Private health insurance in Portugal supplements the public SNS, providing faster access to elective diagnostics, private outpatient consultations, and comfortable hospital rooms. Major domestic insurers include Multicare (Fidelidade group, largest hospital network integration), Médis (Ageas group), and Allianz Portugal. Premiums are age-tiered: €25-60/month under 35, €50-150/month for ages 35-55, and €100-300+/month for 55+. Standard policies use co-payments (e.g. €15-20 for a private specialist visit). Pre-existing conditions are generally excluded, with waiting periods (períodos de carência) of 90 days for basic treatments up to 1 year for childbirth/major surgery. Most domestic insurers refuse new applicants aged 65-70; older expats typically pivot to international private medical insurance (IPMI) like Cigna Global or Bupa, which bypass age ceilings but charge higher premiums (~€150-500+/month).