How does healthcare work in Chile, and what travel insurance, health insurance or expat insurance do you need?

How does the healthcare system work in Chile?

Chile is known in Latin America as one of the best countries for medical care. The country has offered a national health care system since the 1950s. The country does well on international rankings and the care is comparable to countries such as Australia and Denmark. Chileans also have one of the highest life expectancies in the world - 78 years for men and 83 years for women (2019)!
The quality of care is therefore generally high. Modern hospitals can be found in cities such as Santiago and Valparaíso. In rural areas, care is less well developed.
The health care system consists of both public (FONASA) and private healthcare providers (ISAPREs).
Many doctors have been trained abroad and therefore also speak English, especially in private clinics.
Medicines can only be obtained from pharmacies. Pharmacies are widespread. For the ambulance you can call the emergency number 131.

FONASA is the public healthcare system that provides care to about 80% of the population. It is available to all locals, as well as expats who work legally in Chile.
Expats who are not residents or pay taxes cannot participate in the public healthcare system.
When you work in Chile, you have to pay a healthcare contribution of about 7% of your income. This is partly used to finance the system.
The quality of care is reasonably good and the personal contributions are low, but the waiting times are usually long and sometimes it can be difficult to find certain medical specialists. For this reason, many foreigners (and locals) still opt for the private system.

The private sector is managed by ISAPREs, insurers that offer access to the best hospitals and shorter waiting times.
There are 13 ISAPREs. Some are closed and only accessible to people who work for certain companies. Other ISAPREs are open to anyone who can afford it.
Each ISAPRE gives you access to private health centres called “Clinicas”. You can choose the type of coverage you want. Which ISAPRE is best for you depends largely on your personal circumstances (single, family, etc.).
Private care is more expensive than public care, but of higher quality. Many wealthy Chileans choose insurance with an ISAPRE because of the better facilities, faster appointments and greater freedom of choice. Foreigners living in Chile sometimes choose an ISAPRE, but usually choose international health insurance because it also offers coverage for medical repatriation and care abroad.

In Chile, people generally go directly to a specialist or hospital for an ailment. In the public sector, there are GPs in the FONASA clinics. In the private sector, you can go to a specialist or general practitioner without a referral.
The price of private consultations can be quite high.

Public dental care is available through FONASA, but this is only basic care, such as preventive and emergency care, and there are often long waiting times.
Private dental care offers better and faster options, but is a lot more expensive.

It may sound strange to read, but Chile is a popular country for maternity care because of the visa! All babies born in Chile automatically have Chilean nationality, which can be an advantage for many people. If you google a bit, you will find all kinds of birth packages offered by private hospitals!
For women living in Chile and giving birth here under local insurance (both FONASA and ISAPRE), a three-night hospital stay is covered for a normal birth and four nights for a caesarean section.
Epidurals are common, but other forms of pain relief are more difficult to obtain.
Abortion is generally illegal in this staunchly Christian country. Abortion is only legal under three specific circumstances: non-viable pregnancies, rape or a risk to the mother.

Chile is one of the safest countries in South America, but there are still quite a few risks.
Robberies and theft do occur. Avoid walking around alone at night, especially in Santiago, Viña del Mar, Valparaiso and Calama. Fraud is also not uncommon and the thieves are creative. Read up on these types of practices and do not be fooled.
Demonstrations occur regularly and can become violent. Local laws prohibit foreigners from participating in political demonstrations. It is best to avoid these situations altogether.
The country is relatively progressive towards LGBTQ+ (particularly in Santiago).
Natural hazards include forest fires, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, floods and tsunamis.

Despite the good healthcare in the country, there are certainly health risks. For example, altitude sickness can be a problem in areas above 2500 meters.
Mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue and zika also occur. So protect yourself well against mosquito bites.
In Santiago, the air quality can be very bad throughout the year. The government sends out warnings for this. So keep a close eye on them.
In the big cities, tap water is safe to drink. In remote areas, it is not recommended to drink tap water.

Public transport is a popular option in Chile. There are good long-distance buses with all kinds of luxury facilities. Trains used to be popular, but the options are now relatively limited. In Santiago, the metro is the most efficient transport system. There are also many taxis and some shared taxi services (Colectivos).
Chile has good roads in most places, but in remote areas it can sometimes be different. The main roads that connect cities are called “rutas nacionales”. Many of these roads have tolls, make sure you have cash with you for this.
Traffic can be a bit chaotic and many drivers don't care much about the rules. For example, they often don't indicate, drive too fast or ignore traffic signs.
Driving under the influence of alcohol is severely punished in Chile.

Is the trip to Chile and your return sufficiently covered? Are you sufficiently covered before, during and after your activities? Which insurance best suits your trip and your activity? Read more about insurances for abroad on JoHoinsurances.org.

Although you may be covered for public healthcare when you go to live in Chile, it is still recommended that you also take out international health insurance. Such insurance covers the costs of private healthcare, but also the costs of any medical repatriation to your home country and costs that you incur once you cross the border.
Make sure your insurance covers medical evacuation as well as coverage in neighboring countries. Read more about insurances for abroad on Expatinsurances.org.

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