Do UK citizens get free healthcare in Cyprus?

Only through GESY, and only if you qualify by working in Cyprus, holding permanent residence or holding an S1. A GHIC covers you as a visitor, not once you're resident. Everyone else needs private insurance.

Is the healthcare system in Cyprus good?

Yes, for most needs. The WHO's 2024 review found out-of-pocket spending fell from 45% of health spending in 2018 to 10% in 2021 after GESY started. Private hospitals in Paphos also work with GESY, and very specialised care is often referred to Nicosia.

Do I need health insurance to live in Cyprus?

Yes, for most permits. Visitor permits require Plan A cover for every family member, and the digital nomad visa and investment route also require health insurance. Once you're a GESY beneficiary, private cover becomes optional.

Is GESY accepted instead of Plan A?

Not for a visitor permit. Plan A must include repatriation of remains, which GESY doesn't cover. If you're working and on GESY, you usually don't need Plan A.

Does my UK private medical insurance count?

Only if it meets the Migration Department's requirements: inpatient, outpatient and repatriation cover, with a certificate saying so. Many UK policies don't cover you once you live abroad, so check with your insurer before you rely on it.

Do I pay for hospital treatment in Cyprus?

On GESY, inpatient hospital care has no co-payment. Without GESY, you pay the hospital or claim on your insurance, up to your policy's limits.

Are pre-existing conditions covered?

Plan A usually excludes them. Some fuller policies cover them after a waiting period or at a higher premium. Tell the broker everything: an undisclosed condition can void a claim.

Services · Healthcare

Cyprus Health Insurance: The Right Cover for Your Permit, Family and Budget

Most UK movers need private health insurance before they can get a Cyprus residence permit. For a visitor permit that means Plan A cover for every family member, from about €120 a person a year. Fuller cover costs more. We introduce you to a licensed broker who can compare insurers and issue the certificate your permit needs.

Vetted, licensed partners
Free introduction
Referral fees disclosed

Request an introduction

Free. I reply personally within one working day.

The short version

Most UK movers need private cover before their permit. A visitor permit needs Plan A insurance for every family member: inpatient, outpatient and repatriation.

Plan A costs from about €120 a person a year; brokers typically quote €175–€250 for an adult and €100–€150 for a child.

Plan A is a minimum, not full cover. Typical limits are about €8,544 per hospital illness and €1,700 a year outpatient, and pre-existing conditions are usually excluded.

On GESY, private cover is optional. Workers, permanent residents and S1 holders qualify; visitor-permit and digital nomad residents don't.

Our introduction to a licensed broker is free and doesn't change your premium.

Which Cyprus health insurance does your permit need?

From the Migration Department's document lists, checked September 2026. Requirements can change, so your broker should confirm against the current list.

Permit or status	Insurance required
Visitor temporary residence permit ("pink slip"), including dependent children	Plan A: inpatient, outpatient and transport of remains, for each person
Yellow slip (MEU1) as a visitor or visiting pensioner, EU passport holders	Plan A, or an S1 for pensioners, or GESY registration
Digital nomad visa	Private cover for inpatient and outpatient care plus repatriation
Permanent residency by investment	Inpatient and outpatient cover for the family; yearly proof if you're not a GESY beneficiary
Working in Cyprus and on GESY	No private cover required once you're a GESY beneficiary

UK-only passport holders can't get a yellow slip. See our families guide for the permit routes UK families use.

What Plan A health insurance covers

Plan A is the minimum policy the Migration Department accepts for most permits. It must cover inpatient care, outpatient care and repatriation of remains. It's designed to satisfy immigration rules, not to be your only health cover.

Local brokers describe typical Plan A limits like this:

Benefit	Typical limit
Hospital (inpatient) care	About €8,544 per illness or accident
Outpatient care	About €1,700 a year
Repatriation of remains	About €3,418
Overall yearly cap	About €13,700

Standard exclusions include pre-existing conditions, dental and eye care, and cosmetic treatment. A few days in a private hospital, or a run of specialist visits and scans, can use up those limits quickly.

