# Insurances



## Foeller (Dec 11, 2012)

Hello everyone!
First of all, thank you for this great forum, I've already found a lot of great info on this site.

I'm 19 years old and currently living in Denmark, but I'm moving to Barcelona in January because of a job opportunity.

I do find moving to another country very confusing, but I do think I know what to do regarding NIE, SS and an apartment.

However, when it comes to insurances I'm still very confused, so I hope you can give me some good advices. 

As far as I know, as long as I'm working I'll have the same rights as the Spanish people when it comes to health insurance. However, is the public health care system good enough, or do you advise me to get a private health insurance?

How about a third-party insurance (liability insurance)? Is that recommendable, and if yes, where should I get one?

And is there any other insurances you recommend me to get?

I hope you'll have time to answer my questions!


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

Contents insurance for wherever you live is important. State healthcare, in my opinion, is excellent so stick with it. If after a time you think it isn't for you, find a private alternative. I know nothing about third party liability insurance and know of nobody who has it. Somebody on here will advise you. Good luck on your move and if you need any help or advice, we'll do all we can to help.


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## Foeller (Dec 11, 2012)

thrax said:


> Contents insurance for wherever you live is important. State healthcare, in my opinion, is excellent so stick with it. If after a time you think it isn't for you, find a private alternative. I know nothing about third party liability insurance and know of nobody who has it. Somebody on here will advise you. Good luck on your move and if you need any help or advice, we'll do all we can to help.


Ok, thank you very much for the information! So you personally only have contents insurance, and where do you have it, and how much can I expect to pay for it?


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Foeller said:


> Ok, thank you very much for the information! So you personally only have contents insurance, and where do you have it, and how much can I expect to pay for it?


contents insurance depends upon what 'contents' you have

at least mine does....


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## Foeller (Dec 11, 2012)

xabiachica said:


> contents insurance depends upon what 'contents' you have
> 
> at least mine does....


Well, that makes sense.  But what company do you have it at? And is it generally cheaper or more expensive than your previous country?


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Foeller said:


> Well, that makes sense.  But what company do you have it at? And is it generally cheaper or more expensive than your previous country?


I can't remember - I'd have to get the papers out


no idea if it's cheaper or more expensive that the UK - it's a long time since I lived there, any comparisons would be meaningless after so long anyway


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## Foeller (Dec 11, 2012)

xabiachica said:


> I can't remember - I'd have to get the papers out
> 
> 
> no idea if it's cheaper or more expensive that the UK - it's a long time since I lived there, any comparisons would be meaningless after so long anyway


Ok, thank you very much for the answer.  Would be happy if you could tell me the name of your insurance company! 
Do you also only have contents insurance?


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Foeller said:


> Ok, thank you very much for the answer.  Would be happy if you could tell me the name of your insurance company!
> Do you also only have contents insurance?


I rent, so yes, just contents

I also have life insurance with this company Seguros de vida, hogar, salud | SANTALUCIA

I'd shopped around a bit & they will give my kids a really good payout if I die, and the premiums weren't high

they do all sorts of other insurance & I'll be looking at their contents insurance when the current policy expires


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## Foeller (Dec 11, 2012)

xabiachica said:


> I rent, so yes, just contents
> 
> I also have life insurance with this company Seguros de vida, hogar, salud | SANTALUCIA
> 
> ...


Thank you very much for the link! It looks like they have liability insurance just like I'm looking for. I don't understand why you don't have it, but I guess that's up to you. 

But I can't see a contents insurance on their site. Am I blind?


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

State healthcare, if you qualify, is excellent and, as far as I'm concerned, better than I was getting in UK. Prescription costs here are much lower too (in Uk they can be a real rip-off). 

Home contents insurance is a big variable because, apart from the contents you are covering, it will need to take into account where you are living. It would be best to ask your neighbours because their premiums for similar sized and located properties will give you a better idea. This could also be a good way to get to know your neighbours - be warned Catalans aren't necessarily the most friendly or sociable people (the mother-in-law {a catalan, herself} of my wife's cousin visited us for a few days and said that she had been spoken to many more times here in our village than she had in 20 years where she lives in Mataró)

3rd party cover is a part of our household insurance.


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## xicoalc (Apr 20, 2010)

I think this has been answered very thoroughly by everybody else but I will put my opinions.

