Health care private

I'm not sure I entirely follow the question: are you looking for a health insurance policy where you pay the premium in instalments?

Hello, yes, it's quite simple. I'm looking for a private health insurance provider, either just for Bulgaria or for all of Europe. I've tried practically all of them, but most have terrible Trustpilot reviews or know them from colleagues. Allianz is very strange. They're offering me three different offers from three different brokers, with huge differences in terms of upfront payments, then not, etc. because everyone says Allianz is so good! I just want a private health insurance provider where I don't have to pay everything upfront and then wait months for the repayments, etc. Thanks.

Got you 😀  So a policy where the insurance company pays the health service provider direct, rather than you paying the bill and then getting reimbursed by the insurance company when/if they eventually feel like paying you.

Private health care is pretty affordable here, but doesn't Switzerland have anything similar to the UK's S1?

@Trinidad58

You can definitely get private health insurance in Bulgaria from several providers (including AXA, Allianz, DZI, Uniqa, Bulstrad, etc.). The easiest is to ask at your local nearest insurance broker. Or contact 24ins (dot bg) an online broker. BulgariaInsurance (dot bg) allows you to buy online.

You can get global / Europe-wide policies too, but it's likely to be very expensive.

If you're settling in Bulgaria, I'm not sure you NEED private health insurance. The EU Citizen Registration (simple immigration process for EU/Swiss citizens) needs an EHIC or the cheap (less than 100 euros) Health Insurance for Foreigners in Bulgaria.

Once you've done this, it should be pretty straightforward to get yourself enrolled at NHIF for Bulgarian healthcare. I pay 20 euros per month as unemployed, which makes me fully covered for free (or nearly free) public care. My dad has a UK pension and an S1 certificate so he gets it all for free (perhaps you qualify for the same from Switzerland?).

Most Bulgarian private hospitals are affiliated with NHIF so you can get VIP care at a private hospital for a small surcharge. If you have NHIF coverage, then a private policy would obviously be a lot cheaper. Also... NHIF coverage also get you an EHIC for use when travelling in Europe.

@JimJ

Sorry but a privat healthcare is a privat healthcare. So what again to explene?

@JimJ

Sorry, I don't want an affordable, cheap health insurance company. I want a very good one. It's worth it to me. A very good one that negotiates directly with the hospital, etc., without any advance payments, etc. I see I'm in the wrong place here, but thanks anyway.

@gwynj

thank you so much I Write you Tomorrow back because I needs to Research again something

@gwynj

about the Health tomorrow

May I also ask how much an AC unit for a 40m2 mini-apartment running 24 hours a day, less than what that might cost per month? Washing machine, boiler, air conditioning, cooking, new refrigerator, not exactly the best installation. Many people talk too much about it, with big differences... I'm writing to you because you're writing professionally. Thank you. Gabriela

@Trinidad58

The cost for heating/cooling depends a lot on your exact usage (hours/temperature), the insulation (internal/external + double glazing) in your property, and the AC unit (older more inefficient, non-inverter vs modern inverter) so these are factors in the different estimates made by people. Also, some folks have apartments (typically in holiday complexes) without independent electricity meters and/or with electricity provision under commercial supply. This can make the bill very expensive, even for small apartments.

For a typical studio, I'd be surprised if your bill was over 50 euros on a regular basis. But perhaps during a very cold winter, or the heat of summer, it might be closer to 75. For me, I consider electricity to be fairly inexpensive here, and my electric bills tend to be a welcome surprise (especially compared to previous bills in UK, Germany, Cyprus, Spain). As an example, I just paid the bill for my dad's flat and it was 136 lv. But this is a larger flat (70 m2) and we run the AC units pretty much 24 hours, and at a very high temperature (often 28/29) because he feels the cold. I know that repeating this in one of the countries mentioned would cost a small fortune!

Also, some folks have apartments (typically in holiday complexes) without independent electricity meters and/or with electricity provision under commercial supply. This can make the bill very expensive, even for small apartments. - @gwynj

That's not correct!

As I've pointed out previously, the big difference between commercial and domestic electricity tariffs here is a thing of the rather distant past...

Nowadays, commercial electricity is a traded commodity, meaning that it is usually cheaper than domestic electricity.  As an example, this time last year electricity costs for Bulgarian businesses were 114 BGN/MWh, while households paid 127 BGN/MWh....