The bottom line: Plan A gets you the permit. If you won't be on GESY, look hard at a fuller policy too.

Family of four walking along a quiet beach near Paphos in the evening — Evening on a beach near Paphos.

How much Cyprus health insurance costs in 2026

Indicative yearly premiums published by Cyprus insurance brokers and agencies. Your age, health, excess and chosen hospitals change the price.

Plan A, adultCheapest policies from about €120

€120–250

Plan A, childSome insurers charge more for under-14s

€100–150

Local private medical plan, adultMore with full outpatient cover

€500–960

International medical plan, adultUsually includes cover outside Cyprus

€580–2,900

Private family cover€150–€400 a month

€1,800–4,800

Total per year

€3,100 – €9,060

Sources: local broker guides (2023–2026) and DevelopersCyprus (2026). Prices differ between brokers; always compare written quotes.

Worked example: insuring a family of four for a visitor permit

Two adults in their forties and two children, applying for visitor permits in Paphos. Ranges from Cyprus broker and agency guides, 2026.

Option	Yearly cost	What you get
Plan A for all four	€550–€800	Meets the Migration Department requirement. Hospital cover of about €8,544 per illness, outpatient about €1,700 a year.
Plan A for the permit, plus a local private plan for the adults	€1,550–€2,720	Plan A for all four, plus a local private plan at €500–€960 for each parent. Better outpatient and specialist cover for the adults.
Full private family cover	€1,800–€4,800	Private hospitals and specialists for everyone. Check that the certificate uses the Plan A wording for the permit.

Prices change with age, health, excess and hospital network. Always compare written quotes from more than one insurer.

Permit appointment coming up?

Get Plan A quotes for the whole family

A licensed broker compares several insurers and issues certificates in the wording the Migration Department accepts.

Introduce me to a broker How to vet a broker

GESY or private health insurance?

If you qualify for GESY, Cyprus's national health system, you probably don't need a full private plan. GESY covers personal doctors free, specialists at €6 with a referral and hospital stays with no co-payment, with co-payments capped at €150 a year (€75 for under-21s).

People keep private cover alongside GESY for three reasons: shorter waits for some specialists, a wider choice of private hospital, and cover when travelling. If you're on a visitor permit or the digital nomad visa, private insurance isn't optional, because the permit doesn't give you GESY.

Not sure where you stand? Our healthcare service page has the GESY eligibility table, and the GESY guide explains registration.

Questions to ask before you buy

A good broker answers all of these in writing before you pay.

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Will the Migration Department accept this certificate for my permit type?Ask for the exact wording on the certificate: inpatient, outpatient and repatriation.
Are my pre-existing conditions covered, excluded or covered after a waiting period?
What's the excess, and is it per claim or per year?
Which Paphos hospitals bill the insurer directly?Otherwise you pay up front and claim back.
Is outpatient cover included, and what are the limits?
Can I add or remove family members, and what does each child cost?
What happens to the policy once I'm registered with GESY?

How the introduction works

01
Tell us who needs cover
Ages, permit type, pre-existing conditions and your arrival date.
02
We match you
With a licensed broker who works with several insurers, not one.
03
Compare quotes
The broker sends written quotes and explains the limits and exclusions.
04
You decide
You buy directly from the insurer. Certificates are often issued within days.

What it costs you

The introduction is free. If you buy through the broker, the insurer pays the broker commission as normal, and the broker pays Paphos Advisor a referral fee. It doesn't change your premium. Our referral disclosure explains the arrangement.

Moving with children? Our healthcare for children guide explains how GESY and Plan A work for dependants, and the insurance brokers page shows how to vet a broker yourself.

If you're arriving within the next month, tell us. Brokers can often issue Plan A certificates quickly, but you need them before your Migration Department appointment.

Couple on a bench above Coral Bay at sunset — Coral Bay at sunset.

Cyprus health insurance in numbers

€120

cheapest Plan A policies, per person per year

things Plan A must cover: inpatient, outpatient, repatriation

€150

yearly GESY co-payment cap if you qualify

€0

cost of our introduction

Insurance brokers we introduce

Brokers on our panel must be registered with the Cyprus insurance regulator, work with several insurers, explain exclusions in plain English and disclose how they're paid.

