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Allianz Health Insurance Waiting Periods in Portugal: Which Cover Starts When and How to Avoid a New Wait

18 min read

When you take out Allianz health insurance in Portugal, you pay the premium from day one, but many benefits only start after a waiting period, in Portuguese período de carência. With Allianz Saúde, the health insurance of Allianz Portugal, the wait is 90, 180 or 365 days depending on the benefit, and a few services apply straight away. If you know the deadlines, you can time an operation, a birth or new glasses so that the policy actually pays.

This guide lists every Allianz Saúde waiting period by benefit and by plan, explains the exceptions and shows how a waiting period can be avoided or credited. It is based on the Allianz Saúde General and Special Conditions (version 229, June 2024), the pre-contractual information (version 657, November 2025) and the Allianz Saúde product information document (version 953, March 2025). For waiting periods at Médis, Multicare, Generali and other insurers, see our guide to waiting periods and pre-existing conditions in Portugal; this article covers Allianz only.

Key points at a glance

90 days for doctor visits and tests (outpatient care), medicines, dental treatment on the Total plan and most hospital stays and operations.
180 days for glasses, hearing aids and other aids, for cancer treatment from age 18 on the Total plan and for the international cover for serious illness.
365 days for childbirth and caesarean section and for a list of plannable procedures such as arthroscopy, herniated disc, hernia repair, varicose veins, gallstones or cataract.
Immediately: home and travel assistance, the second medical opinion, the dental network (on Extra and Total) and every benefit that is covered at network prices only.
Accident with A&E visit: no waiting period. For a sudden illness such as appendicitis, the hospital waiting period applies; emergency transport and an emergency doctor’s home visit apply straight away.
Credit when switching: if you move from another insurer, Allianz can take over the benefits you already had without a new waiting period, but never childbirth, cancer treatment on the Total plan or the international cover.

What the waiting period means at Allianz Saúde

Under the conditions, the waiting period is the time between the start of the contract, or for people added later the date they join, and the date from which a specific benefit can be used. It is set separately for each benefit, and the periods that apply to your contract are stated in the Particular Conditions of your policy (Allianz Saúde General and Special Conditions 229, June 2024, definitions and clause 8).

Three points matter before you count the days:

Each person has their own waiting period. It runs from the date each insured person joins. If you add your partner six months later, their waiting periods only start then.
The network stays open while you wait. You can use doctors, clinics and hospitals in the Allianz network at the prices Allianz has negotiated, which are usually below list price. During this time you pay the cost yourself.
Network-only benefits have no waiting period. Benefits that your plan covers only as network access (Acesso à Rede) apply immediately, because Allianz does not reimburse anything there, it only lowers the price (Allianz Saúde product information document 953, March 2025).

A note on names: searches for “Allianz health insurance” also bring up international expat plans from other Allianz group companies, such as Allianz Care. They have their own conditions and different waiting periods. This article covers only Allianz Saúde, the Portuguese health insurance of Allianz Portugal for people who live in Portugal.

All waiting periods by benefit and plan

Allianz Saúde comes in seven plans (módulos): Base, Standard, Mais, Extra, Total, 55 Mais and Dental. Expats usually look at Mais, Extra and Total, shown in the table. Amounts are annual limits per insured person. The waiting period only applies where an amount is shown; “network” means access to network prices only, without reimbursement and without a waiting period (Allianz Saúde pre-contractual information 657, November 2025):

Benefit	Waiting period	Mais	Extra	Total
Hospital and surgery, general	90 days	€75,000	€150,000	€500,000
Certain plannable procedures (list below)	365 days	within the hospital limit
Childbirth, caesarean section, miscarriage	365 days	network, immediately	€5,000	€10,000
Outpatient care (doctor visits, tests, physiotherapy)	90 days	€2,500	€2,500	€10,000
Cancer treatment (oncology, age 18 and over)	180 days on Total	chemotherapy and radiotherapy via the hospital benefit		€1,000,000
Aids such as hearing aids, orthoses (non-ocular)	180 days	network, immediately	€2,000	€2,500
Glasses and contact lenses (ocular)	180 days	network, immediately	€250	€500
Medicines	90 days	not covered	not covered	€1,000
Dental treatment with reimbursement (estomatologia)	90 days	not covered	not covered	€1,000
International cover for serious illness	180 days	€1,000,000	€1,000,000	€1,000,000
Daily hospital allowance and daily allowance for a hospital more than 150 km from home	90 or 365 days, depending on the procedure	€50 per day each	€50 per day each	€50 per day each
Home and travel assistance, second medical opinion	immediately	included	included	included
Dental network at network prices (Dental)	immediately	not included	included	included

Source: Allianz Saúde pre-contractual information 657 (November 2025), benefit table and section on waiting periods; Conditions 229 (June 2024), section “Períodos de carência” of each special condition. The values in your policy schedule (Condições Particulares) are what counts.

