The purpose of health insurance in Estonia is to cover the costs of health services provided to insured persons, prevent and cure diseases, finance the purchase of medicinal products and medical technical aids, and provide the benefit for temporary incapacity for work and other benefits. Health insurance is applicable since January 1, 1992.
As of March 31, 2004 altogether 1 272 097 insured persons were registered by the Health Insurance Fund.
Estonian health insurance is a social insurance and it relies on the principle of solidarity: the Health Insurance Fund covers the cost of health services required by the person in case of illness regardless of the amount of social tax paid for the person concerned. The Fund uses the social tax paid for the working population also for covering the cost of health services provided to persons who have no income with regard to work activities.
Internet bank clients or the owners of the Estonian ID-card can use the e-services to check the validity of their health insurance, their address, the name of the family physician and the payment of sickness benefits through internetbank or Kodanikuportaal (https://portaal.riik.ee/x/kodanik/). Also, the Internet allows correcting data related to the place of residence. Changing the address does not change the region where the insurance cover of the person applies.
In case you do not find answers to your questions, you are always welcome to send an e-mail, to phone or to come and visit us. Our international relations department will be pleased to help you or to refer you to the relevant person or organisation.
We hope this website provides you with the information you require with ease of access. If you have any comments, please send us an e-mail to: info [@] haigekassa.ee.
The client information line of the Health Insurance Fund is 16363 (calling from abroad +372 669 6630).