# nasty trick of some cajas.



## Peter J. Veldman (Mar 27, 2010)

Right now we are about 6 weeks in Spain battling the system which realy is very burocratic and slow.But maybe thats just is because it´s holiday time...anyways.

What susrpises me was the fact that 2 “cajas” (to name them...it was “La Caixa” and “Ibercaja” both here in Valencia)were we went (for opening a non-resident account) want first that we signed a healthcare insurance with them! So iow....without the healthcare insurance it was NOT possible to open a non-resident bankaccount...?? They told me it was NOT possible to open such an account without being resident.......however they wanted to give us an acccount...but then we had to sign the healthcare plan with their company. besides that their accounts realy had outrageous tarifs!!

I find this very strange. Mind you both private healthcare insurances were about 160 euros a motn....for 2 adults and a young child.

Is this normal procedure in Spain¿?.....or were we just “lucky” to met the wrong deskperson at the wrong time? I refuse to do this as I think its utter BS. What has a healthcare insurance to do with a non-resident bankaccount?

Normaly it says one can open a non-resident account just with the certificado de no-residencia and your passport.(which we have)


Regards

Peter


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

Passport and a fist full of dosh was sufficient for me


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## el pescador (Mar 14, 2013)

its a con
go to another bank....santander tried this with me went ballistic in the branch and gave the bloke just enough space to not lose face and the whole thing was reversed.

this idiot even got someone elses account up on screen for me to explain that this person had defrauded the bank with his debit card.
he thought i must have been blind as the account he showed me was still in credit lol

after digging it turned out one of the sister companies were using santander to get more insurance from santanders customers....must have been on commision..


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

I find it very strange indeed that any bank would be attempting to tie customers wanting to open a non-resident account into their own healthcare insurance - by virtue of the fact that they're non-resident, they wouldn't NEED healthcare insurance.


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## ExpatWannabee (Jul 6, 2011)

La Caixa (at least in the Greater Valencia Area) always tries to sell you health insurance in order to open a non-resident account. It's just one of the many ways they fleece you with their charges. We made it clear that we didn't want or need the full health insurance and so they let us get away with their dental insurance @ 10 euros per month. If we'd had more time we would have shopped around for another bank, which I suggest you do if you don't need the bank account right away.


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## olivefarmer (Oct 16, 2012)

I believe that the La caixa staff are targetted on sales of insurance etc.

I don't know how many other banks offer the facility of balancing out your monthly outgoings(for a fee of course) to help with budgeting. We find it invaluable and for that reason alone stick with La Caixa. Their website is in English among many other languages.


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## enlivend (Jul 26, 2014)

BBVA fleeced me 50Eur for life insurance. I was too tired to fight back. (If they'd bothered to ask about my existing health conditions they might have thought twice... ha!)


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## paul44 (May 19, 2009)

go to sol bank you just need a passport and every 2 years you need to get a letter from the police to confirm your status.Sol Bank will do it for you but charge you 75 euro's for the privilege (joint acc) I did it myself this time and only paid the tax approx 14 euro.
lodge 700 euro's a month and the account and debit cards are free

They speak English as well find them very friendly at my branch in Benalmadena


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## Peter J. Veldman (Mar 27, 2010)

Thing is we NEED a spanish account in order to pay for services.(iberdrola,internet etc...etc..) Many companies do NOT accept forreign bankaccounts. Thats another thing I do not get...because in the EU we now all have IBAN...and SEPA...yes?? I´m missing something?

Right now we are in process with Banccoreos....for a non-resident account...not exactly free...but way cheaper as La caixa and Ibercaja!

A pity is...indeed Ibercaja flee me too of 50 euros for their annual charge for the account. As I would´nt sign their healthcare plan they didn´t want me to give a debit card....so I ended the account. What use has an account without a debit card? NONE imho.

I wonder uptill now nobody put this up with Banco España?? Or with the organisation of the Consumers. (which does excist in Spain).

Peter


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## Peter J. Veldman (Mar 27, 2010)

@ Paul 44: do you mean Bancosol España???

Alas they are not in Valencia....I doubt that it´s possible to open an account just over internet...THIS is Spain you know;-)

Peter


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## paul44 (May 19, 2009)

Peter J. Veldman said:


> @ Paul 44: do you mean Bancosol España???
> 
> Alas they are not in Valencia....I doubt that it´s possible to open an account just over internet...THIS is Spain you know;-)
> 
> Peter


NO 
Banca Sabadell (sol bank) obviously you have to show up in person I did with 2 passports.
actually the full story was I got a friend who lives in Benalmadena full time to go into the branch and talk to the gestor got the name/email sent her copies of my passports
the following week when we were over we popped in signed the forms and got our pins cards were mailed to our Irish address a week later.Very smooth and no hard sell!


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

paul44 said:


> NO
> Banca Sabadell (sol bank) obviously you have to show up in person I did with 2 passports.
> actually the full story was I got a friend who lives in Benalmadena full time to go into the branch and talk to the gestor got the name/email sent her copies of my passports
> the following week when we were over we popped in signed the forms and got our pins cards were mailed to our Irish address a week later.Very smooth and no hard sell!


Exactly. Sol Bank doesn't actually exist any more.

Sabadell has taken over a number of failing banks (and others) over the last few years.

We are resident but have FREE banking with them and are very happy.

Any DECENT bank will open a non-resident account with just a passport and some money although more and more require an NIE now as well (you have to have one at some point any way).


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## Barriej (Jul 23, 2012)

I know all this talk of bank charges, worrys a lot of people, but the Uk used to charge for all transactions back in the 1980's or have you all forgotten?