As somebody already said if you are working you will be entitled to state healthcare which generally is excellent in Spain although with cutbacks in some areas it is a little bit lacking but on the whole considering their financial restraints they do very well. You of course can look for health insurance but for a comprehensive policy that will give you absolutely everything you can expect to pay anything from €40-€70 every month. I have paid my previous insurance company – ASSSA about €70 a month I have recently changed to Adeslas because they are saving me around €20 a month and come highly recommended from both clients and medical professionals who I know however the only reason I have switched to them is because I am more confident with the Spanish language now and if your Spanish is not good then you may need to bear in mind when dealing with health insurance company that certain ones specialising expatriates and therefore everything will be done in English and they make a point of dealing with English-speaking doctors – having said that most hospitals here that private will indeed have English-speaking staff or at least a translator.

Home contents insurance is an absolute necessity but be careful – make sure you read the small print because I am currently in a massive battle with my insurance company who are trying to find ways of getting out of paying after a recent robbery. As others have said the price that you pay the contents insurance really will depend on the value of the contents and any specific items that you need to cover. I currently pay around €300 a year – although obviously after this recent fiasco I will be changing company but I think I have about €45,000 worth of contents cover as well as a few specifically named items of value such as my iPhone etc. Also do consider but not many of the Spanish insurance companies include accidental damage as part of their contents and if they do then this is usually an optional extra. Compare to the UK I find the insurance companies are little bit more restrictive in what they will cover but like everything – you get what you are willing to pay for and whatever you need insuring you're sure to find a company that will take on and underwrite your needs.

As far as third-party liability goes – again most insurance companies for the house include this although some Do not cover third-party liability if you only take out contents insurance – i.e. if you were the tenant. Therefore, it is worth speaking with your landlord to see if his policy for the building covers third-party liability. My landlords insurance covers the third-party liability if something was to happen such as the fence blowdown and kill a passerby but on the other hand my personal contents has liability in case anything that I do in the home or for example one of my dogs bite somebody. I also have additional special insurance for one of my dogs who is considered potentially dangerous LOL. Other than that there is not really any reason to have third-party liability insurance and it is certainly not something that I've come across being sold separately for individuals – only for businesses. Perhaps you can enlighten us exactly what you require third-party liability insurance for?

Just like somebody else said I also have insurance for if I die – funerals in Spain are expensive and I think I pay €40 a year for a policy that covers absolutely everything in the event that I am hits over the head by a low-flying UFO.

If you need car insurance then I can highly recommend Linea Directa who have been absolutely excellent with me for several years. My funeral insurances with DKV – again and only Spanish-speaking company. I also have motor insurance for a motorbike which is with Allianz and I have found them very good although only needed to use them once when the bike wouldn't start but the recovery service was excellent. I think it's the same company that I have my dog liability insurance with although through a different broker.


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## Foeller (Dec 11, 2012)

steve_in_spain said:


> I think this has been answered very thoroughly by everybody else but I will put my opinions.
> 
> As somebody already said if you are working you will be entitled to state healthcare which generally is excellent in Spain although with cutbacks in some areas it is a little bit lacking but on the whole considering their financial restraints they do very well. You of course can look for health insurance but for a comprehensive policy that will give you absolutely everything you can expect to pay anything from €40-€70 every month. I have paid my previous insurance company – ASSSA about €70 a month I have recently changed to Adeslas because they are saving me around €20 a month and come highly recommended from both clients and medical professionals who I know however the only reason I have switched to them is because I am more confident with the Spanish language now and if your Spanish is not good then you may need to bear in mind when dealing with health insurance company that certain ones specialising expatriates and therefore everything will be done in English and they make a point of dealing with English-speaking doctors – having said that most hospitals here that private will indeed have English-speaking staff or at least a translator.


First of all, thank you very much for the long and thorough answer! I think I'll stick with the Spanish health care system as you all have advised me to do!



> As far as third-party liability goes – again most insurance companies for the house include this although some Do not cover third-party liability if you only take out contents insurance – i.e. if you were the tenant. Therefore, it is worth speaking with your landlord to see if his policy for the building covers third-party liability. My landlords insurance covers the third-party liability if something was to happen such as the fence blowdown and kill a passerby but on the other hand my personal contents has liability in case anything that I do in the home or for example one of my dogs bite somebody. I also have additional special insurance for one of my dogs who is considered potentially dangerous LOL. Other than that there is not really any reason to have third-party liability insurance and it is certainly not something that I've come across being sold separately for individuals – only for businesses. Perhaps you can enlighten us exactly what you require third-party liability insurance for?


