# Cheapest Private Insurance in Spain (for visa purposes)



## erizo (Nov 16, 2017)

Hi all! I'll be moving to Spain in January. I'm looking for the cheapest-possible private health insurance that will satisfy the government requirements for a Visa (I'm non-EU).

I've been recommended Sanitas and Adeslas, but was told that a 1-year plan will be €500-600! That seems extremely expensive for me. I'm a very healthy, fit 31-year-old male with no health conditions. I pay less than that in the USA (!) which is known for having horribly expensive health insurance. I'm bamboozled at how Spain could be more expensive.

I still have American insurance (which is not valid overseas), which I use when I visit the USA, to get major medical things done, which is why I'm not bothered to have "good" insurance in Spain. I really only want/need/can-afford the bare-bones minimal stuff the government requires.

Any advice or help would be greatly appreciated


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## MickinUS (Jun 26, 2013)

I am stunned that coming from the US you feel 500-600 a year is expensive!!
I'm currently paying $22,400 a year for my wife and I in the States. Please tell me what American health insurance you are getting for less than $500 a year in the US. I will sign up immediately. Can't help with Spanish insurance but 500-600 sounds like a steal to me.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

erizo said:


> Hi all! I'll be moving to Spain in January. I'm looking for the cheapest-possible private health insurance that will satisfy the government requirements for a Visa (I'm non-EU).
> 
> I've been recommended Sanitas and Adeslas, but was told that a 1-year plan will be €500-600! That seems extremely expensive for me. I'm a very healthy, fit 31-year-old male with no health conditions. I pay less than that in the USA (!) which is known for having horribly expensive health insurance. I'm bamboozled at how Spain could be more expensive.
> 
> ...


I would be amazed if you could find a comprehensive healthcare insurance to satisfy residencia requirements for less than that - as has been said, 600€ a year (50€ a month) is very inexpensive.

Even the convenio especial - the buy in to state healthcare, costs 60€ a month. 

If you look in our http://www.expatforum.com/expats/spain-expat-forum-expats-living-spain/2725-faqs-lots-useful-info.html you'll find a section with insurance comparison websites


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## lorort (Dec 24, 2015)

I agree, 500 to 600 is a bargain. I was paying 2,500 a year, but currently working at a Native American pueblo so about 300 a year which is usually unheard of in the states.


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## kalohi (May 6, 2012)

Maybe the OP thought it was 500-600€ a month?


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

kalohi said:


> Maybe the OP thought it was 500-600€ a month?


That crossed my mind too.

Hopefully he'll come back & tell us!


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## 95995 (May 16, 2010)

xabiachica said:


> That crossed my mind too.
> 
> Hopefully he'll come back & tell us!


Maybe he meant 500-600 per month for a 1 year policy


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## erizo (Nov 16, 2017)

No, I meant 500-600€ total for one year. I've had to get catastrophic insurance before for an EU Visa in countries other than Spain, and it was usually closer to 150-200€ . I'm not talking about full coverage insurance, I'm talking bare bones "what if I get hit by a bus" insurance... this stuff provided absolutely no coverage for routine medical visits or any medication... literally nothing was covered and everything was out of pocket except catastrophic medical emergencies, so I'm not a drain on the system. If 500€ is pretty cheap for Spain, than I guess Spain is pretty expensive for Europe, for this sort of thing.

I tried going to the "Insurance for Expats in Spain" page on this forum before I created this thread, but it says "Sorry, That Expat Forum Page Was Not Found."

Anyway, in response to my original question... 
Sanitas *is* the cheapest, then? 

It sounds like most members of this forum aren't as impecunious as I am :-/


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## 95995 (May 16, 2010)

erizo said:


> No, I meant 500-600€ total for one year. I've had to get catastrophic insurance before for an EU Visa in countries other than Spain, and it was usually closer to 150-200€ . I'm not talking about full coverage insurance, I'm talking bare bones "what if I get hit by a bus" insurance... this stuff provided absolutely no coverage for routine medical visits or any medication... literally nothing was covered and everything was out of pocket except catastrophic medical emergencies, so I'm not a drain on the system. If 500€ is pretty cheap for Spain, than I guess Spain is pretty expensive for Europe, for this sort of thing.
> 
> I tried going to the "Insurance for Expats in Spain" page on this forum before I created this thread, but it says "Sorry, That Expat Forum Page Was Not Found."
> 
> ...


