Free Guide to Finding Health Insurance in Spain (2024)

Free Guide to Finding Health Insurance in Spain (1)

Health insurance in Spain for the Spanish Non Lucrative Visa

Private Spanish Health Insurance is required for all foreign nationals moving to Spain on any type of residency visa. This includes the Spanish non lucrative visa, golden visa for Spain, Spain’s new digital nomad visa, and visas for students to study in Spain.

More importantly, you’ll present proof of having purchased health insurance in Spain at your visa application appointment. Travel insurance is not acceptable. You prove you’ve obtained your Spanish Health Insurance by presenting a certificate of coverage letter issued by the insurer.

The healthcare coverage you purchase must be an all inclusive policy for legal residents in Spain. Furthermore, the coverage must be equal to that of the Spanish public health system.

Luckily, health insurance in Spain is incredibly affordable for fully comprehensive coverage. The insurance you buy must meet the following minimum requirements:

  • Medical coverage for all preventive, diagnostic, treatment and rehabilitation assistance equal to that covered by the Spanish public health system
  • No deductibles, co-pays, coverage limits or grace periods for certain benefits
  • 100% coverage for medical, hospital and out of hospital expenses

How Do I Find Health Insurance Companies in Spain?

In my opinion, the best insurance coverage in Spain comes from Spanish health insurance companies. Assuming the policy you purchase meets the above stated requirements, your proof will be acceptable without question to the consulate processing your non lucrative visa application.

[Disclaimer: I have affiliate relationships with some of the providers listed here. If you use sign up using my link, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you.]

Insbrok health insurance agency has been personally vetted by Family Move Abroad for its range of products, competitive pricing and quality customer service. They specialize in healthcare coverage in Spain for expats and they’re well versed in consulate requirements. This ensures that the policy you purchase from them will meet your residence visa application proof of coverage. Furthermore, their agents all speak English.

Another great benefit of purchasing your health insurance from Insbrok is that they are a broker representing multiple Spanish health insurance companies. One free quote request to Insbrok will yield you offers from at least two insurers, possibly three. Individual companies often run promotions. Time it right, and you could benefit from a greatly reduced rate. And once again, you can rest assurred that all policies offered meet your visa application requirements. Get your quote here.

Free Guide to Finding Health Insurance in Spain (2)

How Do I Buy Spanish Health Insurance?

First, get your free quote. You’ll receive an email with policy options within 24 hours, perhaps even minutes. You can do this well in advance of your visa application to get a sense of pricing, then purchase your policy when your closer to your application date.

Second, compare policy features. If you want specific doctors or healthcare facilities, look to see if the medical networks of the policies offered cover the ones you want. If not, base your choice on premium. Insbrok only sells policies from authorized Spanish health insurance companies, and all policies offered meet visa application requirements. In the absence of wanting a specific doctor, policy differences will be irrelevant.

Third, purchase your health insurance. Simply click the link in the email you received after filling out your quote request for the policy you wish to purchase. You’ll be taken to a payment page where you can make your payment using Wise cross border currency transfer service or other acceptable payment method. (Note, if several months have passed since that original quote request, you might need to submit a new one, as those original policy options might have expired or has undergone a change of premium.)

Be forewarned… you’ll be required to pay for the full year of insurance up front. Indeed, this scares people, but it’s industry standard for the initial one year coverage that you need to apply for the visa. These policies are only for residents. If you’re denied the visa, or receive it but can prove you never moved to Spain, you should be able to obtain a prorated refund for the unused months of coverage. (Each insurer has different policies regarding cancellation. Be sure you understand their terms before purchasing your policy.)

How to Pay for Your Spanish Health Insurance

Wise Online Money Transfers is one of the easiest ways to make international payments. It’s easy to use, fast, fully transparent, and offers some of the best real time exchange rates available. Create a Wise account, link it to a funding source such as your checking account or credit card, and you’re good to go.

When it’s time to pay for your Spanish health insurance, you specify the exact amount in euro you want the recipient to get. Wise tells you the exact amount in USD (or whatever source currency you’re using) that you’ll pay make that transfer in that moment. Above all, most WISE transfers process instantaneously. The insurer will be able to immediately confirm payment and, most importantly, issue you the declaration of coverage letter you use as your Proof of Spanish Health Insurance needed for your application.

