Health insurance in Chile: How to choose the right plan

Do you need health insurance to move to Chile? For most, yes.

The country runs a dual system, public FONASA and private ISAPREs. Cover isn't legally mandatory, but two things make it hard to avoid. Formal workers pay a mandatory 7 percent of income toward health. Many residence visas also set a minimum insurance amount, and it's a significant one.

On top of that, there's also a gap on arrival, before your Chilean ID comes through, that neither system covers. There’s lots for expats to figure out.

This guide to health insurance in Chile for foreigners explores:

• How FONASA and ISAPREs actually work

• What the UF 600 visa rule means for you

• The coverage gap when you first arrive

• What each option costs, and how to choose

Before we go on: Feather sells international health insurance. So, you'll see it recommended here. Remember that it's meant to top up FONASA or ISAPRE cover, not replace it. And it doesn't let you skip the mandatory 7 percent contribution.

How Chile's healthcare system works

Chile health insurance splits into two systems, public and private. FONASA is the public fund, covering most of the population. ISAPREs are private insurers used by higher earners. Both draw on the same mandatory 7 percent of taxable income.

What's the public network like?

The public network is run by MINSAL, Chile's health ministry. It gives you care at state hospitals and clinics. Since 2022, Copago Cero means FONASA members pay nothing at the point of care. That's across all income brackets. The trade-offs are long waits for non-urgent treatment and admin mostly in Spanish.

What's the private network like?

Private clinics are modern, well-staffed, and internationally accredited. They include Clínica Alemana, Las Condes, Santa María, Dávila, and UC Christus. You reach them through an ISAPRE, FONASA's paid Modalidad de Libre Elección, which covers part of the cost. Or you can pay the full price yourself. That's costly: CLP 30,000 to 60,000 for a specialist visit, more for a hospital stay.

What is FONASA, the public scheme?

FONASA is Chile's national health fund. Your 7 percent buys access to the public network and, optionally, private providers. The latter is through the paid Modalidad de Libre Elección. Foreigners can join once they have a RUT (Chile's national ID number, sometimes called the RUN). Dependents can be covered too.

FONASA groups members into four income brackets, A to D, setting what you pay in the private route. Thanks to Copago Cero, all four now pay nothing in the public network itself.

What's the appeal? What are the trade-offs?

FONASA is affordable and open regardless of health history. It covers pre-existing conditions with no exclusions. But there are big trade-offs. Waits can stretch for months and care is delivered in Spanish. Cover stops at Chile's border. There's also no repatriation.

Private health insurance in Chile: the ISAPREs

An ISAPRE is a private health insurer. You redirect your 7 percent to one, and most people top up above that for a better plan. That means faster access and shorter waits.

Which ISAPREs can you join?

There are several open ISAPREs, which anyone can join. They're Banmédica, Colmena Golden Cross, Cruz Blanca, Consalud, Nueva Masvida, Vida Tres, and Esencial. Banmédica and Vida Tres are strong at clinics like Santa María and Dávila. Cruz Blanca (part of Bupa) covers Las Condes well, and Colmena and Consalud work with a wider range of clinics.

What's the CAEC add-on?

The CAEC add-on caps your costs for a major medical event at a set clinic. It's worth asking about if you go this route.

What are the drawbacks?

ISAPREs can exclude pre-existing conditions for around 18 months. Premiums climb steeply with age, pricing many out in their fifties and sixties. Maternity cover carries waiting periods too, and it only works inside Chile.

What's happening with the Ley Corta reform?

A 2022 Supreme Court ruling forced ISAPREs onto a single pricing table. The Ley Corta, which started in September 2024, set up refunds over 13 years, faster for older members. Prices are set to keep rising through 2027, so check with Superintendencia de Salud.

What does international health insurance offer?

What's included and what does it cost?

International health insurance is also known as expat cover. It insures you worldwide, including in Chile and on trips home. See our guide to how international health insurance works.

Feather's international health insurance starts from EUR 85 a month. You get English support and a fast certificate.

Why choose it over an ISAPRE?

