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Basic private health insurance for only 2 months

Basic private health insurance for only 2 months

Old Sep 27th 2017, 9:39 am
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Default Basic private health insurance for only 2 months

Hi,
We are looking for a private basic health insurance for only max 3 months. A very basic insurance to cover only a heart attack or something similar. So only hospital cover.

We only need that for 1 or 2 months. Is that possible or are you obliged to take the insurance for 12 months.
After the 1 to 3 months private insurance, we will -hopefully- join the NHS in Portugal.

Is there an insurance that will cover sudden accidents (heart-attack, broken leg etc) as of day 1? When you have an accident and your leg is broken and you need an OP, is this covered?

Thanks!
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Old Sep 27th 2017, 12:30 pm
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Default Re: Basic private health insurance for only 2 months

Wouldn't travel insurance cover you?
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Old Sep 27th 2017, 1:41 pm
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Default Re: Basic private health insurance for only 2 months

Your profile says you're based in Spain....... in which case could you not get a Spanish EHIC card before you leave so it covers you until you get your Portuguese Residencia?
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Old Sep 27th 2017, 8:03 pm
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Default Re: Basic private health insurance for only 2 months

Originally Posted by mfesharne
Your profile says you're based in Spain....... in which case could you not get a Spanish EHIC card before you leave so it covers you until you get your Portuguese Residencia?
My husband works in Spain until 31-10, because we leave Spain and will be in Portugal as of the 1st of November. The Spanish health insurance continues until the 1st of december. Then it is over.

We could ask in Spain for the voluntary NHS and pay for it, but we cannot stop this insurance for at least 6 months, because we are in Portugal. I hope we will become resident in Portugal as soon as possible and get the NHS in Portugal.

A temporary health insurance would be the best.
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Old Sep 27th 2017, 8:07 pm
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Default Re: Basic private health insurance for only 2 months

Originally Posted by Mike
Wouldn't travel insurance cover you?
I think a travel insurance is always based on a health insurance in the country where you live and under that condition you can have a travel insurance.

I am looking at Columbus Direct to see if I they have a solution.

Last edited by Pilou; Sep 27th 2017 at 8:16 pm.
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Old Sep 28th 2017, 6:00 am
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Default Re: Basic private health insurance for only 2 months

Originally Posted by Pilou
My husband works in Spain until 31-10, because we leave Spain and will be in Portugal as of the 1st of November. The Spanish health insurance continues until the 1st of december. Then it is over.

We could ask in Spain for the voluntary NHS and pay for it, but we cannot stop this insurance for at least 6 months, because we are in Portugal. I hope we will become resident in Portugal as soon as possible and get the NHS in Portugal.

A temporary health insurance would be the best.
So what country are you currently registered as residing in?

If it's an EU country you should be able to get an EHIC card from there that will cover you here until you get your residencia which in theory at least, should be not before 3 months & before 4 months.
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Old Sep 28th 2017, 6:11 am
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Default Re: Basic private health insurance for only 2 months

Originally Posted by mfesharne
So what country are you currently registered as residing in?

If it's an EU country you should be able to get an EHIC card from there that will cover you here until you get your residencia which in theory at least, should be not before 3 months & before 4 months.
We are resident in Spain. My husband stops working in Spain and as of that moment we can join voluntary the NHS in Spain and pay 60 EUR/month for that in the autonomous region of Valencia. But without EHIC-rights, strange enough.

During the period that my husband works and pays for the social security, he and I have EHIC rights.

We will have an appointment in Spain with the INSS about this in a couple of weeks and ask if Spain will cover emergency in Portugal.
If they do, then this is the best solution for us. Until the moment we become resident in Portugal, we stay resident in Spain and are just on holiday in Portugal.
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Old Sep 28th 2017, 7:06 am
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Default Re: Basic private health insurance for only 2 months

Do the authorities actually go into things in that much detail when an EHIC card has been used? There are occasional posts on here from people who reside here and who have apparently been told to use their EHIC cards long after their initial 3 months have passed.

Whatever the Spanish say, I can't see the card being refused in Portugal, assuming you have one and it's not past the expiry date. It's then a matter of whether the Spanish authorities would pick it up at the reciprocal charging stage and whether they'd chase it up with you if they did.

Just theorising, of course - and I can understand your desire to be absolutely sure on the matter of being covered one way or another.

