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At the end of last year, employees with voluntary health coverage provided by the employer numbered 4,370 and the number of employers providing such coverage was 157.

Mart Jesse, manager of the EIA, said that considering the challenges in healthcare this year, health coverage provided by the employer is a good complement for national health insurance. 

"More and more employers understand that making a contribution to the health of their employees is a very good investment that is good both for the employer as well as the employee," Jesse said. 

He said that, at the same time, it is clear that the more employers there are who make a direct contribution to health insurance, the more additional money will find its way into the health insurance system and the more burden will be taken off the budget of the Health Insurance Fund. 

Health coverage by the employer is used the most for dental services and specialist medical care, including for the conduct of surveys and analyses. Prophylactic medical examinations and psychological counseling are an upward trend. 

Kairit Luht, product manager for personal insurance services at If Kindlustus, said that the spread of coronavirus has made many employers think more and more how to maintain their quality work processes and keep their employees healthy.

"When wait times to see a specialist doctor have become longer, an employee who has health insurance will get to see a doctor earlier. The sooner an employee gets medical aid, the sooner they will return to work," Luht said.

An amendment to tax laws that took effect two years ago enables employers to provide health coverage to their employees for an amount of up to 100 euros per quarter without paying the fringe benefit tax. 

Private health insurance is offered in Estonia to employers by insurers Ergo, Seesam, If and BTA, and to private individuals by Ergo.