Norway Health Insurance

The Kingdom of Norway is made up of a portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Svalbard, Bouvet Island and Jan Mayen. It shares its borders with Sweden, Finland and Russia. Norway has a large coastline of 25,000 kilometres which is broken by large fjords and an estimated 50,000 small islands. Norway is home to approximately 4.6 million people and is the second least densely populated country in all of Europe. The capital city is Oslo and the official language is Norwegian which consists of two written forms, Bokmal and Nynorsk. Some of the population also speak Sami and Finnish.

Norway declared independence in 1905 by declaring that the union with Sweden was dissolved. The country has rejected joining the European Union but still has close ties with the EU and the United Nations, for which it is the biggest financial contributor. Norway is a unitary parliamentary state with a King as the head of state and a Prime Minister as the head of the government. The country has large supplies of oil and natural gas, making it the largest producer of petroleum in the world outside of the Middle East. Exports of petroleum account for almost half of the country’s total exports and over 30 percent of the Government’s revenue. Norway also has large reserves of minerals, timber, seafood, fresh water, fish and hydropower. The country has the second highest GDP in the world and one of the highest standards of living.

Norway is one of the richest and most beautiful countries on earth. It offers amazing scenery, trekking and snow skiing. The landscape in Norway is dominated by mountains and high terrain. The ground is very hard and is made up of granite, gnesis rock, slate, sandstone and limestone. Norway is a stunning country made up of many glaciers and fjords and is home to some of the most spectacular scenery in the world. National Geographic magazine lists the country’s fjords as the top tourist attraction in the world. The country has many species of animals for visitors to see including, the European Beaver, the gray fox, the arctic fox, the sperm whale, the basking shark, the brown bear and the moose.

Norway has higher temperatures and more rainfall than one would expect to encounter in a country located as far north as it is. The capital city of Oslo has the warmest and sunniest summers in the country. However Oslo’s winters are cold and snowy. Due to the country’s elevation, for most regions, the hours of sunlight are increased to approximately 20 hours per day from May to late July and very few hours per day from late November to late January.

The country’s economy is a mixture of a free market and large state ownership of key sectors including, petroleum, hydroelectricity, aluminium, the largest bank and telecommunications. Norway has a very low unemployment rate of approximately 3.6 percent with an estimated 30 percent of the labour force being employed by the Government.

Norway Health Care and Insurances

Norway has the Nordic welfare model which provides for universal free health care above a certain level and 56 weeks of paid parental leave to be divided between the mother and father; all new mothers in Norway are required, by law, to take 6 weeks leave of employment immediately after the birth of their child.

The Norwegian National Insurance Scheme (NIS) is funded by the Government through taxes and is administered by each county in the country. All residents of Norway have a right to economic assistance during illness, old age and unemployment. All residents who are living and working in Norway are required to contribute to NIS through income taxes. In 2009 9.7 percent of the country’s GDP was spent on health care, there were 4.076 Doctors per 1,000 people and 3.52 hospital beds per 1,000 people.

Most communities have a public medical centre with General Practitioners who see patients in the first instance and can refer them to specialists should follow up care be required. Local communities also typically have first aid stations that can assist with non life threatening injuries.

The medical facilities in Norway are of a high standard but are limited in rural areas. Northern parts of Norway are dependent on ferries to cross the fjords which effects access to medical facilities and adds to the time it takes to reach them. Like everything in Norway, health care for visitors can be extremely expensive. Norway Health insurance should be purchased before you travel.

For minor health problems, pharmacists can offer advice, provide over the counter medications and advise if specialist help is required. Each district always has one pharmacy that remains open either 24 hours a day or until extremely late in the evening. In Oslo recommended pharmacies are Jernbanetorvets Apotek (telephone: 22 33 69 24) and Sagene Apotek (telephone: 22 18 22 00).

If you require emergency medical assistance in the capital city of Oslo you may want to visit Municipal Legevakt (telephone: 22 11 80 80) which has a 24 hour emergency service. Both public and private medical facilities are available in Norway. Many Doctors in Norway also have their own private practice. Some recommended clinics in the Oslo are Red Cross Klinkikk (telephone: 22 54 11 11), Oslo Akutten (telephone: 22 41 24 40), Volvat Medisinske Senter (telephone: 22 95 75 00) and Klinikk 8 (telephone: 22 65 06 10).

Travellers with a European Union Insurance Card (EUIC) will be covered for the cost of emergency health care in Norway. EU 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 EU. Norway Health insurance is recommended for all travellers as the cost of medical treatment for non residents, or non nationals, can be prohibitive.

Norway Travel Insurance Concerns

As Norway is narrow, has a long coastline and has a low population density, the public transport system is not as developed as in other European countries. However, there is a railway network. If you rent a vehicle in Norway you will need to use headlights at all times when driving and have winter tyres on from November to April. Heavy fines are imposed for having very low blood alcohol levels, the maximum blood alcohol content for driving is 0.2 percent (equal to one small beer).

Norway has a low level of crime compared to other countries in Europe. Although tourists should still be careful with their belongings as pick pocketing and petty theft does occur in busy tourist areas, hotel lobbies and train stations. Violent crimes have been increasing in eastern Oslo where drug and gang problems occur. Tourists should avoid travelling to this area of the capital city. Norway has been the victim of terrorist attacks recently. In July 2011 Government buildings in Oslo and a youth camp were attacked killing 77 people. Tourists should be vigilant especially in crowded areas and avoid demonstrations.

Some of the biggest dangers in Norway come from the landscape. Travellers should obey signs, not approach glacier fronts, big waves in the sea, or large waterfalls. Hikers and skiers should bring clothing for all conditions as the weather can change suddenly. The emergency telephone numbers in Norway are 112 for the police, 110 for the fire service and 113 to request an ambulance.

No specific vaccinations are required to travel to Norway, however it is recommended that you be vaccinated against hepatitis B, polio, tetanus, influenza (if visiting from November to April) and measles/mumps/rubella regardless of what part of the world you are travelling to. An outbreak of tularemia was reported in January 2011, this was contracted from well water that had been infected by rodents. A measles outbreak occurred in January and February 2011 in the capital city of Oslo. Travellers should take precautions in summer to ensure that they are not bitten by ticks which transmit Lyme disease and tick borne encephalitis.

Norway is an expensive country to visit as the cost of living is very high. The currency is the Norwegian krone which is often written as Nkr, NOK or kr. You can access foreign bank accounts from ATMs (known as “mini banks”) in Norway. Credit cards can be used widely including to purchase train and some ferry tickets. Shops often close at 1pm or 3pm on Saturday and are closed all day Sunday. Alcohol is highly price in Norway so locals usually hold vorspiel gatherings before going out.

Norway Expat Health Insurance

As Norway is an expensive country to visit, and the price of medical treatment locally is also extremely high, all travellers should have medical insurance to cover any unexpected medical costs. At Expat Medical Insurance we can help you and your family select the right health insurer for your needs. We specialise in worldwide medical insurance and have insurance consultants who can assist you in many languages. Please contact us today for a free quotation and ensure that you will be covered.