RIO GUIDE
Insurance gives you access to private care and helps with complex expenses, but a foreign tourist facing an emergency can also use Brazil's public SUS emergency network free of charge.
Emergency care, consultations, tests, hospitalization, accidents, medications, emergency dentistry, medical transport and repatriation. Declare pre-existing conditions and check whether hiking, paragliding, surfing or other activities are covered.
Brazil's Ministry of Health states that foreign tourists can use the SUS emergency network free of charge. Carry your passport or ID if available, report allergies and medications, and explain symptoms clearly. In a life-threatening emergency, seek care even if you have lost your document.
UPAs handle intermediate-complexity urgent care and stabilize or refer patients. Hospitals receive more serious cases. Family clinics are more appropriate for primary care and do not replace emergency services.
Call 192 for severe difficulty breathing, chest pain, loss of consciousness, a serious accident, suspected stroke or any other situation requiring a mobile medical response. Fire Department: 193.
Useful public references include Hospital Municipal Souza Aguiar downtown, Hospital Municipal Miguel Couto in Gávea, and public care units throughout Copacabana, Botafogo and nearby neighborhoods. Use the official map or call 1746 to confirm the appropriate unit and its operating status.
Carry your ID, policy, medication list, allergies, pre-existing conditions, emergency contact and accommodation address. If you do not speak Portuguese, write down when the symptoms began and what you took.
Rio has pharmacies open until late and some locations operate 24 hours, but not all medications are sold over the counter. Carry your prescription and the name of the active ingredient; do not rely only on a brand name used in your country. For controlled medications, confirm the prescription, allowed quantity and required documents before traveling.
Public emergency care is not equivalent to comprehensive insurance: it does not guarantee a private room, free choice of doctor, medications outside the facility, flight changes, additional accommodation or repatriation.
Use insect repellent according to its label and limit your exposure to mosquitoes. Seek medical care if you develop a fever, severe pain, bleeding, persistent vomiting or worsening symptoms. If you suspect dengue, do not self-medicate without professional advice.
Write down your allergies, medical conditions, medications, dosages and an emergency contact in Portuguese. A translation app can help, but it is not a substitute for an interpreter when making a complex medical decision. For yellow fever and vaccination recommendations, see the vaccine guide.
🛡️ ASSIST CARD · TRAVEL INSURANCE
When preparing your trip, the Assist Card quote link lets you review an offer from the provider. Compare it with your needs and read the policy before purchasing. Requesting a quote or opening the link does not activate insurance; this commercial option is separate from the assistance channels and emergency care described in the guide.
In an emergency, the most important thing is knowing where to get help. Assist Card says it offers 24-hour assistance and lets customers request help through its app and official channels. Coverage, limits, exclusions and reimbursements depend on the plan purchased.
Have your policy or voucher number, identity document or passport, and trip details ready.
Use the Assist Card app or its official channels. In Brazil, Assist Card lists 0800 770 1664; if you are outside the country, check your voucher for the contact channel that applies to your location.
The assistance center can guide you and identify the available network based on your situation and plan. In a serious emergency, seek care immediately and notify the insurer as soon as possible.
If you arrange care yourself or need to request reimbursement, keep the medical report, prescriptions, invoices, receipts and any other requested documents.
Medical and hospital expenses, emergency dental care, medication, medical transport, baggage, trip interruption and legal assistance may be available depending on the product. Do not assume every item is included in your plan.
Before travelling, I save the assistance number, policy code and the steps for getting care authorised by the insurer. If you have to pay directly, ask for an itemised invoice, proof of payment and a clinical summary before leaving the provider: reimbursement depends on the contract and the insurer may request these documents.
Ernestinho Carioca is an authorized promoter of Assist Card. Insurance coverage is governed by the policy and Assist Card's current terms.
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