# Private medical insurance



## High flyer (Jun 22, 2018)

Recommendations for private health care providers good people. My wife has a gizmo implanted in her chest as she has a slow beating heart, that needs monitoring annually, I have slightly raised blood pressure and cholesterol that is successfully managed by medication, so will need pre existing cover which we are struggling to find! Thanks all
Forgot to mention, I am 66 wife is 65.


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## Juan C (Sep 4, 2017)

You do not say if you are or are resident in spain. 

If you are, do you get a. DWP state pension. 

If that is yes to both then with an S1 you can register with the Spanish health service. Then you will get ‘Free health cover’ which would include the conditions you mention

I have S1 cover here 

I have a pacemaker which was fitted in spain. I also have cholesterol medication


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## High flyer (Jun 22, 2018)

Juan C said:


> You do not say if you are or are resident in spain.
> 
> If you are, do you get a. DWP state pension.
> 
> ...


Thanks Juan
We will be applying for residency, we are non resident currently owning a property in Spain. Am uncertain if the S1 will still be on offer now with brexit. I am in receipt of the U.K. state pension my wife next April, that is one of the reasons we haven’t gone for residency as yet.


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## f13dfx (Dec 11, 2019)

Juan C said:


> You do not say if you are or are resident in spain.
> 
> If you are, do you get a. DWP state pension.
> 
> ...


Hello Juan, is the S1 applicable to Canadians as well? My wife & I do get the Canadian Pension Plan and we are just now planning to seek residency in Spain.


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## Juan C (Sep 4, 2017)

F13
It is an agreement between U.K. and spain 

High Flyer
As it is an agreement between U.K. and spain, under which U.K. pay Spain about 5000 € per year for each pensioner, a bit less for their dependants, for their free cover, it may survive even a hard Brexit

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/healthcare-in-spain


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## High flyer (Jun 22, 2018)

Juan C said:


> F13
> It is an agreement between U.K. and spain
> 
> High Flyer
> ...


Lets hope so. Still hoping for recommendations for private medical insurance providers that may consider pre existing conditions. One such provider told me I wouldn’t be covered for any heart problems or stroke in the future as on blood pressure medication!


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## Juan C (Sep 4, 2017)

High flyer

I have had S1 cover since i was 65. My wife, we married when I was 66, has had the same cover since she was 36 as my dependant.

Thus, if you had come to Spain as a U.K. pensioner, and had become resident, your wife would have had S1 cover immediately


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## Juan C (Sep 4, 2017)

PS. If the S1 system were then cancelled, having being resident in Spain for a year one could start paying into the Spanish health care system which provides 100% cover, with no problems re existing conditions, just like NHS cover


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

Juan C said:


> PS. If the S1 system were then cancelled, having being resident in Spain for a year one could start paying into the Spanish health care system which provides 100% cover, with no problems re existing conditions, just like NHS cover


High Flyer may like to know that paying into the Spanish health care system (via the Convenio Especial) would cost €157 per month per person for those aged 65 or over, and that does not include the cost of any medications, which would have to be paid for separately at full price.

High Flyer, I am sorry I cannot give any recommendations for insurance companies as so far as I am aware all of them present difficulties in obtaining cover for pre-existing conditions and also charge much higher premiums for people taking out new policies when they are aged 65 or over.


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## Barriej (Jul 23, 2012)

Juan C said:


> PS. If the S1 system were then cancelled, having being resident in Spain for a year one could start paying into the Spanish health care system which provides 100% cover, with no problems re existing conditions, just like NHS cover


And that is exactly what we are planning to do. 

Private health care for us has been quoted as €3200 a year for me and the wife (Im 57 and in good health. The wife is 56 has Asthma and high blood pressure) 

The Convene Especial is €65 a month if you are under 65 and then €157 each after then.

Which sounds like good value to me. Obviously still have to pay for prescriptions but the wife's basic inhaler is available over the counter in Spain and its cheaper than the prescription charge here in the UK.


