Health

Health Insurance in Bermuda for Expats and Residents

Last checked 12 October 2026

This guide is general information, not legal, immigration or tax advice. Some links may be affiliate links. See our disclosure.

Healthcare in Bermuda isn’t free at the point of use the way the NHS is. Insurance is central to the system, and the law puts much of the duty on employers. How you’re covered depends on whether you’re coming on a work permit or living off foreign income on Permission to Reside.

If you’re employed in Bermuda: your employer must insure you

Under section 20 of the Health Insurance Act 1970, every employer must “effect and continue in force a contract of health insurance with a licensed insurer providing not less than standard health benefit” for themselves, every employee, and the non-employed spouse of every employee (Health Insurance Act 1970, via healthcouncil.bm).

The Government’s health insurance department confirms it: “All employers are required to provide health insurance coverage for their employees and their employees’ non-employed spouses” (gov.bm).

Who pays?

The employer arranges the policy, but under the Standard Health Benefit Regulations 1971 the employer is entitled to deduct up to half of the standard premium from your pay (bermudalaws.bm). In practice many employers offer richer plans and different cost splits. Check your contract.

What is “Standard Health Benefit”?

Standard Health Benefit (SHB) is the legal minimum level of cover. The regulations define it by reference to specified in-patient and out-patient services (bermudalaws.bm). Treat SHB as a floor. Ask HR exactly what your employer’s plan adds on top.

Ask whether your plan covers treatment overseas, at which hospitals, and up to what limit, because some care may mean travelling off the island.

Approved schemes

Large employers (normally 100 or more employees) can meet the duty through an approved scheme instead of an ordinary insurance contract (Approved Scheme Regulations).

Exemptions

The Exemption Regulations list categories employers needn’t insure. These include certain government employees whose service conditions already provide free medical care, and their non-employed spouses (Exemption Regulations, via bermuda.fm). Read the regulations for the full list of exemptions.

If you’re on Permission to Reside: you need private cover

Remote workers and others on Permission to Reside on an Annual Basis don’t have a Bermuda employer, so the employer duty doesn’t apply. The Government instead requires the applicant to “possess private health insurance coverage for the entire duration of stay in Bermuda” and to provide evidence of it with the application (gov.bm PDF).

What kind of policy?

Options generally fall into three groups:

International private medical insurance (IPMI) from global health insurers: comprehensive annual cover, usually the most robust and the most expensive.
Nomad-style health plans, sold monthly and aimed at remote workers. Examples include SafetyWing (SafetyWing). Before buying, get written confirmation that Immigration will accept the plan for Permission to Reside.
Bermuda-licensed local insurers: individual plans from local insurers. The Health Insurance Act says insurers offering health insurance to the public must be licensed and provide at least SHB (Act).

Questions to ask any insurer

Does it cover me while resident in Bermuda (not just travelling)?
What’s the annual limit, and is there a limit on overseas referral or evacuation?
Are pre-existing conditions excluded?
Which US hospitals are in network?
Is there a deductible or co-pay?
Will you provide a letter or certificate I can give to Immigration?

Get the insurer’s written confirmation, and if in doubt ask Immigration whether a named policy is acceptable before you buy.

Visitors

Short-term visitors should have travel insurance that includes medical treatment and evacuation. Don’t count on the NHS paying for treatment abroad. Buy cover before you travel.

Moving from the UK: NHS and continuity

NHS hospital care is based on living in the UK. Check the NHS rules on moving abroad before you cancel any private cover.
Ask your GP for a summary of your medical records and a supply of any regular medication.
Check whether your prescriptions are available in Bermuda, and bring a letter listing generic names.
Customs needs import permits for some items, such as plants and animals (Customs Traveller Declaration). For controlled medicines, carry the prescription and check the rules before you travel.

Dental and optical

These are often outside basic cover. Ask whether your plan includes them, or whether add-ons are available.

For how health deductions fit alongside payroll tax and pensions, see payroll tax and pensions.

Checklist

Coming on a work permit

Ask HR which insurer and plan, and what’s deducted from pay
Confirm when cover starts (day one?)
Check overseas referral cover and limits
Check cover for a non-employed spouse and children

Coming on Permission to Reside

Choose a policy that covers residence in Bermuda for the whole stay
Get a written certificate of cover for Immigration
Check overseas referral and evacuation cover
Diary your renewal date: cover has to be continuous

Bottom line

Employees: your employer must insure you (and a non-employed spouse) to at least Standard Health Benefit, and can deduct up to half the standard premium. Everyone else: buy private cover that Immigration will accept, and get it in writing.

Sources checked 12 October 2026. This isn’t insurance or medical advice.

FAQ

Is health insurance compulsory in Bermuda?

For employees, yes: the duty sits with the employer under the Health Insurance Act 1970. For people on Permission to Reside, private cover is a condition of the permission. The Act also says insurers can only offer health insurance to the public if they’re licensed and the contract provides at least Standard Health Benefit (Act).

Does my employer have to cover my children?

Section 20 names the employer, every employee and the non-employed spouse of every employee. It doesn’t mention children. Ask HR how children are covered under your employer’s plan and what it costs.

My partner works too. Who covers them?

If your partner is employed, their own employer must insure them. The “non-employed spouse” rule only applies to a spouse who isn’t working.

How much does health insurance cost in Bermuda?

We don’t publish premium figures we can’t source. Premiums depend on age, plan and insurer. Ask your employer for the premium and your share of it, or get quotes directly from insurers. The Standard Health Benefit Regulations set some per-week deduction rates in law, but they’re amended often, so read the current consolidated version (bermudalaws.bm).

Where can I get help?

Bermuda’s Health Council and the Government’s Health Insurance Department publish guidance for employers and individuals (gov.bm).

Is there a public option?

The Government’s health insurance department offers plans of its own, including group plans for employers (gov.bm). Ask the department directly whether individuals on Permission to Reside can join, and on what terms.

What about travel insurance for trips home?

Your Bermuda plan may or may not cover routine care while you’re visiting the UK. If you go back often, check whether you need separate travel medical cover for those trips.