The full path from "I need insurance for my visa" to a settled healthcare stack in Colombia — the sequence, the providers, the costs, and a client-ready recommendation. Built on 2026 rules; every figure carries a verify-before-quoting flag.
Yes — they need health insurance to get the visa. No — the Colombian public system (EPS) does not count for that. It's not a swap; it's a sequence.
Required by Resolución 5477/2022: must cover, inside Colombia, accident · illness · maternity · disability · hospitalization · death · repatriation, for the full visa term. EPS does NOT satisfy this — it has no repatriation or international cover. The policy's length caps the visa's length (1-yr policy → 1-yr visa).
Mandatory for M/R residents, enabled by the cédula de extranjería. Time it so EPS activates as the international policy expires — don't cancel early. EPS cannot exclude pre-existing conditions (unlike prepagada).
Most expats layer a private premium plan on top of EPS for fast, private-clinic care. It's a complement to EPS, not a replacement. Watch the pre-existing-condition exclusions and the age cap on new enrollment.
The question every client asks. The answer splits by visa type — say it honestly.
Nomads generally aren't EPS-eligible (transient status), so a good international/expat policy from arrival onward — renewed as needed — is the model. No EPS step.
A resident can keep a strong international plan as their real, day-to-day coverage (private, English-speaking, no waits) — and a compliant policy is needed at every visa renewal anyway. But EPS affiliation is legally mandatory for residents (Ley 100) and is increasingly checked at renewal. So the compliant setup is EPS as the mandatory base + international (or prepagada) on top — not international instead of EPS.
Full international ≈ $2,000–6,000/yr vs EPS (~$67/mo min) + prepagada (~$70–150/mo). International-only is simpler but pricier — and for residents still doesn't remove the EPS obligation.
Enter a client profile → get their recommended 3-stage pathway, a monthly cost estimate, and the flags specific to their case. Nothing is sent; this is an internal planning aid.
Costs are 2026 estimates (FX 3,249). Insurance is sold by a licensed partner — we coordinate and verify compliance. Confirm live before quoting.
| Product | Type | ~Cost | Visa | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EG Visa Protect (EG Assist) | CO travel-medical | $495/yr ($742 age 76–85) | Yes | Built for Res. 5477; refund-if-denied add-on |
| SafetyWing Nomad | Nomad subscription | ~$56/4wk (~$730/yr <40) | Yes | Confirm cert lists repatriation |
| Genki Native | Expat monthly | ~€180/mo (<35) | Yes | Popular for 1-yr DNV |
| Continental Assist | Travel-medical | verify | Yes | 2-yr max; reimburse if denied |
| Cigna Global / IMG | Full international PMI | $2,000–6,000/yr | Yes | Real ongoing cover; premium budgets |
| Assist Card · SURA · AXA travel | CO travel-medical | verify | Verify cert | Must name repatriation + full term |
Rejection traps: no repatriation clause (#1), missing maternity/disability, term too short / hidden 30-day cap, doesn't cover care in Colombia.
| EPS | Fit (Medellín) |
|---|---|
| SURA EPS | Top pick Antioquia-based, best network (Las Américas/El Rosario) + tooling |
| Sanitas EPS | Strong nationally, secondary in Medellín |
| Compensar | Good perks, Bogotá-focused |
| Nueva EPS | Avoid for expats longer waits |
Cost: employee 4% · independent/rentista 12.5% on IBC (40% of income, min 1 SMMLV ≈ COP 218,863/mo · ~$67) · beneficiary $0. 26-week wait for high-cost care (pay-the-difference escape); emergencies immediate. ⚠️ Decreto 0182/2026: confirm which EPS operate in the client's department.
| Provider | <64 / mo | 64–69 | 75+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| SURA | ~$90–150 | step-up | cap ~64 |
| Colsanitas | ~$104 (Medisanitas ~$70) | ~$337 | ~$429 |
| Colmédica | quote-only | — | — |
⚠️ No prepagada covers pre-existing conditions (excluded or surcharged). Carencias: maternity 60–90d, surgery ~mo 4–5, cancer mo 7–13. Enrollment age cap ~60–70 — enroll before the cap; once in, kept for life.
Turns the planner result into a client-ready explanation with the disclaimer. Build a pathway first, then generate here.
Build a pathway in the planner tab first.
Licensing We coordinate; a licensed partner sells. A non-licensed agency may advise, gather docs, submit EPS affiliation, and refer to a licensed intermediary for a referral fee — and charge a flat coordination fee. It may not place/sell the policy, bind cover, collect premium, or take a placement commission. (An agencia de seguros can't be an SAS; a corredor needs Superintendencia Financiera registration.)
Not advice Not medical or insurance advice. We explain options and coordinate; clinical and coverage decisions rest with the provider and the client.
Human gate The Healthcare Coordinator agent drafts recommendations and outreach; a human reviews and sends. No policy is bound without the licensed partner + the client.
Honest Verified figures only; version stamp on every client deliverable; no guarantees of coverage or acceptance.