Czech - Foreigner's proof of Medical Insurance
 

I was told by a TA that Czech requires visitors to provide proof of medical insurance coverage for $40,000 or more.

I am from the U.S. I'll be in Czech for 4 days as a tourist, in between Germany and Hungary. My medical insurance covers me for emergency medical treatments in foreign countries. Will my medical insurance card good enough as proof, or do I need something else?

What was your experience? Thanks,

Does that TA by any chance also offer to sell you some sort of travel insurance?

should be fine ,but if you have a print out of the actual policy you will be fine. I have never actually heard of folk having to produce evidence of cover. I travel from the UK to the CR very often but as I am an EU citizen than I don't need to show anything but do have a European health Insurance card that I need to travel with in the EU

Was in CR last year. Never heard of such a thing!!!

We just entered Prague as our first stop in the EU and were not asked for proof of insurance.

I've been to the Czech Republic twice and no one ever asked me for medical insurance.

This is the second thread about this. I wonder if you both have the same TA.

And why are you using a TA? What's the benefit?

Yes, the TA does sell travel insurance.
And yes, according to this "official looking" website,
http://www.czech.cz/en/93401-foreign...alth-insurance
foreigners from EU and non-EU countries have different requirements. However, the non-EU foreigners' section did not say anything about tourists who are visiting for only a few days.

Your TA is correct, but this law is almost never enforced. I did hear of a (very) few problems, though. (I live in Germany right on the border to Czech Republic.) If you want to be sure then bring a print out of the actual policy, as unclegus suggested.

It isn't the TA making this up, this is accurate, it's on the Czech Embassy website. They first starting having that requirement maybe five years ago.

IN practice, that is the law, but I have never been asked to show proof. I imagine if you are someone they suspect of illegal immigration, etc., they might ask you. I buy travel insurance and so had a copy of that with me. If you never buy travel insurance, I seriously doubt if you will be asked but it is the law. I'm not sure if your medical card will prove anything as it isn't even dated nor does it show you are covered abroad. If you are concerned, why not call up the Czech Embassy in your home country and ask what is required. Or, you can copy the few pages in your insurance handbook that say you are covered abroad, how about that.

In fact, I notice the article on the Czech Embassy website about obligatory travel medical insurance was withdrawn from the site (it was in 2010, so I wonder if they changed the rules? However, your TA didn't make this up. I read that article and it applied to regular tourists.

This is a real requirement - but they don't ask for it on entry in my experience. Perhaps if you look like you don't have medical insurance (american student backpacking for instance) they may ask for it. In any case as long as you have health insurance that covers you outside the US (bring your card with you) you should be covered. I believe almost all policies issued in the US cover one for a minimum of $1 million, although some strict HMO policies may not cover you ex-US (since it's obviously out of network).

Just be aware that Medicare does not cover one outside the US.

On the official (not just "official looking" ;-)) page of the Czech embassy at http://www.mzv.cz/washington/en/cons...or_90days.html - the requirement to show proof of medical insurance coverage while in CZ is part of the Schengen 90 day tourist visa application process. US citizens are not required to obtain this visa for short (<90 days) touristic visits.

I was never asked for any proof of insurance entering or in CZ, but it has been several years. If I had been, I just would have shown my ID card from my US insurer.

I called my insurance company, and they sent me a letter stating that when traveling outside of my service provider's service area, I am covered for Emergency services and Urgent care when network providers are inaccessible.

So I'll carry this letter as well as my insurance card for the trip.

The TA is an honest man after all. Thanks for the folks who spoke with reason.