Job Discussion Forums

mephi · Joined: 06 Apr 2013 Posts: 11

Hi,
I'm about to start my first full time teaching job, in Bratislava, and am wondering about insurance. I will be there for just under a year.
As a UK national I am covered for medical/health issues to a degree, on the E111, but obviously not for such things as repatriation.
And there are also the issues of personal possessions cover and personal liability.
Finally, I am also hoping to be able to ski at weekends, which usually adds to insurance costs.

My research indicates that I can take out long term travel insurance, at a fairly high cost, or presumably I could get local contents cover for the basics. I haven't found any companies (yet) who seem to cater for my / our situation. What do other teachers do?

This is my first post but I have been reading the forums for a couple of years and would appreciate any advice.

Paper_Cat · Joined: 11 Apr 2013 Posts: 21

Kofola · Joined: 20 Feb 2009 Posts: 159 Location: Slovakia

Hi,

The Slovak law is that everyone has to pay health insurance. If you are an employee then insurance (social and health) is deducted at source. If you are self-employed you are responsible for paying it. Employers tend to automatically use Všeobecná poisťovňa http://www.vszp.sk/. They are by far the largest one because it is the old state insurance company that everyone belonged to. However, there is also Union http://www.union.sk/ and Dôvera http://www.dovera.sk/uvod. You could have a look at what they offer and decide what is best for you. A word of warning, however: the government intends to return to a system where there is only one state company and wants to buy out the private ones. (They are not private in a UK sense, they are just private providers operating within the state healthcare system.) Legally this is an enormous challenge and I doubt it will really happen. The other issue is that if you want to change health insurance provider you can only do it within a short-time frame i.e. within a set couple of months per year.

So, you can either let your employers make the choice for you or you can tell them that you would like to make the choice. But you need to be proactive if you want to choose yourself.

mephi · Joined: 06 Apr 2013 Posts: 11

Many thanks - that's really helpful.

I will indeed be a Slovak employee, and will leave the health insurance to my employer. It is consoling to have your comments, Kofola, both about the quality and extent of the care, and in connection with the skiing.

Next job, the insurance links you gave me for possessions.

Very grateful - wish I'd braved the forum earlier!

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

What was the E111 is now the EHIC and does not cover you after you have given up residence in the UK.

Dedicated · Joined: 18 May 2007 Posts: 972 Location: UK

Mephi,

The EHIC (European Health Insurance Card) replaced the E111 in 2006. As a UK national, you can apply for a free EHIC on-line :

http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcareabroad/EHIC/Pages/ab

mephi · Joined: 06 Apr 2013 Posts: 11

Thanks again to all.

I think I am still a uk resident as I have a 10 month contract, and I do indeed have an ehic card (forgot it had changed name!). This will cover me for medical issues until my contract starts.

I am still a bit confused about the employee's health insurance. Kofola says that "NI will only cover you for basic emergency service, but the Slovak health insurance covers everything". By NI do you mean the UK card? Or a Slovak basic national service? I had maybe better research this further when I arrive shortly.