International health insurance for expats in Colombia
Medellín, Bogotá, Cartagena and Santa Marta are among the most popular destinations for remote workers and retirees in Latin America. Colombia has good private hospitals in its main cities and a mandatory public system that foreign residents may have to join. Understanding how the two fit together is the first step to choosing the right cover.
How healthcare works for foreigners in Colombia
Colombia’s health system is mandatory social insurance. Residents are affiliated to an EPS (health promoting entity): employees contribute through payroll, and self-employed residents pay as independent contributors, based on declared income. A foreigner needs a cédula de extranjería, issued after the visa, to affiliate. Specialist referrals through an EPS can take months, quality varies by region, and several EPS are under state intervention (Expat Focus).
That is why most expats add private cover. Colombians use medicina prepagada or complementary plans, which give faster access to private clinics, but many of them stop accepting new members in the early sixties and they are built for treatment in Colombia.
Where an international plan fits
An international plan does not replace an EPS affiliation if the law requires you to have one. It sits alongside it and covers what the local system and local plans do not: private hospitals without referrals, high annual limits, cancer care, evacuation to another country, and treatment back home or in the rest of your area of cover. It also continues if you move to another country, which matters for remote workers who spend a few years in Colombia and then move on.
Health insurance and Colombian visas
Most Colombian visa categories ask for proof of health insurance valid in Colombia for the duration of the stay, including the digital nomad visa. Retirees should note that M-Pensionado visa holders have been reported to be unable to affiliate to an EPS, which makes private cover their main protection. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Cancillería) publishes the checklist for each visa and changes it from time to time, so confirm it before you apply. We issue the certificate of insurance in English or Spanish.
Choosing the plan
Most clients in Colombia choose worldwide cover excluding the USA, with hospital cover, evacuation and, for families, out-patient care. A deductible lowers the premium if you mainly want protection against large bills. US citizens are placed with Cigna Global, because Allianz Care does not accept US citizens. Colombian citizens living in Colombia are normally not eligible; Colombians living abroad are, and we advise them in Spanish.
How we work
Both insurers, side by side
Allianz Care and Cigna Global configured on the same terms, with our recommendation in writing.
One adviser, quote to claim
The person who quotes your plan handles the application, the certificate, renewals and claims.
No fee to you
We are paid by the insurer. Quotation, comparison and help with claims cost you nothing.
Get your international health insurance quote
Four details are enough to start. We reply in writing within one working day with Allianz Care and Cigna Global configured for you.
Thank you
We will come back to you in writing within one working day.
Frequently asked questions
Do I still need an EPS if I have international insurance?
It depends on your visa and your income. Where Colombian law requires affiliation, an international plan does not exempt you from it. The plan then gives you private treatment, evacuation and cover outside Colombia on top of the EPS.
Does an international plan meet Colombian visa requirements?
An international plan whose area of cover includes Colombia gives you a certificate of insurance for your stay. The Cancillería decides what it accepts for each visa, so check the current checklist.
I am over 60. Can I still get cover?
Often yes. Local prepaid plans frequently close to new members in the early sixties, while international insurers have their own entry-age rules. Give us every age in the household and we tell you which plans are open to you.
Allianz Care or Cigna Global for Colombia?
Both write cover for expats living in Colombia. We send both configured on the same terms with our recommendation in writing.
Related reading
Adler & Rochefort is the commercial brand of Ownizo, Unipessoal Lda., an insurance broker registered with the Autoridade de Supervisão de Seguros e Fundos de Pensões (ASF) under no. 425591790/3, authorised to carry on insurance mediation in the life and non-life branches, and not a tied agent of any insurer. We are appointed to distribute the international health plans of Allianz Care, Cigna Global and APRIL International. Availability depends on your nationality, your main country of residence and local law, and is confirmed before any quotation. This page is general information, not advice on a specific case, and not an offer of insurance. Acceptance, cover, limits, exclusions and premium are determined by the insurer following medical underwriting and are governed exclusively by the policy conditions issued.