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I had travel insurance the whole time I studied in Denmark, and I’d recommend it to anyone who flies home for the holidays. The free health cards cover less abroad than most students assume, so here’s what each one does.
Quick answer
The Danish yellow health card does not cover you outside Denmark. The free blue EU health card covers emergency public healthcare in the EU, but not getting flown home, private clinics, cancelled trips or stolen luggage. If you travel home for holidays or around Europe, a travel insurance policy fills those gaps for a few hundred kroner a year. Europæiske ERV is the best-known Danish travel insurer and sells annual and single-trip cover.
What the yellow card covers
The yellow card (sundhedskort) gives you free public healthcare in Denmark: your GP, hospitals and emergency care. Since 2014 it has not included travel cover abroad. Older blog posts that say otherwise are out of date.
What the blue EU card covers
The blue European Health Insurance Card is free. You order it on borger.dk once you have CPR and the yellow card. It gives you access to public healthcare in other EU and EEA countries and Switzerland on the same terms as locals.
That’s useful, but it has gaps:
- You pay whatever locals pay, and in some countries that’s a real co-payment.
- It doesn’t cover private clinics, which tourists often end up in.
- It doesn’t pay to fly you back to Denmark if you’re seriously ill.
- It covers nothing outside Europe, and nothing that isn’t healthcare.
What travel insurance adds
A travel policy typically covers:
- Medical treatment abroad without the EU card’s limits, including private care.
- Transport home if you get seriously ill or injured.
- Cancellation, if you have to cancel a booked trip because of illness or a death in the family.
- Luggage and belongings stolen or lost while travelling.
- Personal liability if you damage someone else’s property abroad.
Check what you already have before you buy. Some contents insurance policies include basic travel cover, and so do some student packages from unions and A-kasser. Many credit cards include travel insurance if you paid for the trip with the card.
Annual or single trip?
If you travel more than twice a year, an annual policy is usually cheaper than buying cover per trip. A weekend in Berlin and a Christmas trip home already make it worth it.
| Annual policy | Single-trip policy | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Students who travel home or around Europe several times a year | One longer trip, for example an exchange semester outside the EU |
| Covers | Every trip in the year, up to a maximum length per trip | One trip, for the dates you choose |
| Watch out | Check the maximum trip length, often 30 to 60 days | Buy it before you leave; you can’t add it once you’re abroad |
Going on exchange from Denmark?
A semester outside Europe is where cover matters most. Healthcare in the US, Canada and Australia is expensive, and your host university may require proof of insurance. Look at the medical cover limit first: for North America and Australia, choose cover with no fixed limit or a very high one. Then check that the policy covers a stay of your full length.
Europæiske ERV sells travel insurance in Danish and English, with annual cover and single-trip options for longer stays.
→ See Europæiske travel insurance
FAQ
Does the Danish health card work abroad?
No. The yellow card only covers healthcare in Denmark. Order the free blue EU card for public healthcare in Europe, and get travel insurance for everything else.
Is the blue EU card enough for a trip home?
For a short trip within the EU, it covers emergency public care. It won’t cover private clinics, transport home if you’re seriously ill, or cancelled flights and stolen bags.
Do I need travel insurance for an exchange semester?
Yes, especially outside the EU. Many host universities require it, and medical bills in the US or Canada can be very high without it.
Can I buy travel insurance without a CPR number?
Most Danish insurers ask for a CPR number. If you don’t have one yet, keep your home country’s insurance until you do.
Last checked: October 2026. Cover and prices differ between policies, so read the terms for medical limits, trip length and excess before you buy.