wide price table by age, so a single monthly range would be misleading. On 2 October 2026, examples included Médis from EUR 13.12 per month, Médis Vintage from EUR 49.20 and Generali Tranquilidade Saúde +55 from EUR 12. Feather's Portugal product page listed EUR 258 per month for ages 65 to 75, while its pricing FAQ listed that price for ages 65 to 74, so confirm the current age limit with Feather.
Do Portugal residents need travel insurance when travelling abroad?
There is no rule that every Portugal resident must buy travel insurance for every trip. SNS access does not automatically cover every overseas risk, so check your destination and existing cover before deciding what additional protection you need.
Do tourists need travel insurance to visit Portugal?
Visa-exempt visitors are not subject to a general travel insurance entry requirement. Applicants for uniform Schengen short-stay visas generally need compliant travel medical insurance with at least EUR 30,000 of cover, subject to the exceptions in Article 15 of the Schengen Visa Code.
What insurance do I need for a Portugal D7 visa?
The visa stage is separate. Portuguese law generally requires travel insurance for national visas, subject to statutory exemptions, but consular and VFS checklists differ on amount and duration, so use the checklist for your own filing location and our dedicated visa insurance guide.
How Visas.pt can help
Insurance is only one part of moving to Portugal. If you are applying through the D7 route, our complete D7 visa guide covers the wider residence process, while the visa insurance page deals specifically with the policy needed before arrival.
Visas.pt can also help you work out which immigration steps apply to your situation and which documents belong to the visa stage versus the residence permit stage. Next step: book an immigration consultation with Visas.pt.
Sources
- AIMA, general residence permit requirements under Article 77(1)
- Law 23/2007, consolidated text
- Regulatory Decree 84/2007, consolidated text
- ERS, access by foreign citizens to SNS care
- ERS, SNS user fees
- ASF, health insurance consumer guidance
- Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, residence visa documentation
- European Commission, ETIAS