Health insurance for expats in Spain
One of the things to bear in mind when moving to Spanish territory is knowing what the requirements are for obtaining a residence permit, and one of the most essential is to have a health insurance for foreigners in Spain.
When applying for a residence permit, health insurance for foreigners in Spain is one of the essential requirements for your application to be accepted.
Continue reading this post to know the keys of the health insurance for foreigners in Spain.
Who should have a health insurance for expats in Spain?
Spanish regulations establish that when a foreigner decides to live in Spain for a period of time longer than 90 days, he/she must comply with a series of requirements in order to obtain residence, whether temporary or permanent.
So, we have two different cases:
- On the one hand, for cases in which the foreigner is from a member country of the European Union, he or she must request a European Union Citizen Registration Certificate (NIE), which would not be necessary if it does not exceed 90 days, due to the free movement of persons in the Schengen area.
- On the other hand, if you are a foreigner who is not from a member country of the European Union, you must apply for a Residence Permit (TIE).
In both cases, the applicant of the Spanish residence must have medical assistance, for this reason, the health insurance for foreigners in Spain is a requirement in the procedures of foreigner.
There are two ways to obtain health insurance, either by accessing social security or by contracting private health insurance.
If you cannot access public social security, then it would be valid to take out private insurance to obtain residency.
Private Health insurance, what is it?
Before we proceed to detail what requirements must be met by a health insurance for foreigners in Spain, in order to be valid at the time of processing the residence permit, we will explain private health insurance is.
A private health insurance is a contract between a person and an insurance company, by which the first (the insured) pays a fee (the insurance premium), in exchange for the second (the insurer), covering the medical acts included in the contracted policy.
The applicant of the Spanish residence must have a medical assistance, for this reason, the health insurance for foreigners in Spain is a requirement in the procedures of foreigners.
These medical insurances for foreigners in Spain must satisfy a series of requirements that we will now detail.
What are the requirements that must have a health insurance for expats in Spain?
Hiring any health insurance for foreigners in Spain would not be valid since it must meet a certain number of requirements if we want to obtain the residence permit.
Medical insurance for foreigners in Spain must have the same benefits as the National Health System: no co-payments, no shortages, full, with maximum coverage and repatriation and, also, valid for the entire stay of the foreigner in Spain.
Here are the requirements that the health insurance must meet:
No co-payments
Medical insurances without co-payments are those in which the insured person pays a single amount and, in exchange, can make use of all the medical services that he needs, they have no limitations. The cost is usually higher, but during the period of validity no further payment will have to be reimbursed.
No shortages
The waiting period is the time that passes since the policy comes in to force until its services can be used. These periods are calculated by months and can vary depending on the type of service and the product contracted. They are usually periods without hospital admissions, certain medical tests, surgeries, family planning and psychotherapies.
Complete
Complete health insurance for foreigners in Spain is that which provides comprehensive medical assistance. In other words, foreigners who decide to reside in Spain for a period of more than 90 days must contract a plan that covers everything, including hospitalisation or transfers.
Maximum coverage
In addition, medical insurance for foreigners in Spain must cover all types of illness or disease and also be valid throughout Spanish territory.
What does medical insurance for foreigners in Spain cover? General medicine, nursing, paediatrics, medical specialities, surgical operations, rehabilitation and physiotherapy sessions, among others.
Repatriation coverage
The repatriation coverage guarantees the transfer of the insured person’s remains to the place from which they originate, including the formalities, transfers from the nearest airport to the place of origin and transportation from the airport to the destination of incineration or burial.
Spain has a variety of companies offering health insurance for foreigners in Spain specifically, and at BMI Spain we can help you find the one that best suits your needs.
Validity during the whole stay in Spain
Health insurance for foreigners in Spain must be valid for the entire period of validity of the residence permit, and in the case of renewal, this must also be done with the insurance.
Advantages of Private Health Insurance
Due to the current global pandemic situation caused by the covid-19 virus and the saturation of social security, private health insurance became necessary at this time.
In addition, private health insurance offers certain advantages relative to the public health system, which both Spaniards and foreigners benefit from:
- Faster medical attention
- You can select the best medical specialists
- Same damage coverage no matter the location
- Private insurances have at their disposal several hospitals for you to choose from and the benefits that this implies private room, more attention…etc.
- Possibility of obtaining a second medical opinion without cost
- Many companies offer payment facilities
It is best to take out private medical insurance that covers all types of contingencies, from medical consultations to emergencies. Health insurance for foreigners offers great advantages in health care in Spain.
If you are planning to live temporarily or permanently in some corner of Spain and are looking for health insurance for foreigners in Spain, at BMI Spain we can help you find one that fits your requirements.
Do not hesitate in contact with us if you have any doubts about healthcare in Spain for foreigners, we will be pleasant to help you.