All I can say is that it's a heck of a lot cheaper than normal expat insurance and that you are lucky that a bare bones policy is sufficient for a visa. (I originally took out expat insurance when I moved from Australia to France and, even with exclusions, it was massively more expensive than 500-600€ for a year. It's also way less than I originally paid when I joined the French health system. However, it's quite possible that it's more expensive than in, say, some eastern EU countries. It's quite clear from what posters have said above that it's cheap, even if doesn't cover routine medical visits or medication. 

BTW, you don't get an EU visa, you get a visa for a specific EU country.

Cheers


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## kalohi (May 6, 2012)

erizo said:


> No, I meant 500-600€ total for one year. I've had to get catastrophic insurance before for an EU Visa in countries other than Spain, and it was usually closer to 150-200€ . I'm not talking about full coverage insurance, I'm talking bare bones "what if I get hit by a bus" insurance... this stuff provided absolutely no coverage for routine medical visits or any medication... literally nothing was covered and everything was out of pocket except catastrophic medical emergencies, so I'm not a drain on the system. If 500€ is pretty cheap for Spain, than I guess Spain is pretty expensive for Europe, for this sort of thing.
> 
> I tried going to the "Insurance for Expats in Spain" page on this forum before I created this thread, but it says "Sorry, That Expat Forum Page Was Not Found."
> 
> ...


Spain usually requires visa applicants to get full coverage with no deductible. And in fact, 50€/month for a 31 year old male sounds about right for a policy with full coverage. Are you sure that the price they quoted for you is for a bare bones policy? I'm 57 and I pay only about 70€/month with Adeslas for full coverage. 

Sanitas is not necessarily the cheapest, by the way. But they're the one that will sell insurance to foreigners in the process of getting their visa/residency.


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## Ifn (Jan 29, 2017)

MickinUS said:


> I am stunned that coming from the US you feel 500-600 a year is expensive!!
> I'm currently paying $22,400 a year for my wife and I in the States. Please tell me what American health insurance you are getting for less than $500 a year in the US. I will sign up immediately. Can't help with Spanish insurance but 500-600 sounds like a steal to me.


Absolutely agree. No one in the USA is paying $500 or €500, unless their job is paying the rest.


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## Ifn (Jan 29, 2017)

erizo said:


> No, I meant 500-600€ total for one year. I've had to get catastrophic insurance before for an EU Visa in countries other than Spain, and it was usually closer to 150-200€ . I'm not talking about full coverage insurance, I'm talking bare bones "what if I get hit by a bus" insurance... this stuff provided absolutely no coverage for routine medical visits or any medication... literally nothing was covered and everything was out of pocket except catastrophic medical emergencies, so I'm not a drain on the system. If 500€ is pretty cheap for Spain, than I guess Spain is pretty expensive for Europe, for this sort of thing.
> 
> I tried going to the "Insurance for Expats in Spain" page on this forum before I created this thread, but it says "Sorry, That Expat Forum Page Was Not Found."
> 
> ...


Spanish consulates in the US have different criteria so make sure you know what the consulate for your area will accept for a visa. In New York they wanted to see At least $30,000 of coverage and that the insurance has repatriation clause ( meaning sending your dead body back to the US). That was it. But it is my understanding, as someone else mentioned, that there cannot be any deductibles or copays. Ask your consulate if that is an issue.


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## MickinUS (Jun 26, 2013)

Good to know. I would be going to the NY consulate. 
So, that is what you're paying 500-600 for?
30,000 coverage seems so little to accept. Here is the US that would just about cover a broken ankle) We had routine tests done recently and I think they were about that. Ridiculous.


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## Ifn (Jan 29, 2017)

MickinUS said:


> Good to know. I would be going to the NY consulate.
> So, that is what you're paying 500-600 for?
> 30,000 coverage seems so little to accept. Here is the US that would just about cover a broken ankle) We had routine tests done recently and I think they were about that. Ridiculous.


Ohhh no, I'm paying a lot more, because I have pre existing conditions that didn't allow me to buy Spanish insurance. I got an Aetna global plan, which does not cover any pre existing conditions but had over a million in coverage and the dead body clause. And of course, no deductibles or copays . 
You can email the consulate with any questions and I found them to be very nice when I got there. I mistakenly added the $11 for the NIE number to my money order and they had me fill out the form right there and sign them. Usually you need a separate appointment for the NIE number. Ill still have to go to oficina de Extranjeros when I get to Madrid. It took about 4 business days to get the visa and two weeks for the NIE letter. But that might have been unusual.


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