Living in Italy

This article is for people who are currently living in Italy or would like to live in or move to Italy.

Healthcare and Insurance

The Italian state healthcare system is similar to the UK s: everyone, including the unemployed and foreigners resident in Italy, have obligatory social health insurance coverage by the National Health Service. Everyone pays a percentage of their annual salary, which entitles them to medical assistance almost completely free of charge.

There is a private health insurance market which exists for very similar reasons to those in the UK. Some 10% of the Italian population has health insurance and these are provided as part of employment contracts. An expatriate in Italy would be faced with a similar situation to that in the UK and private health insurance would be desirable.

Food & drink: Tap water is generally safe to drink. Bottled water is available. The inscription Acqua Non Potabile means water is not drinkable. Milk is pasteurised and dairy products are safe for consumption. Local meat, poultry, seafood, fruit and vegetables are considered safe to eat.

Other risks: Leishmaniasis (cutaneous and visceral), sandfly fever, West Nile virus and typhus, though rare, may occur along the Mediterranean coast. Echinococcosis and brucellosis also occur, although rarely. Rabies is present. For those at high risk, vaccination before arrival should be considered. If you are bitten, seek medical advice without delay. For further information, see the Health appendix.

Health care: A reciprocal health agreement with the rest of the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway allows reduced-cost dental and medical (including hospital) treatment on presentation of form E111; a fee must be paid, plus part of the cost of any prescribed medicines. Insurance is advised for specialist treatment. Italy is well endowed with health spas, some famous since the Roman era. The most important and best equipped health resorts in Italy are Abano Terme and Montegrotto Terme (Veneto), Acqui Terme (Piedmont), Chianciano Terme and Montecatini Terme (Tuscany), Fiuggi (Lazio), Porretta Terme and Salsomaggiore Terme (Emilia-Romagna), Sciacca Terme (Sicily) and Sirmione (Lombardy). At Merano (Alto Adige), it is possible to have a special grape-diet treatment. More information on health spas in Italy is available from La Federterme (Italian Federation of Thermal Industries and Curative Mineral Waters).

Globalsurance is an independent Worldwide Health Insurance Advisor. If you are an expat living in Italy or have plans to live or move to Italy we can give you independent advice or a range of free Health Insurance Quotes; click for Free Advice and Quotes.

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