@gwynj

Thanks for the detailed answer.

hope you Are Fine?

I took out the cheap insurance with UNIQA for 1 year for 100 euros so that I can get a residency or residence permit now.

For this, I need this, a passport, a certified rental agreement for 1 year, and a pension income. Do I have to translate the pension income? They told me I have to go to Lazur Burgas. I live on Sunny Beach?

Should I take someone with me who speaks Bulgarian? If so, how much do I pay? I'd like to give something.

NHIF: I have to register there after registration? Where am I on Sunny Beach, in Burgas?

Where do I get the EHIC card? I'm no longer insured in Switzerland.

So, with the NHIF, do I get the EHIC card?

Thinking is a bit complicated, or is it just new?

``` (I contacted the private insurance companies listed and they have bad reviews too, and Allianz wants advance payments for everything. I don't need insurance for that because it takes a very long time and often you don't get the money back.

thank you so much

gabriela

@gwynj

Thanks for the detailed answer.

I took out the cheap insurance with UNIQA for 1 year for 100 euros so that I can get a residency or residence permit now.

For this, I need this, a passport, a certified rental agreement for 1 year, and a pension income. Do I have to translate the pension income? They told me I have to go to Lazur Burgas. I live on Sunny Beach?

Should I take someone with me who speaks Bulgarian? If so, how much do I pay? I'd like to give something.

NHIF: I have to register there after registration? Where am I on Sunny Beach, in Burgas?

Where do I get the EHIC card? I'm no longer insured in Switzerland.

So, with the NHIF, do I get the EHIC card?

Thinking is a bit complicated, or is it just new?

``` (I contacted the private insurance companies listed and they have bad reviews too, and Allianz wants advance payments for everything. I don't need insurance for that because it takes a very long time and often you don't get the money back.

@gwynj

Thank you very much.

I have an electricity meter, price 0.12 cents. I pay the property owner. They made a copy of the meter that went to 0, and then we'll see. Of course, electricity is very cheap, but we're not even talking about Switzerland. In Portugal, I would have 400 euros in electricity bills for a 55m2 new house, again not well insulated. Of course, I don't want that anymore. My rent is only 200 euros. It's double-glazed, but you have to close the thick curtains otherwise cold air flows in. I have double-glazed windows. The walls naturally radiate cold.

Regarding the air conditioning, it's not the newest.

In general, you should never set it above 23, at most 25. It doesn't get any warmer and uses much more energy. My brother is an electrical engineer, so he knows. Even in countries like Spain, Albania, etc., everyone only sets the temperature to 23-25 ​​degrees.

I have a small electric heater in my bedroom that I sometimes turn on. It was cold.

Thanks very much, and do you like Bulgaria?

I really want to learn some Bulgarian. I don't know if online or in person. What do you think?

greetings gabriela

@Trinidad58

Yes, this cheaper insurance is accepted by immigration for visas, residence permits, and EU Citizen Registration. It's not a "proper" health insurance, you can source that later (or get covered by NHIF).

For EU/Swiss citizens, you'll need proof of health insurance (which you now have), proof of funds, proof of address.

For proof of address, a year rental contract should work. But you must have a separate Landlord Declaration. At least one of these two documents MUST be notarized.

Proof of fund could be a bank statement. I think the minimum wage is around 500 euros per month, so anything over 6k euros (12 months x 500) should be fine. If you use your pension, then you'd provide some kind of letter/certificate of entitlement to a pension... and this needs to be translated (certified translation). Bank statements are mostly numbers so they don't need to be translated. If you have a nice savings account balance, I would show this rather than my pension letter (just to save the translation aggravation).

I'd guess the nearest immigration office to Sunny Beach is in Burgas, so this seems correct.

It's very helpful to take a translator with you! Mine charges 50 lv per hour, I'd guess it's similar there. But an immigration process can take a few hours, so maybe you need a set price for the visit. In Plovdiv, there are "helpers" outside the immigration office, I'd guess Burgas is the same. It might be worth paying a visit just to see if there's anyone there who can help you. The one I used in Plovdiv (with a small office outside immigration) told me which application forms I needed, what evidence I needed, and what documents needed to be translated. He also filled in the application form for me (in Cyrillic). He charged me 20 lv.

Getting your EU Citizen Registration Certificate makes you a legal resident of Bulgaria. Here in Bulgaria this certificate is a proper biometric ID card.

