Definition
Co-payment
A co-payment (or co-insurance) is the part of a covered cost that you bear, usually as a percentage — e.g. the insurer pays 80% and you pay 20%. It is most common in health insurance and applies even when a benefit is covered: cover reduces, but does not zero, your cost.
Also known as: Co-insurance
Co-payment is often confused with a deductible, but it is different: a deductible is a fixed amount you pay first on each claim, while a co-payment is a percentage of the cost you share with the insurer. Two policies that both 'cover hospitalisation' can cost you very differently if one has a 10% co-payment and the other 30%. Some plans also cap your annual co-payment, above which the insurer covers 100%.
In your own health policy, look for «συμμετοχή», «ποσοστό συμμετοχής» or «συνασφάλιση» in the terms of each benefit — it varies per cover and per pathway (e.g. with or without a referral). PolicyWallet surfaces the co-payments in your document, so you know what you will pay even when a benefit is covered.
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What is the difference between a co-payment and a deductible?
A deductible is a fixed amount you pay first; a co-payment is a percentage of the cost you share with the insurer. A policy can have both.
Do I pay a co-payment even if the treatment is covered?
Usually yes. Cover reduces your cost by the insurer's share, but your co-payment remains unless the policy states otherwise.
Related
Educational content, not insurance advice. PolicyWallet explains what the term means and helps you find it in your own document — it does not assert what your policy covers.