Family Members

As a general rule, if you are a family member of an insured person (a person that is affiliated with the social security system of some EU/EEA country), then the health coverage of your insured relative would normally cover you, too.

In certain countries, family members might still need to apply separately for affiliation to the social security system.

In order to avoid potential problems or misunderstandings, find out about the social security system rules of the relevant country in the “Healthcare By Country” section on our website.

Beware that in case of obtaining medically necessary healthcare on a short stay abroad with a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), each family member should have their own card.

Who is a Family Member?

A family member is anyone who is defined as such by the legislation of the EU/EEA countries. Please note that different EU/EEA countries might have different definitions of a “family member” for the purposes of social security coverage.

If you are not sure whether you are considered a family member of an insured person and are thus covered by the healthcare system based on your family member status, contact the relevant National Contact Point.

Last updated on 31 January 2025