Last edited by Red Eric; Sep 28th 2017 at 7:09 am.
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Old Sep 28th 2017, 7:24 am
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Default Re: Basic private health insurance for only 2 months

We have a EHIC card based on our Spanish NHS (until 1 December 2017) and it is still valid for a long time.
This card will work in Portugal, but I need to know if Spain would take the cost in case of an emergency. If not, Spain will send the bill finally to us!

Therefore the best thing is to ask if I am still covered with this EHIC card for emergencies.
I also asked Columbo Direct if their travel insurance works without a health insurance in Spain. If this is the case, then this is an excellent and relatively cheap solution. Waiting for their answer.
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Old Sep 28th 2017, 10:02 am
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Default Re: Basic private health insurance for only 2 months

Originally Posted by Pilou
Hi,
We are looking for a private basic health insurance for only max 3 months. A very basic insurance to cover only a heart attack or something similar. So only hospital cover.

We only need that for 1 or 2 months. Is that possible or are you obliged to take the insurance for 12 months.
After the 1 to 3 months private insurance, we will -hopefully- join the NHS in Portugal.

Is there an insurance that will cover sudden accidents (heart-attack, broken leg etc) as of day 1? When you have an accident and your leg is broken and you need an OP, is this covered?

Thanks!

Suggest you ring MEDAL SEGURANCAS in Portimao to enquire +351 282430800 Or contact AFPOP (ex-pat citizens advice type bureau) on +351 282458509 They will tell you what the options are ..If you join will get preferential rates from Medal

Last edited by GeniB; Sep 28th 2017 at 10:09 am.
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Old Sep 28th 2017, 10:18 am
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Default Re: Basic private health insurance for only 2 months

Originally Posted by GeniB
Suggest you ring MEDAL SEGURANCAS in Portimao to enquire +351 282430800 Or contact AFPOP (ex-pat citizens advice type bureau) on +351 282458509 They will tell you what the options are ..If you join will get preferential rates from Medal
I just send Medal a mail. We might join Afpop. Can they also assist when importing a car?
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Old Sep 28th 2017, 10:24 am
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Default Re: Basic private health insurance for only 2 months

Originally Posted by Pilou
I just send Medal a mail. We might join Afpop. Can they also assist when importing a car?
They can give you advice on that they certainly helped us through the first year hurdles
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Old Sep 28th 2017, 11:05 am
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Default Re: Basic private health insurance for only 2 months

Originally Posted by Pilou
I just send Medal a mail. We might join Afpop. Can they also assist when importing a car?
Probably direct you to a Customs Agent . One thing , if you are transfering the car ( not paying import duty ) you must get from your local ayuntamiento a "baja del padron" certificate which clearly states you are leaving Spain to move to Portugal. Will also need 12 months of utility bills and a host of other documentation. There are several threads on this subject with more details but recommendation is pay a custom's agent about €400,- to get you through the process.
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Old Sep 28th 2017, 11:07 am
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Default Re: Basic private health insurance for only 2 months

Originally Posted by Loafing Along
Probably direct you to a Customs Agent . One thing , if you are transfering the car ( not paying import duty ) you must get from your local ayuntamiento a "baja del padron" certificate which clearly states you are leaving Spain to move to Portugal. Will also need 12 months of utility bills and a host of other documentation. There are several threads on this subject with more details but recommendation is pay a custom's agent about €400,- to get you through the process.
Thanks again. You told me before and I contacted this custom's agent a couple of weeks ago. The price is no longer 400 EUR but 450.
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Old Sep 28th 2017, 11:09 am
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Default Re: Basic private health insurance for only 2 months

Originally Posted by Pilou
We have a EHIC card based on our Spanish NHS (until 1 December 2017) and it is still valid for a long time.
This card will work in Portugal, but I need to know if Spain would take the cost in case of an emergency. If not, Spain will send the bill finally to us!

Therefore the best thing is to ask if I am still covered with this EHIC card for emergencies.
I also asked Columbo Direct if their travel insurance works without a health insurance in Spain. If this is the case, then this is an excellent and relatively cheap solution. Waiting for their answer.
As a "by the way" on the EHIC situation when we left Spain for Portugal we were shut out of the Spanish Social Security system healthcare and refered back to the UK as my SS contributions in UK were for a longer period than my Spanish ones, even though I am a Spanish pensioner . UK provided an EHIC card as soon as we had a permanent address in Portugal to which they could send it.

Once here you should be able to register at your local Health Centre although the Allianz coverage via Medal / Afpop is excellent value.
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