Latvia Health Insurance

The Republic of Latvia is located in Northern Europe in the Baltic region. It shares its borders with Estonia, Lithuania, the Russian Federation and Belarus. The country has 2.2 million people making it one of the least populated countries in the European Union. The Republic of Latvia was founded in 1918, but was a part of both Germany and the Soviet Union until it reclaimed independence in 1991. The country’s capital city is Riga and its official language is Latvian.

Travellers are drawn to the undiscovered charm of Latvia. The capital city Riga offers great night life, cobble-stoned streets, beautiful European architecture and fun for its visitors. Other areas outside of the capital city are home to castles and resorts strewn along the blue Baltic Sea. The locals are always keen to soak up the light in the summer as the winters are often dark and long. The best time to visit this country is between June and mid September.

Latvia has a temperate seasonal climate. The summers are warm and humid, spring and autumn are mild and in contrast winter is cold, due to the country’s northern location and wintry blasts from Russia. Snow is also common in Latvia in the winter months. Rain falls throughout the year but is the heaviest during the month of July. Latvia’s terrain is low lying and mostly covered in pine trees.

The country is divided into 118 administrative divisions which consist of 109 municipalities and 9 republican cities. It did not do very well during the recent global financial crisis and was one of the hardest hit countries in the European Union. However, since then the economy has begun to stabilise with the help of many international donors. The country has an open economy. Its exports include timber, wood products, agriculture, machinery, electronics and food products. The services sector in Latvia is large. The country has large migration and a low birth rate which has resulted in negative population growth.

Latvia Health Care and Insurances

Latvia has a universal health care system which is predominantly funded by income taxes. The health care system is plagued with many problems including long waiting times for treatment, poor access to the latest medications and a reduction in the number of hospitals over recent years. These factors have lead to the country having one of the lowest ranked health care systems in Europe. Low salaries and poorly implemented reforms have lead to corruption in the system. A “brain drain” has also resulted as medical staff relocate to other European Union countries for better pay. In 2009 the country spent 6.5 percent of GDP on health care. There were 2.988 physicians per 1,000 people and 6.42 hospital beds per 1,000 people.

The quality of health care in the country has recently been improving. The Doctors that remain in Latvia are highly trained and many can speak some English. Latvia also has a number of small private clinics with facilities which are of a better standard than those available in the public sector. Many expatriates seek medical treatment at the Diplomatic Service Medical Centre (telephone: 71 722 9942) or Paula Stradina Kliniska Universitates Slimmca, one of the major hospitals in Riga (telephone: 371 706 9602). Travellers should be aware that many medical facilities in Latvia will require payment from you in cash even if you have international health insurance.

For serious medical conditions you may need to be transported to a country with better medical facilities. Travellers should ensure that they have health insurance for Latvia that includes medical evacuation as it is very expensive. Payment in advance or a letter of guarantee from your insurer is required by the air ambulance service before they will transport a patient.

Travellers with a European Union Insurance Card (EUIC) will be covered for the cost of emergency health care. European Union residents will not be covered for non emergencies or emergency repatriation back to their home country. Free emergency health care is not available to travellers from outside the European Union.

The pharmacies in Latvia are largely privately owned, except those contained within the hospitals. The medications in the country are monitored for safety and quality. Most medications sold in other countries are available in Latvia, however they may be sold under a different name.

Latvia Travel Insurance Concerns

Latvia is generally a safe country for tourists to visit. Travellers should be very careful in the winter months as the pavements and roads can be very slippery and falling icicles are a hazard. Street crime is common with purse snatching, pick pocketing, mugging and bag snatching occurring particularly in summer in the top tourist spots. Such areas include the Old Town in Riga, the central market and the central train and bus stations. The capital city also has a very high rate of car theft so vehicles should be locked and valuables should not be left inside. Instances have occurred of tourists being charge inflated prices in bars. Travellers should pay for drinks as they order them and watch them carefully as drugging is known to occur.

The currency in Latvia is the Lats. The country plans to introduce the Euro as its currency but this may not occur until 2014. Most common tourist facilities are available in Latvia’s capital city Riga. However, they may not be available in other parts of the country. Travellers should bring everything they may need with them for their journey.

Travellers to Latvia are advised to have vaccinations against tetanus/diphtheria, hepatitis A, typhoid, hepatitis B, rabies (if spending a great deal of time outdoors or around animals), measles/mumps/rubella and influenza (if visiting during winter from November to April). If you are relocating to Latvia or going to spend a long amount of time there, you may also consider being vaccinated against tick borne encephalitis. This disease is prevalent in central parts of Latvia and can be contracted by consuming unpasteurised goats milk. Lyme disease is also prevalent in Latvia and is spread by ticks. Precautions should be taken, particularly in summer, to ensure that you are not bitten by ticks.

The general emergency telephone number in Latvia is 112. Public ambulances can be reduced by telephoning 113 from a mobile phone. Please be aware that ambulance response times are slower in the rural areas of the country. An English speaking police operator can be contacted 24 hours a day by telephoning 371 6718 1818.

Latvia Expat Health Insurance

The medical care available in Latvia is below that found in many other European countries. Medical evacuation may be required if you sustain a serious injury while travelling in Latvia. The cost of emergency medical evacuation is expensive and will not be covered by holders of an EUI Card. All travellers should ensure that they have comprehensive Latvia medical insurance including emergency medical evacuation coverage. At Expat Medical Insurance we can assist you and your family to select a medical insurance policy that meets your needs. We work with many of the world’s top medical insurers and all budgets. Please contact us today for a free quotation.