Insurance

Students, in order to be entitled to benefits under the NFZ (National Health Fund), must have their own basis for insurance or be registered for it, e.g., by a parent or the university. Therefore, they must take care of the formalities to confirm their right to benefits.

 

If you want to learn more about NFZ insurance, we encourage you to read the guide available on the website of the National Health Fund.

Who should register a student for health insurance?

Students up to the age of 26 are covered by their parents' health insurance (provided that the parent is insured and has fulfilled the obligation to register their children with the NFZ).

 

If a student is not insured as a family member, they should inform the university, which will register them with the NFZ and pay their contributions. After turning 26, a student should inform the university of their willingness to use the university's insurance if they do not have insurance from another source (e.g., as an employee).

 

Details: www.pacjent.gov.pl

Registration for insurance by parents

A student who does not have their own basis for insurance should be registered as a family member. Parents or the parents' spouses can register the student for insurance. However, if they themselves are not subject to mandatory insurance, grandparents can do it instead. As a family member, a student can be insured until the age of 26. However, there are exceptions to this rule.

 

Exceptions:

  • A student with a certified significant degree of disability is registered for health insurance as a family member by their parents regardless of age.
  • A student who has entered into marriage should first be registered for insurance by their spouse, provided the spouse has their own mandatory health insurance.
 

Registration for Insurance by the Employer

A student, like any other individual, can have their own basis for health insurance. This applies to students who, for example, work under an employment contract, receive a pension, or run their own business. In such cases, the payer of contributions, i.e., the employer, registers them for health insurance (this does not apply to commission contracts for students under the age of 26).

Registration by the University

If a student cannot use any of the above-mentioned options, meaning they do not have their own insurance or cannot be registered as a family member, the university should register them for health insurance. To obtain health insurance, the student must apply for it, as they are insured upon their own request.

 

The application can be obtained after prior contact:

IMPORTANT!

Students who work only during the summer holidays under an employment contract temporarily gain their own basis for insurance and are automatically deregistered by ZUS from insurance registered by, for example, their parents. After finishing their work, the employer will also deregister them from health insurance. At this point, the student should remind their parents to re-register them as a family member. Otherwise, the student will be uninsured, which may result in the need to pay for medical treatment.

Similarly, if a student’s parents change jobs, they must re-register family members for insurance with their new employer.

Health Insurance for Foreign Students

Foreign students from outside the EU insure themselves in Poland by signing a voluntary health insurance agreement with the appropriate NFZ branch and personally financing the monthly health insurance premium. If a foreign student holds a Pole’s Card (Karta Polaka) or a certificate of Polish origin and has submitted the agreement with the NFZ to the university, the university will handle the payment of the student’s health insurance premiums.

 

A foreign student interested in insurance must submit an application for voluntary health insurance to the provincial NFZ branch. For this, the following documents are required:

  • Passport along with a document confirming legal residence in Poland (visa, residence card),
  • Document confirming student status (student ID or a certificate from the university),
  • For minors, parental permission to sign a voluntary health insurance agreement.

 

Voluntary health insurance coverage begins on the date specified in the agreement with the NFZ and ends on the date of termination of the agreement or after a month of uninterrupted arrears in premium payments.

When Does Health Insurance Expire?

Health insurance expires in the following cases:

  • Termination of the basis for health insurance of the person who registered the student, e.g., a parent changing jobs. Therefore, it is important to re-register family members, including children, with the new employer.
  • Discontinuation of education by the student between the ages of 18 and 26.
  • Turning 26 years old.
  • Removal from the student list between the ages of 18 and 26.
  • Obtaining a basis for health insurance (e.g., the student is employed under an employment contract or starts a business).

 

If the obligation for a student's health insurance ends upon completing school, doctoral studies, or being removed from the student list, the right to health care benefits expires 4 months after finishing education or being removed from the student list.

How to Check if You Are Insured?

Since July 1, 2013, the NFZ has provided a nationwide online service called IKP (Internet Patient Account). By accessing their individual account in the "Information on Entitlements" section, everyone can check their current insurance status. It is also possible to review the history of medical treatment and prescribed reimbursed medications since 2008.

Login credentials for the IKP can be obtained by presenting an ID card at an NFZ branch or logging in using electronic banking or a trusted profile.

 

IKP INTERNET PATIENT ACCOUNT

Health Insurance During Studies in EU Countries

Students who go to another EU/EFTA member state to study should take the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) with them.

More information about the EHIC can be found on the website: www.nfz.gov.pl