Liability insurance is very common in Denmark. I basically need it if anything unexpected happens. I'm not even going to have a car in Barcelona so it won't be for anything specific. But better safe than sorry. 

So now I just have to find a good company with contents insurance and third-party liability insurance! 

I'm going to rent by the way.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Foeller said:


> Thank you very much for the link! It looks like they have liability insurance just like I'm looking for. I don't understand why you don't have it, but I guess that's up to you.
> 
> But I can't see a contents insurance on their site. Am I blind?


I don't understand why anyone WOULD have liability insurance :confused2:

that's something businesses have - not individuals - at least that's the way it is in my world...

looking briefly at the home insurance part of that site it seems to have just a contents option


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

xabiachica said:


> I don't understand why anyone WOULD have liability insurance :confused2:
> 
> that's something businesses have - not individuals - at least that's the way it is in my world...
> 
> looking briefly at the home insurance part of that site it seems to have just a contents option


Many, if not, most home *owner*'s policies include a third party liability cover to cover those situations where somebody is injured by part of the property, e.g. a gate coming off its hinges, part of the roof/gutter falling, etc. but thsi is normally only the property owner's responsibility not a tenant although it is possible that a cheapskate landlord might write it into a tenancy agreement. HOWEVER, it is conceivable that the situation could arise where one puts one's elbow through a windw accidentally and the falling glass injured/killed a passer-by, in which case a third party liability insurance could be very useful.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Third party liabilty: you need this one from the same insurer as mentioned before:
Seguro de Responsabilidad Civil General de santalucía


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## Foeller (Dec 11, 2012)

baldilocks said:


> Third party liabilty: you need this one from the same insurer as mentioned before:
> Seguro de Responsabilidad Civil General de santalucía


Thanks for the link!  I'll contact them about third party liability and a contents and theft insurance of some kind! 

Thanks for your answers everyone!


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## xicoalc (Apr 20, 2010)

Household third-party liability only covers for the event of something happening on your property or as a result of your property causing injury or damage to somebody. Likewise, in most cases it will cover if your dog bite somebody on things like this. I have never come across anybody having a general third-party liability although I have to admit I'm kind of liking the idea now because that means when somebody upsets me is generally just a bit of an idiot I can just thumped them and then say "claim on my insurance" – I shall give this some thought


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

steve_in_spain said:


> Household third-party liability only covers for the event of something happening on your property or as a result of your property causing injury or damage to somebody. Likewise, in most cases it will cover if your dog bite somebody on things like this. I have never come across anybody having a general third-party liability although I have to admit I'm kind of liking the idea now because that means when somebody upsets me is generally just a bit of an idiot I can just thumped them and then say "claim on my insurance" – I shall give this some thought


I bet there'd be a clause that said if you deliberately thump someone they don't pay out 

no matter what the provocation....


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## xicoalc (Apr 20, 2010)

xabiachica said:


> I bet there'd be a clause that said if you deliberately thump someone they don't pay out
> 
> no matter what the provocation....


probably - shame though - could be fun!:cheer2:


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## snorkeler (Aug 6, 2010)

steve_in_spain said:


> I think this has been answered very thoroughly by everybody else but I will put my opinions.
> 
> As somebody already said if you are working you will be entitled to state healthcare which generally is excellent in Spain although with cutbacks in some areas it is a little bit lacking but on the whole considering their financial restraints they do very well. You of course can look for health insurance but for a comprehensive policy that will give you absolutely everything you can expect to pay anything from €40-€70 every month. I have paid my previous insurance company – ASSSA about €70 a month I have recently changed to Adeslas because they are saving me around €20 a month and come highly recommended from both clients and medical professionals who I know however the only reason I have switched to them is because I am more confident with the Spanish language now and if your Spanish is not good then you may need to bear in mind when dealing with health insurance company that certain ones specialising expatriates and therefore everything will be done in English and they make a point of dealing with English-speaking doctors – having said that most hospitals here that private will indeed have English-speaking staff or at least a translator.
> 
> ...


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