Nordic citizens are automatically covered by the Danish Health Security Act.
General information about the Health Insurance Card
Your health insurance card is a proof of the fact that you are covered by the Danish healthcare system. You will have to present your health insurance card in connection with all health care services, such as when you visit your GP or a hospital - including the accident and emergency department.
Your health insurance card is also often requested as a means of proof of your CPR number. You will be asked for your health insurance card by most public and many private service points as a means of identification of your CPR number. It is recommended that you always have your health insurance card with you.
Read more about how to get a CPR number under CPR Number.
Personal accident insurance (ulykkesforsikring)
This insurance pays a lump sum in the event of personal accident. The compensation paid depends on the degree of disability resulting from the injury. For the insured or his/her surviving relatives to be entitled to compensation, the accident must comply with the insurer’s definition of an accident.
If possible, you should get your European health insurance card from your local authority before leaving for Denmark. This card is proof that you are entitled to health insurance in your home country. Above all, it gives you access to free medical care in Denmark until you have been issued a CPR number and a Health insurance card.
Contacts and further information
The booklet ”Insurance for everyday needs” published by the Danish Insurance Association contains more information about insurance in Denmark. Visit the Danish Insurance Association website at www.forsikringogpension.dk.
Home contents insurance (indboforsikring)
This insurance covers content of your home and possessions in the event of damage/loss due to theft, fire, storm, etc. The insurance also comprises liability insurance that covers members of the household in the event of them incurring liability as private individuals. The insurance comprises legal aid insurance which covers the cost in the event of several types of private legal action in which members of the household may become involved. This type of insurance also goes under the name of family insurance, household insurance or Basic Family Insurance.
It covers, among other things, fire, theft, water damage, liability and legal aid.
Other international residents from outside EU/EEA and non-Nordic countries
We strongly advise you to take out health insurance in your home country to cover any medical care costs until you have register with Citizens’ Services and been issued a CPR number and health insurance card.
Other types of insurance
Depending upon your personal circumstances, you may want to take out additional insurance to cover:
Your means of transport: car, motorbike, bike, moped, scooter or boat.
Any pets you may have.
Own your own house or holiday cottage, and your belongings there.
Your spare-time interests and international travel.
International students from outside EU/EEA and non-Nordic countries
As an international student from a country outside of EU/EEA and a non-Nordic country, you are covered by the Danish Health Insurance Act as soon as you register at Citizens’ Service. You must register at Citizens’ Services within five days after your arrival in Denmark.
We strongly advise you to take out health insurance prior to your departure for Denmark to cover you until you have registered with the Danish authorities.
Unemployment insurance
In Denmark, unemployment insurance is provided by unemployment insurance funds - private associations associated with trade unions and other professional organisations. To become a member of an unemployment insurance fund, you must be between age 18 and 63 and be resident in Denmark (or another EU/EEA country and work in Denmark, in which case you must fulfil certain requirements). Read more about the requirements and find more information about unemployment insurance on Work in Denmark’s website.
If you need medical attention before you have received your health insurance card (In the Aarhus area)
As soon as you have received your health insurance card, you can access the public health service through your General Practitioner. However, you will not receive your CPR number and your health insurance card until up to two weeks from the day you registered with Citizen’s Service.
If you need medical attention during this period, you can consult the following doctor:
Ejner Kjær, Skt. Pauls Gade 3, 8000 Aarhus C. Telephone number: +45 86 12 07 64 Website: www.doktorejner.dk.
Pricing
Note that all dental treatment and services have set prices and that all adults will be charged for all services. This means that if, for instance, you are offered anaesthesia when the dentist is filling your cavity, this service will be added to your bill in addition to the price of the filling. It is up to you to decide, in consultation with your dentist, whether or not this is necessary.
Ask your dentist for or the prices of the various services.
If you are a member of a private insurance scheme, you may be entitled extra financial assistance with regular or special dental treatment or operations. Read more about private health insurance under Insurance.
Taking out insurance in Denmark
Before you take out insurance in Denmark we recommend that you contact several insurance companies to find the cover that best suits your needs.
Cover when travelling abroad
The Danish health insurance covers the cost of acute medical treatment during the first month of a vacation in Europe. You must therefore also take your Danish health insurance card with you when you travel outside Denmark. However, please note that the health insurance does not cover the cost of repatriation for medical reasons to your home country or Denmark, emergency repatriation or personal liability. For this reason, we encourage you to take out travel insurance/ additional insurance prior to your departure.
What the public health insurance does not cover
The public health insurance doses not cover the cost of e.g. medicine, dental care, physiotherapy and podiatry. However, you may be eligible for a subsidy. The health insurance does not cover the cost of repatriation for medical reasons when you are abroad, either.
Depending on your property, of the insurance cover you are legally required to have includes:
