SWEDEN | Emergency | Emergency services
Emergency services in general
In Sweden, you dial 112 to be connected to an emergency service called SOS alarm. You are then asked which service you require:
- Ambulance
- Fire department
- Police
These calls can be made free of charge from any phone. Do as instructed by the operator. Answer questions regarding:
- What has happened?
- Your location and where assistance is needed
- Your name
- Which telephone number you are calling from
SOS alarm's 20 local alarm call centres are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Each centre is lead by a unit manager who is in charge of operations.
The Website of 1177 provides information about illness, care and health. If you are unsure where to seek healthcare, you can call 1177 and choose to speak Swedish or English. The nurse who answers the helpline can also give you advice on what you can do yourself to feel better. The 1177 hotline is free of charge. If your phone does not have a Swedish description or SIM card, call 0046 771-11 77 00.
If you need to see a doctor in Sweden, you usually have to make an appointment and to pay for their services even, if you have a EHIC.
Insurances
The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) gives students access to medically necessary healthcare during temporary stays in most European countries under the same conditions as local residents. It is free of charge and should be carried alongside your regular health insurance documents when completing an internship abroad.
The EHIC will replace all of the forms currently used to authorise the treatment of nationals of one member state in another member state of the Union.
When living in Sweden, one needs a Hemförsäkring, a household insurance to insure your possessions from theft. Very often, your landlord, if you rent a room or even a flat, will have insurance to cover damage to your home should there be a fire or if there is a leak that affects neighbors and others.
When driving in Sweden, you also must be properly insured. If you have your own car, you should take out a special driving insurance or bring your insurance from your home country, which usually will be a little more expensive to be valid abroad. If you do not have a car but still want to be able to drive, ask your insurance company to include driving insurance with your household insurance. This insurance covers any damage to you, your car and if you have damaged anything, those costs. Always ask the insurance company to provide you with information in English or in your own language to make sure you understand the terms and can make proper claims if you need to do so.
Important documents
The trainee should photocopy relevant pages of his/her passport in case of loss or theft, and should note the contact number of the relevant embassy/consulate in Sweden. Loss of credit cards should be reported immediately to the hotline of the appropriate credit card company.