Destination
Healthcare in Bermuda, and what it costs without cover
An English-speaking, tax-free island that once welcomed digital nomads on a dedicated certificate, now closed. The catch is the cost of everything and the fact that the most serious cases leave the island by air ambulance.
Insurance required?
Required · Permission to Reside on an Annual Basis requires valid health insurance (the closed Work from Bermuda certificate also did)
Recommended coverage
No published minimum; prioritise medical and repatriation cover (off-island air ambulance runs into tens of thousands)
Emergency number
911
Healthcare quality
English-speaking, US/UK-trained doctors; one full-service hospital (King Edward VII Memorial Hospital)
- Best for Long-term nomads
- Best for Slowmads
- Best for Freelancers
- Best for Perpetual travelers
The 30-second read
- The Work from Bermuda nomad certificate closed to new applicants on 28 February 2025; the route now is short visa-free stays or Permission to Reside on an Annual Basis, which requires valid health insurance.
- Bermuda has one full-service hospital, King Edward VII Memorial Hospital, with English-speaking, US/UK-trained staff and a 24-hour A&E.
- For complex cases patients are flown to the US east coast by air ambulance, a flight that can cost tens of thousands without insurance.
- It is tax-free on personal income but one of the most expensive places in the world; visitors pay full private rates.
The system
Healthcare system in Bermuda
Bermuda has one full-service hospital, the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital (KEMH) near Hamilton, run by the Bermuda Hospitals Board.
One full-service hospital
It carries the only 24-hour accident and emergency department on the island, around 300 beds, and the full range of inpatient, surgical and diagnostic care for a population of roughly 60,000 plus visitors. Less serious problems can go to the Lamb Foggo Urgent Care Centre in St George's, mental health is handled by the Mid-Atlantic Wellness Institute, and there are government community health centres and private GP clinics for routine consultations. There is no free public system for visitors: nomads and longer-stay residents are expected to carry health insurance and pay private rates, and care is billed broadly along US lines.
Off-island evacuation
English is the official language and doctors are typically US or UK trained, so navigating care is straightforward. The emergency number is 911 for ambulance, fire and police. Pharmacies are easy to find around Hamilton and the parishes, but they do not honour US or other foreign prescriptions, so anything you need must be re-prescribed by a Bermuda doctor; bring a good supply of essentials with a doctor's letter. The island reality is the part that matters most for insurance. KEMH handles the great majority of cases, but for complex trauma, specialist surgery or anything it cannot treat, patients are flown off-island, almost always to the US east coast, which is about two hours away by air. Air-ambulance evacuations are coordinated by KEMH's medical social workers, and that flight is where an uninsured bill turns life-changing.
What you'd pay
Typical costs
| Private GP or short consultation | commonly cited around US$150 to US$250 |
|---|---|
| One-bedroom apartment, monthly rent | roughly US$2,500 to US$3,700 depending on area |
| Meal at an inexpensive restaurant | about US$30 to US$55 |
| Air-ambulance evacuation to the US east coast | typically tens of thousands of US dollars if uninsured |
The currency is the Bermudian dollar (BMD), pegged one-to-one to the US dollar, and US dollars are accepted everywhere, so prices read like American prices only higher. Almost everything is imported, which is why Bermuda ranks among the most expensive places in the world to live. There is no official public price list for private care, so treat the medical figures as indicative; the consistent message is that treatment is costly, hospital charges can exceed US levels, and an off-island evacuation is the bill that makes proper insurance non-negotiable.
Interactive
Verified pricesWhat would it cost in Bermuda without insurance?
Gravel on a bend outside town. Road rash, a broken forearm, and a night or two before they discharge you.
| Ambulance | $1,167–$1,211 |
| Emergency room, on arrival | not verified here |
| X-ray on the forearm | $91–$139 |
| Two nights on the ward | $5,400 |
| At least | $6,658–$6,750 |
One step in this bill has no verified price for Bermuda yet, so the real total sits above this one. We would rather leave the line blank than guess at it.
That is the bill you carry alone. Insurance exists for exactly this.
See what cover costsTypical private-care estimates for illustration, not a quote. Actual bills vary by hospital, city and severity.
Entry & stay
Visa, residency & insurance
For short stays, US, British, Canadian and Australian visitors enter visa-free, since Bermuda is a British Overseas Territory that waives visas for these nationalities. The 180-day allowance people quote is worth reading carefully: since January 2024 it is 180 days in any 12-month period, tracked through the border system, not 180 days per entry. Leaving and coming back does not reset it, and the officer sets the actual landing period.
You should travel with a passport valid for your stay (the US advises at least 45 days beyond departure), proof of a return or onward ticket, and you must complete the free online Bermuda Arrival Card before landing. Travel insurance is not a legal entry requirement for tourists, but given that visitors pay full private rates and the nearest specialist hospital is a flight away, a policy with strong medical and evacuation cover is the sensible default.
Nomad certificate now closed
The dedicated remote-work route, the Work from Bermuda one-year residential certificate, closed to new applicants on 28 February 2025 and is no longer available, so there is currently no live digital nomad visa. The realistic path for a longer stay is now Permission to Reside on an Annual Basis, which can be granted for up to five years and explicitly allows remote work for companies outside Bermuda while barring local employment. No minimum income figure could be confirmed against a Bermudian government source, so treat the household thresholds quoted elsewhere with caution. Valid health insurance is a stated requirement, and this is the part worth knowing before you compare policies: the residency application asks for evidence of a local health insurance policy, and Bermudian law requires cover from a locally licensed insurer, with overseas insurance not accepted. An international plan supplements that obligation rather than satisfying it. Full detail and the latest status are on the Bermuda remote work visa page.
