Falling ill abroad

If you need urgent medical care while abroad, call the emergency number or go to the nearest hospital. The emergency number in all EU countries is 112.

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You can obtain medically necessary treatment by presenting the European Health Insurance Card, when you are temporarily staying in another EU or EEA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom. Apply for the card from Kela. If you do not get your European Health Insurance Card in time, you can obtain a certificate from Kela to temporarily replace the card.

Medically necessary treatment refers to treatment that cannot wait for your return home. Temporary residence usually refers to a stay of less than six months for the purpose of, for example, a holiday.

In countries other than an EU or EEA country, the United Kingdom, Switzerland or Australia, you have the right to urgent medical care. You will usually have to pay for the costs of your treatment yourself, therefore it is recommended that you take out private health insurance.

Falling ill in the EU

You will receive medically necessary treatment in another EU or EEA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom

if you fall ill suddenly
require treatment for a worsening chronic condition or
on account of pregnancy or childbirth.

A doctor will always assess your need for treatment: you will receive treatment so that you will not have to discontinue your trip due to the need for treatment. The extent of treatment depends on how long you will be staying in the country.

The treatment and its extent will also depend on the legislation of the country. The treatment may not be identical to treatment received in Finland.

Ask whether the treatment provider accepts the European Health Insurance Card

The European Health Insurance Card can be used in the public healthcare of the EU and EEA countries, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

By presenting the card, you will receive medically necessary treatment on the same terms and at the same price as local residents. You will pay the local client fee for the treatment. Without a card, you may have to pay the actual costs of treatment yourself. You can claim for reimbursement for them from Kela retrospectively.

Falling ill outside the EU

You are generally entitled to urgent medical care outside the EU. Treatment will always be provided in accordance with the legislation and healthcare system of the destination country. You will usually have to pay for the cost of your treatment, so it is advisable to take out travel insurance.

Are you travelling to Australia or Quebec, Canada? See country-specific pages for exceptions:

If you suddenly fall ill abroad, you can get reimbursement from Kela for travel costs related to your treatment

EU and EEA countries, Switzerland and United Kingdom:

Costs may be reimbursed to the nearest place of treatment where the required examination and treatment would have been available.
You must always pay the deductible yourself.
If you have a European Health Insurance Card and the country’s legislation allows for the reimbursement of travel costs, the country you are staying in may also reimburse your trip up to the deductible.
You will not receive reimbursement for your travel costs to Finland.

Follow-up treatment in Finland:

If you require follow-up treatment immediately after returning to Finland, your travel costs in Finland will be reimbursed to the nearest place of treatment where the necessary examination or treatment would have been available.

Travel costs incurred in countries other than an EU or EEA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom will not be reimbursed.

If you fall ill in another Nordic country and have to change your return travel plans, you may be entitled to reimbursement of additional travel costs

If you have received medical care in another Nordic country, the health insurance institution in the country you are staying in may grant you reimbursement for your return trip. If your illness requires you to travel straight to public healthcare in Finland, these additional costs will also be reimbursed.

You can receive reimbursement on the basis of a doctor’s certificate.
The health insurance institution of the country you are staying in will assess whether you are entitled to reimbursement.

Find out from the health insurance institution of the country you are staying in how to claim for reimbursement before travelling home. You can also claim for reimbursement from Kela retrospectively.

Trips at the border of Norway and Sweden

If you reside in the border regions of Finland and Sweden or Finland and Norway and require medically necessary treatment, you can go to the nearest on-call hospital in the border area. Kela may reimburse your travel costs retrospectively.