After you have this, you can look at enrolling in NHIF, It's a separate process entirely. If you're retired you should be able to get an S1, which entitles you to free care without enrolling. I don't have an S1, so I enrolled as unemployed and pay the appropriate contribution.

Getting the Bulgarian EHIC is yet another step. This you do AFTER you're enrolled in NHIF and fully covered.

All new, all bureaucratic processes, it does sound like a headache. But none of them is super difficult, just take it step by step, and provide the documents they want. Getting a bit of help makes a LOT of difference.

Just for comparison, you can, in theory, get the EU Citizen Registration done in a couple of days (apply early first day, get photo/fingerprint done in the afternoon, collect card next day). An immigration attorney could probably do this for you, for around 1,000 euros. Helpers/translators might be 100-200 instead, but it will be slower, and you'll need to figure out how/where to apply and exactly what you need. I'll admit, it looked pretty intimidating to me too, so I paid an immigration attorney to take care of everything. It was easy-peasy and I got my card next day, so I felt it was money well spent (especially as I flew into Bulgaria for a couple of days, just to get my card).

@JimJ

I'd be curious to know what the electricity price is. They told me 0.12, and I have an electricity meter. What's the special rate? Thanks.

@gwynj

Thank you very much, that's worth its weight in gold.

I had the rental agreement notarized. I went there myself with the real estate agent. But nothing more. An original and a copy, you said, is that enough? I would be grateful if you could tell me what you mean by "separate"?

With my Swiss card, I can only withdraw 400 lev per day, which costs 25 euros each time, even though my limit is higher?

The lawyer, does he want it in cash or by bank transfer?

Do you know someone who can help in Sunny Beach or Burgas in case of an emergency, or how can I find one?

Do I have to register at the immigration office and fill out the form there?

Many thanks,

Gabriela

@JimJ
I'd be curious to know what the electricity price is. They told me 0.12, and I have an electricity meter. What's the special rate? Thanks. - @Trinidad58

There's no "special rate": "commercial" electricity is a traded commodity, so the actual cost varies based on the market price - for the past several years it's been lower than the average domestic electricity cost. I believe that the actual domestic tariff is set by the electricity supplier for the area in question, so it will differ depending on exactly where you live.

Until a few years ago, domestic prices were lower that commercial rates but that's no longer the case; obviously, market conditions change, so the commercial rate may rise or fall dynamically.

@Trinidad58

The proof of address is a rental contract + "landlord declaration". This is two documents, both to be signed by the landlord. One, or both, to be notarized.

Landlord declaration is here

https://usercontent.one/wp/www.move2bul … 1742983378

The official requirements for EU Citizens residence is here

https://www.mvr.bg/migration/en/adminis … ly-members

@gwynj

Sorry but I don’t understand this with 2 documents?

I have a contract from Immobilia , the landlord is a rusia and he is on the contract Then we was by the laywer Office to make it noterial I get the original and I get a copy for my .

so what do you mine Then with the 2 Documents??

thanks

For proof of address, a year rental contract should work. But you must have a separate Landlord Declaration. At least one of these two documents MUST be notarized

@Trinidad58

The official info (as per the links I provided) says 2 documents. The rental contract itself (which you have) and the landlord declaration (which you don't). If you don't have them both, you can ask for the 2nd, or try the process with just one. As your rental contract (and your landlord's signature) has been notarized, they might accept this without the declaration. (I don't know, as I don't make the rules, and I don't know how picky they are on this particular issue.)

In general, EU citizens enjoy Freedom of Movement throughout the EU. This means you can move to any EU country, at any time, for any reason. The result is that the EU Citizen Registration requirement is more of a formality that countries tend to grant fairly easily (especially compared to the barriers to non-EU citizens).

In other words, I encourage you to apply without stressing too much. The essential requirements are proof of address (such as a notarized rental contract), proof of funds (such as a bank statement from a Bulgarian/foreign bank account or a pension entitlement letter), and proof of health insurance (such as an S1, EHIC, or Health Insurance for Foreigner in Bulgaria policy).

The cost of application is small, and immigration will either grant your application or explain which aspect is not satisfactory (so you can remedy it, and try again).