Who these rules apply to: Written for US, UK, Canadian and Australian passport holders, who all enter Bermuda without a visa. The Work from Bermuda certificate closed to new applicants on 28 February 2025, so there is no live nomad visa: the longer-stay route is now Permission to Reside on an Annual Basis.
- Tourist
Visitor entry (visa-free)
180 days in any 12-month period · the officer at the border sets the landing period
- Insurance
- OptionalNot required · no rule for visitors, but there is no public system to fall back on and you pay private rates from the first consultation
- Good for
- Short stays and a first look at the island before committing to anything longer
- Requirement
- Free Bermuda Arrival Card before you land, passport valid for the stay, proof of onward travel
- Tourist
Visitor's extension
Still counted inside the 180 days in any 12 months
- Insurance
- OptionalNot required · the position is the same as on entry
- Good for
- Visitors who need more time than the officer granted on arrival
- Requirement
- Apply to the Department of Immigration before the current permission expires, with a passport valid 45 days beyond the intended departure date
- Work
Standard Work Permit
One to five years, renewable
- Insurance
- Required· Bermuda law makes the employer carry health insurance of at least the Standard Health Benefit, with a locally licensed insurer, for the employee and a non-employed spouse
- Good for
- People hired into a job with a Bermuda employer
- Requirement
- The employer applies and normally has to advertise the role first. The permit is tied to that employer and that job
- Work
Global Work Permit
One to five years
- Insurance
- Required· the same employer duty to insure applies as on any other work permit
- Good for
- Staff already employed by a global company transferring into its Bermuda office
- Requirement
- No advertising requirement, but the employer has to be an established multinational with a Bermuda presence
- Digital nomad
Work from Bermuda certificate (closed)
Was one year, closed to new applicants on 28 February 2025
- Insurance
- OptionalNot applicable, the route is closed
- Good for
- Nobody new. Listed because it is still advertised on nomad sites years after it stopped
- Requirement
- No longer accepting applications. Holders were given 90 days after their certificate expired to leave the island
- Most nomadsResidence
Permission to Reside on an Annual Basis
Granted for up to five years
- Insurance
- Required· the application asks for evidence of a local health insurance policy covering the full period of residency you request
- Good for
- Remote workers employed outside Bermuda and people living on their own means
- Requirement
- Application for Residence with evidence of financial means and a police certificate. Remote work for a company outside Bermuda is allowed, local employment is not
- Residence
Economic Investment Certificate
Five years, then eligibility for a Residential Certificate for indefinite residence
- Insurance
- RequiredEffectively required · certificate holders live as private patients, and the local policy expected of annual residents is the practical baseline
- Good for
- Investors buying a long-term base rather than a job
- Requirement
- A qualifying investment of at least US$2.5 million into the Bermuda economy, for example property, a new local business or government bonds
Bermuda has changed its residence routes more than once in recent years, and what you are granted depends on your nationality and your paperwork. Check the current position with the Department of Immigration before you build a plan around any of these.
Compare visasHow Bermuda compares: insurance rules for every nomad visa, side by sidePassing through and settling in are two different insurance problems. If Bermuda is where you plan to live for a while, health insurance for Bermuda is the page that goes through what a plan has to include.
Local risk notes
What to watch out for in Bermuda
- The nomad visa is closed. The Work from Bermuda certificate ended on 28 February 2025, so do not plan around it; the current options are short visa-free stays or Permission to Reside on an Annual Basis.
- Off-island evacuation. Serious or specialist cases are flown to the US east coast by air ambulance, and that flight is the reason medical and repatriation cover matters more here than almost anywhere.
- Cost of everything. Bermuda is one of the most expensive places in the world, and private medical care is no exception, so budget for high bills and expect to pay as a private patient.
- Hurricane season. The Atlantic season runs June to November; direct hits are rare but strong storms do occur, so build in flexibility and follow local warnings.
- Scooters and the sea. Moped and scooter crashes are the leading cause of tourist injury, and Portuguese man o' war can wash up on south-shore beaches mainly between May and September, so ride carefully and check beach conditions.
Common questions
Bermuda insurance FAQ
Not any more. The Work from Bermuda one-year residential certificate, which was the digital nomad route, closed to new applicants on 28 February 2025. For a longer stay you would now look at Permission to Reside on an Annual Basis, which allows remote work for an overseas employer.
Yes. Applicants had to hold valid health insurance covering them in Bermuda, or buy local cover, for the term of the certificate. The replacement route, Permission to Reside on an Annual Basis, also requires valid health insurance.
Yes. US, British, Canadian and Australian visitors enter visa-free. The allowance is 180 days within any 12-month period, tracked at the border rather than reset by leaving, and the officer sets the landing period. You need a passport valid for your stay, proof of return or onward travel, and a completed online Bermuda Arrival Card before you land.
Because the island has one hospital, and anything it cannot treat means a flight to the US east coast, roughly two hours away, by air ambulance. Around 200 patients a year need overseas specialist care, and that flight can cost tens of thousands of dollars without insurance.
Yes for most things. Care at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital is delivered in English by US or UK trained staff, with a 24-hour emergency department. The trade-offs are high cost, payment as a private patient, and the need to leave the island for the most complex cases.
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