Two rows are often misread. For cancer treatment, only Total has its own benefit with a 180-day wait and one million euros. On Mais and Extra, the hospital benefit pays for chemotherapy and radiotherapy up to its limit, and the waiting periods of the hospital benefit apply. And for childbirth, Mais pays nothing; you only get network prices. If you become pregnant while on Mais, you pay for the birth yourself, even after a year.

Photographed from above, an hourglass, an opened knee brace, a rolled towel, a blue exercise ball and a clipboard with a blank sheet lie on a grey treatment couch — 90, 180 or 365 days: at Allianz Saúde each benefit has its own waiting period, and planned joint procedures are among the longest.

The 365-day list: procedures that wait a full year

Most hospital stays and operations wait 90 days. For a list of treatments that can often be planned, Allianz requires a full year. The list appears word for word in the hospital benefits of the conditions (Conditions 229, Special Conditions 1 to 3 for the Total, Extra, and Base and Mais modules, letter E in each):

childbirth, caesarean section and miscarriage, if childbirth is covered
treatment of arterial or venous disease of the legs, such as varicose veins
treatment of herniated discs and abdominal wall hernias, such as inguinal hernia, and similar hernias
treatment of stones in the kidneys, urinary tract, gallbladder and bile ducts, including shock wave lithotripsy
conditions of the anus and rectum such as haemorrhoids, fistulas and fissures
conditions of the oesophagus, stomach and duodenum
non-conservative treatment of benign gynaecological and endocrine conditions, for example of the thyroid, breast, ovaries or pituitary gland
ear, nose and throat surgery for benign conditions
joint treatment by arthroscopy, arthrotomy or joint replacement, such as a knee replacement
surgery or other invasive treatment of benign prostate enlargement
cataract surgery

One special rule concerns suspected cancer: if a procedure on the list is carried out because of suspected malignancy, without documentary proof before the operation, the 365 days still apply at first. If it later turns out that the condition was malignant, Allianz can reassess the case.

An example with assumed dates: suppose your Allianz Saúde Extra policy starts on 1 March and your orthopaedic surgeon recommends a knee arthroscopy in July. The general 90 days have passed, but the 365 days for joint procedures have not. Allianz pays for the procedure if it takes place from 1 March of the following year. Until then you can have it done at the network price at your own expense.

Childbirth and newborns

Childbirth has the longest wait: 365 days from the date the mother joins, and only on Extra and Total. A pregnancy that existed before the contract started is not covered at all under the general exclusions, neither antenatal care nor the birth (Conditions 229, clause 4 no. 1 c). Couples planning a family should therefore take out the policy at least a year before a planned pregnancy.

The rule for babies is more generous. Children born during the contract have no waiting periods if you add them in writing within the first 60 days of life and the contract or membership has been in force for more than six months. No health questionnaire is needed in that case, except on the Dental and 55 Mais plans (Conditions 229, clause 8 no. 5 and clause 9 no. 2 b). Under the same conditions, congenital conditions and malformations of your child are also covered, which are otherwise excluded (clause 4 no. 1 m). If you miss the 60 days, your child joins like any new person, with a health assessment and all waiting periods. What Allianz and other insurers offer around pregnancy and birth is compared in our guide to health insurance for newborns and expat families.

Accident yes, sudden illness no: the exception

For illness and accidents, the conditions contain one general exception: if an accident takes you to a hospital emergency department, no waiting periods apply to the benefits involved (Conditions 229, clause 8 no. 4). An accident means a sudden, unforeseen event with an external cause that leads to an injury, such as a fall or a road accident.