Licensed and regulated

Registered with the right Cyprus body — Bar Association, ICPAC, CySEC or the Estate Agents Council.

Fluent with UK clients

They know HMRC, UK pensions and how British clients expect to be kept in the loop.

Vetted in person

I’ve worked with them or checked their work with people I trust. No paid listings.

Fees disclosed

If a partner pays a referral fee, I tell you before the introduction.

Partner profiles are shared privately, matched to your situation.

Request an introduction

Cyprus health insurance: common questions

Brokers quote basic Plan A residency cover at about €175–€250 a year for an adult and €100–€150 for a child, with the cheapest from about €120. Local private medical plans run about €500–€960+ per adult, and family cover about €150–€400 a month.

Free quotes

Get health insurance quotes for your residence permit

Tell us who needs cover, your permit type and your arrival date. Up to 3 licensed brokers quote Plan A and fuller family cover, in writing.

Certificates the Migration Department accepts
Quotes from several insurers, in writing
No change to your premium

Founder-led. Replies within one working day.

Sources checked for this page

1.Migration Department — Supporting documents: visitor temporary residence permitGovernment
2.Migration Department — Supporting documents: visitor, dependent minorGovernment
3.Migration Department — MEU1 supporting documents lists (visitor category: Plan A or S1)Government
4.Migration Department — Digital nomads and family membersGovernment
5.Migration Department — Immigration permits for investorsGovernment
6.GESY — Financing, contributions and co-paymentsGovernment
7.GESY — Beneficiaries eligibility FAQ (third-country nationals)Government
8.Local insurance broker guide — Immigration medical insurance (Plan A) limits and pricesProfessional
9.Local insurance broker guide — Health insurance Cyprus cost 2026Professional
10.DevelopersCyprus — Cost of living in Cyprus 2026 (family health insurance range)Professional
11.GOV.UK — Healthcare for UK nationals living in CyprusGovernment
12.WHO European Observatory — Cyprus: health system review 2024Government

Written by

Jason

Founder, Paphos Advisor

British founder who moved his family from the UK to Paphos in 2025. I write down what I learned doing it properly — the tax, the residency and the living-here detail — and introduce people to the specialists I’d use myself.

How I research and fact-check

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Cyprus Health Insurance: The Right Cover for Your Permit, Family and Budget

Which Cyprus health insurance does your permit need?

What Plan A health insurance covers

How much Cyprus health insurance costs in 2026

Worked example: insuring a family of four for a visitor permit

GESY or private health insurance?

Questions to ask before you buy

How the introduction works

Tell us who needs cover

We match you

Compare quotes

You decide

What it costs you

Cyprus health insurance in numbers

Insurance brokers we introduce

Cyprus health insurance: common questions

How much does private health insurance cost in Cyprus?

Do UK citizens get free healthcare in Cyprus?

Is the healthcare system in Cyprus good?

Do I need health insurance to live in Cyprus?

Is GESY accepted instead of Plan A?

Does my UK private medical insurance count?

Do I pay for hospital treatment in Cyprus?

Are pre-existing conditions covered?

Get health insurance quotes for your residence permit

Sources checked for this page

Keep reading

Which Cyprus health insurance does your permit need?

What Plan A health insurance covers

How much Cyprus health insurance costs in 2026

Worked example: insuring a family of four for a visitor permit

GESY or private health insurance?

Questions to ask before you buy

How the introduction works

Tell us who needs cover

We match you

Compare quotes

You decide

What it costs you

Cyprus health insurance in numbers

Insurance brokers we introduce

Cyprus health insurance: common questions

How much does private health insurance cost in Cyprus?

Do UK citizens get free healthcare in Cyprus?

Is the healthcare system in Cyprus good?

Do I need health insurance to live in Cyprus?

Is GESY accepted instead of Plan A?

Does my UK private medical insurance count?

Do I pay for hospital treatment in Cyprus?

Are pre-existing conditions covered?

Get health insurance quotes for your residence permit