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## The Skipper (Nov 26, 2014)

High flyer said:


> Lets hope so. Still hoping for recommendations for private medical insurance providers that may consider pre existing conditions. One such provider told me I wouldn’t be covered for any heart problems or stroke in the future as on blood pressure medication!


When I retired in 2007 Axa PPP offered to continue the private health insurance my employer in the UK had provided for many years, with all existing conditions included. The quoted premium was 400 pounds a month EACH for my wife and I. Needless to say we declined the offer and took out a Spanish policy costing under €2,000 a year for the two of us but, of course, with existing conditions excluded.


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

The Skipper said:


> When I retired in 2007 Axa PPP offered to continue the private health insurance my employer in the UK had provided for many years, with all existing conditions included. The quoted premium was 400 pounds a month EACH for my wife and I. Needless to say we declined the offer and took out a Spanish policy costing under €2,000 a year for the two of us but, of course, with existing conditions excluded.


Would a policy with existing conditions excluded be any good to High flyer, though, if he and his wife need it in order to register as residents? If policies with co-payments are not accepted for that purpose, surely ones which don't cover existing health problems wouldn't be either?

This whole question is the reason why I won't cancel our private health insurance until it is certain that S1 cover will continue after Brexit, or if not, I am assured that we can register for public healthcare as "sin recursos" if the UK provides us with confirmation that we are no longer entitled to have our healthcare paid for by them.

We took our policy out 11 years ago when neither of us had any pre-existing conditions. As I've had major heart surgery and surgery to remove cancer within the last 18 months, and my husband although he still has no health issues is now 70, if we cancelled our policy it would be extremely difficult (probably impossible) to get any company to cover us, certainly not at a premium we could afford. From the beginning of next year our monthly premium will rise to €150 per month (for the two of us, not each) which is much less than what we'd have to pay for cover under the Convenio Especial.


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## High flyer (Jun 22, 2018)

Lynn R said:


> Would a policy with existing conditions excluded be any good to High flyer, though, if he and his wife need it in order to register as residents? If policies with co-payments are not accepted for that purpose, surely ones which don't cover existing health problems wouldn't be either?
> 
> This whole question is the reason why I won't cancel our private health insurance until it is certain that S1 cover will continue after Brexit, or if not, I am assured that we can register for public healthcare as "sin recursos" if the UK provides us with confirmation that we are no longer entitled to have our healthcare paid for by them.
> 
> We took our policy out 11 years ago when neither of us had any pre-existing conditions. As I've had major heart surgery and surgery to remove cancer within the last 18 months, and my husband although he still has no health issues is now 70, if we cancelled our policy it would be extremely difficult (probably impossible) to get any company to cover us, certainly not at a premium we could afford. From the beginning of next year our monthly premium will rise to €150 per month (for the two of us, not each) which is much less than what we'd have to pay for cover under the Convenio Especial.


Maybe best to wait and see that the S1 still exists when my wife retires next year and hopefully that will suffice for the purpose of proving healthcare to the authorities? No point taking out private insurance at quite a monthly cost that doesn’t really cover us for much just to applyfor residency. Thanks to all for the valuable advice and information


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## Juan C (Sep 4, 2017)

High flyer

“No point taking out private insurance at quite a monthly cost that doesn’t really cover us for much just to applyfor residency. “

You are missing the point. For medical cover to accepted for residence it must be 100% cover with no co-payments and without any exclusions


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## High flyer (Jun 22, 2018)

Juan C said:


> High flyer
> 
> “No point taking out private insurance at quite a monthly cost that doesn’t really cover us for much just to applyfor residency. “
> 
> You are missing the point. For medical cover to accepted for residence it must be 100% cover with no co-payments and without any exclusions


Not missing the point, said won’t be taking out private cover for the very reasons you mention. Either the S1 still exists and is acceptable as part of the residency process or we don’t apply for residency and give up on moving to Spain altogether.


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