Lubelski Oddział Wojewódzki Narodowego Funduszu Zdrowia

Drukuj

Voluntary health insurance

Important information about voluntary insurance for students - check the leaflet

The Act of 27 August 2004 on healthcare services financed from public (Journal of Laws of 2024 item 146, as amended ) provides uninsured people with the opportunity to arrange voluntary health insurance pursuant to art. 68 of the abovementioned Act.

A person covered by the voluntary health insurance is entitled to use healthcare services on the same principles as any other person covered by compulsory insurance in the National Health Fund.

Failure to arrange health insurance may result in high costs arising from healthcare services provided in case of illness or the necessity to receive immediate medical help.

1. Who may contract with the National Health Fund (NHF) for voluntary health insurance

You may take out voluntary health insurance if you live in Poland, are not subject to mandatory health insurance, are not insured as a family member and are:

a citizen of Poland or other EU or EFTA state, or the UK, and are not covered by universal health insurance in that country;
an employee on unpaid leave;
a business owner that has suspended business activity;
a foreigner who resides in the Republic of Poland based on: a work visa, a temporary residence permit, except where issued under Article 181 (1) of the Act on Foreigners of 12 December 2003, a permanent residence permit, an EU long-term residence permit, a residence permit on humanitarian grounds, a tolerated residence permit, a visa issued on humanitarian grounds, or on grounds of state interest or international obligations;
a foreigner who has been granted refugee status, subsidiary protection or temporary protection in Poland;
a person seeking international protection in Poland and the spouse on behalf of whom the application for international protection is made who has obtained the certificate issued under Article 35 of the Act of 13 June 2003 on granting international protection to foreigners on the territory of the Republic of Poland;
a foreign undergraduate, graduate or doctoral student, a graduate undergoing a compulsory adaptation period in Poland who is not an EU, EFTA or UK citizen;
a foreign member of an order, a seminarian, postulant, novice, junior brother/sister or equivalent who is not an EU, EFTA or UK citizen and reside in Poland based on a visa, a temporary residence permit, a permanent residence permit, an EU long-term residence permit, a residence permit on humanitarian grounds, a tolerated residence permit, or enjoy refugee status granted in Poland or subsidiary protection, or temporary protection in Poland;
undergoing an adaptation period;
attending a Polish course and a preparatory course for learners intending to study in Polish, as referred to in higher-education legislation, and are not an EU, EFTA or UK citizen;
a volunteer registered for health insurance by a public benefit or volunteer organisation.

2. How to take out voluntary insurance with the National Health Fund

You may contract with the National Health Fund for voluntary health insurance at your local branch of the National Health Fund (NHF). At the Lublin Regional Branch of the NHF, you may sign the contract:

in person at the office of the:

Lublin Regional Branch of the NHF (Lubelski Oddział Wojewódzki NFZ) at ul. Nadstawna 2-4 in Lublin
one of the local branches (delegatura) of the Lublin Regional Branch of the NHF:
- in Zamość at ul. Partyzantów 3, 22-400 Zamość
- in Chełm at ul. Ceramiczna 1, 22-100 Chełm
- in Biała Podlaska at ul. Warszawska 12c, 21-500 Biała Podlaska

by post (correspondence address: Lubelski Oddział Wojewódzki NFZ, ul. Szkolna 16, 20-124 Lublin or one of the above-mentioned local-branch addresses)

NOTE! You may not sign the contract by email.

2.1 Registering your family members for health insurance

When contracting for voluntary health insurance, you are required to register members of your family for insurance if they are not subject to mandatory health insurance on other grounds. Your insurance contribution will not be higher because of this.

A family member is:

your biological child, your spouse’s child, an adopted child, a grandson or granddaughter or an unrelated child placed under your guardianship, or an unrelated child placed under foster care until he or she turns 18, or 26 if the child continues his or her education at school, studies for a degree or pursues a doctoral degree, or without age limitation if the child is certified as having a severe disability or equivalent;
your spouse;
your ascendent maintaining a shared household with you.

