Are you planning to travel to Chile or are you an expatriate? Think about taking out international health insurance before you leave, to cover potential health risks and needs. Not only does it guarantee you a more worry-free trip, but it’s also compulsory to take out health insurance when traveling to Chile! We’ll explain.
Health in Chile
Chile’s medical infrastructure is among the best in South America. Inevitably, this means that medical costs are among the highest. A consultation with a general practitioner can cost up to 25,000 pesos (around €26), in a country where the minimum wage is around 150,000 pesos (€159)*. There are private clinics as well as public establishments where health costs are lower and covered by the national system (for Chilean nationals or residents).
For your information: the WHO has ranked Chile’s healthcare system 33rd in the world. On a par with Australia and Denmark.
In terms of vaccinations, the Ministry of Health recommends that you get vaccinated against hepatitis A, rabies and typhoid. Hygiene in Chile is good, and the country presents no health problems for travelers or expatriates. The risk of vector-borne infectious diseases is lower than in other neighboring countries.
The health system in Chile
As an expatriate in Chile, you are no longer covered by the French health insurance system (Assurance Maladie), but by the Chilean system. It’s called FONASA for Fondo Nacional de Salud, and it’s a social protection scheme open to anyone working on Chilean soil. It covers sickness-maternity, industrial accidents and/or occupational diseases, old age-disability and unemployment.
As a Chilean resident, you are obliged to take out health insurance. This may be with FONASA (unfortunately not always sufficient to cover medical expenses), with a private Chilean health insurance company, ISAPRE (for Instituciones de Salud Previsional) or with foreign/international insurance companies. For your information: 19% of Chileans are currently covered by FONASA and by a complementary private insurance. Depending on your visa, you may also be required to take out supplementary health insurance. The advantage of private insurance is that it gives you access to the services of private establishments, which are considered to be of higher quality, so that you can be treated more quickly.
As a traveler or tourist in Chile, you cannot take advantage of the national health system. You can, however, access emergency services. To take advantage of coverage and reimbursements, you’ll need to take out international travel insurance or, potentially, apply for reimbursement from the Assurance Maladie (subject to presentation of invoices and receipts). Also, as mentioned above, it is compulsory to take out health insurance to travel in the country. Your insurance certificate may be required by local authorities at the border or airport, so it’s a good idea to keep it with you.
Which health insurance is right for a trip or expatriation to Chile?
Whether you’re planning to move to Chile as an expatriate, or to discover the roads of Patagonia or the Atacama desert, you’ll need to take out additional health insurance. To make the right choice, there are a number of essential guarantees:
- 100% coverage of hospitalization costs in the event of an accident, as well as medical and pharmaceutical expenses,
- medical repatriation, to cover an emergency return to France,
- third-party liability to cover material and/or physical damage caused to others,
- 24/7 assistance is a plus, especially given the time difference between France and Chile.
Beyond these “basic” coverages, we also recommend that you choose a company, a contract, that suits you. A solo traveler in Chilean Patagonia will not have the same needs as a family exploring Santiago. That’s why it’s important to subscribe to options that seem relevant to your situation and that reflect your health needs (optical, dental). Finally, for travelers who wish to cover the entire southern continent as far as Colombia or Brazil, we recommend taking out insurance that offers travel and baggage coverage. This means you’re covered in the event of flight cancellation, travel delays, baggage theft or loss, etc.
To find out more, log on to Santexpat.fr . You can compare the offers available on the market. Our team of health experts will find you the best expatriate and/or travel insurance for your stay in Chile.