If you're feeling very unconfident and don't like dealing with bureaucratic processes, then I recommend you pay a specialist immigration attorney. It's costs a bit of money (maybe 1,000 euros ballpark), but it's quick (2-3 days), easy, and stress-free. DIY EU Citizen Registration is perfectly feasible without an attorney, especially as all the guidance is provided online (as per the links I provided).

Good luck!

@gwynj

Hello

that Write my the laywer

We'll put together the documentation package. My colleague will pick you up in Burgas and assist you with submitting the documents. He will then assist you with the biometric scan.

We'll put together the documentation package. My colleague will pick you up in Burgas and assist you with submitting the documents. He will then assist you with the biometric scan.

@Trinidad58

We'll put together the documentation package. My colleague will pick you up in Burgas and assist you with submitting the documents. He will then assist you with the biometric scan.

Here another mail

Hello, G,

I am an immigration lawyer. The extra fees for Burgas are 5 years of medical insurances (because we will apply for 5 years residency), which is 739.50 leva + 100 leva immigration office fees and notary fees, etc.

T***

T***

thats from the laywer that is in Sofia?

what do you think? 760 Lena and 100 Lena Administration  she is Russian and the Office is in Sofia, so she send my just a Helper that Coms on with my to Burgas and biometric?

I am really a Bit lost here with out Language and I ask here 3 times how n it works ect?

what do you thanks?

Greetings Gabriela

@Trinidad58

The process is very straightforward. There is an application form and (small) application fee. Most attorneys will prepare some notarized documents (e.g. rental contract, landlord declaration, financial independence, etc.). And it is submitted with your required proofs (of finance, address, health insurance).

You might go to the notary if anything needs your signature. You go to the immigration office to (stand in a long line to) submit your application with all supporting documents. Then you come back later (same day, or next day perhaps) to get your photo and fingerprints taken. A day or two later (if all goes well) you can return and collect your biometric ID card/residence permit/EU Citizen Registration Certificate. With an attorney/helper involved, I'd guess the whole issue is wrapped up in less than 3 or 4 days (2 is the minimum). It should be valid for 5 years, at which point you can apply for a Permanent Residence permit.

Attorneys supervise and check the paperwork, and will send one of their helpers to immigration with you. This is very typical. The chances of attorney standing in line at an immigration office is about 1%. :-)

Tanya Dimitrova has helped many Expat members and has good reviews. Her website is here:

https://visaforbulgaria.com/

Another highly recommended attorney is here:

https://immigration2bulgaria.com/

Here's another:

https://lawyers-bulgaria.com/residence- … -bulgaria/

This attorney is a frequent and helpful poster on the forum. He's rather high-powered, so he might not be cost-effective for an EU residence permit

https://respectconsult.com/en/services/ … relocation

I don't believe you need to show 5 years of health insurance, just because the permit will be valid for 5 years. I think 1 year is enough. But maybe the rules have changed, and I don't see any reason to distrust the attorney. However, you did buy a policy already for one year, if you want to tell her that. This is the "extra fees" for application fee/notary and health insurance (for multiple years). The issue is what her professional fees are, and the total cost. Ideally, your total should be less than 1k euros... and definitely less than 1.5k euros.

If you want to know if her proposal is reasonable, then ask a 2nd/3rd attorney to quote for doing the same thing for you. And then decide.

I know how expensive it is to visit Switzerland. I just about had a heart attack at the price of a coffee. So a Bulgarian attorney will seem very cheap compared to a Swiss one. :-) If you want an easy life, and your permit ASAP... then immigration attorneys are a good deal. If you want to save as much money as possible, then you do it all yourself by studying the online instructions and preparing the documents they require. Many of the folks on this forum have done it this way. It's your call.

Most of the attorneys will want you to send a scan of your passport, and any relevant  docs you have (for the proofs mentioned). You'll probably have to pay them up-front (maybe 50%, maybe the whole fee).

Thank you

I will do it with here

she wrote my

Hello, G,

I am an immigration lawyer. The extra fees for Burgas are 5 years of medical insurances (because we will apply for 5 years residency), which is 739.50 leva + 100 leva immigration office fees and notary fees, etc.

We can help you in May, if you are interested.