A sudden illness is not included. Two examples with assumed dates, both three weeks after the policy starts:

Fall with a broken leg: A&E, surgery and the hospital stay are covered, even though the 90 days are still running.
Appendicitis: the operation is a hospital stay due to illness. The 90-day waiting period applies and Allianz does not pay for the hospital stay or the operation. You can use a network hospital and pay the network price yourself, or go to a public SNS hospital.

You are not left without any help with a sudden illness, though: assistance in Portugal (Assistência em Portugal) applies from day one, so emergency transport to the nearest suitable hospital and, in an emergency, a doctor who visits you at home (with a co-payment). If you fall suddenly ill while travelling abroad, travel assistance pays treatment costs up to its limit (Conditions 229, Special Conditions 13 and 14).

Even after an accident, hospital stays and operations need prior authorisation from Allianz. If that is not possible in an emergency, authorisation must be requested within 48 hours, otherwise Allianz is not obliged to pay (Conditions 229, Special Conditions 1 to 3, letter D).

How to avoid or credit a waiting period

A waiting period that has started cannot be shortened. There are, however, ways to avoid a new one or to limit its effect:

Have your previous cover credited

If you are currently insured with another health insurer, Allianz can take over the benefits and limits you already had without a new waiting period, provided Allianz accepts the transfer. Childbirth, the cancer benefit (oncology) on the Total plan and the international cover for serious illness are always excluded: their waiting periods start again after a switch. The conditions themselves do not regulate this credit; Allianz decides on it when it accepts your application. Anything beyond your previous cover, such as a higher hospital limit, also has a new waiting period. Whether and to what extent your cover is credited is stated in your quote; the detailed rules are on our page waiting periods in health insurance in Portugal. Only cancel your old policy once the credit has been confirmed in writing.

Switching plan within Allianz

A plan change, for example from Mais to Extra, is only possible at the annual renewal and must be requested at least 30 days in advance. Benefits and limits you already had continue without a new waiting period. For new benefits, and for the part of a limit that increases, new waiting periods start from the change. If the change increases the risk for Allianz, a new health declaration may be required (Conditions 229, clause 9 no. 2 d to f). So if you may want childbirth cover later, do not start on Mais and switch to Extra shortly before: the 365 days only start with the switch.

Take out cover early and use network prices

The most effective planning is to take out cover early: if a procedure on the 365-day list is foreseeable, every month counts. Until the waiting period ends, you still have the Allianz network prices. For tests in the first 90 days, this is often cheaper than a private clinic at list price.

A waiting period is not a pre-existing condition

A waiting period ends; an exclusion stays. Illnesses, accidents and pregnancies that existed before the contract started are excluded at Allianz Saúde, expressly even if you declared them in the health questionnaire. This also applies to symptoms that are shown to be related (Conditions 229, clause 4 no. 1 a to c). Known knee arthritis is therefore not covered after 365 days just because the waiting period for joint procedures has passed.

Your answers in the questionnaire must still be complete. If you leave something out, Allianz may refuse benefits or end the contract. How Allianz, Médis, Multicare and Generali deal with pre-existing conditions is explained in our guide to waiting periods and pre-existing conditions.

Who can take out Allianz Saúde

Allianz Saúde is insurance for residents of Portugal. It accepts people who belong to the same household, live in Portugal, have a Portuguese tax number (NIF) and whose state of health Allianz accepts (Conditions 229, clause 8 no. 1). Age limits apply when joining:

Plan	Policyholder and partner	Children
Base, Standard, Mais, Extra	join up to age 65, no age limit afterwards	join from 0 to 24, covered up to 25
Total	join up to age 60, no age limit afterwards	join from 0 to 24, covered up to 25
55 Mais	join from age 55	not available

The 55 Mais plan works differently from the others: it gives access to its own network at agreed prices and includes assistance services for older people. Most benefits apply immediately; only the daily hospital allowance of €25 has a waiting period of 90 or 365 days depending on the stay. Details are on our page Allianz 55 Mais health insurance. If you are already over 60 or 65 and want health insurance with reimbursement, our guide to health insurance in Portugal over 60 and 70 shows the options.

Five mistakes with Allianz waiting periods

!Assuming every emergency is covered. In the first 90 days, Allianz only pays for hospital and surgery after an accident, not for a sudden illness.

✓For the first months, know where your nearest SNS hospital is, and ask for the network price at private clinics.