Two things set it apart here. Feather takes new members up to age 75, where local insurers usually stop at 65. And it covers you from day one, before your RUT even comes through. On top of that, care is covered at clinics like Clínica Alemana and Las Condes, and repatriation is included.

What about pre-existing conditions?

With Feather, pre-existing conditions are assessed individually through a health assessment at signup. Some treatments carry waiting periods, including 10 months for childbirth.

How do FONASA, ISAPRE, and international compare?

Here's how the three compare on what matters most.

How do you choose the right plan?

It depends on your situation. For the best health insurance in Chile, find the profile that fits you. Match the plan to how long you're staying, your age, and whether you need cover beyond Chile.

Formally employed: your 7 percent goes to FONASA or an ISAPRE. Compare on clinic access and cost. Add international cover if you travel.

Working remotely with no Chilean employer? International cover keeps you insured while you settle in. Learn more in our guide to international health insurance for digital nomads.

Retired or living on savings: ISAPREs grow costly with age and may turn you down. So, Feather's acceptance up to 75, plus repatriation, matters here. Get more info in our guide to international health insurance for seniors.

Applying for a visa: you'll likely need proof of cover worth UF 600. FONASA, an ISAPRE, or a qualifying international policy can all meet it.

Newly arrived: international or travel cover fills the gap until your RUT arrives.

Short-term visitor: travel insurance is usually enough for a few weeks.

Is local cover enough, or do you need international?

Expat health insurance in Chile suits those who want cover across borders. If you're young and healthy, an ISAPRE or FONASA alone may be enough. But let's say you have significant pre-existing conditions. Then FONASA is often the better fit, since it covers everyone without exclusions.

What's the Chile visa insurance requirement (UF 600)?

Chile's immigration service, SERMIG, sets this requirement. Several residence visas ask you to prove cover of at least UF 600. UF (Unidad de Fomento) is Chile's inflation-adjusted measure for major life expenses. UF 600 is roughly CLP 24.5 million or EUR 23,200 as of July 2026. For retirees and rentistas, it’s a strict requirement and must be proven with an active policy

FONASA, an ISAPRE, or a qualifying international plan can satisfy it. International cover like Feather's is often simplest for a fresh application. It's quicker and doesn't require a Chilean ID. Our guide to international health insurance for visa seekers covers the documentation.

What happens before you have a RUT?

FONASA and ISAPREs both need your RUT, which can take weeks to arrive. Until it does, an accident or illness means paying private prices. International or travel cover is active from day one, while the paperwork catches up.

Related guides

Freelancing your way around the world? See our guide to international health insurance for freelancers.

Coming to study? Read our guide to international health insurance for students.

Bringing your family? See our guide to international health insurance for families.

How much does health insurance cost in Chile?

The cost of health insurance in Chile depends on your route, age, and plan. FONASA is your 7 percent contribution with no extra cost. ISAPRE and international costs vary by age, shown below.

ISAPRE figures are indicative market ranges. International figures are for Feather's Essential plan, no deductible, single applicant from a developed country, mid-2026.

How does the cost curve change with age?

A young, healthy expat can find an ISAPRE cheaper, but costs climb faster with age. Past your sixties, many are priced out or declined. International cover becomes the stronger, sometimes only, option.

How do you get health insurance in Chile?

1. Work out what you need. Cover only in Chile or worldwide? Does repatriation matter? Do you have a RUT?

2. Check your visa requirement. Residence application needs UF 600 of cover? Confirm which policies qualify.

3. Bridge the arrival gap. RUT hasn't come through? Take out international or travel cover.

4. Choose FONASA or an ISAPRE. Compare on clinic access, age pricing, dependents, and pre-existing conditions. Make sure to ask about the CAEC add-on.

5. Apply and keep your documents. Enroll online or at a branch, then save your certificate for visa or employer paperwork.

Get covered with Feather

Chile's dual system takes time to join, and the UF 600 rule and arrival gap can leave you exposed. Feather's international health insurance is built for that stretch.

Weighing up global providers? See how Feather compares with AXA and compare Feather vs Cigna to find the right international plan for Chile.