Health insurance in the Republic of Croatia is compulsory, meaning that every citizen of the Republic of Croatia must have a regulated compulsory health insurance.
The compulsory health insurance is provided by the Croatian Health Insurance Fund (HZZO) and is regulated by the Compulsory Health Insurance Act (Official Gazette, Nos. 80/13, 137/13 i 98/19).
The health insurance and health care of foreigners is regulated by a special act – the Act on Health Insurance and Health Care of Foreigners in the Republic of Croatia (Official Gazette, No. 80/13, 15/18 and 26/21).
Within the compulsory health insurance, the rights and obligations of compulsory health insurance are provided to all insured persons of the Croatian Health Insurance Fund, based on the principles of reciprocity, solidarity and equality, in the manner and under the conditions laid down by the Regulation (EC) No. 883/04, Directive 2011/24/EU on the application of patients’ rights in cross-border healthcare, the Compulsory Health Insurance Act and the regulations adopted on the basis of this Act and the special act.
The following persons are obliged to apply for compulsory health insurance:
- Persons who are residents of the Republic of Croatia
- Foreigners with approved permanent residence or long-term residence in the Republic of Croatia
- Nationals of other Member States of the European Union (EU) and the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland nationals of other countries with a temporary residence permit in Croatia, and on the basis of employment relationship with an employer based in Croatia, or on the basis of economic or professional activity if the conditions under special regulations regulating the issue of residence and work of foreigners in Croatia are fulfilled
- Nationals of other EU/EEA Member States/ Switzerland with approved temporary residence in the Republic of Croatia if they are not compulsorily insured in one of the EU/EEA Member State/Switzerland and
- Nationals of other states than EU/EGP/Switzerland who are temporary residents of the Republic of Croatia.
Application for health insurance is not mandatory if it is otherwise regulated by the EU regulations, international agreements or special acts.
Compulsory health insurance rights, including rights related to injuries at work and occupational diseases, cover:
- The right to health care and
- The right to monetary benefits.
The insured persons are obliged to participate in the costs of health care from compulsory health insurance, for services that are not fully insured at the expense of the Croatian Health Insurance Fund.
In order to cover the costs of participation, insured persons may enter into a supplementary health insurance contract with the Croatian Health Insurance Fund.
MORE – Compulsory insurance | HZZO
Relevant links and contacts
- Compulsory insurance | HZZO
- Homepage | DZO (hzzo.hr)
- Legal acts | HZZO
- Free info phone for questions regarding compulsory health insurance 0800 7979
- Free info phone for questions regarding supplementary health insurance 0800 7989