Guide to getting health insurance in Luxembourg in 2025

Living in Luxembourg comes with plenty of perks, and access to quality healthcare is one of them. But before you can book that doctor’s appointment or get a prescription filled, you’ll need to sort out health insurance.

Here’s how Luxembourg’s health insurance set-up works, who needs what, and how to make sure you’re set up from day one:

Health insurance in Luxembourg’s healthcare system

Luxembourg’s healthcare system provides universal healthcare through a mix of public and private coverage. The government oversees public health benefits, which are provided by the National Health Fund (CNS – French: Caisse Nationale de Santé, German: Gesundheitskasse, Luxembourgish: d’Gesondheetskeess).

The CNS is monitored by the General Inspectorate of Social Security (IGSS – French: Inspection Générale de la Sécurité Sociale, German: Generalinspektion der Sozialen Sicherheit, Luxembourgish: Generalinspektioun vun der Sozialversécherung). Meanwhile, the Commissariat aux Assurances (CAA) regulates private health insurance in Luxembourg.

A mix of public and private coverage

Public health insurance covers essential healthcare, including doctor visits and hospital care. However, most treatments require copayments, while other medical care (including what may feel essential) is not covered at all.

That’s where private (top-up) health insurance comes in.

Many Luxembourg residents take out private health insurance to bridge any out-of-pocket costs and access premium health services, such as private hospital rooms and certain treatments.

Who needs health insurance in Luxembourg?

Health insurance is mandatory in Luxembourg. It doesn’t matter if you’re a tourist on a stag do or a Luxembourgish citizen with family roots that go back centuries: if you stay in the country, you must have medical insurance.

But that doesn’t necessarily mean you need public health insurance. For example, if you are a new resident, you may be able to transfer your healthcare rights from your home country:

• Expats from the EU or EFTA (European Free Trade Association – Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland) can use their European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)
• People from the UK can access public healthcare with their Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC)
• If you don’t have an EHIC or GHIC, you can use an S1 form to transfer your health insurance rights from your home country to Luxembourg, or take out private health insurance
• Nationals from other countries must have private health insurance to enter Luxembourg

How does public health insurance work in Luxembourg?

Who can access public health insurance in Luxembourg?

Before we dive into the nitty-gritty, here’s a quick overview of who needs what type of health insurance:

What’s your status?	Can you access public health insurance?	Do you need private health insurance?
Employee	Yes	Only if you want 100% coverage
Self-employed worker	Yes	Only if you want 100% coverage
Job seeker	Yes, though there is a three-month coverage gap	Only if you want 100% coverage
Student	Yes, through your EHIC if you are from an EU/EFTA country, and through your GHIC if you are from the UK. If you don’t have an EHIC, you can use the S1 form to transfer your existing medical benefits. Others may register for public health insurance voluntarily. However, if you’re staying less than three months, this may not be advantageous.	It depends on your individual situation
Pensioner	Yes, though there is a three-month coverage gap Retirees can also use their EHIC if they are from an EU/EFTA country, or their GHIC if they are from the UK. If you don’t have an EHIC, you can use the S1 form to transfer your existing medical benefits.	Only if you want 100% coverage
Asylum seekers	Yes, though there is a three-month coverage gap	Only if you want 100% coverage
Recognized refugees	Yes	Only if you want 100% coverage

Salaried workers and freelancers

Anyone working in Luxembourg must register for public health insurance. Employers usually sign up their workers at the start of the job contract, while freelancers and business owners need to register themselves.

(Unemployed) job seekers with or without an income

If you receive unemployment benefits, you’re automatically registered for public health insurance. Foreign job seekers who have come to Luxembourg to look for work have a couple of options for health insurance:

• Expats from the EU/EFTA/UK can use their EHIC/GHIC to use their country’s healthcare rights in Luxembourg
• Expats from elsewhere must have private health insurance as part of their visa application

Health insurance for children and students

Minor children get free healthcare in Luxembourg; they are automatically covered by their parents’ or guardians’ health insurance. Children can remain a co-insured until they start working, claim unemployment insurance, or turn 29. After that age, some students can continue to be dependents; check the CNS website for more details.

International students can either:

• Access public healthcare through the EHIC/GHIC
• Take out private health insurance to cover the duration of their semester(s) abroad

Health insurance for retired pensioners

Retirees who receive a Luxembourg pension are automatically registered with the public health insurance fund. Foreign seniors who want to retire in the Grand Duchy may voluntarily sign up.

Again, if you are from the EU/EFTA/UK, you can transfer your healthcare rights from your home country to Luxembourg using an S1 form. Pensioners from elsewhere will need to get private health insurance as part of their visa application.