I've run a business account for the past 30 years and I still pay for everything, I pay for all my direct debit, if I pay cash in they take a %. And I pay for the free personal accounts everyone else has through those bank charges, I can't get away from that so I just go with it.

When I finally open a Spanish account, I will be more worried about the level of service I'm getting than a few charges, obviously I will look at saving where I can, but if charging for accounts is the Spainish way and you have decided to become Spanish then accept it.
When the time comes I will.  probably won't stop me moaning about it (I'm british it's what we do best)


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Barriej said:


> I know all this talk of bank charges, worrys a lot of people, but the Uk used to charge for all transactions back in the 1980's or have you all forgotten?
> 
> I've run a business account for the past 30 years and I still pay for everything, I pay for all my direct debit, if I pay cash in they take a %. And I pay for the free personal accounts everyone else has through those bank charges, I can't get away from that so I just go with it.
> 
> ...


Ours charged for the non-res account and tried to charge after we converted to a res account but a word with the bank manger and all charges waived.


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## Maureen47 (Mar 27, 2014)

We opened an account in April with Bankia in the Valencia area , very straightforward , needed NIE and Passports and have a non resident account , no mention of health insurance and conversion to residents account available when we request it, friendly and helpful local branch and internet banking functionality good and easy to use.


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## stevelin (Apr 25, 2009)

Weve been with Bankia for 10 years was ( caja madrid) with free banking as long as a balance of 2,000 euro . They then suddenly closed all the local branches and transferred our account to Malaga 1hr trip away. They are also now charging us a maintenance fee every 3 months and 51 euro for a credit card which was also free. Went into Malaga to see why changed without notification and was told due to different branch if don't like it suggested we move banks. As you can guess now look for a local bank with little of no charges


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## Peter J. Veldman (Mar 27, 2010)

stevelin said:


> As you can guess now look for a local bank with little of no charges


I think this will be very very difficult...in Spain!At least for a non-resident account.

I went to some banks (EVO,OPenbank via phone,CaJA mURCIA,Self Bank and a few others) who just told me in my face it was NOT possible to open a non-resident account with them.

It looks like it also depends on WHO you encounter at such bank when you walk in...

Right now we are trying with Banccoreos, and there I could open a non-resident acount without problems. But free....?? NO. anyways...thanks for the suggestions.

Peter


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## Peter J. Veldman (Mar 27, 2010)

Barriej said:


> When the time comes I will.  probably won't stop me moaning about it (I'm british it's what we do best)


OO I always thought we Dutch were worldchampions in that....moaning abput the wheater...the traffic....about our boss..and indeed the banks.LOL!

Peter


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

I had a non-resident account with Banco Popular (who have loads of branches) for several years before changing it to a resident account. There was never any question of forcing me (or even asking me) to take out health insurance through them, although I did (at my own request) change our house insurance to the one offered with their linkup with Allianz as it was a good deal, and I am glad I did because their service when we've had to claim has been fantastic.

I had to pay the charges for a non-resident account which are pretty standard, I still pay some for the resident account as I don't yet have funds being transferred every month to qualify for their fee free account.

I'm not aware of any bank which offers an account free of charges unless it's a resident account into which a minimum account each month is transferred in the form of a salary or pension, usually around €600/700 per month.


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## paul44 (May 19, 2009)

Peter J. Veldman said:


> I think this will be very very difficult...in Spain!At least for a non-resident account.
> 
> I went to some banks (EVO,OPenbank via phone,CaJA mURCIA,Self Bank and a few others) who just told me in my face it was NOT possible to open a non-resident account with them.
> 
> ...


I would suggest you try Banco Sabadell (sol bank) never had any issue's other than the charge for the non resident cert there electronic banking is great and there mobile banking app does just about everything


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

paul44 said:


> I would suggest you try Banco Sabadell (sol bank) never had any issue's other than the charge for the non resident cert there electronic banking is great and there mobile banking app does just about everything


... see post #12

Sol Bank doesn't really exist any more although I understand they might still use the name in some places.


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## Barriej (Jul 23, 2012)

snikpoh said:


> Exactly. Sol Bank doesn't actually exist any more.
> 
> Sabadell has taken over a number of failing banks (and others) over the last few years.
> 
> ...


You can apply via the internet for a managed(charged) account with Sabadell and they ask for either a NIE or foreign passport. You can then change it to a free (ish) account once resident. 
When we finally make the move that's what we will do.


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

Barriej said:


> You can apply via the internet for a managed(charged) account with Sabadell and they ask for either a NIE or foreign passport. You can then change it to a free (ish) account once resident.
> When we finally make the move that's what we will do.


Why free(ish)? I pay NOTHING and they give me money back on utility DD's!


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## Barriej (Jul 23, 2012)

snikpoh said:


> Why free(ish)? I pay NOTHING and they give me money back on utility DD's!


It depends how you run the account, we were told that there would be a maintenance charge as we would only be making one large deposit to the account, there would be no regular money going in (not old enough for a pension yet).

Your right about the cash back, worked out that it would cover the charges anyway, you can also get a discount on fuel as well.


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

Barriej said:


> It depends how you run the account, we were told that there would be a maintenance charge as we would only be making one large deposit to the account, there would be no regular money going in (not old enough for a pension yet).
> 
> Your right about the cash back, worked out that it would cover the charges anyway, you can also get a discount on fuel as well.


We have two or three sums going into our account through the year and aren't charged maintenance - guess that sort of decision is made at branch level.

Yep, forgot about the fuel card (repsol) as we have a better deal elsewhere.


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