How to Demonstrate Your Proof of Spanish Health Insurance to the Consulate

You’ll provide the declaration of coverage letter to the consulate as part of your non lucrative visa application package. The letter must:

  • State the full name and passport number of each insured individual.
    • It should be noted that some insurers issue one letter naming all family members. Others issue individual letters specific to each family member. Either is fine.
    • The Family Move Abroad guide to organizing your visa application paperwork explains how to file the letter(s) you get for each family member on your visa application.
  • Summarize the core benefits covered by the policy.
    • This will include a statement that there are no waiting periods for certain benefits, coverage for pre-existing conditions, and other key consular requirements.
  • Issued in Spanish. Clearly, as the insurers referred here are all Spanish companies, they will automatically issue your coverage letter in Spanish. This saves you a page of translation costs!
    • Understandably, if you don’t speak Spanish, you might be concerned that you can’t read your policy documents. Indeed this is another great reason to work with Insbrok. Insbrok can request the insurer issue you a benefits summary in English so you understand what your buying.
    • Importantly, however, use only the Spanish version for the consulate.
Free Guide to Finding Health Insurance in Spain (2024)

FAQs

How to get free health insurance in Spain? ›

Spain has a universal public healthcare system where every resident is offered free health insurance coverage. This type of system is made possible by a government fund where every employed resident pays a percentage of their salary towards social contributions in the form of taxes, covering healthcare costs.

How do expats get health insurance in Spain? ›

If you have lived in Spain for over 12 months, you can apply to join the public health insurance scheme, Convenio Especial. This does require a monthly payment. If you've lived in the country for less than a year, you will need private health insurance.

What is the average cost of health insurance in Spain? ›

Average Cost of a Health Insurance in Spain

The average cost of health insurance is typically from 100 to 200 EUR (112 to 224 USD) per month. You can also find plans for as low as 50 EUR (56 USD) per month with some of the bigger insurance companies.

What is the best private healthcare for expats in Spain? ›

Sanitas is by far our top recommendation when it comes to insurance packages for international students and expats. MAPFRE Medical Insurance is an outstanding option for people moving to Spain, as it has a wide network of hospitals and specialized units throughout the country, including the islands.

Can Americans get free healthcare in Spain? ›

Eligibility For Healthcare in Spain

If you're living and working legally in Spain, you'll have access to state-funded Spanish healthcare. Yes, this even applies to expats, digital nomads, and those not enrolled in traditional employment!

Can foreigners get free healthcare in Spain? ›

Expats who are permanent residents are eligible to be part of the public healthcare system. That includes people who have an employer or who are self-employed and contribute to social security. It also includes those under 26 years old who are studying.

Can a US citizen get healthcare in Spain? ›

Overview of the Spanish healthcare system

The public system, known as the Sistema Nacional de Salud (SNS), provides comprehensive coverage to all residents, including US expats legally residing in Spain.

Can an American get health insurance in Spain? ›

Another great insurance option for US expats in Spain is registering for the national healthcare scheme (SNS). You won't have to pay for most services with the national scheme since social contributions fund the SNS program.

Can you live in Spain without health insurance? ›

Who needs health insurance in Spain? If you're living and working in Spain – either salaried or self-employed – you'll be covered by public healthcare through your social security payments. Because of that, other people can also get free medical care, including: Minor children under the age of 15.

How to get public health insurance in Spain? ›

Legal residents can access public healthcare with an EHIC card or a Spanish health card (tarjeta sanitaria individual – TSI). Both cards come free with your medical insurance. You can apply for a Spanish health card at your local primary healthcare center (centre d'atenció primària – CAP).

How do I register for healthcare in Spain? ›

Once you're a permanent resident, you need to register for healthcare at your local INSS office. They will give you a document which you need to take to your local healthcare center. The INSS will give you a document (Docu- mento Acreditativo) which you need to take to your local healthcare center in order to register.

What is the best health insurance in Spain? ›

Best private health insurance in Spain for expats: Adeslas vs Sanitas. Some of the best medical insurance providers in Spain include: Adeslas, Sanitas, DKV, Feather and Asisa.

What is the healthiest city to live in Spain? ›

Valencia is more than just a city famous for its Paella, it is also the healthiest city in the world! This beautiful Spanish city places joint third on our index for greatest life expectancy due to an array of lifestyle factors. Firstly, this city has the ideal climate.

How much is private health insurance in Spain for retirees? ›

However, you can generally expect to pay between €50 to 250 a month (Convenio Especial costs are just over €150 a month for over-65s). You can also check current prices on this comparison site (in Spanish). You can purchase private health insurance for seniors in Spain from international providers like Cigna Global.

What country has 100% free healthcare? ›

However, Brazil is the only country in the world that offers free healthcare for all its citizens. Also, Norway is the first country in the world to implement a free healthcare policy as far back as 1912.

Is it mandatory to have health insurance in Spain? ›

In Spain, healthcare is free for citizens and residents affiliated to the country's social security system. However, it is necessary to follow a specific care pathway within the public health sector.

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