Health Insurance for Bermuda's Permission to Reside: What You Need and How to Choose

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.

If you’re applying for Permission to Reside on an Annual Basis, the route for remote workers and others living on foreign income, health insurance isn’t optional. It’s a condition of the permission. This guide sets out what the Government requires and how to choose a policy that meets it.

What the Government requires

The Government’s Permissions to Reside in Bermuda document says the applicant (gov.bm PDF):

• “must possess private health insurance coverage for the entire duration of stay in Bermuda”, and
• must include “evidence of private health insurance” with the application.

Other conditions sit alongside it: income of at least $75,000 a year, no local employment, a medical certificate, a police certificate and more. See Permission to Reside.

What “entire duration of stay” means in practice

• The policy has to be active from the day you arrive until the end of the permission period, normally a year.
• If your policy renews mid-way through, keep it continuous, with no gap.
• At renewal of your permission, expect to show cover again.

Why the employer rules don’t help you

Bermuda’s Health Insurance Act 1970 makes employers insure their employees (Act). People on Permission to Reside can’t take local employment, so they have no Bermuda employer to do it. You arrange and pay for cover yourself.

Types of cover to consider

1. International private medical insurance (IPMI)

Annual plans from global health insurers, designed for people living abroad.

• Pros: made for residents abroad, usually higher limits, options for treatment in other countries.
• Cons: usually the most expensive option, and underwriting may exclude pre-existing conditions.

2. Bermuda-licensed local insurance

The Act says nobody may offer health insurance to the public in Bermuda unless they’re a licensed insurer and the contract gives at least Standard Health Benefit (Act). The Government’s health insurance department also offers plans (gov.bm). Ask local insurers and the department whether individuals on Permission to Reside can join, and on what terms.

3. Nomad-style subscription plans

Monthly plans aimed at remote workers, such as SafetyWing’s products. These can be flexible, but get written confirmation that Immigration will accept the specific plan before relying on it. Some nomad products are designed around travel rather than residence.

What won’t do: short-trip travel insurance

A holiday travel policy covers trips, not living somewhere for a year. It’s unlikely to meet a “private health insurance for the entire duration of stay” requirement. Travel insurance is right for a recce trip before you move. It isn’t right for your residence application.

A checklist for comparing policies

Ask every insurer, and get the answers in writing:

1. Residence: does the policy cover me living in Bermuda, not just travelling there?
2. Duration: does it cover the whole permission period, with guaranteed renewal?
3. Limits: what’s the annual overall limit, and the limit for overseas treatment or evacuation?
4. Where you can be treated: which hospitals are covered off the island, and is there a network?
5. Pre-existing conditions: what’s excluded, and for how long?
6. Excess and co-pays: what do I pay per claim?
7. Outpatient care: are GP visits, prescriptions and diagnostics included or optional?
8. Dental and optical: usually extras.
9. Proof for Immigration: will you issue a certificate or letter naming me, the cover dates and confirming it applies in Bermuda?

Getting the paperwork right

• Ask the insurer for a certificate of insurance showing your name, policy number, start and end dates, and Bermuda as a covered location.
• Make the dates match or exceed the permission period you’re applying for.
• Keep digital copies. You’ll need them at renewal, and possibly for your bank account application.

How it fits your budget

Premiums depend on age, health, level of cover and the excess, so we don’t quote a typical figure. Get several quotes and add the premium to your monthly budget in our cost of living guide. With a $75,000 income floor, a comprehensive policy can be a large share of your spending.

Common mistakes

• Buying travel insurance for a residence application.
• Letting cover lapse between renewals.
• Choosing a low annual limit with no overseas cover.
• Not checking that the policy names Bermuda as a covered country of residence.
• Assuming a partner is covered. Check the dependant terms and ask Immigration how dependants are handled.

Related guides

• Health insurance in Bermuda for expats and residents: the employer rules and Standard Health Benefit
• Remote work options compared
• Work From Bermuda is closed
• UK tax when you move

Sources checked 12 October 2026. This isn’t insurance advice. Confirm with insurers and the Department of Immigration.