Europeans in Mexico: your public health insurance may stop covering you

November 7, 2026. In the Netherlands, insurer DSW opened the 2027 premium season by setting its basic health insurance at 173.25 euros a month, 14.75 euros more than this year, according to the Consumentenbond, the Dutch consumers' association, which describes it as the largest increase in DSW's history. According to the same association, the government had forecast a rise of 12.50 euros. The other insurers will announce their premiums by November 12, according to Zorgwijzer.

For a European living in Mexico, the question that matters is not how much their public insurance goes up, but whether it still covers them here. In many cases, the answer is no.

The European Health Insurance Card stays in Europe

The European Commission pointed out in August that the card is valid in any EU country, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, that it does not replace travel insurance and that it does not cover private healthcare or planned treatment. Mexico is not on that list, as we also explained in our story on snowbirds.

What happens to your public insurance if you move to Mexico

The rules differ from country to country. Here are three cases, based on official or consumer sources in each country:

• Germany. According to the Verbraucherzentrale, the German consumer advice centre, if you emigrate to a country with which Germany has no social security agreement, your membership in statutory health insurance is, as a rule, suspended from the moment you leave, even if you were insured as a pensioner. The public insurer TK states that there is no such agreement between Germany and Mexico. The Verbraucherzentrale considers it necessary to take out private health insurance for the destination country.
• Netherlands. If you spend more than a year abroad without Dutch work, a pension or a benefit, you can only keep your health insurance if you remain insured under the Long-term Care Act (Wlz), which the Social Insurance Bank (SVB) assesses. If not, the Dutch government asks you to cancel your policy as soon as possible.
• United Kingdom. The NHS explains that it is a residence-based system: if you move abroad permanently, you are no longer automatically entitled to treatment in the UK under the normal rules. The same page only covers the S1 form, which provides healthcare to people such as UK State Pension recipients, for those living in the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland.

If you come from France, the Caisse des Français de l'Étranger (CFE), which presents itself as the social security of expatriates, offers plans for French citizens living abroad, including one for retirees. It is worth comparing with a policy taken out in Mexico.

These rules can change and your case may have exceptions. Check with your home insurer before cancelling, or keeping, a policy that may no longer cover you.

Why insuring in Mexico makes sense

An illness or an accident costs real money in a private hospital. The Mexican Association of Insurance Institutions (AMIS) reported in October, in its release on medical claims, that in the first quarter of 2026 insurers paid an average of 100,852 pesos to cover each claim, about 5,413 dollars at the Bank of Mexico's FIX exchange rate of November 6 (18.6297). A major medical insurance policy bought here has concrete advantages for people who live in the country:

• Direct payment to the hospital. According to Condusef, Mexico's financial consumer protection agency, as cited by Uno TV, depending on the policy, the insurer can pay the hospital directly.
• Tax deduction. If you are a Mexican tax resident and file an annual return, article 151 of the Income Tax Law lets you deduct premiums for medical expense insurance that complements or is independent of public social security, when the beneficiary is you, your spouse or common-law partner, or your direct-line ascendants or descendants, such as parents, children or grandchildren. It counts toward the overall cap on personal deductions: the lesser of five times the annual UMA value and 15% of your total income, including exempt income.
• Coverage when you visit Europe. An international major medical policy can also cover you outside Mexico, depending on the zone you choose.
• Buy while you are healthy. According to Condusef, as cited by Expansión, an illness that began before you bought the policy may be excluded, depending on the product and the insurer, and waiting periods run from the start of the policy. That is why it pays to buy before a diagnosis and to check those two conditions carefully.

Build your coverage in Mexico with 1SEGUROS

At 1SEGUROS, based in Mérida with more than 30 years of experience, we compare national and international major medical policies from several insurers so you can choose the hospital network, sum insured and deductible before deciding what to do with your insurance in Europe. We serve you in Spanish or English. Message us on WhatsApp at +52 999 316 7145.