!Planning a birth on Mais. Mais covers childbirth at network prices only, with no reimbursement, even after 365 days.

✓If you plan a family, choose Extra or Total from the start and take out cover at least a year before the pregnancy.

!Cancelling the old policy too early. Without a confirmed credit, all waiting periods start again, and you pay yourself during the gap.

✓Only cancel once Allianz has confirmed in writing that your previous cover is credited.

!Letting the 60 days after the birth pass. Your baby then joins like a new person, with a health assessment and waiting periods.

✓Apply in writing to add your baby in the first weeks.

!Confusing the end of a waiting period with the end of an exclusion. Pre-existing conditions remain excluded, even if you declared them.

✓Read your policy schedule and go through known conditions with your broker before you sign.

Frequently asked questions

What is the waiting period for Allianz health insurance in Portugal?

It depends on the benefit: 90 days for doctor visits, medicines and most hospital stays, 180 days for aids, cancer treatment from age 18 on the Total plan and the international cover, 365 days for childbirth and a list of plannable procedures. Home and travel assistance, the second medical opinion and the dental network (on Extra and Total) apply immediately.

Does Allianz Saúde have a waiting period for emergencies?

After an accident that takes you to a hospital emergency department, no waiting period applies. For a sudden illness such as appendicitis, the normal waiting periods apply, so 90 days for the hospital stay. Emergency transport and an emergency doctor’s home visit apply from day one.

When does Allianz pay for childbirth?

After 365 days from the date the mother joins, and only on the Extra plan (up to €5,000) and the Total plan (up to €10,000). On Mais, childbirth is covered at network prices only. A pregnancy that already existed before the policy started is not covered.

Does my baby have a waiting period with Allianz?

No, if you add your baby in writing within the first 60 days of life and the contract has been in force for more than six months. No health questionnaire is needed in that case, except on the Dental and 55 Mais plans.

Can I shorten the waiting period with Allianz?

Not once it has started. If you move from another insurer, Allianz can take over the benefits and limits you already had without a new waiting period, provided Allianz accepts the transfer; childbirth, the cancer benefit on the Total plan and the international cover are excluded from this. While you wait, you can use the Allianz network at agreed prices at your own cost.

Is there Allianz Saúde cover without a waiting period?

Only for some benefits and situations: home and travel assistance, the second medical opinion, the dental network (on Extra and Total) and all benefits at network prices apply immediately, as does treatment after an accident with an A&E visit. Newborns added within their first 60 days have no waiting periods, and with a plan change your existing cover continues without a new waiting period. If you come from another insurer, your previous cover can be credited if Allianz agrees.

Does a plan change start a new waiting period?

Only for new benefits and for the part of a limit that increases. What you were already covered for continues without a new waiting period. A plan change is only possible at the annual renewal and must be requested at least 30 days in advance.

Does Allianz cover pre-existing conditions after the waiting period?

No. Illnesses, accidents and pregnancies that existed before the contract started are excluded, even if you declared them. The end of the waiting period does not change this.

Who can take out Allianz Saúde?

People who live in Portugal, have a Portuguese tax number (NIF), belong to the same household and whose state of health Allianz accepts. You can join Mais and Extra up to age 65, Total up to age 60 and the 55 Mais plan from age 55.

Our advice as an independent broker

With Allianz Saúde, timing matters more than with many other policies. If you know that a knee operation, a birth or new glasses are coming up in the next few months, compare the waiting periods before you sign and choose the plan accordingly. If you are insured elsewhere today, plan the switch so that the credit is confirmed before your old cover ends.

As an independent broker, we compare the Allianz Saúde plans with other Portuguese and international insurers, check whether your previous cover can be credited and support you through the application and the health questionnaire. The Allianz plans and benefits are summarised on our page Allianz health insurance Portugal, all providers on our page health insurance in Portugal.

Request a health insurance quote

Last updated: 2 November 2026. This article reflects the information available on that date and does not replace individual legal, tax or insurance advice. Your policy conditions, your policy schedule and the insurer’s offer are what count. It is based on the Allianz Saúde Condições Gerais e Especiais (version 229, June 2024), the Allianz Saúde Nota de Informação Prévia (version 657, November 2025) and the Allianz Saúde product information document (version 953, March 2025) of Companhia de Seguros Allianz Portugal, S.A. Only the Portuguese wording of the conditions is binding.