However, there are exceptions as to who may register their family members for health insurance. This option is not available to foreign undergraduate, graduate or doctoral students, graduates undergoing a compulsory adaptation period in Poland, and persons who are attending a Polish course or a preparatory course for learners intending to study in Polish,

as well as to members of orders, seminarians, postulants, novices, junior brothers/sisters or equivalent, and public-benefit and volunteer organisations registering volunteers for health insurance.

3. Documents required to sign an insurance contract

To sign an insurance contract with the NHF, you will need your identity card and the following documents:

an application for voluntary health insurance with the National Health Fund;
a statement regarding you insurance status;
a residence document if you are not an EU/EFTA/UK citizen, e.g. a student visa, a temporary residence permit, a permanent residence permit, an EU long-term residence permit, a tolerated residence permit, a residence permit on humanitarian grounds, a work visa, a document to confirm that you enjoy refugee status, subsidiary protection, or temporary protection in Poland, a certificate issued under Article 35 of the Act of 13 June 2003 on Foreign Citizen Protection on the Territory of Poland (Journal of Laws of 2023, item 1504, as amended)
if the contract is signed by a third party acting on behalf of the insured person – a power of attorney or authorisation to speak with the NHF and take any actions necessary to sign a contract with it;
any additional documents if required (see below).

3.1 Additional documents required to sign an insurance contract

If you are:
- an EU/EFTA/UK citizen

a document confirming the period in which you were last covered by health insurance (e.g. ZUS ZWUA form, the decision under which you lost your unemployment status, a certificate from the contribution payer, a certificate of employment, an E-140/S041 form, etc.);
a document confirming your place of residence in Poland;

- not an EU/EFTA/UK citizen

your national identification number (PESEL – if assigned);
a document confirming the period in which you were last covered by health insurance (e.g. ZUS ZWUA form, decision under which you lost your unemployment status, a certificate from the contribution payer, a certificate of employment, an E-140/S041 form, etc.);
a document confirming that you reside in Poland;

- an undergraduate, graduate or doctoral student and not an EU/EFTA/UK/ citizen

your national identification number (if assigned);
a certificate from your university confirming your student status;
a document confirming that you reside in Poland;

- a member of an order, a seminarian, postulant, novice, junior brother/sister or equivalent who is not an EU, EFTA or UK citizen

your national identification number (PESEL – if assigned);
certificate of your membership of an order;
a document confirming that you reside in Poland;

- undergoing an adaptation period in Poland and are not an EU/EFTA/UK citizen

your national identification number (PESEL – if assigned);
the agreement obliging you to undergo an adaptation period/complete a course;
a document confirming that you reside in Poland;

- a foreigner attending a Polish course or preparatory course for learners intending to study in Polish

your national identification number (PESEL – if assigned);
a course attendance certificate;
a document confirming that you reside in Poland.

3.2 Documents required to register a member of your family

If you want your family member to be registered for health insurance, you will need the following documents:

for registering your spouse or parent – a ZUS ZCNA form or other document confirming that the person is no longer registered for insurance, a marriage certificate (if your spouse has a different surname);
for registering your child –
- a ZUS ZCNA form or other document confirming that your child is no longer registered for health insurance; and
- if your child graduated from a secondary school or university – a document confirming that your child is no longer a student (the deregistration date should be the same as the graduation date); or
- a document certifying the child as having a severe disability or equivalent – if the child is 26 or over.

4. Your obligations as a voluntarily insured person

Once you have signed a contract for voluntary health insurance, you are required to:

register yourself (using the ZUS ZZA form) and your family members (using the ZUS ZCNA form) stated in the application, if applicable, with the Social Insurance Institution (ZUS) for health insurance within 7 days from signing the contract;
pay health insurance contributions for the last month by the 20th of the next month – for example, your January contribution should be paid by the 20th of February, the February contribution should be paid by the 20th of March, etc.
submit the ZUS DRA statement to ZUS for each month in which you were covered by health insurance;
adjust the amount of your contributions if the contribution base has changed;
terminate the contract in accordance with its provisions.

5. Insured person’s rights after signing the contract

Once you have signed the contract and fulfilled all your obligations under it, you and the family members you registered have the right to use healthcare services from the date stated in the contract. This right will expire 30 days after the termination or expiry of the contract, or on the day the insured person becomes otherwise entitled to use healthcare services.

