Moving to Europe: Your Complete Insurance Checklist

Insurance is rarely the most exciting part of moving abroad. It usually ends up at the bottom of the to-do list — after finding a flat, sorting a bank account, and figuring out the local bureaucracy. But getting your insurance wrong in the first few months of living in Europe can be costly, stressful, and in some cases affect your visa status. This checklist covers everything you need to sort, roughly in the order you should sort it.

Before You Leave — What to Do at Home

• Check whether your current health insurance covers you abroad at all. Most do not, or only cover emergencies.
• Get a letter from your current insurer confirming your claims history — useful for new European insurers.
• If you have life insurance at home, check whether it covers you while living abroad. Many policies require you to notify the insurer of a change of country of residence.
• Get copies of all medical records and prescription details.
• Note any pre-existing conditions — these affect how new health plans are priced and what is excluded.

On Arrival — The First 30 Days

• Register your address (padrón in Spain, anagrafe in Italy, Anmeldung in Germany, etc.) — required for almost everything else.
• Apply for your local ID number (NIE in Spain, codice fiscale in Italy, BSN in the Netherlands, etc.).
• Check whether your visa or residency type gives you public healthcare access immediately or after a waiting period.
• If you are not covered by public healthcare from day one, get a private health plan in place immediately.
• Check whether your employer provides any health insurance.

Within the First 3 Months — Health Insurance

• Compare IPMI plans (Cigna Global, AXA International, Allianz Care, April International) vs local plans (Spanish mutua, French mutuelle, etc.).
• Key questions: Does the plan satisfy your visa requirements? Does it cover pre-existing conditions? Is it portable if you move countries again?
• Get dental cover sorted — most countries do not include dental in public healthcare and waiting periods on private plans can be 3–6 months.
• If you are self-employed or a freelancer: also compare income protection options at the same time.

Within 6 Months — Life and Income Protection

• If you have dependants or a mortgage: life insurance should be near the top of your list.
• Term life insurance for healthy adults is relatively affordable — compare European and international providers through Valenvia.
• If you are self-employed (autónomo in Spain, ZZP in the Netherlands, auto-entrepreneur in France, Freiberufler in Germany): income protection is not optional. There is no employer sick pay and state benefits are minimal.
• Review your life insurance from home — if it does not cover you while living in Europe, you may need a new policy.

Ongoing — What to Review Annually

• Review your health plan annually — costs, coverage levels, and your needs all change.
• Check whether your plan still meets visa and residency requirements.
• If you have had children since arriving: make sure they are added to your health plan.
• Update your life insurance sum assured if your income or liabilities have grown.
• Review income protection if your earnings have changed significantly.

Country-Specific Checklist Notes

• Spain: NIE, padrón registration, SNS access via social security or private plan.
• Portugal: NIF, AIMA registration, SNS or private plan for D7/D8 visas.
• Germany: Anmeldung, GKV or PKV mandatory from day one.
• France: PUMA after 3 months, titre de séjour may require private cover upfront.
• Italy: codice fiscale, SSN registration, private cover for non-EU expats recommended.
• UK: NHS registration, private cover recommended for dental and fast specialist access.

Frequently Asked Questions