Short-term visitors and tourists

Tourists visiting Luxembourg from a visa-exempt country don’t need health insurance to enter the country. However, it’s a good idea to have travel health insurance, just in case. Medical care is of high quality, but can be expensive if you have to pay for it yourself.

If you need a Schengen visa to enter Luxembourg, you must have proof of health insurance during your application. The insurance must cover at least €30,000, be valid for the entire duration of your stay, and work in all Schengen countries.

Asylum seekers and refugees

Asylum seekers are automatically registered with the CNS, though with a three-month coverage gap. In theory, this means you pay insurance fees but don’t get covered until three months after registration. In practice, however, asylum seekers have full access to healthcare provided through a dedicated health center in Luxembourg City.

Refugees may voluntarily register for public insurance once their status is recognized, again with the delayed coverage. If you have a temporary status (e.g., Ukrainians), you are automatically registered with the CNS and have immediate access to healthcare.

What does public health insurance cover in Luxembourg?

Public health insurance covers a range of essential services, including doctor visits, basic dental care, vaccinations, prescription medications, contraception, hospital and emergency care, and cancer screening tests.

While some treatments are free, others are heavily subsidized and require patients to pay small copayments. For example, you can expect to pay 12% of the costs for doctors, hospitals, and clinics, and 20–60% for most prescription medications.

It’s also worth noting that the government has put caps on the amount it will reimburse. For instance, the CNS only covers 12 doctor visits per half year (with exceptions, of course). Likewise, they won’t cover your medical costs without a referral (and sometimes, prior approval).

Of course, public coverage also depends on the healthcare provider. Basically, Luxembourg’s government regulates healthcare fees, and most health services will charge just that. However, if they are non-CNS-affiliated, they can (and will) charge more. In those cases, you will need to have private health insurance to cover the costs or pay them yourself.

Can foreigners get health insurance in Luxembourg?

Yes, expats can register for public health insurance in Luxembourg.

We briefly mentioned it before, but if you’re not a working resident, it’s not mandatory to have public health insurance. Any medical insurance will do. You can, of course, choose to register voluntarily.

In that case, the CNS will delay coverage until three months after you sign up. In other words, you pay three months’ worth of insurance fees before public insurance covers your medical expenses. During this time, you either need to cover the costs yourself or have private or international health insurance to cover it for you.

If you want to avoid the coverage gap, these international insurers cater specifically to expats:

• Allianz Care
• APRIL International
• Cigna Global

How to apply for public health insurance in Luxembourg

What to do before your move to Luxembourg

Your first step – even before moving to Luxembourg – is to contact your country’s public healthcare authority. They will be able to advise you on your rights and, if you’re from the EU, can fill out the S1 form, should you need it.

Of course, citizens from other countries will need to take out private health insurance to qualify for a visa.

How to register once you are in Luxembourg

We might have buried the lead a little bit, but public health insurance is linked to Luxembourg’s social security system. So, after the big move, these are the steps to take to sign up for public healthcare:

The health insurance card in Luxembourg

After your application is processed, you’ll receive your social security card in about three weeks. This card serves as proof of your insurance status and contains (among other things) your medical records (Dossier de Soins Partagé – DSP). The back of the card has the EHIC, which you can use to access healthcare in any EU member state.

It is recommended that you always carry this card with you, since it gives you access to public doctors, hospitals, and health centers throughout Luxembourg. It also allows your doctor to upload prescriptions for medications, should you need them.

How to get money back from public health insurance

In 2024, the government introduced Immediate Direct Payment (PID – French: paiement immédiat direct, German: Direkte Sofortzahlung, Luxembourgish: Direkt Bezuelen), which allows health services to settle the bill directly with the CNS. Patients only need to pay the copayment.

If your doctor or service provider does not yet work with the PID system, you’ll need to pay the entire bill upfront and ask the CNS for reimbursement afterward.

To get reimbursed, you can either:

1. Send in the original invoice and proof of payment by mail. If you’ve paid online, you must provide a debit statement. Post mailed within Luxembourg don’t require a stamp.
2. Visit a CNS agency (with an appointment). You can only do so if the total amount of medical expenses is at least €100 per household and if you paid the bill within the previous 15 calendar days.

If you’ve paid a medical bill for someone else (who is not a dependent), you can ask for your money back using a Form A or B:

• Form A is used when you pay multiple bills over a specific period – contact comptes.cns@secu.lu to request the form
• Form B is used when you pay just one specific bill – Form B (downloadable here) must be submitted by post

Simple reimbursements typically take about three weeks to process.

Overview of private health insurance in Luxembourg

Although the public health system is quite generous in Luxembourg, it’s also common for people to take out additional insurance to access 100% coverage. Some employers even offer this as an employment benefit. In 2022, around two-thirds of Luxembourg’s population had some form of extra health insurance.