6. Voluntary health insurance contributions

Pay your voluntary health insurance contributions to your personal account provided by ZUS.

The health insurance contribution for 2025 is equal to 9% of the contribution base.

2025	January February March	April May June	July August September
Voluntary health insurance contribution base	PLN 8,549.18	PLN 8,736.49	PLN 8,919.94
Monthly voluntary health insurance contribution	PLN 769.43	PLN 786.28	PLN 802.79
Contribution base for foreign students	PLN 620.00	PLN 620.00	PLN 620.00
Monthly contribution for foreign students	PLN 55.80	PLN 55.80	PLN 55.80

7. Surcharge

If you have been without health insurance for more than 3 months, you will need to pay a surcharge to sign the contract. The amount of the surcharge will depend on how long you have been without health insurance.

You will need to pay the surcharge before signing the contract to the bank account of your regional branch of the NHF, as stated in the contract.

The surcharge for 2025 is:

2025	January February March	April May June	July August September
20% of the contribution base if you have been without insurance for 3 months up to 1 year	PLN 1,709.84	PLN 1,747.30	PLN 1,783.99
50% of the contribution base if you have been without insurance for more than 1 year but less than 2 years	PLN 4,274.59	PLN 4,368.25	PLN 4,459.97
100% of the contribution base if you have been without insurance for more than 2 years but less than 5 years	PLN 8,549.18	PLN 8,736.49	PLN 8,919.94
150% of the contribution base if you have been without insurance for more than 5 years but less than 10 years	PLN 12,823.77	PLN 13,104.74	PLN 13,379,91
200% of the contribution base if you have been without insurance for more than 10 years	PLN 17,098.36	PLN 17,472.98	PLN 17,839,88

7.1 Who does not have to pay the surcharge

Regardless of how long you have been without insurance, you will not have to pay the surcharge if you meet all of the following conditions: you are not an EU/EFTA/UK citizen, you live in Poland and are:

an undergraduate, graduate or doctoral student; or
a member of an order, a seminarian, postulant, novice, junior brother/sister; or
undergoing an adaptation period; or
a foreigner attending a Polish course or preparatory course for learners intending to study in Polish.

The following persons are also exempt from the surcharge:

volunteers;
- sailors who have provided evidence of employment at a non-Polish sea-going vessel (seaman service book, contract) – this period of employment will not be included in the period without health insurance.

7.2 Waiver of the surcharge or an instalment plan for its payment

You may request the director of the regional branch of the NHF to waive the surcharge or provide an instalment plan for its payment (up to 12 instalments). Legitimate requests will be granted.

When requesting that the NHF waive the surcharge, you will need prove that you:

are in a difficult financial situation;
have a difficult family situation;
are in a difficult health situation;
affected by other difficult life circumstances.

8. Terminating your contract for voluntary health insurance

If you wish to terminate your contract, send a termination letter to your regional branch of the NHF. The date of termination may not be earlier than the date on which the regional branch received your termination letter.

Your contract will expire:

from the day your mandatory health insurance coverage starts;
if you have been in default of your contributions for a period of a month (NOTE: you will then need to pay your outstanding contributions for three months);
if you are a foreign undergraduate, graduate or doctoral student – on the day you lose your student status;
once you have moved your residence outside Poland;
if the National Health Fund has determined that you are subject to the legislation of another EU/EFT Member State or UK legislation.

NOTE: You are required to notify the NHF about the aforementioned circumstances!

After the termination or expiry of your contract, you have the obligation to deregister yourself (using the ZUS ZWUA form) and your registered family members (using the ZUS ZCNA form) from ZUS.

You can determine the actual date of deregistration by contacting the NHF and providing it with the required documents. Depending on the circumstances, you will need to provide:

a document confirming your mandatory insurance title;
evidence that you have paid all your contributions and a certificate from ZUS;
a university diploma or degree/course-completion certificate;
a document confirming that you reside outside Poland;
documents confirming that you are subject to the legislation of another EU/EFTA Member State or UK legislation, e.g. S041.

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