Do I need a Health Insurance? Freelancer in Poland (umowa o dzielo)

Hi guys, another question I'm confused about,
I will work as a freelancer here, but it doesn't make sense for me to pay into the polish retirement fund and I'll have my private health insurance anyway.

So do i HAVE to be insured? Can I opt out? I want no benefits etc. and would love to insure everything independently.
Thanks for any suggestions!

There isn't a basic opt-out as far as I know. If you're earning an income, whether it's self-employed or through a wage, you have to pay. The only people who don't are board members of Polish limited companies providing they aren't legally residing in Poland. There are other advantages to that too, however it doesn't suit many people.

Yes, but the country needs you to contribute to the fund

If you're from an EU country, you can transfer the (small) contributions to your home country after you leave. However, most of the payment in the first 2 years is actually going towards health insurance, not pensions.

I'm still confused: Yesterday I went to the insurance company PZU, and they have the insurance "PZU Travels" which insures "foreigners for whom Poland is not the country of permanent residence". They said this insurance will satisfy the requirements of registration and I wouldn't need the state health insurance. And since for me a [i]temporary[i]residence is totally fine I guess I don't need the state insurance?

Any ideas if I could use this insurance beyond three months of stay?

@Gabriela78
The proof of the pudding will be in the eating.
As you are now healthy - the point of having National Insurance does not concern you. Ask at PZU (where you went) if you will be insured for any operations you may need or for any disease you may pick up (such as food poisoning) and if they say YES of course, then you are o.k. Make sure your stay in hospitals/clinics will be covered in FULL.

I think the PZU insurance is only for people who are trevelling and not for people who currently work in Poland (on whatever contracts). Ask them and make sure, as if something happens to you, you will find yourself without any insurance and having to fund any necessary operations yourself.

Do make sure before you sign for anything. Ask them to show you where the points are covered in the contract before you sign.

Terri, with all due respect, she's talking about the mandatory contributions to ZUS. It doesn't matter what private insurance you have, you are obliged as a self employed person in Poland to pay for health insurance via the NFZ.


Essentially, you're mixing two things up. While that PZU insurance is absolutely fine for those just living in Poland, self employed people are obliged to take (and pay for) public health insurance, just like employed people.

@delphiandomine
thanks, that was my question. I can't believe they really made the system foolproof :)

It is - unfortunately - one of the worst things about Poland. :(

I can't believe I'm contributing another layer to it, but here it is:
Next to my self employed work I will work part time (with contract) as a language teacher. Now, if the contract will actually include health insurance, will it cover my activities as a self employed as well - or do I still have to pay extra for that?

Basically, you would be better off putting the language teaching activities through the business. Then you'll only pay one lot of health insurance, rather than making two separate payments. There is a provision for those working on full work contracts (which you won't be) to only pay health insurance once if they also have a business, but it won't apply in your case.

The particular advantage for putting everything through your business is that you can approach corporate clients on your own and issue invoices, which is where the real money is in Poland.

From another discussion about Freelancing (umowa o dzielo) and health insurance in Poland:

Umowa o dzielo - does this contract pay for health insurance or not?


NO, it does not.

Under the rules of the European union you can pay the contributions in any country, therefore you can pay your tax in Poland and for example your ZUS in the UK. (You will need a good accountant to do this!)

Really? Which rules might those be?

Merged:

What happens when don't have health insurance working as a freelancer in Poland?

Anyone knows what happens if you dont have healthcare or pay for it separately for insurance out of your pocket? if you break arm or leg you cans till go to a public hospital right? obviously you can get private dental or medical checkup out or your pocket. but what about emergency situations like something broken? also, is it true if you are a freelancers and want to pay it is super expensive and you will have to pay back pay like for yrs you were not on it?

Depends on hospital.There is a hospital in Warsaw which would send you to another hospital until you have cash to pay even if you have private insurance and you can claim it from your insurance after they issue you a bill in a week.The hospital which treats you will finally send a komornik to sieze your bank account or any property to collect the money lol including a jar of pickles found in a kitchen(which was done by a komornik in Warsaw)I assume it was not opened.

Debts should be paid. Why should Polish taxpayers pay for your free treatment? The same or even worse situation is with healthcare in the US.

It's called Socialism.
Santa Claus just comes and gives it to you for free.

If you are from an EU country and have the health card, you have emergency cover for accidents, but only if you are on holiday. You are entitled to the same service as any other Polish national. If you are working in Poland you will have to pay into ZUS otherwise you will not be covered. You can take a chance, but if it doesn't work out and you need treatment you will have to pay out of your own pocket.

How much like say you break an arm while playing basketball. How much do you pay?

Also, I used to work for an employer here and was covered and when I went to the hospital ones due to my leg swelling up after mma training it took forever. If I have a tick inside me will I also have to wait like 6 hrs in a hospital for a visit or are there quick clinics you can go to or something? How does it work if you don't want to wait? Pay privately? What are those clinics called? Will a family doctor take you for a tick? Or it has to be hospital?

Private health insurance is damn cheap in Poland.Medicover and Damian work together and the cost for gold plan is 520plnpm only if you can afford it.


It sux here,costs us 3800$ a month for 2 people with co pay and 400$ deductable while these illegals get it free and now fugging NY decides to give driver licenses to illegals also.

You're joking right. 500 zloty is cheap? Also you have to pay a bunch of back pay if you re a citizen here no? After I got deported back from prison they tried making me pay for all those hrs being an immigrant in the us.

How long after being registered as immigrants, legal or illegal? I don`t believe it is granted for their lifetime.

How long??? Till they need treatment or until the hospital decides that it is cheaper for them to deport the patient like they did to a Polish illegal immigrant from NJ.He was sick and the hospital took him and they deported him to Warsaw(Yes hospitals have the right to deport if they think treatment will be expensive then sending the patient back with 2 nurses).

amren.com/news/2013/06/immigrant-who-fell-into-a-coma-in-new-jersey-wakes-up-in-poland-hospital-deports-stroke-victim-who-lived-in-us-for-30-years/