Health insurance in Monaco for expats

Monaco runs an insurance-based healthcare system, where all residents and visitors are required to have insurance to access public healthcare facilities. This can be provided by the state health insurance system or by private insurance. Private insurance may also enable access to Monaco’s private healthcare facilities.¹

Monaco has one main hospital, the Princess Grace Hospital, which provides a wide range of care services, including an accident and emergency department that is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.² There are also several specialist clinics in the Principality, including cardio-thoracic treatment, dialysis, and sports medicine/surgery.³

When you have a medical issue that isn’t an emergency, your local GP is your first port of call. If necessary, they’ll refer you to a hospital or a specialist clinic for the treatment you need. Monaco’s GPs are highly accessible, as they take it in turns to provide care out of normal hours and at night.⁴

Healthcare in Monaco is of an excellent standard, in terms of facilities, equipment and the expertise of its medical personnel.⁵ This applies both to public locations such as the Princess Grace Hospital and private healthcare facilities, too.

Accessing pharmacies for prescriptions or over-the-counter medication is also relatively easy in Monaco. At night, pharmacies take it in turns to open: if one is closed, they often put a note on their doors saying which ones are open.⁴

One thing to be aware of, however, is that the cost of living in Monaco is very high⁶ and this also applies to private healthcare.⁵ Medical bills can mount up very quickly, unless you have a private medical insurance policy in place.

Anyone with official residency in Monaco can access the public healthcare system and is required to have a health insurance plan in place.

For employed and self-employed people, this takes the form of the state health insurance system, the Caisse de Compensation des Services Sociaux (CCSS).⁷ This ensures that contributors (and their dependents) can get the care they need, across primary and specialist healthcare, prescriptions, and dentistry, among other areas. 

As it’s an insurance-based system, you may have to pay the cost of the treatment yourself and then claim it back as a reimbursement. Some treatments can be claimed back in full, while others run at an 80% reimbursement rate^4, meaning you’ll have to cover the remaining 20% out-of-pocket.

Visitors to Monaco aren’t entitled to use the public healthcare system.⁵ You’ll be treated in the event of an emergency, but you’ll be charged for all the care you receive. If you need any non-emergency care, you’ll have to seek out private healthcare facilities instead. For both reasons, things can quickly get expensive, which means having your own medical insurance coverage in place is extremely important.

What kind of documentation do I need to access healthcare in Monaco?

To register with the CCSS, you’ll need to visit their office in Monaco or complete your application online. You’ll need proof of identity, residency, and employment status to hand. Once this registration is complete, you can sign up with your local GP, and you’ll be sent a ‘Carte Vitale’ smart card containing your medical information, which you should bring with you any time you need to use the healthcare system in Monaco.

Employed residents in Monaco make social security contributions to pay for their access to public healthcare. Employees contribute 8.95% of their monthly salary, plus whatever they pay into the supplementary pension scheme. Employers contribute 27.13% of the salary plus the pension contribution.⁸

If you’re self-employed, then you’ll have to make your own payments to the CCSS directly. These are currently €1095 per quarter (approx. £945; $1250).⁹

If you don’t qualify for the CCSS scheme, then you’ll have to put your own private health insurance in place. How much this costs depends on your choice of provider and your healthcare needs.

If you don’t qualify for the CCSS public health insurance scheme, then yes. But even if you do, it can be a good idea to put your own private cover in place, so that you have access to more services without the big bills.

What are the benefits of private health insurance in Monaco?

Having private medical insurance in place in Monaco means you can benefit from: 

• High-quality care: Private facilities tend to offer more comfortable facilities and a more dedicated standard of care. 
• Dental cover: If you need advanced dental care in Monaco, you’ll have to pay for it out-of-pocket. Our private cover can make sure your treatment bills don’t become unaffordable.
• Peace of mind: Having private cover means you can feel reassured that you’ll always get the very best care, however your medical needs evolve. 
• Tailored cover: Going private gives you more flexibility to choose cover that’s in line with your current and future healthcare requirements and balance your care needs with value for money. 

Would I need dental insurance in Monaco?

Some dental treatments come under the public healthcare system, paid for by social security contributions.¹⁰ However, if you don’t qualify for public healthcare, and/or you need more advanced treatment, you’ll have to pay for your dental care out-of-pocket. This can get expensive very quickly, so having private medical cover that includes dentistry may be the best option.

The Princess Grace Hospital has its own specific emergency line, which is (+377) 97 98 97 69. You can reach the police department by calling 17 and the fire department on 18. Alternatively, for all types of emergencies, you can use the pan-European emergency line on 112.¹¹