Kind regards,

T

so thats Fine.

yes switzerland Not normal Open Bier 6 and more. But if you get a very good work 10-15000 per month you live very good and mostly people buy here food in french or german Part its 2-3 times cheaper. And the Health is so uncomplicated from 400 in a month you don’t needs to Go with Papers ect you Choice and Go and thats it , nothing you needs to Pay. So this Are the good things. Bad is, if you travailling more Then 3 month outside switzerland you needs to deregistraid , Go out from switzerland, this is afull. Thats why I am away. Spain is complitly down, so I Choice Bulgaria. But After I will travailling and Not stay all the time here.

how is n Bansko? Cold? Many Expats?

I Hope n if I get this lishna Card I can travailling and Go out from Bulgaria…,thank you for all your Details

that helps my so much

gabriela

@gwynj

Thank you so much

i get a Problem here, if we can be in contact, here is my email

***

may i will cerrando visite this Bansko and invite you for a lunch for your help,

thank you gabriela

Sorry this Little Little letter and in German give so Many fault.

@Trinidad58

If you PM me, you can discuss these issues privately. You can't share contact info publicly in a forum (for your own safety).

If you are resident in Bulgaria, it's no problem at all to spend a lot of time travelling or having a second home elsewhere. We have property in Spain and Cyprus (and I have residence permits there too). However, I have found my quality of life to be far better here, and I tend not to spend much time there. I do miss the Mediterranean beaches though... but not enough to impact my overall assessment. :-)

You might want to look at becoming a Bulgarian tax resident and paying your tax here too. It's only 10% (flat tax) and is typically cheaper than other countries. You need to keep your stays in other countries under 180 days if you want to avoid getting caught in their tax net too.

Bansko is a very charming little town, and the largest ski resort in Bulgaria. It is increasingly popular with expats, including Digital Nomads. There is (or was until recently) cheaper property available here, compared to the big cities (Sofia, Plovdiv, Varna, Burgas). There are still cheaper property bargains outside these cities, but Bansko is one of the few places I'd consider to appeal to expats and be year-round livable.

While Bansko is great, I spend most of my time in Plovdiv. This is a great city, and a very nice place to live. I'm amazed that I'd never heard of it before... but so happy that I found it. It's definitely worth a visit.

I have my S1 as a pensioner now my husband is free to join me on the death of his elderly mother and we contacted the UK  and it was agreed that he could be added to my S1. Our local village post office is closed for holiday but the form should arrive and be ready for collection when the office re opens  Then we need to get registered with a doctor and we are in the process of finding one in Burgas. Fingers crossed

@Kath948381

It took about 5 weeks for my S1 to arrive in Sofia... 😎

Kath, I am so glad you can live together at last. I hope it all works out well.

Same here Jane , I'm so used to being here alone.

I was thinking that. Much as I love my hubby, part of the appeal of visiting my Bg house on my own is having some peace and quiet! I hope it's an easy and happy adjustment for you.

I was thinking that. Much as I love my hubby, part of the appeal of visiting my Bg house on my own is having some peace and quiet! - @janemulberry

And here I was, hoping you'd post the address so we could organise an Expat(dot)Com Group Rave at your gaff...😎

I thought you were hosting that?

I thought you were hosting that? - @janemulberry

I am - but I didn't mention WHERE...😁

@gwynj

Thank you so much for all! I get now the apointment for residence and get all in 5 days.

but you live in Bansko? Is it nice there?

greetings gabriela

@gwynj

Hello again

about my Electric bill

I'm happy with my electricity bill. I'm not a penny pincher and I watch every cent.

I've had an air conditioner day and night for a month and a small 1500-volt heater.

203 leva. I just have an electricity bill of 0.12. The main thing is that I don't freeze. Besides, it's winter. Actually, now that I know, I don't want to pay for 10 euros anyway, because of that, or because so many people always write me questions. It's very cheap here. The electricity price in Switzerland is 0.30 cents. In Portugal, I had bills of 400 euros with electric oil radiators. Sure, this apartment isn't well-insulated, but what the heck? I'll stay until autumn, and when it's cold, I'll go somewhere warm. It's true for me anyway.

nice week

@Trinidad58

Glad you have an immigration appointment booked. Hope it goes smoothly for you.

Me too, I like my electric bills. I think 100 euros or less for a winter month is very acceptable, especially if that was to keep me toasty all day, every day. Even in warmer places like Spain and Cyprus, you often need a bit of night heating during winter, and even fairly frugal usage will easily get you over 100 euros. The same applies in summer, when I can run the cooling most of the time here and still have a small bill.

Thank you for all and Yes of curse this 100 Euros Are very ok