Health insurance scheme for 1.2 million school staff: here’s how it works

The health insurance scheme for over 1.2 million school staff – announced on several occasions by Minister Giuseppe Valditara and funded with 320 million over four years – is now in place. From Thursday 10 September, the system enabling all staff in schools and at the Ministry of Education and Merit to formally enrol online in the free health insurance scheme is operational. The supplementary health insurance scheme will be provided by Unisalute in co-insurance with Poste Assicura Spa and Intesa San Paolo Protezione Spa.

A note from the head of Viale Trastevere reminds all those concerned – school heads, teachers, educators, administrative, technical and support staff at schools, and Ministry employees – that this is a measure which ‘complements those already in place and well-established over time, starting with insurance cover for school staff – aimed at broadening the scope of protection against accidents at work and occupational diseases – and continuing with a range of benefits and discounts available in various sectors, such as air and rail transport and the banking sector’.

Further details on the eligibility criteria are provided in the FAQs published by the MIM. From these, we learn that applications may be submitted by a teacher, head of administrative services (DSGA) or support staff (ATA) employed on a permanent contract, or by a supply teacher whose contract expires on 31 August 2027 (until the end of the academic year) or on 30 June (until the end of term).

Those entitled to this benefit also include school headteachers who have not left the service, employees or managers of the central or regional offices of the MIM, or those from other public administrations seconded to one of these offices.

Teachers and ATA staff on short-term supply contracts are excluded, as are all teaching and non-teaching staff employed at a school in the autonomous provinces of Trento or Bolzano or in the Aosta Valley. Applications are also not permitted for MIM staff seconded to other local authorities.