Travel Insurance for Andorra: What You're Actually Covered For
The European Health Insurance Card is not valid in Andorra. Here's what the healthcare system costs, what bilateral agreements cover, and when travel insurance makes sense.
Many people cross into Andorra assuming they’re covered if something goes wrong. They have their European Health Insurance Card in their wallet and figure that’s enough. It isn’t — and it’s worth understanding exactly why before you travel.
Andorra is not a member of the European Union. That means the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) has no validity here whatsoever. There are bilateral social security agreements between Andorra and a few specific countries — Spain, France, and Portugal — but for everyone else, including visitors from the UK, Germany, the US, or anywhere else, there is no public coverage arrangement at all. Private travel insurance is not optional for those visitors: it’s the only real coverage available.
The EHIC Does Not Work in Andorra
This is the most common mistake. The EHIC covers healthcare in countries within the European Economic Area, and Andorra is not part of it. It doesn’t matter that you’re two hours from Barcelona or four hours from Paris — at the Hospital Nostra Senyora de Meritxell, the country’s only public hospital, non-residents pay as tourists.
Emergency care in Andorra for non-residents is significantly more expensive than for people affiliated with the CASS, Andorra’s social security system. An emergency visit without any coverage can cost €350 or more.
Bilateral Agreements: Spain, France and Portugal Only
If you’re a Spanish, French or Portuguese citizen contributing to your country’s social security system, there is a bilateral agreement with Andorra that entitles you to emergency healthcare under conditions similar to a CASS affiliate.
For everyone else — including EU citizens from other countries — no bilateral arrangement exists. You pay 100% with no possibility of partial reimbursement through your home country’s social security. For those visitors, private travel insurance is the straightforward solution.
Even for Spanish and French visitors covered by the bilateral agreement, there are important conditions:
First: it requires paperwork done before you travel. To activate coverage, you need to request the relevant displacement form from your national social security office in advance. Without it, the agreement doesn’t activate automatically.
Second: the agreement only covers emergencies. Non-urgent consultations, check-ups, or any non-emergency treatment are paid 100% with no reimbursement.
Third: even with the right paperwork and a genuine emergency, you pay the full amount upfront at the time of treatment and claim reimbursement afterwards. The CASS reimburses approximately 75% for outpatient consultations and up to 90% for hospitalisations. The remaining 10–25% is not refunded by anyone.
How It Works in Practice
A practical example: a padel match, a dislocated shoulder, A&E. In Andorra, there are no private emergency clinics to choose from. You go to the public hospital, you’re treated, you’re given paperwork to fill in, and you pay the difference at the desk. With the bilateral agreement properly arranged, the out-of-pocket cost can be around €80–100 depending on the treatment. Without the form, you pay the full amount.
The system works, but nobody warns you about the steps before you need them.
Skiing: Why Insurance Matters More Here
Most accidents in Andorra happen during sports activities, and skiing is the main one. A fall on the slopes can result in a fracture, surgery, and several days of hospitalisation. In that scenario, even with the bilateral agreement correctly arranged, the uncovered 10–25% can represent several hundred euros. And that doesn’t include mountain rescue costs or medical transfer if needed — neither of which is covered by the bilateral agreement.
The insurance included with a Grandvalira ski pass covers civil liability, but its medical coverage is limited and doesn’t replace a dedicated travel insurance policy with full sports coverage. If you’re skiing for several days, it’s worth checking the details before you go.
When Travel Insurance Makes Sense
For a day trip to shop for tobacco or perfumes, the risk of something going wrong is low and manageable for most people.
For a weekend stay or longer — especially if skiing, mountain hiking, or any activity with accident risk is involved — specific travel insurance is worthwhile. The most relevant coverages for Andorra are: full medical assistance without excess, mountain rescue, and medical repatriation.
Companies like Heymondo, IATI, and Intermundial have products specifically covering Andorra and winter sports, with adventure sports coverage included or as an add-on. Prices for a short stay are reasonable — around €10–20 for a weekend with standard coverage.
What to Do Before You Travel
If you’re covered by a bilateral agreement and decide to rely on it without private insurance, the process is: obtain the relevant displacement form from your national social security office before your trip and carry it with your ID throughout your stay. If you need medical attention, present it at the point of care. You’ll pay the uncovered portion upfront and can claim the reimbursement through your social security on your return.
The process isn’t complicated, but it has to be done in advance. It cannot be obtained retroactively.
What Andorra Doesn’t Have
There are no private emergency clinics where you can choose your provider. The Hospital Nostra Senyora de Meritxell in Escaldes-Engordany is the country’s only hospital. There are health centres in each parish, but at weekends there are no doctors on site — only nurses. If you need something minor like a bandage, they can help, but anything requiring a medical assessment will send you to the hospital. For residents this works fine; for visitors who don’t know the system, it can come as a surprise.
Planning your trip? Also check our guide on how to get to Andorra and practical tips for visitors. If you need mobile data as soon as you cross the border, here’s the best eSIM for Andorra.