Greece · Insurance
Insurance in Greece — health, travel, and digital-nomad cover, what is mandatory, and how to choose a plan.
AI-drafted, editorially reviewed. Confirm specifics with the official authority.
On the private side, Greek insurance is a short list: exactly one line is compulsory — third-party motor insurance, which you need in order to drive — and health, property and life cover are all optional and privately arranged. Private insurers are authorised and supervised by the Bank of Greece, so that is where verification happens rather than at a separate insurance regulator. The public social-insurance side runs separately through EFKA.
Private insurance in Greece (health, motor, home, life) is offered by companies supervised by the Bank of Greece. Motor third-party liability insurance is compulsory.
- Private insurers are authorised and supervised by the Bank of Greece.
- Third-party motor insurance is mandatory to drive.
- Health and property cover are optional and privately arranged.
- 1
Note how short the compulsory list is
Third-party motor insurance is mandatory to drive, and that is the whole compulsory list on the private side. Everything else is a judgement call rather than a legal duty.
- 2
Arrange motor cover before driving
Since the requirement attaches to driving, get the policy in place before you get behind the wheel rather than alongside buying or registering a car.
- 3
Verify the insurer with the Bank of Greece
Private insurers are authorised and supervised by the Bank of Greece. People often go looking for a dedicated insurance regulator, so knowing the central bank holds that role saves a detour.
- 4
Keep the private side apart from EFKA
Public social insurance runs through EFKA and is a separate matter from anything you buy privately. Questions about pensions or public healthcare belong on that side, not with an insurer.
- 5
Decide the optional lines on your own risks
Health and property cover are optional and privately arranged. With so short a compulsory list, the useful question is what you actually want protected rather than what you are obliged to buy.
- Compulsory list understood as motor cover only
- Third-party motor policy in force before driving
- Insurer confirmed as Bank of Greece-supervised
- EFKA questions directed to the public side
- Optional health cover decided on merit
- Property cover matched to what you own
- Life cover considered separately if relevant
- Bank of Greece
Bank of Greece — supervises private insurance undertakings.
Frequently asked questions
Which insurance is compulsory in Greece?
On the private side, only third-party motor insurance, which you need in order to drive. Health, property and life cover are all optional and privately arranged, so the compulsory list is genuinely short.
Who supervises insurance companies in Greece?
The Bank of Greece authorises and supervises private insurers. Many people go looking for a dedicated insurance regulator first, so knowing the central bank holds that role saves a detour when you want to verify a company.
Is EFKA the same as private insurance in Greece?
No — public social insurance runs through EFKA and is a separate matter from anything bought privately. Questions about pensions or public healthcare belong on the EFKA side rather than with an insurer.
How to choose cover
Which cover you need is decided by your residence status and how long you are staying, not by price. Most people end up in one of three situations — and the wrong one is usually chosen by buying travel cover for what is actually a residence, or paying twice for cover the statutory scheme already provides.
Statutory or employer cover — if you live and work here
Once you register as a resident or start a local job, enrolment is usually mandatory and often automatic through payroll. This is the cheapest and broadest cover available to you, so check whether you qualify before buying anything private — see what is mandatory in this country above.
Private or top-up cover — to fill what the statutory scheme leaves out
Dental, vision, prescriptions, private rooms and shorter waiting times commonly sit outside the statutory scheme, and employers often provide a top-up policy. Read what your statutory cover excludes first — buying a full private policy when you only need a top-up is the most expensive mistake here.
International, travel or nomad cover — for short stays and the gap before enrolment
This is the right product in three cases: you are staying too briefly to become a resident, your visa requires proof of cover before arrival, or the statutory scheme has a waiting period after you arrive. It is a bridge, not a substitute — once you are enrolled locally, most people drop it.
Check before you pay
- Does it satisfy the visa or residence requirement? If a permit asks for proof of cover, the policy must meet that authority's stated minimum — not merely exist.
- Where does it cover you? Check whether your home country and any country you transit are included — many international policies exclude your country of citizenship or limit it to a few weeks a year.
- How are pre-existing conditions handled? This is the most common claim refusal — look for the definition, the look-back period and whether a declaration is required.
- Outpatient or hospital-only? Cheap policies often cover hospitalisation but not GP visits, tests or prescriptions — which is most of what you will actually use.
- Direct billing or reimbursement? If the insurer does not pay the hospital directly, you need the cash up front and the paperwork afterwards.
- Is the insurer licensed to operate here? The country's financial regulator — listed in the official authorities below — publishes the register. An unlicensed policy can be unenforceable locally.
- What happens at renewal? Check age limits, whether premiums rise after a claim, and whether cover ends the day your visa status changes.
International providers people commonly use
Richbay is not an insurer or a broker and does not assess your circumstances. These are widely used international providers, listed for the third case above — check eligibility, the terms in the list above, and whether the provider is licensed where you are going.
- SafetyWing
Subscription travel-medical cover aimed at remote workers and long trips; monthly rolling rather than a fixed trip length.
- Genki
Monthly international health cover for nomads and expatriates, with a longer-term plan for people who stay abroad indefinitely.
- Cigna Global
Full international private medical insurance — modular, aimed at people relocating rather than travelling, and generally priced accordingly.
General information, not insurance advice. Cover, eligibility and legal requirements differ by country, visa type and personal circumstances — confirm with the authority and the insurer before relying on any of this.
Government portals
- Ministry of Migration and Asylum — Residence permits for non-EU nationals, including the Golden Visa and digital-nomad routes.
- Ministry of National Economy and Finance — Tax policy, the AFM tax number, and the budget framework.
- GEMI Business Portal — The General Commercial Registry — company formation and public company records.
- e-EFKA — Social Security — Social-security registration, contributions for employees and the self-employed, and pensions.