Mutuelle vs private health insurance: what’s the difference?

There are two types of health insurance top-ups in Luxembourg: mutuelles and regular private insurance plans.

Mutuelles are non-profit health insurance associations. They are membership-based and offer standardized packages that cover things that the CNS does not fully reimburse (e.g., copayments and certain treatments). Mutuelles typically have fixed membership fees and are open to all applicants within a specific group. For example, self-employed residents can join the Employers’ Mutual Insurance (Mutualité des employeurs – MDE).

Private health insurance policies, on the other hand, are sold by a for-profit company. These plans are often customizable and provide broader coverage (e.g., full dental and treatment abroad). Private health insurance premiums are typically higher than those of mutuelles, and insurers may refuse applicants based on health risk.

So, in essence, mutuelles are affordable plans that provide limited top-up coverage, while private health insurance offers comprehensive coverage, often at a higher price.

Advantages of private health insurance in Luxembourg

Both mutuelles and private insurance cover treatments that are excluded from Luxembourg’s public health coverage. Aside from that, other benefits include:

• No copayments
• Shorter waiting times
• Wider range of healthcare providers who offer personalized care
• Premium levels of comfort (e.g., private rooms) in hospitals
• Birth, sickness, and death benefits
• Coverage abroad

International health insurance for expats in Luxembourg

Depending on your situation, some foreigners moving to Luxembourg may benefit from an international health insurance plan:

• Non-EU/EFTA/UK expats will need to prove that they have valid health insurance coverage before they can enter the country
• Public health insurance funds delay coverage until three months after you sign up voluntarily
• Public healthcare only partially covers essential treatment
• Finally, internationals who travel a lot would benefit more from global health coverage

How to apply for private health insurance in Luxembourg?

With the number of health insurance options in Luxembourg, it makes sense to look around and compare plans. Aside from the affordability, things you could consider include:

Consideration	Questions to ask
Does the policy suit your needs	Are you able to select what you need and remove what you don’t?
Payment process	Will your insurer settle bills directly, or do you have to pay first and then claim reimbursement? How complicated and/or time-consuming is the process?
Special offers and incentives	Can you get a discount on your premium by signing up for a certain plan? Does the insurer offer reward programs?
Overseas coverage	Is travel insurance offered, and do you need it?
Customer feedback	How does the company score on consumer ratings websites?
Cancellation policy	How easy is it to change to another provider? Will you have to pay to cancel?

Be sure to ask your employer about their healthcare plan as well; you may be eligible for an additional health plan through your employment benefits.

Once you’ve decided on a health policy, you can contact the mutuelle or insurance company directly to sign up. They will be more than happy to walk you through the process. If you’re going with a for-profit insurer, beware of pushy salespeople! You might walk away with a completely different policy than you had in mind.

Private and international health insurance providers

In addition to the mutuelles and private Luxembourgish insurers, there are also international insurance companies that cater specifically to expats. These providers are ideal for newcomers to Luxembourg who want to avoid a coverage gap, those who travel outside the country a lot, and anyone who prefers expat-focused care:

• Allianz Care
• APRIL International
• Cigna Global

How much does health insurance cost in Luxembourg?

Is public health insurance in Luxembourg free?

Public health insurance in Luxembourg is indeed free… If you are co-insured with a paying member, that is. Others pay for the CNS through a combination of taxes and social security contributions.

If your registration is mandatory, your employer or pension provider will deduct a percentage of your gross monthly salary or pension to cover healthcare costs. In 2025, this was 5.6% (the same rate applies to freelancers as well). If your registration is voluntary, you must pay the CCSS a monthly fee of €143.97 (2025).

How much is private health insurance in Luxembourg?

When it comes to private health insurance, most insurers in Luxembourg have different policy levels, ranging from basic to comprehensive. Premiums usually depend on:

• Extra coverage (e.g., dental care or hospitalization)
• Coverage location (i.e., whether the policy covers abroad)
• Personal information, such as age and health conditions

Depending on the extra coverage, you can expect to pay around €50–100 per month for basic medical care (e.g., extended dental care or private hospital rooms). For more comprehensive coverage, like worldwide coverage, prices can go up to €150–300 per month. Fortunately, though, private health insurance premiums are generally tax-deductible in Luxembourg.

Nevertheless, it’s always smart to research and compare insurance policies to get the best healthcare coverage.

Useful resources

• Ministry of Health and Social Security – official government website for the ministry responsible for healthcare in Luxembourg
• National Health Fund – official website for public healthcare coverage in Luxembourg
• Sante Secu – government e-portal with news and information about Luxembourg’s healthcare
• e-Santé – government e-portal with healthcare information and access to your medical records
• Joint Social Security Center – official government website for the social security office in Luxembourg