Health Insurance in the Czech Republic: How to Make It Work for You

If you're employed and haven't opted for private health insurance—which I'd wager is the vast majority of us—then 13.5% of your gross income goes toward public health insurance in 2025. Your employer covers 9%, and you pay the remaining 4.5%. But in fact when an employer makes a salary offer, this is already factored into the total cost of hiring you. So, ultimately, it's your money either way.

And it's no small amount. Even at minimum wage, it amounts to 20,800 CZK per year—about 2,808 CZK a month. For most of us, it's several times more. As with any insurance policy, we rarely use the full value of what we pay into the system—which, of course, is a good thing. Still, insurance companies are happy to part with a small portion of this money to invest in preventive care. And it's kind of our civic duty to help them do that. 😉

Because let's face it: on one hand, it's in our own best interest to stay healthy. On the other, the public healthcare system is overloaded and wait times can be ridiculous. If you ever need urgent care, you'll probably end up going private—and paying out of pocket anyway. So philosophically, we've come full circle. Now let's talk practicalities.

Today, all foreigners can choose their zdravotní pojišťovna. You're also allowed to switch periodically, free of charge. That means you can shop around for the best preventive benefits and choose the insurer that fits your needs best. There's no one-size-fits-all winner; it depends on your lifestyle and priorities. That said, larger insurers often have better coverage across clinics and hospitals, which is worth considering.

When I first moved here, foreigners were assigned solely to VZP (111), and I've stayed with them ever since. So I'll be using VZP as my example—but I strongly encourage you to do your own research. Most insurance providers have English-friendly websites now (or you know… use techMology ;) ).

A lot of people don't take advantage of preventive benefits, often because they either don't know about them or feel it's not worth the hassle. I get it—nobody wants to sit in a packed VZP office, waiting in a long line, only to end up with a flustered clerk who may speak limited English and just wants to get it over with (exceptions exist, but you'll need some luck 😅). All that for a 500 CZK reimbursement on a 5,000 CZK gym membership? You might think, "I'd earn more than that in the time it takes to wait."

But the truth is, you only need to go once—and it really doesn't have to take an hour.

For example, in Brno, VZP has a small secondary office right next to FN Bohunice. I'm guessing this setup repeats in other cities too—look for smaller branches near university hospitals or large medical centers. There's rarely a queue. I walked in, got online access set up for myself and my kids, and was done in 30 minutes (including travel time). Once activated at home, I could manage all of our insurance accounts from one place.

Now I don't wait three months to collect enough receipts to justify a trip, only to be told I missed the submission deadline 🙄. Instead, when we get home from the doctor, I snap a photo of the receipt, log in, fill out the reimbursement form, scan the QR code, upload the image, and send it off. A few weeks later, 500 or 1,000 CZK shows up in my account. Easy-peasy.

Things I regularly get reimbursed for: sports memberships, summer and ski camps, vaccinations (mandatory and optional!), full-body skin checks, yoga classes under "recreational activities," dental hygiene, and more. If you're a regular blood donor OR have earned a medal for at least 10 odběrů, you'll qualify for higher reimbursement limits on dental hygiene and recreational activities. If you're pregnant, they'll cover some prenatal screenings, gravid yoga and selected baby gear. It really does add up!

And a little (free) plug for VZP—as of 2025, their website now shows which benefits you've already used, so you don't have to track it manually. You can also check how much your medical visits actually cost the insurer, where you stand with your prescription drug limits, and more.

In the end, knowing what's refundable not only gets me high-four-digit returns each year (well into five when pregnant!), it also encourages healthier habits. My kids and I do all the recommended preventive screenings—some free, others discounted. I call this the best money ever "thrown out the window." 😉